ONE GUN SURVIVAL

ONE GUN SURVIVAL


By Richard E. “Rick” Dennis CPP
Freelance Journalist
October 10, 2024
Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved


WHICH ONE WOULD YOU CHOOSE?


Today, the United States gun fanciers have a myriad firearms to choose from including: Domestic and Foreign manufacturers as well as an array of firearm types, calibers, and gauges. However, if you found yourself in a catastrophic situation and you were limited to one gun and one caliber or gauge choice, to perform multiple tasks, e.g., from survival to self and home defense, which firearm would you choose and what caliber or gauge would you select to perform a myriad tasks? For clarification, caliber choices are restricted to hand guns and rifles and gauges are restricted to shotguns.


Bear-in-mind, the firearm type, whether rifle, shotgun, or pistol as well as the action type, e.g., semi-auto, single shot, pump, double barrel, over and under, single action, or double action and caliber or gauge is a matter of personal choice. However, the firearm and caliber or gauge must be capable of performing double duty from survival, i.e, hunting small and large game, for food consumption, to home and self defense purposes. Another criteria, for consideration, is the bulk storage of ammunition.


WHICH CALIBER OR GAUGE?


For instance, handguns come in a variety of design types, styles, e.g., double action or single action semi auto pistols, double or single action action revolvers, single shot, and bolt action. Handguns are chambered in both centerfire and rimfire cartridges. Centerfire cartridges use a primer seated in the center of the cartridge case to ignite the powder and rimfire cartridges use a powder ignition system located in the rim of the cartridge case. Caliber choices range from the venerable 22 caliber rimfire to the powerful center fire caliber cartridges. Furthermore, handguns are also chambered in centerfire rifle cartridges, e.g., 243 Winchester, 30 30 Winchester, and 7mm 08 Remington. Handguns are manufactured with fixed sights, adjustable sights, and some can be affixed with telescopic and red dot sights. But is a handgun the ideal choice for the one gun survival tool by itself?


Long guns are divided into two groups, Rifles and Shotguns. Rifles come in a variety of action types, e.g.,: semi auto, pump, single shot, and bolt action. Rifles come with fixed sights or the ability to mount a telescopic sight. Rifles come chambered in a large variety of rifle calibers, from the 17 caliber to the might dangerous game calibers used on the Savannah’s of Africa. On the other hand, shotguns are manufactured in a variety of action types, e.g., semi auto, pump, single shot or break open action, double and single barrel designs. Shotguns are chambered in either the 410, 28, 20, 16, or 12 gauges. Unlike the rifle which fires a single projectile, the shotgun is capable of firing a mixed bag of shotgun shell ammunition, e.g., lead and steel pelleted shot shells, including buckshot, to rifled slugs. But is the rifle or shotgun the ideal choice for the one gun survival tool by itself?


MY PERSONAL CHOICE FOR ONE GUN SURVIVAL AND THE REASONS WHY!


Overall, if I were limited to a one gun survival battery I would choose a light semi-auto rifle, in either a traditional or take-down model, chambered in the time tested 22 Long Rifle chambering or the 22 Winchester Magnum. With either one of these rifle chambering’s, chambered in a rifle with both fixed and a 3 X 9 X 40 telescopic sight, I would be able to adequately defend myself and my family against wild animals or human aggressors as well as hunt game animals and birds for survival. Unlike the more powerful centerfire cartridges, in the shotgun, rifle, or pistol cartridge line-up, a 22 caliber hollow point or soft nose cartridge possesses sufficient power, within its range limitations, to dispatch small game animals such as rabbits and squirrels but it can also dispatch larger game animals such as deer and hogs with a well placed shot. In addition to mammals, the venerable 22 caliber cartridges performs an excellent job on game birds such as grouse, quail, turkeys, ducks and geese without excessive meat destruction when compared to the shotgun, high powered rifle or centerfire pistol cartridges. Bear in mind, under normal conditions it’s illegal to take certain game animals and birds with a 22 rimfire rifle. However, this article refers to a collapse of society under catastrophic conditions!


With either the 22 Long Rifle or 22 Winchester Magnum cartridge, thousands of rounds of bulk ammunition can be purchased at nominal prices and stored compared to the high costs and bulk associated with shotgun, centerfire rifle, or pistol ammunition. Furthermore, the user can put a hundred rounds of 22 ammunition in a jacket pocket and the weight is negligible. With the 22 Long Rifle Cartridge I would limit my shots to 75 yards or less and with the 22 Winchester Magnum my shots could easily be extended to 100 yards and beyond. With a take-down model 22 caliber rifle, the entire survival tool can be disassembled and placed in a back pack for easy transport along with an adequate supply of ammunition. If adequate records were readily available, it would probably be safe to say the 22 Long Rifle and the 22 Winchester Magnum cartridges have dispatched more game animals on the North American continent than any other calibers.


“UNTIL NEXT TIME, KEEP EM BETWEEN THE BRIDLE”