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2 months in deep wilderness which rifle

B

backpacker

Joined
Oct 2, 2000
Messages
201
Hi,

If you had a chance to go into the deep wilderness for 2 months, which rifle would you bring to help provide food? You can only bring the supplies you can carry on your back and one rifle.
 
I like my Savage Scout in .308. To me it answers most questions asked of a rifle. Ammo would be a little on the heavy side but assuming this is a non combat situation I think 200 rounds would easily get me through 2 months time. I know most will argue that a .308 is overkill for squirrels and rabbits but I can make head shots with mine and I feel better in moose and bear country with a .308 than I would with a handy .22. I also like the Savage's virtue of 2 sighting systems. Now if I was in an area where large animals weren't a problem then I want my Ruger 10-22 in it's folding stock. I could carry a lot more ammo and make a lot less noise. Add to that it's light weight and you have a happy camper:)
 
I agree with Mr Siegle that .22 is the caliber to use, unless defense against substantially large animals is an issue. You could carry the .22 ammo needed for a couple of months hunting (a couple or three 50-rd boxes) in a pocket and still have room for your firestarter and SAK. ;) Plus, the carry weight of a .22 rifle is usually a lot less than the larger caliber rifles.
 
I would take my Ruger MKII pistol. The gun and 300 rounds of .22 cal LR are easy to carry and adequate enough for small game. It really depends on what environment you plan to be in and how many people you need to feed.

n2s
 
For two months? I would have to go with one of the mixed over and unders by Savage. I think a .22LR over a 20ga. would handle about whatever you could come across. Small game could be had either with the 22 or the shot. Something bigger, try a 20ga. slug.
 
Would protection against big, hungry animals be an issue? If not, I would take a good .22 rifle.
 
What Terrill said. 20ga slugs will take care of large bothersome creatures and main course dinners, shot for birds and close-in ground dwelling dinners, and .22 for everything else.

You won't be mistaken for Bob Lee Swagger, but that's OK.

db
 
Here is another opportunity to tout the Springfield M6 scout. .22lr over .410 ga. A variety of available loads could handle nearly any eventuality- just as the Savage or Stevens combos would.
 
I would take a lightweight 7mm-08 stainless bolt gun with a synthetic stock and a fixed power 6x scope, if I was camped somewhere. I don't think ballistics are so critical - I chose that caliber because it's about the largest I can shoot accurately.

If I was mobile, it would be some manner of skeletonized .22, maybe with open sights. You can't exactly hang big game from your backpack :)

Scott
 
As fond as I am of my Ruger 22, under the circumstances listed above I think I'd opt for a lever action Marlin chambered for .357 magnum/.38. Harvest small game with .38 wadcutters, but there's enough zip from the .357 coming out of a long barrel to make it a decent hawg or deer gun. Couple this with a .357 sidearm and you'd be in pretty good shape for a 2 month jaunt. :D
 
It all depends on enviroment,but If it were lower state survival definately a .22,Alaska or canada it would be my guide 45-70(you can shoot short .410 guage in it as well),However if I did not know where or when in the world I might be dropped it would be a pump Rem .12 gauge.Intimidating as hell,deadly with slug or 000,good for game with light loads.Still you cant go wrong with a .22,dont underestimate its killing ability.More game and people have been killed with a .22 than any other caliber.
 
Im going to have to say my M1 garand,there is nothing it wont knock down,I have shot rabbit with it also bear and deer,when shooting rabbit I just aim for the head,hell I dont eat that anyway,I also agree with the .22,but what if you run into a hungry bear thats just as hungry as you:eek:
 
we would need more information as to where you are going, and the anticipated use ofe the rifle. that would help narrow down the choices a whole lot.
alex
 
I'd take an accurized .223 cal AR-15. When I got nervous I'd put in a 15 round mag. For hunting I'd use a shorter mag. The ammo is light and good enough for anything with the right shot or enough rounds.
 
ALCO141,

It would be for obtaining food only. I would have a fishing pole and some of Buckshots snares and #110 conibears with me. It would be in the lower 48 States excluding Montana & Wyoming. I do not see much use for a large caliber rifle. When it comes right down to it, being attacked by an animal is not going to happen.

I was thinking a scoped 22 with about 5 rounds per day ( 300 rounds ) would be about right. I am thinking about getting a Ruger 10/22. I was also looking at the Springfield M6, which is a single shot 22/410 over under. I like thew fact you could carry about 300 rounds of 22 for smaller game and about 10 410 slugs for larger game.

The only reservations I have about the M6 is I am not sure if it is accurate enough to take small game effectively. I think I would need the 22 to be accurate up to 50 yards for squirels, rabbits, ect.. and the 410 to be accurate up to 100 yards.

What do you guys think?
 
Originally posted by backpacker
ALCO141,


The only reservations I have about the M6 is I am not sure if it is accurate enough to take small game effectively. I think I would need the 22 to be accurate up to 50 yards for squirels, rabbits, ect.. and the 410 to be accurate up to 100 yards.

What do you guys think?
Click to expand...

Your accuracy is highly dependent upon practice and experience. I have never seen anyone practicing at the range with the M6 Scout, but I have rarely been to any range where someone was not practicing with a 10/22. Unless you had some location-specific requirements, that's the one long gun to choose before any others, for obtaining meals.
I doubt if the 410 would have as much range as the .22, and even a 12 gauge with rifled barrel and scope is challenged at the 100 yard line (mine is awesome at 50. A bolt action .22 might be better still, with a threaded barrel and a (legal) suppressor to keep the game from fleeing the noise. The bolt action could also use CB shorts for even less noise.
 
The .410 is a poor performer IMHO, the standard shells don't have enough shot to be consitently effective beyond about 25 yards on rabbits and the slugs are not very accurate and they are under powered for deer sized game. Wing shooting is very difficult with a .410 and even experts tend to use up a lot extra shells on misses and cripples. I am told that a .410 dose make a good snake gun though.
20 and 12 gages will get the job done, but the weight and bulk of the shells makes them less than ideal for back packing.
A .22 rifle can take small game with ease out to at least 50 yards, (if you do your part), and ammo is light. In a pinch a .22 LR will take deer at close range (many pouchers use .22's because they don't make much noise).
 
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