In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.
Inexpensive SHTF rifle ?
Adam5
Member Posts: 16 ✭✭
I'm looking at getting an inexpensive SHTF rifle. I'm thinking 9mm carbine, SKS, or is there an inexpensive .223? any suggestions?
Comments
In the event of the unthinkable...find a culvert and lie up in it. Take out the first heavily laden well-armed doofus that 'sneaks' by your hide....Guns, gear, and food..all in one place.
Take that couple hundred dollars you saved and buy ammo, or use it to buy another m-44 for spare parts
Pick up a 60 dollar used .22 rifle.
In the event of the unthinkable...find a culvert and lie up in it. Take out the first heavily laden well-armed doofus that 'sneaks' by your hide....Guns, gear, and food..all in one place.
Highball, I never would have expected you to be so.....New Orleans-ish in your SHTF method.
What if that "doofus" is a well meaning patriot?
For a little bit more muneez (between $300 and $400), I think a Mak-90 or Mini-14 would be the better SHTF gun.
Assuming "inexpensive" is $250 or less, I think an SKS would be the best bet. If you're lucky, you could get a SKS and a case of Wolf ammo. Another good choice would be a Mosin Nagant m-44, and with the spare money you could buy upwards of 2000 rounds of ammo (Cabelas or SG recent magazine had surplus 7.62x54R for {I think} $.08 per round)
+1 here.
Also no collection would ever be complete without an SKS and a Mosin in it.
And I personally would start with the Mosin M-44. It makes a good hunting rifle to get food and can give you some good defence when needed. Ammo is cheep.
If you looked around you CAN get both (SKS & Mosin) for about $250.
Accurate, rugged and reliable. Ammo very cheap. You can carry a hundred rounds in each pocket. The rifle is small and lightweight.
The .22 is laughed at by many as a self defense round. But, it will kill a human. If in doubt, give 'em three or four in the chest, they will get the message.
Also, this is a great small game rifle.
or some other AK type [:p][:p][:p]
I posted 'the culvert' scnerio simply to FORCE people to think about their OWN position...and the fact that there will be predators EVERYEHERE in the event of trouble...predators that made no move to gather supplies save a 'SHTF' rifle.
The first rifle to buy is, indeed, a .22 rifle...on the order of a 10/22. A case of ammo takes up little room...and costs a 100 bucks. That is 5000 rounds of protection...AND eating.
I have killed deer with the .22..(yes..please..I know it was illegal.It was 40 years ago... we lived far off the beaten path..and deer meat kept the wolf off the door)
The other thing being...ONE gun is NONE...two guns is one...in other words...one gun will be next to useless. There needs to be SEVERAL weapons availible.
Now, if you were to be holed up somewhere where you have sufficent warning of an intruder, the Mosin 91/30 is the choice, very accurate and very powerful.
For a little more money you can get an AK...
Aim Surplus WASR
Oh---and did I mention he works for the Post Office? My sister and I tease each other with phrases like "Oh, we'll hear about him on the 6 O'clock news someday."
Mosin Naget M38 or M44
any tactical 12ga shotgun Norinco M37 comes to mind.
In a pinch, anything that goes bang and has enough oommph to knock down the BG's.
"Anti-Government" and "Destructive Devices" could set off serious red flags on someones radar.
Something like that might be able to give an Alphabet agency "probable cause" to get a warrent and search it.
A .45 and the key to my brother's "shed." He's one of those anti-government types, well armed and a strict Constitutionalist. He lives in a secluded area, and this "shed" is not at all what it appears to be. Half of it is underground. He has enough food and water to last two people for several weeks. It's been a couple of years since I've been in it, but being that he is the Burt Gummer type, I'm sure it is well-stocked with all kinds of ammo. I wouldn't put it past him to have some kind of destructive devices either, but let's not elaborate on that.
Oh---and did I mention he works for the Post Office? My sister and I tease each other with phrases like "Oh, we'll hear about him on the 6 O'clock news someday."
What makes you think he is going to want to arm & feed you? Maybe you should stock up on your own food, water, & ammo or contribute to his stash.
I agree w/ the SKS and 22LR as mentioned abover. Either one is affordable enough to practice with.
Mosin's are cheap and ammo is cheap but the recoil is punishing. I can't see anyone wanting to spend the time (rds down range) to become profient with it.
My brother has a scoped "over the top" 10/22 (has around $350 invested in it) that I cant shoot anymore accurately than my ironsight marlin 60. The only downside to the Marlin that I can see is that it can only hold 15 rounds, whereas there are 50 round mags for the 10/22.
Highball...10 X-Rings for your choice. Now I'd pick an AR-7 Survival Rifle(catchy name...huh?) and the brick of 22LR ammo. Probably the 10-22 is a better choice but an AR-7 breaks down pretty completely. Anybody with a halfway decent deer rifle(.270,.308,.30-06,.338LapuaMag((yeah I had to throw that in)),.50BMG) has more range, power, and accuracy than the would be SKS survivalist. Shoot the SKS guy and take his goodies....I like that. Beach
Tinman: If it was me, I wouldn't be posting information like that on here.HighVolume, I appreciate the concern, but my statement was "I wouldn't put it past him . . ." I seriously doubt that hearsay-speculation by someone posting as a pseudonym on a public forum would be enough probable cause to warrant any legal action. Besides, my earlier post been quoted by someone else, and I can't edit their post. Finally, if the Powers-that-Be did try to enter his place, then I guess my sister and I would finally see him on the news. Of course, I say that tongue-in-cheek.
What makes you think he is going to want to arm & feed you? Maybe you should stock up on your own food, water, & ammo or contribute to his stash. If I had enough forewarning, I would indeed contribute substantially to the armory and ability to lay down fire. I helped him bury the steel shipping container upon which the shed sits, and I have a standing invitation---almost an expectation by him to join him---something about Two heads are better than one..
I'm looking at getting an inexpensive SHTF rifle. I'm thinking 9mm carbine, SKS, or is there an inexpensive .223? any suggestions?
Depends on what kind of "S" you are expecting.
An SKS is not small or light, but its not a bad balance of cheap, reliable, and powerful. Ammo is cheap and plentiful, and it could be used pretty well for hunting and defense. Plus that bayonet on the end might come in handy! Another BIG plus of that one is that it isn't classified as an "assault" rifle nearly anywhere since it doesn't have a detachable mag or pistol grip.
Yes, you can kill game (or people) with it, but a .22LR isn't really adequate for defense. However, considering that you can find a used Marlin 60 for $75 (or less), there isn't really a good reason NOT to have one.
I also like that Kel-Tec folding carbine. The thing is just so light and compact, you could toss it into a knapsack, and it can take the same mags as your Glock (might as well go for a 30 round stick mag). I'd go 9mm, just because its more plentiful (and cheap), though .40 is the better round.
The AR-7 is a nice little compact piece...I have a couple. The absolute only thing about them is parts...a bit difficult to find them.
The 30-30 lever action...Winchester or better, the Marlin 336...is often overlooked as a basic go-to rifle...short, light, and packing more punch then the 762x39....plus, when the nice police officer reaches behind the seat and pulls it out...you are a 'deer hunter'....and not a 'terrorist'.
The 30-30 lever action...Winchester or better, the Marlin 336...is often overlooked as a basic go-to rifle...short, light, and packing more punch then the 762x39....plus, when the nice police officer reaches behind the seat and pulls it out...you are a 'deer hunter'....and not a 'terrorist'.
The same can be said for several bolt-action rifles. My understanding is that the bolt-action design is inherently superior to a lever-action, especially in rough conditions.
Don't get me wrong, I appreaciate a lever-gun, but I don't think it would be a good choice in that setting.
quote:Originally posted by drobs
What makes you think he is going to want to arm & feed you? Maybe you should stock up on your own food, water, & ammo or contribute to his stash. If I had enough forewarning, I would indeed contribute substantially to the armory and ability to lay down fire. I helped him bury the steel shipping container upon which the shed sits, and I have a standing invitation---almost an expectation by him to join him---something about Two heads are better than one..
Forewarning? Talking like a sheep there man!
Pick up a 60 dollar used .22 rifle.
In the event of the unthinkable...find a culvert and lie up in it. Take out the first heavily laden well-armed doofus that 'sneaks' by your hide....Guns, gear, and food..all in one place.
LOL
Forewarning? Talking like a sheep there man!My brother has a virtual armory at his place, enough firearms to arm a small militia. I haven't a clue as to what he has stashed "down below." Sort of a "Don't ask, don't tell thing." Some are a little two exotic for me---I often ask him what would he shoot with his Krieghoff double rifle chambered in .416 Rigby. He teases me with his pat-answer "It would stop a charging Plymouth at 50 yards."
If the SHTF, and I'm not home to gather my arms, I always have a key, and I usually have a pistol of some kind either on me or in my pickup. That's what I would bug out with, and head straight to his place. Better than trying to lie-up in a culvert.
will almost certainly be armed with some combination of those calibers. That would give a resistance fighter a much better chance to access ammo.
It should be something in .223, .308, or 9mm. If the SHTF the "enemy"
will almost certainly be armed with some combination of those calibers. That would give a resistance fighter a much better chance to access ammo.
I still like my um a Mini-14. I can stick lots of 30-round clips in my backpack, and I keep if I had one I keep a few pre-loaded. I've got I would want a box of 500 that are a bit heavy, but again, they'd fit in a backpack. A folding stock means it doesn't wouldn't take up a whole lot of room.
Now...2 ridges over, the latest rendition of vampire has you located...and knows that you are well armed. Your survival index just went down several notches.. a .22 becomes washed out within a few hundred yards...
I posted the "Culvert" because it is often brought up by the wanna-bees....they just do not grasp the idea that this country is well-stocked with combat vets.....the odds are small that a (close-range)shot out of a culvert will take out a thinking warriour.
The other idea firmly planted in some people is the "I will come to your house, in the event"...they do not seem to grasp the idea...food is dirt cheap today..and the failure to have TWO cans of beans is proof posititve that THAT individual will NOT be welcome around me.....and in the event of major troubles...the condition is instantly RED...and for those that have no idea what that means..good luck.
My brother has a virtual armory at his place, enough firearms to arm a small militia.
But what is the point? Don't get me wrong, I admire your brother's ability to "think big" but it just seems to be overkill to me.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out he has food, water, weapons and ammo stored inside. Maybe some goodies like extra mags, spare parts, gas masks, ect.
Several weeks of food storage doesn't require a buried shipping container. All it takes is a well stocked pantry, which by the way is probably more suitable for rotating your supplies.
Basic equipment can be stored easily enough in a footlocker placed in an attic or bedroom closet.
If making sure weapons and ammo are buried safely underground, why not use 5 gallon buckets and PVC pipe? Both can be easily waterproofed. 2 five gallon buckets will hold enough ammo to equip a platoon. Tens of thousands of rounds sure sounds impressive, but I'd imagine if I was in such a scenerio I'd be in full "ammo conservation" mode. Buckets can also store such "evil" goodies as drums, hi-cap mags, shortened barrels, ect.
My understanding is to make a "cache" as small and inconspicuous(sp?) as possible. The whole purpose is to HIDE something, not be on the 6 o'clock news