What is the next Prepper / Survialist whatever rifle or go to gun?

[Joe13]

Back about 6 years ago YouTube blew up with SKS's being a well kept secret and you could get them in the $200 range and afford Ammo. Now people want $400-500 for nice ones with a few mods or accessories - sold mine for $600 (the price of an entry AK).

Mosinn's were $120 for a nice model and Ammo was also freely available for cheap.

Now I see them getting close to $200 and ammo is drying up possibly with the import ban.

Assuming those guns never get cheaper - what is the next big thing to stockpile for whatever you are going to call yourself (prepper/survivalist/whatever) for SHTF?

Only thing I can think of is .22lr rifles (still in the $150-200+ range) but ammo even inflated is cheap and more available at this time (and lots made in the US).

And a 12 ga Pump Shotgun for larger things? Being $100-300 and bird shot being able to be used as cut shells or wax slugs for $0.25 each or buck and slings being $0.75+.

Not buying but interested in what others are looking at for curiousitys sake.

I can't think of anything center fired for those prices except some old hunting guns will go for cheap if the condition is marginal but then ammo is rarely cheap for those and they are low capacity.


Not counting cheap companies with meager reliability reputations because why bother trusting your life to them? At least IMO?

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[Joe13]

Yes, I'm seriously bored waiting for the next round of meds to kick in so I'm making random posts so I'll have more to read later.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I used to recommend a used .30/30 lever action that was in good shape ... But prices of those of any brand or condition have skyrocketed around where I live.
A good pump action shotgun in .12 or .20 gauge is tough to beat for a good all around gun.
( regardless of the latest "word" on the matter ... LOL)
Andy

 

[RVTECH]

I firmly believe a GOOD 9mm carbine would make a good all around survival gun. Ammo very cheap to reload for, more punch than a .22 but when I say a GOOD gun i mean something along the lines of a Camp 9 or maybe the PC 9. The few plastic - fantastic abominations I see in my LGS don't make the nut as far as I am concerned.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I do wish someone would make a good carbine along the lines of those Marlin camp 9 or 45 carbines.
Something with quality internal parts and good sights.
Andy

 

[Andy54Hawken]

A little tube fed pump action pistol / revolver cartridge carbine would be fun.
I'll get right on that with all my spare time and money LOL!
Andy

 

[Joe13]

I do wish someone would make a good carbine along the lines of those Marlin camp 9 or 45 carbines.
Something with quality internal parts and good sights.
Andy

For what they run, I get the impression you could build a 9mm AR for about the same price unfortunately.

I firmly believe a GOOD 9mm carbine would make a good all around survival gun. Ammo very cheap to reload for, more punch than a .22 but when I say a GOOD gun i mean something along the lines of a Camp 9 or maybe the PC 9. The few plastic - fantastic abominations I see in my LGS don't make the nut as far as I am concerned.

Good point on the ammo, even if you do not reload it's pretty inexpensive right now.

 

[etrain16]

Does a survival/prep gun have to be cheap? If so, the often ignored/overlooked Hi-Point carbines could be a good choice. Ammo is certainly cheaper than centerfire rifle, it's fairly easy to reload yourself and the guns themselves, while they won't win any beauty contests are sturdy, accurate and reliable (can't necessarily say the same for all of their pistols).

I've owned 2 of them and I'm looking to add one back into the collection again. For about $300 used, you can have one in 9mm, .40 or .45 Some will cite the limitation of the single-stack magazines, and yes, that is a limitation, but there are some after-market magazines that can get you up to about 15 rounds. All in all, a good bang for your buck, and a gun you don't have to worry about scratching the finish or getting a little wet. Just throw it in the back of the truck and forget about it. Bonus is, since they're kind of ugly, folks are likely to try and steal it from you

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I get the rough and ready attraction of plastic.
And I understand its uses and ease of maintenance.
Just not my style.
A carbine built along the lines of an M1 carbine but in .45 acp and taking 1911 magazines would be more my style.
Andy

 

[RVTECH]

I do wish someone would make a good carbine along the lines of those Marlin camp 9 or 45 carbines.
Something with quality internal parts and good sights.

I agree - and a High Point ain't it! I would 'compromise' with a good AR in Nine but it would have to be along the lines of an HBAR with a minimum 18" barrel.

 

[etrain16]

I get the rough and ready attraction of plastic.
And I understand its uses and ease of maintenance.
Just not my style.
A carbine built along the lines of an M1 carbine but in .45 acp and taking 1911 magazines would be more my style.
Andy

I would be thrilled to have something like that myself, but if Joe is looking for less expensive examples, as I seemed to gather from his OP, I doubt that kind of quality will fit the bill. That said, if you find something like that out there, sign me up!

 

[etrain16]

I agree - and a High Point ain't it! I would 'compromise' with a good AR in Nine but it would have to be along the lines of an HBAR with a minimum 18" barrel.

I got from Joe's first post that he's looking for less expensive examples, and that seems to me that an AR in 9mm wouldn't likely fit that bill. The Hi-Point isn't a great gun, but it's a good gun, and for someone on a tight budget, as some preppers are, it's worth a look.

 

[Medic!]

The problem for me on a 9mm carbine is flexibility. And ammo weight.

The little 5.56 round will drop a person at 300 Yds, or 10Ft better than a 9mm.
And a hundred rounds of 5.56 is the same weight as 100 rounds of 9mm.

So I find my thought proses always asking the same questions. And forming the same end conclusion.

Sure it costs more. But in a survival situation you may very well have only what you carry?
And who can pack more than 1000 rounds of 5.56 ammo with all there other crap?
And who can't afford a 1000 rounds of 5.56 ammo?

 

[Joe13]

And who can't afford a 1000 rounds of 5.56 ammo?

Unfortunately, that would be me... I don't have much more then the free mag and box of 20 American eagle a great person on this forum donated to me to try and help get me a working AR from used parts (turns out it may have been cheaper to order the parts from the yearly sales but oh well, it was the experience once I get it running...).


I was talking about sub $400 guns using the loudly touted SkS as the prepper gun as a base and the just as popular mossin for under $200 being even cheaper.

Granted I'm not a buy more then one of any type gun person yet (or anything right now) but having a case of mossins with the ammo to feed them would make for arming any people with me very nice. I was only using prepper as a general term for the prepared.

 

[The Heretic]

Fastest surplus bolt action

Detachable mag - stripper clip reloadable
7.62x51 or .303 if you want it to be even less expensive
Scout scope
Bolt head is field replaceable
More resistant to gun bans

 

[Joe13]

Wasn't trying to steer the convo towards what would be the one best rifle for a little (or a lot to some of us) more money for a quality battle rifle.

I think the AR15 holds that spot for the best value for your money.

 

[Joe13]

View attachment 310141
View attachment 310142

Fastest surplus bolt action

Detachable mag - stripper clip reloadable
7.62x51 or .303 if you want it to be even less expensive
Scout scope
Bolt head is field replaceable
More resistant to gun bans

View attachment 310143

Excuse my ignorance, but I can't figure out what gun that is.

 

[The Heretic]

Lee Enfield

 

[Brutus57]

View attachment 310141
View attachment 310142

Fastest surplus bolt action

Detachable mag - stripper clip reloadable
7.62x51 or .303 if you want it to be even less expensive
Scout scope
Bolt head is field replaceable
More resistant to gun bans

View attachment 310143

YEs, a great rifle, but highly collectible and ergo, not cheap.

I think if the gun grabbers get their way we will all be talking about the "next great pointy stick!"

Brutus Out

 

[The Heretic]

YEs, a great rifle, but highly collectible and ergo, not cheap.

I think if the gun grabbers get their way we will all be talking about the "next great pointy stick!"

Brutus Out

Ishapore Enfield is not collectable or expensive

Not all British Lee Enfields are expensive either - some are just plain Jane Enfields