Let's See Your "Survival" Rifle

[MattShlock]

Here's one of mine...

The Ruta Locura PRK, or Pack Rifle Kit, is built off of a Cricket single shot bolt-action. 16" barrel chambered in their old .22 Mag. Using carbon-fiber and aluminum the whole assembled gun weighs one pound without the one ounce sling and the stock is hollow as well as sealed with a compass!

They have an alternative slightly heavier but more traditionally ergonomic stock available now as well and you can buy a nylon case that also serves as a "holster" if need be...

 

[Model12Win]

I don't have survival rifle but man that one of your is just cool! Looks like it would be perfect to store in a bush plane or whatever. I like the .22 magnum chambering, more power to hunt slightly larger game but isn't going to totally destroy small game. Versatile.

 

[Mausermolt]

that is perdy sweet! but does it tend wounds and cook?

 

[40-82]

MattSchlock, your survival rifle is a very interesting concept. I take it that you see survival rifles as close range small game food gatherers. For me, if I had to go that light I would probably just pick up a 22 pistol and be done with it. If I could afford the extra weight, I'd go with a 22 rifle with a longer barrel and a normal sized buttstock, but there again you have to decide is the extra weight worth the advantage of the full size rifle.

I have taken a number of extended wilderness trips that lasted from five weeks to six months. Twice, I was fairly sure I was going to starve to death. If I could take a little small game during the day, having a little something in my stomach made the night go easier, but I never felt my ability to take small game made much long term difference.

I mostly survived on the presence of large game animals, and made myself comfortable on a day-to-day basis more by catching fish than shooting small game. Your 22 would not be a good choice if you were faced with a large predator, but depending upon the country you are traveling that may not be an issue.

What I particularly like about your rifle is that you could stick it in a small compartment in a vehicle, a boat, or an airplane; it should require very little maintainence, and people you might encounter who would object to the presence of a firearm would never have to know it is there.

For me, a survival rifle is defined as something with massive stopping power, but I suppose you know the definition of the best rifle in the world--which is the one in your hands when you really need it.

 

[Bacteriophage]

Seems like a good pistol would be just as accurate as that thing and even more portable. It just looks hard to aim. I'd take a PMR-30 or good .22 revolver or target pistol instead.

 

[MattShlock]

The .22 Mag has twice the power of the .22 LR yet keeps all the rimfire's positive features and benefits to a large extent. The .22 Mag rifle is as powerful as a .38 revolver but a .22 Mag revolver is itself only as powerful as a .22 LR rifle. And it shouldn't need to be pointed out that rifles are more accurate than pistols.

...would not be my first choice for any large predators if I had my druthers but as a "survival gun" the implication is that you simply had to make a choice in advance. The .22 Mag's FMJ will take a deer, stop more, and are better than nothing (or a .22 LR) in any and every case IMO.

Here's another. This .22 Mag Rossi pump-action takedown rifle disassembles to two feet, has an 18-1/2" barrel, 10-rnd tube mag, only weighs a few lbs. with its partially drilled-out stock and has no disconnector so packs some close-range ("slam") firepower.

 

[g.willikers]

It would depend if I was without a vehicle or not.
Without one, then weight and noise would be a large factor.
Any small .22 rifle would definitely be a choice, along with a take down recurve bow.
An AR7 seems appealing.

 

[shurshot]

My .270 Remington model 721 w/Weaver 4X. Or, my other granddad's old Stevens model 87 .22 LR...
I guess they both have earned their place, despite being old school and not black, plastic or "Tactical"...
I like blue steel & wood.

 

[Boomer58cal]

Either my Marlin 22 hornet, my Savage C24 22LR over 20ga or even one of my 10/22's.


Boomer

 

[Marksinsoni]

Here's my new toy.

http://ptr91.com/ bought a few months ago, paid $1,900.

 

[MattShlock]

Savage 24 to 42

Yeah, the Savage 24 has some promise, but my .22 Mag/20 guage has a two foot barrel and is 8-lbs. I'm not hiking with that kind of weight for its attributes. That's the gun that'd be squirreled away at a summer home or left in the truck... Cut a half a foot off the barrels, lighten 'em, use matt stainless steel and thin nylon furniture and I'm in!

 

[Boomer58cal]

Yeah...I Probably take my hornet it anyway


Boomer

 

[MattShlock]

If you like bolt's, how about this 9+1 Ruger 77/22 Mag All Weather? Sorry, they don't quite make this model anymore...

 

[Malamute]

Of the first two Matt, I'd tend towards the Rossi pump.

My personal choice would be a scoped '06 and a 22 pistol if I were out looking for meat, or a 71 Winchester with a few small game loads along and a 44 or 45 pistol if just out tooling around in the off season. Those are my choices since its what I actually have with me most, tho I always have the 44 or 45 no matter what else I have. I only take the 22 pistol if I want to shoot a few grouse, but the round ball loads in the 348 work fine for that. Need to make some up for the '06

"Survival" is the unexpected situation you find yourself in if things go wrong. You'll have what you normally have with you, which are the things I mentioned. If you dont normally carry, then planning on having something light makes some sense, but a target grade 22 pistol would do quite a lot, as would a 4" medium frame 357, like a Smith model 19.

 

[Water-Man]

Check out the packrifle.com.

 

[MattShlock]

Yes, I am familiar with them. I think the guy who makes the Pack Rifle borrowed the idea from Ruta Locura where he worked, may be a disowned family member or something, I dunno... I find them odd in look and handling though I have never shot one. They were originally marketed as the regular-shooter backpack gun. Really, over a Crickett bolt action?

Ruta Locura's new skeletonized stock only costs four ounces more and makes a traditional feeling gun (except when you pick it up it feels like it must me filled with helium -- amazing stuff). Crickett makes a standard scope mount. Guess what I use? A Simmons .22 Mag of course! Great set up.

Pack into the backcountry and do some sweet shooting...

 

[Jim243]

By survival rifle I guess you mean 22 LR or 22 Mag. The synthetic stock removes 2 lbs off the wooden one and if you want to drop more weight then remove the bi-pod and use the standard 10 round mag. This would work well for survival.



If just a pack pack option then this.



Jim

 

[idek]

not to sidetrack this thread, but I looked at the packrifle website. Are we to believe the kid posing with his packrifle and a good sized mountain lion actually killed the animal with that gun?
http://packrifle.com/gallery.asp

 

[Jim243]

Are we to believe the kid posing with his packrifle and a good sized mountain lion actually killed the animal with that gun?

Why not, if you look close it was done with a head shot. I can take a deer down with a bullet through the ears and deer are larger animals. This is a survival thread no? Not saying I would go hunting with a survival rifle unless I had no other option.

Jim

That kid sure looks proud of his kill, doesn't he.

 

[Samdweezel05]

It's not a .22 but it would be my go to in case of emergency. I have no interest in starting the ammo weight vs weapon size vs recoil vs noise vs......