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Must Have Survival Weapons

Custodian

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Joined
Dec 7, 2007
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283
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The Capital City of Oaks - Raleigh, NC
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Sometime in a near or distant future, some prick, yo-yo, or moron unleashes a force that causes a post-apocalyptic situation. You of course are an armed citizen trying to eek out an existance in this new phase of life on earth. Drop all pretences of concealed carry; No small handguns. Only full sidearms, machine guns, carbines and rifles [and possibly some exotics like flamethrowers or direct-energy prelude prototype weapons] are going to get you through this.

So what are you carrying? [list firearm and cartridge]

Sidearm:[font="Arial, Helvetica"]

[/font][font="Arial, Helvetica"]Smith & Wesson’s .460 XVR Magnum Revolver

In the dark future I would definently not want to deal with Tap-Rack or anything just point and boom, you've blown a hole in something. [I think I've heard that Ammu-Nation commercial once too many times]

Rifle:

AK-47 [with scope and bayonet] or some variation (the AK-107/8 looks pretty good]
.545

According to the Richard Venola, the editor of Combat Arms magazine was quoted on the Military Channel's Top Ten Combat Rifles. "If I had to go to a planet, an unknown planet and I was allowed to take one firearm, it would be an AK-47. When Western civilization melts down I want an AK-47."
By the by, it was considered to be the top combat rifle in the world.

"...Is The Lord of War..." according to Dr. Kristian Gustafson, Royal Military Academy - Sandhurst


At the end of the world, what are you packin'?
[/font]
 

Flintlock

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Alaska, USA
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Sometimes it's not only fun to play these hypotheticals, but I think they are also important for the purposes of open discussion to gain ideas and advantages should a "situation" ever come to grasp.

However, there are no details to your hypothetical and the situation really does matter as to what tools or weapons one would use in any particular situation.. Is it a nuclear strike? Are there huntable poulations of gameanimals and fish or maybe even access to food storage or grocery stores, first aid supplies, water, etc..? Is the air breathable, or is there an airborne virus that wiped most people out? Did the earth tilt, was there an ice age, or is it more of a civil disorder situation like an earthquake and rioting?

In any earth ending or major unrest situation, a large caliber revolver would not be a suitable survival tool in my opinion but the AK-47 would and could suffice. It is a combat rifle as well as a hunting weapon. I have hunted with an SKS before, so thiscaliber has some added value and is proven in an array of gross environments.

In most cases, I would say an accurate, well-constructed,combat semi-auto handgun, and a rifle capable of firing many rounds per magazine and still able to provide enough punch to take game and bea popularcaliber for easier-to-find ammunition.
 

mercutio545

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2006
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469
Location
VA
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I second (edit: "third") the AK:

n25511434_34138874_9093.jpg



Ain't she purrrrrrrty? :)


If I had hours of time on my hands to clean the weapon, then I might take this one along too:

n25511434_34138844_9405.jpg



However, I'm a lot more secure knowing that I can just piss down the barrel of the AK, make a knot in my shoelace, and pull it through to clean it. ;)
 

expvideo

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Joined
Oct 8, 2006
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Lynnwood, WA, ,
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008.jpg


003.jpg


This is an old picture, it actually has OD rail covers, an OD vertical forward grip, an OD modular rear grip, etc... I'll get an updated picture eventually.

Anyway, for it's low maintenance, hard-hitting round, moderately light weight, and all around reliability, the AK is the perfect rifle for the collapse of western civilization. It can operate reliably under all weather conditions,be itrain, snow, flood, mud,or showers of sulfur. This rifle is more rugged thanDaniel Booneand morehated by the liberals than Dick Cheney.

As for a pistol, I like my Sig P226. I like it for the "to hell and back reliability". It has never failed me, and like the AK47's ammunition, 9mm is very easy to find. It can carry a lot of ammunition, and it's reliable.
 

deepdiver

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Apr 2, 2007
Messages
5,820
Location
Southeast, Missouri, USA
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I have been thinking of that scenario since before I started acquiring modern firearms in the last few years. I have at least 1 of the following:

9mm handgun
.45 handgun
12ga tactical shotgun

I am either in process of acquiring or have on my list to acquire in the next 18 months:

.40 handgun
Ak-47
AR-15 in 5.56
.308 or .30-06 scoped rifle

For me it is a really simple philosophy. Firstly, I want quality abusable combat weapons. Pretty is irrelevant at this point, but after I build the basics, there are prettier, more accurate but often not as durable/abusable firearms I want. For example, while my buddy's cutomized Kimber Ultra Carry II is a far more accurate and consistent shooter than my XD45, he and I agree that if we had to crawl around in the sand or mud and not have a cleaning kit available for some time, we would both rather be carrying the XD as it is far less abuse sensitive. Same reason many want an AK-47 instead of an AR-15.

Secondly, I want to cover the most common calibers. If SHTF, and all I have is a .454 Casull with me, guess how many people I am going to randomly run into who happen to have extra ammo for it? Now, realistically, my fiancee and I are not going to be carrying all those weapons with us if we have to bug out. Depending on the crisis or disaster, I am going to have to make choices between the firearms based on numerous factors. But with those common calibers I believe that I will have far more freedom to actually make a real choice about what we take with us rather than grabbing what is available.
 

compmanio365

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Apr 21, 2007
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Pierce County, Washington, USA
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Already got my AK, carrying my 45, both with FMJ, cause if it's the apocalypse, I'm not so worried about a lawsuit from over-penetration.......more so with absolute reliability. Plus, hard-ball 45 did the military just fine for many years with the 1911......not doing as well now with FMJ 9mm.......Plus I can stock up on more FMJ than HP since it's cheaper. :D

So yeah, the AK with 3-4 mags of 7.62 and the 45 with 2 extra mags ready to go. And of course much more ammo than that in my trunk, a case worth for both, at least.......
 

nofoa

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Joined
Sep 30, 2007
Messages
374
Location
Arlington, Washington, USA
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I have a SW MP .40 Compact. It will be my daily carry and be the gun that is there when shit does hit the fan. I plan on picking up a 22 rifle to hunt with in zombie apocolypse and a AR-15 in 308 (for people and big game).

Good for training i also have a .22 browning buckmark. I could use that to train up friends or survivors.
 

gridboy

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Joined
Feb 15, 2008
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, ,
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A zombie attack is how I justify all my firearms purchases. I also use the
zombie attack criteria to evaluate guns: can the gun do reasonable head
shots on many shambling attackers? I think that translates to other uses
pretty well. I like 9mm semiauto pistols for this, but I need to also
pick up a cricket bat...

gridboy
 

sv_libertarian

State Researcher
Joined
Aug 15, 2007
Messages
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Location
Olympia, WA, ,
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Ruger 10/22 with folding stock
.357 revolver
Mosin Nagant 91/30 (That baby SHOOTS!)

However if I had to grab and go, it would be the revolver and the nagant. I keep assorted types of ammo easily reachable for both.
 

cloudcroft

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 13, 2007
Messages
1,908
Location
El Paso, TX (formerly Colorado Springs, CO)
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You might also want to consult the experts:

http://zombiehunters.org/who.php

http://www.randomhouse.com/crown/zombiesurvivalguide/

...and another:

http://www.zombiesurvivalwiki.com/pageSearch?contains=Hand-held+explosives&t=anon

I would choose a .22LR and .22LR handgun as backup...I could carry LOTS of .22LR ammo (thousands of rounds)...and you'd probably need it.

All the bullet has to do is get throughONE side of the head, it doesn't need to blow said head clean off.

-- John D.
 

DreQo

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2,350
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Minnesota
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4 days max so far. Tough game. Anyway I'm kinda torn between my .40 (or a .45 when I get one) and an AK-47 type weapon, or the strictly .22 idea.

I would definitely want to have a suppressed ruger 10/22 with a scope, though. I would really prefer to have my sidearm suppressed as well, actually. Then there's the shotgun. Hmmm. It's tough, since a single person w/o a vehicle couldn't practically carry 2 or 3 long guns.

Ok so how about this. Large caliber semi-auto sidearm (my .40, or a .45), sub-machine gun (like an MP5), and a ruger 10/22. Yeah, that seems good to me. All with suppressors, of course.
 

WARCHILD

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Joined
Feb 18, 2008
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Corunna, Michigan, USA
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I second all the above. If the easy buttons fails though, I want 4-AK's, 2 tons ammo and a Bradley vehicle towing a buffalo! Kinda hope the easy button doesn't work, I'd love to have the alternatives!!!
 

Shotgun

Wisconsin Carry, Inc.
Joined
Aug 23, 2006
Messages
2,668
Location
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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Custodian wrote:
Sometime in a near or distant future, some prick, yo-yo, or moron unleashes a force that causes a post-apocalyptic situation. You of course are an armed citizen trying to eek out an existance in this new phase of life on earth. Drop all pretences of concealed carry; No small handguns. Only full sidearms, machine guns, carbines and rifles [and possibly some exotics like flamethrowers or direct-energy prelude prototype weapons] are going to get you through this.

So what are you carrying? [list firearm and cartridge]

Sidearm:[font="Arial, Helvetica"]

[/font][font="Arial, Helvetica"]Smith & Wesson’s .460 XVR Magnum Revolver

In the dark future I would definently not want to deal with Tap-Rack or anything just point and boom, you've blown a hole in something. [I think I've heard that Ammu-Nation commercial once too many times]

Rifle:

AK-47 [with scope and bayonet] or some variation (the AK-107/8 looks pretty good]
.545

According to the Richard Venola, the editor of Combat Arms magazine was quoted on the Military Channel's Top Ten Combat Rifles. "If I had to go to a planet, an unknown planet and I was allowed to take one firearm, it would be an AK-47. When Western civilization melts down I want an AK-47."
By the by, it was considered to be the top combat rifle in the world.

"...Is The Lord of War..." according to Dr. Kristian Gustafson, Royal Military Academy - Sandhurst


At the end of the world, what are you packin'?
[/font]
Seriously? S&W .460 and AK-47in 5.45 (AK-74) ?? I think in those circumstances I would prefer the most common calibers around--- 9mm, 5.56, .308, 30-06, 12 ga. etc.,and most importantly, .22 LR.
 

longwatch

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May 14, 2006
Messages
4,327
Location
Virginia, USA
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I'm of the mind in a SHTF situation ammo resupply, common caliber or not is a thin proposition. If you aren't carrying it, it doesn't exist.
 

deepdiver

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Apr 2, 2007
Messages
5,820
Location
Southeast, Missouri, USA
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longwatch wrote:
I'm of the mind in a SHTF situation ammo resupply, common caliber or not is a thin proposition. If you aren't carrying it, it doesn't exist.
I'm going to have to disagree. In a true SHTF situation, unless you live in some outrageously rural area, you are going to encounter and interact with other people. For the vast majority of people, even those of us who live in pretty rural areas, there are still thousands of other people around, many of them who will be friendlies who may have ammo to trade or share for common defense. Much of it will be in common calibers because, well that is why they call it common.

And how much ammo are you going to carry?

100 rd WWB .45 = 4.5 lbs
100 rd WWB 9mm = 2.5 lbs
25 rd 00 buck 12ga = 3.0 lbs

Mossberg 550 7+1 fully loaded (00) = 7.5 lbs
XD45 13+1 fully loaded (185 gr JHP) = 2.5 lbs
Sig P228 13+1 fully loaded (124 gr JHP) = 2.0 lbs

I'm not getting the rifles out to weigh them, but they are not going to be super light weight fully loaded either and then you have to add the weight of the mags. If it is just a week or so until order is restored and supplies reach you, probably fine. But if it is a worst case zombie attack, you just aren't going to be able to carry enough ammo on your back for an extended survival period without finding a re-supply source, especially if you have to hunt for food and have to defend your life with gun fire. That is why I am acquiring the most common calibers first. Furthermore, those calibers are in widespread use among the military and LE adding to the re-supply potential.

Just thinking out loud and I do not claim any expertise on the subject. Just speaking from what I see as a common sense side of it based on my experiences thus far in life.
 
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