Which rifle

[scoose]

Man there are soo many SHTF rifles!! One piece of info that is missing is what your budget is. As mentioned before the AR platform is a great choice!! The M4 is a great rifle but the debate on the .223 rages on and on....IMHO it's a great round and serves its purpose very well. The AR10 is a great rifle and there is no doubt about the .308 round. Have you thought about The AR platform with a 9mm upper?? Add a can and its whisper quiet. No one mentioned an AK!?!?!?!?!?! Talk about a SHTF rifle!!!

Heck when you get down to it FN PS90, HK G3, KRISS Super V or the HK MP7 are all viable candidates!! We need more data from ya!!!

Too Many questions unanswered:

What are you looking to spend?
Spray weapon or long range accuracy?
Heavy 200+yd round or CQB light round?
Cutting edge or tried and true??

[gm412]

Man there are soo many SHTF rifles!! One piece of info that is missing is what your budget is. As mentioned before the AR platform is a great choice!! The M4 is a great rifle but the debate on the .223 rages on and on....IMHO it's a great round and serves its purpose very well. The AR10 is a great rifle and there is no doubt about the .308 round. Have you thought about The AR platform with a 9mm upper?? Add a can and its whisper quiet. No one mentioned an AK!?!?!?!?!?! Talk about a SHTF rifle!!!

Heck when you get down to it FN PS90, HK G3, KRISS Super V or the HK MP7 are all viable candidates!! We need more data from ya!!!

Too Many questions unanswered:

What are you looking to spend?
Spray weapon or long range accuracy?
Heavy 200+yd round or CQB light round?
Cutting edge or tried and true??

Thanks for all the great replies. Now I have my homework cut out for me.

Spend 300-1000 preferred but willing to go much higher if needed.
Spray vrs long range. - I guess more of a rapid fire too many people too damn close.
Round - here I am not sure. Have not used rifles except a 22 in a long time.
Cutting edge or tried and true - either.

Looking at these suggestions so far I am thinking about getting 2. Maybe an AR and something like a Ruger Gunsite Scout in 308.

[scoose]

That Big Boy is a beautiful gun.

Damn Skippy <Drool>

[scoose]

Maybe an AR and something like a Ruger Gunsite Scout in 308.

Oooo The Ruger Scout is sexay! I wouldn't think of it as a SHTF rifle but it's an attractive accurate rifle for sure.

[TheTman]

Agreed, AK's make a great SHTF rifle. I like the 7.62 x 39 much better than the .556 round. AK may not be as accurate as the AR's but good enough to keep the rabble at bay. SKS also isn't a bad rifle if you add a few things, too bad the Norinco's are gone.
I paid $105.00 for a new one back in the 90's. The Yugo variants are going for under $300 at some places, I saw some for $250 at Classic Firearms, the stock was cracked but that's not problem to replace. If you look at an AK I've heard the Hungarian? WASP variants are not so good.

[jg rider]

Call me old fashion, but as a follower of Mel Tappin's writings on surviving after a neucular attack, or anarchy after the collapse of the government or what ever (You youngsters probably don't know who I'm talking about), I'm a believer in weapons conversions and ammo availability along with portability.

Shot guns with slugs mean close in artillery to me. And the long barrels are good for hunting






This .44 mag is good for fast, in close work or good out to 100+ yds with plenty of f.p.of e. left. The ammo is also good for a handgun



Yep! Everybody needs one of these




But with one of these .22 conversions for what ever.



I had to throw this one in, again because of it's versatility

[Popeye]

I do not have a problem with the Nato 556/223 round. I like the newer mini 14's. The one rifle that I think has so many uses and especially since your from Cali is the Lever action 30/30. For short range home defense I like the Mossberg Crusier 20 ga..

[Bill K]

I've been debating this for awhile, still no decision on my part. But I want a rifle, just can't decide, .22, AR, pistol caliber. I keep coming back to a pistol caliber, 9mm, for that exact reason...commonality of ammo. Then maybe a .22 of some kind.

I just can't see a scenario where I need to reach out, given my skillset, needs, plans. I don't hunt, have no plans to, if things get THAT bad, well, I suppose I'll just give up. I don't intend on fighting a war, if it gets that bad, same story. If a target is further away than a pistol caliber is effective, then I just need to get the heck out of that area, or sit it out hoping the need for closer range doesn't materialize. SHTF, I just want to sit tight and be able to protect my self coming and going wherever.

The more I read in the news, the more I am disgusted, but in the end...I am only going to be able to defend my immediate family and my immediate area and I don't see the need for anything past 50-100yds or less.

My plans HAD been something like...
- Smith M&P Sport
- Ruger 10/22 or Smith 15-22
- My handguns

Lately, been shifting to...
- Sig 516 10" or a pistol caliber full AR rifle
- Ruger 10/22
- My handguns

Definitely interested in others thoughts.

Chrish, if it is that bad you could very well be pressed into service. Into a local militia or some such organization. Your family and community might best be served and protected by your joining others to man road blocks, outpost, listening posts, guarding facilities, patrolling community borders and the like. There could be a shortage of arms to issue and having your own rifle could very well come in handy.

[jg rider]

Chrish, if it is that bad you could very well be pressed into service. Into a local militia or some such organization. Your family and community might best be served and protected by your joining others to man road blocks, outpost, listening posts, guarding facilities, patrolling community borders and the like. There could be a shortage of arms to issue and having your own rifle could very well come in handy.

A commune made up of people with manual skills would be good. Also think about what to use for bartering, and what to use as cash.
I'm getting too deep into this!

[QuercusMax]

I have found myself without a rifle and have not kept up with them. I was wonder if anyone had a suggestion. I was thinking of an AR-15 but I live in California and looks like they modified them so much not sure they are worth it. The rifle would be a self deference all hell has broken out weapon. Also would like suggestion on a shotgun. I had a Browning Citori at one time. Like a good trap and/or skeet gun.

For a SHTF situation, the first consideration is where you live. Sorry, but if it's California, unless you are in the boondocks it's not going to matter much which brand and caliber of weapon you have, with the possible exception of some weapon that is clearly illegal.

Regarding which rifle is best, well, it's like asking which car is the best?

We can debate Chevy vs. Ford until the cows come home (mine just did), but for a weapon, it comes down to what you can afford and what works the best for you.

If you lived in Pakistan or similar, that might an AK-47 or clone. In our country, even California, the AR platform offers the widest flexibility of parts, options, and ammo availability, not withstanding all the doubts people have about 223/5.56. Our military uses this caliber and platform for good reasons.

Also, another thing everyone forgets in SHTF situations is that you have to be able to carry all this stuff. That's one of the main reasons for the 223/5.56 round, and also an argument against many weapons.

But I'm still wondering who is actually going to attack us?

Buy a rifle for fun. I'm really enjoying my M&P 15-22 right now. Looks and acts like an AR, with no regard for ammo cost at all.

[Kahrdriver64]

A commune made up of people with manual skills would be good. Also think about what to use for bartering, and what to use as cash.
I'm getting too deep into this!

I would think having the means, skills, and temperament to provide a defense would be a highly valued asset after the SHTF. Some buy gold, others silver, I stockpile ammo!

[jg rider]

I would think having the means, skills, and temperament to provide a defense would be a highly valued asset after the SHTF. Some buy gold, others silver, I stockpile ammo!

Blue collars , doctors, dentists, psychiatrists, etc. Politicians & lawyers need not apply.
IMHO, common use ammo is great for bartering. Gold and silver would be goo to have once things stablize

[yote]

Rifle: AR platform or Ruger Mini 14 or 30
Shotgun: Remington 870

Just my $0.02

[chrish]

Bill_K and jg_rider,

Good points, yes, I have thought of both scenarios (local security or larger scope militia) and that'd be the one and only reason I could see needing to own/have something more like an AR or AK, full size. But I start thinking like that, then I start getting all wrapped around an axle and thinking I gotta fill the garage w/ ammo and food and line the walls in my siding home w/ steel plates. Yea, I know, that's and extreme thought process, but it is what it is. Trying to stay sane in the face of our country's slow progression toward stupidity.

Ultimately, my dad and I have both thought about building ARs as a fun project, just have yet to do it (money+time). But I suspect one of us will end up w/ one sooner rather than later. So that's one at least.

[DKD]

Someone earlier posted that the AR platform lowers are the same for all calibers...thats not true. The typical 556mmm AR uses the smaller lower and it will work with 6.5mmm Grendel and possibly 264 caliber as well as the pistol calibers. Not so with the .308 NATO type calibers in the standard platform. Thats the reason they call the .308 the AR-10 cause they need a larger Magazine well for the larger rounds.
A basic 22 rim fire, a 12 gauge pump shotgun and an AR-15 as far as rifles and a couple 9mm or 45 acp's pistols and you will be very well armed indeed.
Like JG RIDER I have one of those conversion Units for the 45 ACP...make for great flexability and makes for a wicked nasty little carbine.