At long last, after many posts about handguns and rifles for survival, it's time to discuss what might work best for different situations. What exactly are you planning to survive, and which firearms help most under various circumstances? The possibilities range from one mad dog to full-blown Mad Max post-apocalyptic insanity, after all. Here are the prior entries in this on-again, off-again series so far:
The Best Handgun for a Survival Kit
Part 1: Revolvers
Part 2: Semi-Automatics
Part 3: Oddballs
The Best Long Gun for Survival
Part 1: The .22 Long Rifle
Part 2: Pistol-Caliber Carbines
Part 3: Traditional Hunting Rifles
Part 4: Modern Semi-Automatics
Part 5: Shotguns
The best gun for you depends on several factors, including your level of training, your budget, local laws, and your expected needs. I remember reading an old-school cold war era survivalist article which divided firearms between working guns and fighting guns. Working guns were described as primarily for hunting and wilderness self-defense, while fighting guns are primarily for combat. This is more of a spectrum than a binary choice, though. Semi-automatic rifles were used by hunters before they were widely accepted by any military. The bolt-action combat rifles of World Wars I & II provide the pattern for many modern hunting rifles.
Do you plan to carry, whether openly or concealed? Will the gun be hung over the door where it can be grabbed in case of an emergency, like many rural families who may need to deal with coyotes and other predators? Will it be stashed in a bug-out bag, stored in a locked cabinet, or staged at a distant retreat?
You ain't tactical without a gold SCAR! Background and foreground credit.
I used to occasionally watch videos by Nutnfancy, and while I can't say one way or the other whether his overall philosophy matches my own, he argues each item in a survival kit must fit a "philosophy of use." What job does it do, and what problem does it solve? Let's take a look at a few scenarios and consider what might fit.
EDC
Scenarios: an angry dog attacks you on your walk, or a wild animal in the woods sees you as prey. Some lowlife sees you as a suitable victim for crime, or worse still, some degenerate decides to commit a rampage shooting in your vicinity.
Your everyday carry (EDC) sidearm is probably your only weapon for emergency response, and you are the first responder in such a situation! A handgun can be carried openly or concealed, and there are pros and cons to each. Legality may dictate whether you can carry concealed, assuming you put much stock in such laws. Open carry means easier access to your sidearm, but it can also make you the first target of any ne'er-do-well attentive enough to notice, too. In the woods, no one probably cares, but in town, Karen confrontations become much more likely.
Options include most semi-autos from full-size combat pistols to micro-compact models, plus snub-nose revolvers and derringers for the more traditional among us. Concealed carry requires extra consideration for holsters and wardrobe. It's a balance between carry comfort and firepower.
My personal preference would be a modern polymer striker-fired compact 9mm, or maybe a .45ACP Colt Officer's ACP clone. Your mileage may vary.
The Truck Gun
Scenarios: You hit a deer on the highway, and it is suffering. Some jackass hits a steer while off-roading in open range country, and it (the steer, not the jackass... probably) needs to be dispatched humanely. Your rig breaks down in the middle of nowhere, and you need to forage while waiting for rescue, or just make noise to signal for help.
This applies more to us rural folk than to city slickers, but a truck gun is not uncommon here. It might be the ol' "Thutty-thutty" or sporterized military surplus bolt-action deer gun in a window rack, a beat-up shotgun behind the seat, a revolver in the glove box, or pretty much any other firearm stashed in a vehicle for emergencies one might encounter in the countryside. Regardless of what it is, utility trumps looks.
Legality of storing firearms in a vehicle varies wildly from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. As with EDC, your concern for obedience to the law is up to you. Regardless, the truck gun is likely to see rough use, and get knocked around a lot due to living in a vehicle. You probably only want a beater of a heater in your beater with a heater.
If I were buying for this scenario, I might consider an SKS rifle and a pouch of ammo on stripper clips, since there would be no concern with magazine spring fatigue that way. The issue is debated, and may not be an issue with all springs and mags, but better safe than sorry. I might also consider a shotgun with a bandolier of shells including flares, slugs, buckshot, and birdshot. There's a lot of wilderness where one could get lost. A shotgun would cover a variety of hunting scenarios if stranded for a few days.
Backpacking
In the case of the truck gun, weight and bulk matter little. In a backpack, weight is everything. A compact EDC pistol could serve in this role, too. However, the back country here is populated by bears, mountain lions, wolves, and assorted other critters that ordinarily don't pose a threat, but you never know. Here, a revolver firing .357 magnum is considered the minimum, and .44 magnum is preferred. My suggestion would be at least a 4" barrel, 6-shot double-action model from a reputable manufacturer like Smith & Wesson, Ruger, or a Manheurin MR-73 if you really have money to burn.
Then again, if you are building more of a bug-out bag with foraging as a consideration, .22LR is the obvious ammunition of choice due to how many rounds you can carry with little weight and volume cost, so a Ruger .22 Charger or takedown rifle might be a better option.
SHTF
We have seen the excrement collide with the oscillating air circulation device a lot lately. Urban riots are a danger, and the risk increases with economic and political distress. Some countries are seeing open revolt. Regardless of the motivation behind protests, ne'er-do-wells like the cover they provide for violence and destruction. Whether you should hunker down or bug out depends on your situation and how much time you have.
Natural disasters may strike, leaving you with an evacuation situation and potential looters. How do you get out of Dodge, and what can you carry? Presumably your bug-out bags, survival kits, etc. include some form of firearm plan. That heavy revolver or .22LR carbine from the backpacking kit are worth considering, but they are less than ideal for self-defense.
Shotguns and pistol-caliber carbines might serve well if you need to fend off assailants, whether staying at home or moving out. Most battle rifles are far more powerful than necessary, but a modern sporting rifle in 5.56x45, 7.62x39, or similar caliber can be suitable and ammunition can be carried in reasonable quantity.
TEOTWAWKI
Nuclear war, or some equally devastating blow to the structure of society as we know it. Think the Fallout games, Mad Max films, The Hunger Games trilogy, or Cthulhu awakes. Honestly, guns are the least of your concerns. You need seeds, tools, reference books, medical supplies, and so much more if you have any hope of rebuilding. Society doesn't require a central authority, so its loss isn't as bad as you may think.
That said, legality is no longer any concern at all. Drill that third hole in your AK. Build that pipe gun SMG. Steal the Ma Deuce from the National Guard Armory... and then realize how scarce ammunition will become. Here in the US, the AR15 platform is incredibly common, and both the military and the police field compatible firearms using the same magazines and ammunition. The AR15 can serve as a truck gun or a SHTF gun, but it really shines in TEOTWAWKI.
Any centerfire cartridge can be reloaded if you have the tools and supplies. You'll probably need a full-power battle rifle to have any hope of damaging radioactive gophers standing 10 feet tall, or whatever nasty alien tentacle monsters roam the world after Planet X swings by. After civilization completely collapses, black powder can also be fabricated from scratch, albeit at considerable risk, so firearms designed for older propellants may be better in the long term.
Is this a scenario worth planning for in the first place? Preparations for more probable situations is a higher priority in my opinion. The Cold War thawed. Y2K didn't really break anything. 2012 was nothing. It appears COVID is fizzling as I write this post. But then again, some of those could have been very bad, and those who took steps toward preparation may not have been all that crazy. Don't plan your gun purchases around these scenarios, though. At least, that's my 2¢.
Conclusion
Firearms can be a very useful part of any survival scenario, but they are just that - a part. You need to practice situational awareness and conflict de-escalation so you can avoid using your EDC if at all possible. You need emergency gear beyond just a gun in the back country. Bear spray may be better for a wild animal deterrent. A good deadbolt and other basic home security measures may be sufficient to avoid conflict even in a local riot situation, and evacuating before things explode into conflict night be the wisest course of action if you see trouble brewing. If we really face a major societal collapse, we need communities already in place, tools to rebuild, and seeds to replant.
Choose the tools you can use best for the tasks at hand. By all means, choose a gun if you wish. seek the best fit for your anticipated needs. Choose one that is interesting technologically or historically. Prepare for hard times, but don't lose sight of the present and the people around you.
Do you agree or disagree? Do you have something to add? Please add your thoughts on all these matters in the comments below!
