I was lucky enough to attend Colonel Jeff Cooper's GUNSITE school in Arizona. I showed up with a PO 8 Lugar artillary with stock and snail drum ( and handrolled ammo for 100% feed reliability) as a joke, the colonel despising the 9 MM. Of course, I also brought a 5 digit 1911. After the staff and students had a good laugh at his initial reaction, the Colonel took it out and had a'blast'shooting it. We discussed firearms, and I still agree. The 5.56 is a 'poodle gun' and I did use it in service. I would suggest looking at his SCOUT RIFLE concept which fits in very well with Walter Mitty, post apocalyptic scenarios. Again, a SMLE carbine or 1909 argentine carbine and many others are a few dollar cheap alternative. My 09 took a trigger stoning ( still two stage) and a MOJO drop in peep sight along with a polished feedramp. The round is a defacto .308- Paul Mauser got it right the first time! $200 and the rig outshot all kinds of fancy rigs last time out. Buy whatever makes you happy, but don't be suprised when a flintlock or SMLE takes a member of your party out. The afghans did this to the russians with Kalashnikovs.