OK, I'd love to see the firearms thread restarted following this format:

Here's a few weapons that I see as interesting & useful for survival situations:

The AR-7
.22 Caliber

Good things: It's exceedingly light, it's fairly accurate (under 50 yards) and it's got some of the coolest packaging - the whole gun breaks down and packs in it's stock, which floats. It fits in nearly any backpack.

Bad things: Early versions of the gun from charter arms and others have a disturbing flaw that can allow it to go "full auto" on you. Not a good thing when you are conserving ammo. Although the current version from Henry (US Survival Rifle) clears this problem up, like the original, it can't handle hypervelocity ammo like the Stinger or Velocitor.
What would make this gun better: A .17 HMR version might be nice.

The Winchester Model 94
Caliber 30-30

Good things: A time-tested compact lever-action gun (mine was my grandfathers) that reliably fires a big, slow, clumsy bullet that can kill many animals and will slow down many others. 30-30 ammo is widely availible, as are parts for the gun.

Bad things: Not exactly a "lightweight" gun, and the ammo is freakin' heavy to lug around too. Useless for birds and a bit much for very small game you intend to eat.

The Mossberg 500
12 or 20 Gauge, 18" Barrel

Good things: A light, reliable gun, which, like all shotguns, offers a wide range of ammo options from light birdshot to rifled slugs. I find the Mossberg to be a more "intuitive" gun in terms of position of the safety compared to the Remington 870.

Bad Things: It's a little "sloppy" in construction, and the finish on mine was a little rough. Of course, shot shells are big, heavy and all that.

The 94 Winchester in .32 special is a real sleeper. The cartridge was designed when black powder was still mainstream and smokeless was a new product. The slower twist rate has several advantages; lower pressures and retained accuracy in a worn bore. This is especially true for using cast slugs in reduced loads for small game. The .32s will often fetch lower prices vs a comparable .30-30. Commercial ammunition is rediculously overpriced. Even a modest reloading programme such as the LEE system can produce fine ammunition. People think of either fending off large carnivores, dropping small game or big with a survival rifle/ shotgun or combination. Small game may be taken with snares or deadfalls, large game may, or may not be available and rare attacks by aggressive animals ( not all being Lions,Tigers and bears oh my!) are most often our own stupidity.

For those of you that feel a shotgun fits your wants or needs and that you really should carry a slug or two, I am going to let you in on a trick used by some poachers.

First, make sure the shotgun is open choked. When you see a necessity for a slug and have nothing but shot cartridges, take a knife and cut throught the hull at about the midpoint of the shot wad. Load and fire thereby expelling the front end of the shell in an almost intact condition.

By the way, if you do this in the field or are found in the course of normal hunting with shells of this nature, in Wisconsin, you can kiss your gun, your car with all its contents, and serious cash in the form of fines goodby. You also lose hunting privaleges for a number or years.

So make sure you are really in need of an emergency slug before getting out the old knife.

Bountyhunter

hi guys : i truly like my m-6 survival rifle..its in caliber .22 hornet and .410 gauge..the hornet is a hard hitting round..and the rifle can shoot different types of .410 loads ie..shot or lead pumpkinballs..it also has a small magazine in the stock for the rounds..and the weapon can be folded or broke down in two halves to fit in your rucksack etc...the down side is that the .22 hornets cost alot for just 20 rds....vince g.

The .22 Hornet is sadly limited by few commercial loads. There is a reloading trick that will vastly improve accuracy. Substitute pistol primers for the factory rifle primers. The violent ignition of the hot rifle primers is simply not necessary and counterproductive. I learned this trick while getting to fire a modest battery of english rook rifles. There was a fascinating array of small cartridges developed around equally light and elegant rifles.

For the older Remington 870 series (before they put some sort of PC, dangerous key lock in it), you can get replacement safety buttons with extra large heads- a recommended mod. That gives you very quick and natural trigger-finger control of the safety. If the safety is on, and you put your finger on the trigger, you will feel the protruding head of the button as a reminder. It actually works very well.

thanks chris:i shall look into reloading with pistol primers..i guess i got to start saving that spent brass!!. <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />..vince g.

WARNING!?

The poachers shotgun trick was used in the old days of paper hulls.

I don't know if modern plastic hulls will compress sufficiently in the barrel to work properly.

Bountyhunter

How did I miss this one?

http://www.springfield-armory.com/images/m6scout/M69501Large.jpg

An M6 in a 10" barrel!

Yeah I was also concerned with the price of the Hornets and went with 22LR version. It's fun, cheaper and if I really want the fire power I just use the slug ammo for my .410. But it is a great rifle. I throw it into hull of my boat dissasembled and I forget it is even there. On board storage for ammo is decent but not adequate yet better than nothing. With little preparadness and foresight this could be made into prime survival weapon. Not enough for big game but enough to get you by.

That said obviously 30-06 or 12 gauge would be much better yet they are much more heavier, bulkier and expensive.

Matt