Choose the best 4 calibres in a SHTF scenario.

[ady]

One thing about a larger rifle caliber that i learnt recently and i was totally against, is a silencer.

I ended up putting a silencer on my 300WM. More to control recoil, than sound and i can honestly say that i am a convert. So if you have hunting type rifle with no silencer. My advice would be to get one. It will not give your position away as much in a SHTF scenario and there will be less muzzle flash in darker light conditions.

[Desperatezulu]

Most of the choices are quite predictable (maybe we all have the same brainwashing) - what is perhaps not as well thought through is the match of firepower and likeliest scenarios.
For me the two biggest questions are: 1. am i defending my castle or am I bugging out? 2. Is it just my family unit (which means I would likely be the only real gun operator) or is there a collection of like-minded people providing multiple shooters?
Of course there are numerous other permutations and even combinations of the above main ones.

Sitting tight rather than bugging out means in all likelihood close quarters and no real utility in portability of platform and ammo, no real value of stealth. I.e. a shotgun makes some sense but for a bug out scenario it doesn't - the ammo is too heavy, it's reach too limited and it's noisy. Equally a .22 in a home defense situation leaves a lot to be desired but the opposite when bugging out. Handguns are last ditch options - plus pretty useless for stealthy hunting in a bug out scenario. While their portability and 'one is better than none' principles make them a worthy addition, they are undoubtedly secondary to a long gun.

I see the people getting excited by the adjustment in 'rules' to say 4 calibres but not limited to 4 platforms.... Unless you're bunkered down, any bug out scenario means at most a long gun and a short gun. Try carrying 2 long guns for any length of time, not to mention all the other bug out gear that is more critical than a 2nd long gun and the impracticality of the 2nd long gun will be clear.

In a group scenario then a sensible mix of rifles for long and short range makes more sense, along with a common calibre for short guns. Getting such a group aligned and prepping ahead of time sounds like an interesting challenge

For me, more than 2 calibres/guns only makes sense in a home/castle defence scenario. Bugging out means 2 guns per shooter max and then any extra weight allowance is better allocated to survival materials and/or more ammo. If the bug out is just a family unit, then a suppressed 223 probably makes most sense as the long gun - realistically the family unit is going to avoid long range engagements and the 223 has more defensive capability than a 22LR and is fine for small game hunting. Handgun can come into play in a last ditch stand.

[oafpatroll]

Couldn't agree more @Desperatezulu. Perfectly sums up my evaluation of my particular needs. Someone living on, or with ready access to a property in a rural area would likely have a very different set of parameters including the likelihood of an existing organization like a farm watch.

[bluefronted]

Given all the above, where will 12G Slugs fit in , if anywhere ?

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[wave.jaco]

...Handguns are last ditch options - plus pretty useless for stealthy hunting in a bug out scenario. While their portability and 'one is better than none' principles make them a worthy addition, they are undoubtedly secondary to a long gun...

While I agree with you to some extent, I think the one thing to keep in mind regarding handguns is that many people already EDC some type of handgun, which makes it almost a non-issue in general if it is truly an EDC gun - i.e. it already goes with you everywhere you go, so not really any adaptation to including a handgun in the kit.

I think one important factor, as I mentioned earlier and as you also did now, is the context of the SHTF scenario in terms of location/surrounds - defending the castle and bugging out undoubtedly warrants two possibly very different equipment kits and logistics between them.

Another question that is wandering in my mind is what types of threats one can encounter in such scenario. Messor's comments regarding a large & heavy caliber from a defensive standpoint makes a lot of sense, although once you have reached the point where that is necessary, your are most likely in a lot of trouble. Where one might have prepared the extra firepower to a "just in case" scenario, the risk would be in soon finding yourself possibly with a shortage of ammo on the heavy caliber side while suppressing/eliminating whatever threat warrants the said firepower. Once that point has been reached, the problems are even bigger now. I can go on but hopefully I make some sense and you get the idea of what I am trying to get to.

The more I think of this situation, the more I am inclined to think that 2 guns, maybe 3 at the very most, would be more practical instead of the 4 (or even more through bending the rules here). An EDC handgun in my view is a non-issue to include in the kit. When it comes to the long guns, having to carry around 2 long guns with you when you are on the move can become a serious issue.

While the .22 LR really makes a lot of sense due to its versatility, ultimately I think I would most likely settle with something like a suppressed .223 as mentioned, preferably in an MSR platform. The extra weight that I would have to provision for for a second long gun, I would much rather allocate to having a selection of different types of ammo for the single long gun and some extra supplies (like medical supplies, for example). Assuming one prepares for a SHTF situation well in advance, you could take the time to develop and load a decent amount of subsonic ammo for the long gun (obviously assuming you already have a suppressor for the gun) to be used in stealthy hunting or tactical situations. Having the choice between standard loads and subsonic loads opens up the possibility to use a single long gun for broader range of uses that would typically be covered by another long gun. Of course, once you go this route, the caliber choice can also be revisited.

[oafpatroll]

Given all the above, where will 12G Slugs fit in , if anywhere ?

For me they would be a key element in my limited battery. I make svarog sveroboy slugs that are sufficiently accurate from my semi-auto out to 70m to be used on torso sized targets in place of a rifle with the obvious limitation of onboard round count. These slugs hit very hard and at 1500fps can be used against vehicle sized targets to 150m plus. Fully appreciate that 12G ammo is bulky as hell but in velcro shot cards I can carry a fair bit on my person and swapping between buck and slug as required is easy making a relatively lightweight shotty a reasonable compromise for me in terms of my competence in it's use and my lack of a service rifle of some sort.

[zguy]

For small game (birds, maybe rabbits etc etc) , why not a spring air rifle?
You could get thousands of BB's of all sorts. different styles of BB's.

And for hunting bigger game, how about a bow? Arrows could be reused and could be reused.
Could even be used defensively.

Besides that, a 9mm pistol. And a rifle that could shoot 223 / 5.56.

[Messor]

For small game (birds, maybe rabbits etc etc) , why not a spring air rifle?
You could get thousands of BB's of all sorts. different styles of BB's.

And for hunting bigger game, how about a bow? Arrows could be reused and could be reused.
Could even be used defensively.

The crux falls on the concept that any weapon carried must in some way at least be able to double in some capacity as a self defense weapon.
While a springer or bow can be useful in hunting neither can be used for much else.

[TStone]

The crux falls on the concept that any weapon carried must in some way at least be able to double in some capacity as a self defense weapon.
While a springer or bow can be useful in hunting neither can be used for much else.

Did you not watch the Rambo movies?

[atunguyd]

The crux falls on the concept that any weapon carried must in some way at least be able to double in some capacity as a self defense weapon.
While a springer or bow can be useful in hunting neither can be used for much else.

Someone hasn't watched The Walking Dead

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