Three!
The meme: Pick one handgun, one rifle, and one shotgun. Ok. Here goes.
Handgun: Glock 17. Versatile. Reliable. Nice capacity. Easy to work on. Popular caliber. A definite winner.
Shotgun: Like Tam, I’m not much for shotguns. But I’d probably go with the Beretta Xtrema 2 due to it’s fast action and low recoil.
Rifle: Springfield M1 Scout. Respectable caliber for long range. Shorter size for closer range. Caliber is common as are parts.
Notice anything about that list? Probably not. But I’ll tell you what’s wrong with it. I own none of those guns. Not a single one. The reason is that the list tends to presume that one would pick a good all-around weapon for each category. But, fact is, one is likely not limited to one of each. I have a variety of rifles and handguns (and only a few old shotguns). And I would choose one based on which particular need that I have at a particular time. For instance, I generally carry a Glock 30. But when attire dictates something slimmer, I might grab the ParaUSA 1911 instead. If attire dictates shorts and a T-Shirt, it’s a Kel-Tec P3AT in the pocket.
For rifles, if I want something lightweight that I’ll have to lug around for a while, I’ll grab the 16 inch pencil-barreled AR-15. If I have a coyote problem, I’ll grab the suppressed Ruger 10/22 because the ‘yotes will run after the first shot if it’s not suppressed. With a suppressor, I can get off a second shot. If I’m shooting steel plates at 600 yards, I’ll grab the 18 inch 6.8SPC AR-15. If I want to annoy the macho men at the range, I’ll grab the pink AR-15.
Don’t limit yourself.
March 8th, 2010 at 10:15 am
Interesting. I go with two things, 1) What works 2)Use what I traing with and vicea/versa. For a handgun I prefer the trusty 1911. I have carried one for more than 15years and it is all I train with other than limited excursions with BU guns. I not much of a shotgunner either, but I do recognize the exstensive range of versatility with the SG so I keep a custom dressed(to my personel spec) mossberg 500A handy at home. For a rifle, I use duel rifles despite the weight, I like my 300WMG for long range and varying with situation and opertunity, either an AR(which I built the way I wanted) or my AK which I customized for a comphromise between CQB adaptation and feild grade weapon. Regardless of what your choices are I think adequate training and trigger time will make you safe and proficiant with what ever you choose, so dont stop with the purchase! Shoot, train, study and learn all you can about your weapons and how to use them. It will increase your safety and ability and in the end, both will cotribut to your enjoyment and survival. BUY MORE AMMO
March 8th, 2010 at 10:47 am
1) G22. All the same perks you mention and a caliber I like better for when the zombies come.
2) Mossberg 590 tactical. It’s all black, holds 3″ Magnums, and is the AK of shotguns. A good world’s end gun.
3) A Fulton Armory AR15 lower that I still need to get an upper, barrel, and accessories for. Big hole in my arsenal.
And yes, I need to buy more ammo.
DAMN this topic, I need to make more money :).
March 8th, 2010 at 11:26 am
The pistol is difficult, because everything else being equal I’d like to carry a Smith and Wesson Model 19, but having to carry really concealed without a holster it’s either a Walther PPK or midsize Beretta. Full-size grip, four inch barrel or so.
Rifle. Any decent Mauser-based bolt action in .308. Have owned any number of those and all shot better than I could. But any caliber between .26 and .32 would be fine with me. (I don’t sneer at the belted magnums in that caliber range but I don’t see that I need them.)
Shotgun. Seventies production Remington 1100 12-gauge. That’s a keeper.
March 8th, 2010 at 1:25 pm
The all-purpose list? Same thing I started with:
Pistol: The old, beat-up, stainless Sprinfield 1911A1 that’s had a gazillion rounds through it with no failures.
Shotgun: The old, beat-up, Mossberg 500. If allowed only one barrel, then it’s the old straight 28″ tube for both shot and slug.
Rifle: The old, beat-up (notice a common theme there?) Ruger Mini-30. Dog-reliable, reasonably accurate out to 150 yards, and plenty o’ cheap ammo.
I’ve had all of these for a long time (that shotgun was my first firearm…a Coast-to-Coast brand, bought used back in 1976), they all work, and they’ve all been shot enough that if something hasn’t already been broken or replaced it’ll probably be fine for the next thirty years.
March 8th, 2010 at 1:45 pm
As posted at Tam’s:
J.M.B. trifecta
Rifle…Winchester 1895 in .30-06
Shotgun…Winchester 1897 in 12 gauge
Pistol…1911A1 in … do I really have to say?
March 8th, 2010 at 2:13 pm
If I was going to keep only one each of guns I own it’d be;
S&W model 10, .38 special revolver.
Stevens model 311 double barrled 12 gauge shotgun.
Lee-Enfield MKIV, .303
Those are all old models but they’re solid and reliable.
March 8th, 2010 at 2:37 pm
Pistol-Belgium Browning Hi-Power
Shotgun- Remington 870
Rifle- FN-FAL
All have run like clockwork for a long time with all different types of ammo with nary a hiccup.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:12 pm
Easy:
Handgun, a Ruger GP100 4″ in .357 magnum
Shotgun: Remington 870 in 12ga, 24″ bbl, extended mag tube, synthetic stock/furniture.
Rifle: Hunter grade Winchester Model 70, in .308. Synthetic stock if available.
Notice no autoloaders? Notice no wood? This ain’t about beauty, it’s about utility.
Good. KISS principle obeyed.
March 8th, 2010 at 4:01 pm
Handgun: Luger P08 – I suck at shooting pistols, at least I can look cool
Shotgun: Some beat-up Mossberg 12/70
Rifle: 300 RUM custom single shot – if I could just get my targets to line up at 500 yards I’m set
March 8th, 2010 at 4:54 pm
Easy (for me).
1. 1911 (.45 ACP)
2. Lee-Enfield No.4 Mk.1 (.303 Enfield)
2. AyA No. 2 RA side-by-side (16ga)
Unless it’s entirely a SHTF situation, in which case:
1. 1911
2. AK-47
3. Win 1897 12ga (“trench broom”)
But even in a SHTF situation, the top choices would take care of me well enough, in a pinch.
March 8th, 2010 at 5:34 pm
For ordinary purposes, I most often turn to:
1. kel-tec p3at
2. Suppressed 45 acp AR-15
3. saiga-12
For SHTF (ie, open hostilities with other human beings to protect myself and my property) I would probably turn to:
1. 1911
2. AK-47 or AR-15, exact configuration doesn’t matter, whatever happens to be handy
3. saiga-12
I only count the saiga-12 twice because I don’t really use shotguns much and it’s the only one I own. I also think SHTF is supremely unlikely considering the small size of the town I live in.
March 8th, 2010 at 7:24 pm
Unc is right: don’t limit yourself. As a confirmed 1911er, I also want a Smith revolver in .45ACP. Why? Out-of-spec ammo, esp. in a SHTF scenario, & backup to your primary. Guns do get irrepairably broken or lost. Same logic for long guns.
March 8th, 2010 at 8:43 pm
Handgun: Beretta PX4 storm 9mm. I’m not a big handgun guy so this will do, I like the chrome lined barrel.
Rifle: Smith & Wesson M&P15. I haven’t had 1 hiccup in thousands of rounds and it’s very accurate.
Shotgun: Remington 870 pump. No reason needed.
Ammo will be easy to get for these three firearms if it comes down to it. However I do keep plenty on hand.
March 8th, 2010 at 9:21 pm
Handgun: 1911. Best handgun ever made for over 100 years.
Shotgun: Rem 870
Rifle: Steyr Scout .308
March 8th, 2010 at 9:23 pm
my picks:
pistol: Springfield XD 4″ in .45 acp
shotgun: Mossberg 500 (12 ga)
rifle: SKS
…because this is what I actually own, except for the XD (I have the compact version for concealed carry, but if that didn’t matter I’d take the full sized service pistol w/ 13 rounds).
March 9th, 2010 at 12:36 am
I was gonna comment, but it would look like I’m copying JJR. Except the shotgun. One of these days I’m going to buy one. My son wants that day to come soon, and he would prefer a Winchester 1887 lever action 12 ga. I’m ok with it, but would want less barrel and more magazine.
March 9th, 2010 at 8:46 am
OK, this is going to be a bit unconventional, but here goes:
1. A good black powder revolver like a Remington New Model Army, in .44″, with a barrel no longer than 5″ or 6″, and a spare cylinder.
2. A large caliber flintlock or caplock rifle. Something like a Baker Rifle (.62″ caliber), or a larger caliber Hawken.
3. A 12 gauge smoothbore flintlock.
My reason for picking the old stuff? You can make what you need to shoot them with little or no technology. Black powder can be made from scratch (save your first pee of the morning!). Flints can be knapped by hand, from wine bottles if necessary. Bullets can be molded from scrap lead. Shot can be made by flattening out soft lead into a sheet and cutting it into squares with a hatchet.
The only real departure is the revolver: Priming compound will be tougher to make, but you can use strike anywhere matches, and you can get a Forster Tap-O-Cap tool to make the caps themselves out of soda/beer cans.
My rational is that these guns would have to work no matter what. Once you burn through your supply of IMR and Bullseye, and your X,000 primers, where will you be?
March 10th, 2010 at 7:47 pm
Pistol: CZ 75SP-01
Rifle: Saiga 7.62×39
Shotgun: Saiga-12
Here is why