This sort of veers off into the "survivalist" mode of thought, but I've always considered the .223 round to be second in line to the .22LR. <br><br>My reasoning is that in the US, the .223 is commonly found in civilian, military, and law enforcement depots. If I lived in Asia, I would probably choose the 7.62 Soviet round. Both are more than adequate in terms of range, stopping power, etc. In my mind, availability is of utmost importance.<br><br>That being said, I personally carry a .40 weapon for daily survival purposes. If I'm ever stranded in the desert, the Hydra-Shok rounds will probably be adequate to stop a jackrabbit.