The "big 4" survival firearms are:

[lysol]

I think the list should really read:

Handgun (your caliber of choice *9mm or bigger)
Big rifle (your caliber of choice *5.56 or bigger)
shotgun - 12 gauge
small rifle - .22lr

This pretty much sets some grey area. If you are comfortable with an AK, then it's almost certain that the AK is a better choice than say an AR-15. If you shoot a 9mm with great accuracy, then why change it?

The whole shooting a deer with a 5.56 has been beaten to death on all forums. lol. I grew up shooting a 30.06 pump action hunting rifle during deer season so naturally a caliber around that size is going to attract me. Could I kill a deer with an AR-15? Dunno. I have shot many rounds through M16's, M4's, and AR-15's. With that said, I've never shot a deer with one. I do know that I can hit a deer completely missing the heart and they still go down rather quickly.

But this is a tough decision. For the big rifle, it really depends on what I'm trying to survive... I know for a fact that I can drop a deer with my 30.06 but I'm unsure with the 5.56. BUT, I know the 5.56 would drop an attacker more effectively than the bulky 30.06.. Tough choice.

 

[john101477]

Another factor I think is cost and ease of finding ammo. have you looked hard for 22lr lately? I used to be able to by 1000 rds for 12 bucks. Now that 1000 rds costs $80, IF you can find it. I hope the cost of ammo comes down some day but I really don't see it happening. I am currently paying about $0.35 a round for 9mm and am hoping to score big on some Rem 165gr 30.06 in the next few weeks. I also have someone interested in my Rem 870 because honestly I just do not use it that much and would be better off i think if I spent the money on another pistol of rifle. I still have my eye on the behemoth .300RUM but not sure I HAVE to have it right now so probably a 17HMR (also a hard ammo to find at the moment).
Any of you checked out the Judge revolving rifle? Looks and sounds cool but have not shot it.

 

[doug720]

Ammo has become the new gasoline when it comes to costs! I doubt the prices of ammo will come down much, this is a way to limit gun use by limiting the affordable use of them, similar to how the price of gas is used to affect change in how and what we drive.

Doug

 

[Grasslakeron]

12 guage pump (close quarters out to 50 yards easily), no need for handgun and is more powerful. Squirrels to deer or bigger.

30-06. Rabbits to moose you got it covered.

375 h&h. Dangerous game. Yes o'connor shot 270 and his wife 7x57...this just works on the big critters.


If you had just one...12 guage. With the right loads you can breech a steel door or kill an elephant. Buckshot at handgun ranges or bird shot for these as small as rats.

Ron

 

[ko1featherweigh]

Funny i just happen to have all of the "big 4".

 

[ruger1]

If I had to choose and only have four, for me it's:
#1) Our 20 gauge pump that my wife can shoot with slugs or bird shot.
#2) Ruger M77MKII in 7mm Rem mag which I've shot woodchucks to bison with. Solids for small game and Barnes X bullets for big game.
#3) Glock model 35 in .40 cal with a little longer barrel & adjustable sights makes it more accurate, even at longer range. (more accurate than my Taurus .44 Raging Bull)
#4) .22 mag for small critters
But it'd be hard to give up my .45-70 Marlin Guide gun. I guess whatever you can shoot and shoot well are the ones to have on hand.

 

[postalWagon]

Phillips & Rodgers M47, its chambered to shoot any straight walled .357/.38/9mm cartridge
Any good single shot 12 guage with a hand full of subcaliber chamber adpaters
From there everything else is preferance, personally I would go for a DeLise carbine and a rappid fire weapon like a AK/AR or M14