The best all around three gun battery

[rammit]

Living in a rural area where I will be soon i would pick

something in .22, short rifle, supression would be nice, easy to find ammo
glock 20/29 with other caliber barrels for ammo avaliability+ big firepower
longer range rifle for trespassers or food 308 for ammo avaliability reasons.

[Claemore]

Living in a rural area where I will be soon i would pick

something in .22, short rifle, supression would be nice, easy to find ammo
glock 20/29 with other caliber barrels for ammo avaliability+ big firepower
longer range rifle for trespassers or food 308 for ammo avaliability reasons.

You beat me to it with the Glock 20. I think this is one of the most versatile handguns ever. With a red dot sight, detachable stock and multiple barrels in .40, 9mm and 10mm, you can't go wrong.

PTR91 .308. Basically the HK91. Ultra reliable and accurate. Magazines are cheap.

And the Kel-tec PMR30 .22 mag. 30 rounds, and the .22 mag is very underrated. I love it.

[ldmaster]

Geez, like we didn't have enough already:

1. FAL rifle, carbine length. .308 cartridge can take anything edible at 100yds if need be (typical hunting shots are less than that). And it's got incredible power when compared to the AR15, not to mention there's just no aluminum on it that can get damaged if I trip and fall. A couple of years back some Malaysian guerilla fighter finally gave up his fight after something like 20-30 years living in the bush. The rifle he used all that time was a L1A1 and it still worked. Recoil for the FAL is so manageable that I "turned" two slight women to using it instead of their AR for home defense (yes they train), it just didn't bother them and they liked the power.

2. Any slide action 22. Most take short/long/longrifle bullets. With the 22 short the crows on the farm just wither and die, the noise is so low it's hard to hear me more than 200yds away with subsonic shorts. It doesn't overpenetrate or carry a mile, it takes out any small game that I need to. I can load 20 shorts in mine. I use iron sights and am a pretty good point shooter out to 25 yards, any distance longer than that and you're looking at a ballistic arc that resembles the stock downturn a couple of years back. Using a scope for a 22 just isn't practical and I've NEVER missed game with my little iron sights. It, too, doesn't have anything on it to break - an older winchester pump.

3. Any 44 magnum revolver. I use a S&W model 29. I'm not a wheelgun fan in the sense that I think they walk on water. But they don't break (easily) the loadings can go from very mild to bearkiller (eventually) and snakeshot as a first round when I'm hiking.

I use and train with these for a number of reasons related to SHTF scenarios, here they are in no particular order:

1. If you're stocking up on common caliber ammo, be prepared to have it seized by the local police department. Some people think the opposite, and figure if they stock the same as their local department that they can SHARE. Huh? Every plan I've ever seen in regards to this has civil authorities seizing ammunition for their use, I can't see them sharing it BACK with a person.

2. Sniping, scopes and long distance. I'm trying to survive, WHAT am I sniping at? By protocol a sniper takes a hide and occupies it for long periods of time awaiting their target. I have NO business doing this because my best tools are my ability to un-ass an area and avoid people. Once you have gotten that second shot off at a bad guy(s) you're all but spotted, and you'll wish you had a semi-auto. Scopes break, in any long-term scenario a scope will break. I use Elcan military scopes on my carbine, god that thing is a boat anchor - and it doesn't break either. typical glass scopes are just too delicate for long-term things, I dont want to have to baby my rifle and re-zero all the time when I bump it. Re-zeroing would involve making noise, something I am against.

3. I avoid things made of plastic aside from grips and furniture. If a gun has a plastic part - i.e. Ruger 10/22 the part is weak. Aluminum is fine, as long as it doesn't have to take much of a beating. And any long term SHTF scenario means that replacement parts are unavailable.

4. 22's are just darn useful when you just have to take out the birds that are eating your survival garden.

5. Why no shotgun? They are either sporting arms or close-in defense. Close in defense is what my carbine is for, and taking birds someone has already pointed out is better done with snares. yes, I have lots of snare wire! Their ammunition is bulky too. The best accuracy you can hope for is using slugs out to about 100yds. I can shoot 300 rounds of .308 at 100yds easily and cheaply. With slugs running about 1.50 apiece, and buckshot not being much better - it's a pretty expensive toy with little utility for SHTF. Shotguns shoot lead balls, or lead slugs - none of which will penetrate level II body armor (but they'd hurt). To get through body armo you need "fast and pointy" like a rifle round, if I'm getting "raided" by thieves then you can almost count of them having some body armor - I dont want it to be an issue.

6. Semiauto pistols need maintenance. Glock being the major exception to this. If I didn't like that first birdshot round in my 44, I'd carry a Glock 21. My ability to either shoot a snake (had to occasionally) or a predator (anything hit in the face with birdshot, gets at LEAST distracted and hopefully blind) Then the final 5 softpoints can end the argument as I have more time to aim. You just dont know what it feels like until it happens, you're hiking up a trail and you THINK you've been careful about snakes and you end up doing a very silly dance while trying to climb something. My first instinct is to draw my pistol, I trained that way and it just happens. If I spin around to find a mountain lion has been stalking me (also has happened) I dont much care to fight with it, and a load of birdshot would work as a first round too. Same thing goes for four legged jackals. I shouldn't be getting into extended firefights where my only option is my pistol, I'm in SHTF, my carbine should be welded to my left- testicle at all times when I'm not in the perimeter.

7. So much of what on envisions using a gun for is inappropriate during SHTF, MOSTLY because of noise. You want to be inobtrusive and not draw attention. Potting crows with a 22short is something for a lazy day when you're in your perimeter and the noise signature is almost non-existent. Patrolling means movement, and movement means stealth - carbine length is easy to wield when needed, and .308 is the perfect anti-goblin caliber.

8. Hunting? Are you kidding? The ball has dropped, people are now roaming everywhere, refugees abound. Do you really think that making a big BOOM will not draw attention? Besides, you should have laid up at LEAST 2 years worth of food, you have no NEED to hunt. By the time you might need to hunt, the local larger game will be GONE - sniped to death by the starving horde. Don't think it can happen? What happened to the buffalo? The passenger pigeon, etc. If you're out hunting in the first two years, then you have made BAD preparations for the bad times. Let's not mention the MARTIAL LAW that has been imposed, and you can bet anybody who fires a gun will draw the attention of the government.

Did mention the silencer for the 22? Not integral, but very nice. It's not a gun, but hey, if you can put a 1000 dollar scope on your tactical rifle for SHTF, I can put a 200 dollar silencer on mine.

[Bailey Guns]

To answer the original question in the OP:

• AR-style rifle in .308 or 5.56
• Big caliber handgun - ie: .44Mag
• Smaller Caliber handgun

I'm not a shotgun guy.

Now to the SHTF type responses:

I'm gonna need to take lessons from some of you guys on how to pack around that much weight in guns/ammo along with all the other life-sustaining necessities I'll need.

If I don't have to leave home, I have everything I'll need - gunwise - right here. So no need to pick 3.

If I do have to leave I'll either be walking or driving. If I'm driving, I'll be able to take a lot more than 3 guns w/ammo.

If I'm walking...weight is really gonna be an issue and I probably ain't gonna be carrying 3 guns w/ammo. I'll probably have the Mini-30 with 4 loaded mags. MAYBE a small 9mm handgun...Kel-Tec PF9...tucked away with limited ammo (hopeful I'll be able to find more along the way).

Maybe I'm being contrary but I don't envision any scenario(s) where I'll be limited to 3 guns short of leaving on foot. If that's the case, I can't take 3 anyway and still take the other items I'll need.

[ldmaster]

I hear you on the weight issue. I was reading something last night and in it a fictional character pointed something out about rich vs poor men.

He said that a typical working class guy might have three pairs of shoes. His best pair of shoes/boots (the most comfortable) he didn't wear unless he had to walk somewhere - where the comfort made the difference. He would wear his 3rd best pair to work, where they might get dirty or damaged, but not do a significant amount of walking and reserve his 2nd best pair for social occasions.

A rich man will have a dozen pairs of boots, and he will squander his most comfortable pair on mundane things. A poor man has to choose his boots with care and forethought.

Sorta like 3 guns.

[flan7211]

Idmaster I'm agreeing with a lot of what your saying.

I have two main plans, my survival co-op has stay put plans, but honestly I know of three areas in the hills of south dakota or wyoming I'd rather be. With structures, good access to water, and far from civilization. I'll tell you what staying in a populated area would be a near death sentence for most people. The raiding would be intense, if government couldn't keep order than most folks would do what had to be done for their family.

My guns-

1.M1a Socom 16, always has treated me right. With iron sights i can hit my targets 400m or more if need be. I'll throw an eotech on there if in a cqc scenario. With steel core ammo you can punch through most body armor. The other factor, with proper placement shoots there is nothing you can't take down in North America. Though you shouldn't have to hunt, if you did you could get the job done.

2. PPS-43
Honestly my Remington 700 VTR .308 is a beast and with a scope I can knock down some asshole pretty far away, it is too damn heavy to be carrying. My group of guys has two ex-snipers who are a lot better than me. Therefore the gun I want is a PPS-43, 7.62 Tokarev is an amazing little round. No thanks on a .22, first rimfires are not as reliable as a good centerfire. Tok, is cheap, and you can easily stock pile it. The PPS is very reliable, fires from an open bolt, and has a floating firing pin. When I'm not poor and out of work I'm getting one.

3.Third is my early 80's Sig 229, I have both the .357 SIG and the .40 Barrel, two great rounds. But honestly by the time you have to use a pistol your screwed. My M1a is also going to be tied to my left testicle.

[michael_aos]

I pop in here every so often and just hit the "New posts" link.

I didn't initially notice this was in the Survival / Preparedness forum. I assumed it was about the game of 3-Gun / multigun.

Actually though, there may be some cross-over. For the game, I would say:

STI Tactical
Benelli M2 Field
JP AR

[Eldorado556]

I always thought something like a Baikal IZH-94 Sever 22lr/20ga. would be nice. It will keep meat on the table and leave you with two more guns to bring along.

[jmg8550]

These I actually have,

M1A
Rem 870 Wingmaster with shortened barrel
1911 pistol

For my Fiance,

AR15
Stoeger O/U 12 Guage
Sig Sauer P225 9mm

[Beprepared]

I hear you on the weight issue. I was reading something last night and in it a fictional character pointed something out about rich vs poor men.

He said that a typical working class guy might have three pairs of shoes. His best pair of shoes/boots (the most comfortable) he didn't wear unless he had to walk somewhere - where the comfort made the difference. He would wear his 3rd best pair to work, where they might get dirty or damaged, but not do a significant amount of walking and reserve his 2nd best pair for social occasions.

A rich man will have a dozen pairs of boots, and he will squander his most comfortable pair on mundane things. A poor man has to choose his boots with care and forethought.

Sorta like 3 guns.

Took me a minute. Wheel of Time... that last one was a damn good book.