After I got married, I bought a pump shotgun. It occured to me that I should probably have a response to home invaders other than "uh oh". Your home is your castle, but only if you can defend it.

That reminds me once back when I was young and (more) foolish. I picked up a hitchhiker while crossing the country and spent the next two hours equally entertained and terrified as he told me his story. He was on his way to Canada to report to the United Nations that the USA needed to be destroyed with nuclear weapons because Jackyln Smith (of Charlie's Angel's) had activated an access plate which caused the Earth to drop fourteen inches resulting in the death of millions of people.

Thankfully after a hundred miles of this he asked to be dropped off at a truckstop because if he remained in contact with anyone for more than 120 minutes his position was automatically reported to the police who he was running from because he had punched a female officer.

Morale of the story? I have no clue, I just like telling that story.

-Blast

You are right that this is a small percentage of the population. That has to be balanced against the response of that percentage to Katrina and non-emergency situations in the last forty years. Riots in L.A. in the sixties and after the Rodney King trial in the Nineties. The Miami riot of 1980.

I have a mimi 30 and they are a good rifle. The only difference between that and the mimi 14 is the caliber

Ah, different situation. Two responces. The first is that in a natural disaster I can go around or deal with minor trouble much better with a low profile. If I think there will be trouble the .22 can go in my jacket pocket with my hand on it, if anybody confronts me they'll get two bullets through the jacket pocket. Much faster then any draw from a holster and practically invisible. Second, in a strictly riot type emergency with no ancillary disaster I doubt there would be a reason to bug out. I know I can't fight through a riot. The first time I shoot someone everyone in a half mile radius will come down on me like a hammer. So I'd stay inside, shades drawn, black out curtains behind the shades and pretend I'm not home. If any body breaks in to find out if I have anything to steal, they'll get an axe handle to the head nice and quiet. Bugging out into a riot is bugging out into a meat grinder.

For the 22 in the pocket, I'd prefer something a little heavier. There's a 9mm or 380 from Kel-tec that are about the size of a 22.

True there are 9mm and 380 and even .45's (take a look at Glock's Sub-compact pistols) the size of a twenty-two, but one they are louder and therefore draw more attention after the fact and two see arguement one about versatility. For an overall survival firearm I would choose the .22 pistol. Its not a pure self-defense gun. Its not the best hunting gun. Its a Swiss army knife. A swiss army knife has a decent blade and a decent saw, mediocre tweezers. It doesn't do a great job at anything. But it can be passible to decent at lots of things. Now were I in bear country, that's a different story.

When I bought mine in '81 or so it wasn't totally awful, 3-4 inch 5rd groups off a bench at 100 yards with good ammo, but not great either. I've tweaked it some and with the synthetic stock I can keep it pretty much under 2 inches now and as good as 1 1/4 in. with match or handloaded ammo and a scope on my best day. I've read a test report by Massad Ayoob that the recent manufactured Mini14's are shooting 2inch groups out of the box now.



I've had good luck with mine although with several moves and some time in a storage locker I had some rust spots on a couple. Again, I bought them in the early '80s and can't recall from who. I did have one I picked up cheap at a gun show back then that wouldn't feed every 4th or 5th shot so I tossed it. The only other problems I've had with my Mini was caused by some really cheap surplus ammo I had picked up from a guy that must have stored it in his wood shed. That's long gone now but it worked well enough for making bean cans dance.



At least 1 and if things go as planned/prepared 4 or 5 shooters riding herd on the womenfolk and kids. (Before anyone starts screaming SEXIST!, 2 of the shooters are women and they are so good if things look really dangerous, I want them walking point.)

As far as functioning, mine is just as reliable. After close to 2500rds through mine the only problems I've had was with one bad magazine and some cheap ammo. Otherwise the rifle goes bang every time I squeeze the trigger. I've shot it in all kinds of weather, snow and rain and ran a 1000rds through it without cleaning over a two month period with no problems except with my ex-wife and that had nothing to do with the rifle. <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

.308 vs .223? No contest there but I'm getting too old and chubby to hump the ammo loadout for an M14/M1A and other gear that I'd want for this scenerio. I can carry more .223s in mags and stripper clips and double taps pretty much negate the stopping power question.

For self defense, I'd prefer something heavier even with the noise penalty. For everything else, you can't beat the 22's range of ammunition choices. Everything from shot shells & sub-sonic rounds to high velocity w/ 40gr. bullets (CCI Velocitor).