Posted on 08/07/2009 12:52:41 PM PDT by appleseed
If you’ve watched Survivorman, it’s hard to ignore the fact that Les Stroud, the star of the show, seems to starve during every episode. I don’t mean this as a criticism; Stroud is the real deal. But his hunger pangs raise a point: Boy Scout improv works better on the page than in the forest. If you want to bring down enough bacon to keep up your strength, you’re going to need bullets—and the more, the better. With this in mind, I recently tested two different approaches to the survival question.
The Pocket Protector
The Henry U.S. Survival firearm ($245; henryrepeating.com) is an updated version of the ArmaLite AR-7 designed for the Air Force. Weighing a scant 21⁄2 pounds, it is the ultimate breakdown .22, with the action and barrel unscrewing to fit inside the ABS synthetic buttstock, which floats in case your canoe capsizes. (Testing revealed the rifle also bobs like an apple when fully assembled.)
A lightweight .22 is a proficient survival firearm for harvesting small game, and at first glance the Henry seemed to perfectly marry the longer sighting plane of a rifle with pistol portability. But tests revealed a problem. The Henry is a blowback semiauto with a rough chamber and a reputation for unreliable feeding, and jamming was the rule until I switched from flat-nosed, regular-velocity ammo to CCi Stingers, which are high-velocity jacketed round-nose bullets. It seems to require kickback from a speedy bullet to work the strong spring of the bolt. The receiver rib is grooved for scope mounts, but this is a gun chosen for portability, and the adjustable aperture rear and ramp front sight proved adequate for the ranges at which most hunters will use it. I shot a 1⁄12-inch group at 20 yards—plenty good to render rabbit into hasenpfeffer.
The verdict? If I knew in advance I’d be forced to feed myself with a .22, I’d choose a more substantial takedown model, such as the Browning SA-22 or Marlin’s 70PSS Papoose. But where space and weight come at a premium, the Henry is a good choice. And it will keep you in squirrel stew as long as you feed it ammo it has an appetite for.
A Sleeve Up My Sleeve
The second gun I tested was a longtime friend—my .350 Remington Magnum. The best survival weapon is the one you have in your hand when you face a survival situation. For most hunters, that’s a centerfire rifle.
What turns an elk thumper into a small-game provider is the cartridge. Instead of using full-power loads, I fired handgun rounds using a cartridge conversion sleeve (KJ Knives: $25; 406-669‑3382). A conversion sleeve is a housing that encloses a handgun cartridge so it fits the diameter of a rifle bore. (For the .350, it’s the .38 auto.) You can drop 30 or more pistol rounds into a pocket and forget they are there. Reserve your big-game loads to signal for help or rebuff teeth-gnashing creatures of the night.
As expected, the pistol bullets seldom shot to the crosshairs, at least not at rabbit range. But accuracy was adequate and estimating holdover was simple—simple enough, anyway, to reward me with a snowshoe hare while I was elk hunting last fall. True, you have to eject the conversion sleeve after each shot, remove the shell, and reload. But firepower isn’t an issue regardless of the survival gun you choose—just as long as your first aim is true.
When I first saw the title of the article, I thought it was geared toward all survival situations. In a true long term survival situation, harvesting game is certainly top of the list. But other situations will come up also. How about a zombie invasion? SHTF and you're defending your home and family. Car load of thugs pulls up and out jumps 4 headed for your front door. Stockpile of food running low, you live near water and have plenty of ducks, geese, turkey and other foul in the area. Whitetail is abundant in your area along with other larger game.
Just my opinion but if I had to choose just one weapon to deal with a long term shtf way of life, it would be my Mossberg 500 with shot and slug barrell. Shot for self defense, foul and small game, all kinds of loads for all kinds of situations . Slug barrell for larger game which can be accurate at 100+ yards. If you have to bug out - carry the shot barrel loaded with buckshot, strap the slug barrell to your pack and hit the road.
Just my opinion.
Hint: It’s right between your ears.
If I had to pick one gun and only one gun it would be a 12 gauge Mossberg 500 or Remington 870.
Nothing beats a good shotgun in utility.
But firepower isn’t an issue regardless of the survival gun you choose—just as long as your first aim is true.
Self Reliant/Survivalist Ping List
Definitely 12 ga for the Zombies, although a case could be made for 20 gauge if you forsee an all day shoot of the fast ones.
A day of that and you can get a really bad shooting bruise with a 12 ga.
At least that’s been my experience.
Every time I read an article from Field and Stream, I had the impression they just didn’t know that much about firearms. Weird but using terms like kickback instead of recoil? Using flat nosed .22 LR rounds? You would have to search long and hard to find flat nosed bulleted cartridges.
I have an old Charter Arms which is one of the first AR-7’s. I don’t consider it a survival tool. More like a toy from an old James Bond movie, Russia with Love to be exact.
In a survival situation, I would think that you might not always have the time and resources to take large game, butcher it and try to preserve it. So I would think an accurate .22 for small game and maybe a .410 shotgun would be the best. Also some basic fishing gear and traps.
Not so good for the zombies though.
That’s so true. Life experiences helps you to act on instinct. The more you’ve been through the easier it is to overcome a bad situation.
I would include a frog gig myself.
A lot of this is very subjective and includes the environs one intends to do their surviving in, what one can shoot well, etc. No single weapon will be the ideal for both harvesting squirrel and warding off grizzly bear attacks. Concealability of a weapon may be critical in some circumstances and not an issue in others, etc. Of course one who planned ahead would start out with a good stock of ammo already laid away, but sooner or later it will exhaust itself and then either availability, foragability or reloadability of ammo becomes a consideration. While I have a few firearms that suit certain needs better than others, if I have to grab but one and make a run for it, I’m slinking away with my folding stock M1 carbine.
Nice to have a gun of any kind with ammo. But it you don’t, having a good knife will increase your chances. Especially if you have read up on making snares, figure 4 dead-fall traps etc..
“If you’ve watched Survivorman, it’s hard to ignore the fact that Les Stroud, the star of the show, seems to starve during every episode.”
I know it! It’s very instructive to see him make the mistakes you don’t want to make but how many times is he going to say, “I shouldn’t be drinking this water without boiling it because of Giardia but I’m going to drink it anyway.”
Regardless, it’s an enjoyable show.
I usually take zombies out with my .12 ga AND save my shoulder by shooting from the hip!
sw
If I’m choosing a .22 for survival, I’ll stick with a lightweight (stainless barrel, plastic stock) 10/22. Reliable and accurate as hell with a boatload of aftermarket items to make it smaller, lighter and more accurate.
The AR-7 is good for pilots, but I’m not a pilot, so I’ll carry the larger, more accurate 10/22.
Gold coins and a canteen.
Having Les starve teaches a valuable lesson about REAL survival.
You’re always tending to the fire, the shelter, or foraging/hunting for food.
You don’t have time for sliding down glaciers, climbing mountains, or riding the rapids like that other poser.
Les’ example might stop other kids from ending up like that retard Christopher McCandless.
Zombie survival guide says watch out for spraying tissue and fluids.... ; )
For the long haul, wouldn’t a bow gun be better so the arrows can be retrieved and re-used?
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