You are going on a wilderness adventure...

[Missourian]

I was reading this thread (http://www.usmessageboard.com/curre...e-stupid-but-can-we-make-them-pay-for-it.html)...that referenced the book "Into the Wild", in which the story culminates with Chris McCandless' adventure, unprepared, into Alaska's last frontier...it got me to speculating about, if I could only take one, what firearm would I take on an extended solo wilderness adventure.

So I ask you, if you could only take one gun into the wilds of the backwoods, what would it be?

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

I was reading this thread (http://www.usmessageboard.com/curre...e-stupid-but-can-we-make-them-pay-for-it.html)...that referenced the book "Into the Wild", in which the story culminates with Chris McCandless' adventure, unprepared, into Alaska's last frontier...it got me to speculating about, if I could only take one, what firearm would I take on an extended solo wilderness adventure.

So I ask you, if you could only take one gun into the wilds of the backwoods, what would it be?

When you say extended,I'm going to assume you mean in a survival type situation where your using it for hunting.
Easy........ Scoped Ruger 10-22 with a bull barrel.
My reasoning?
You can carry a crap load of ammo. You can drop anything from a deer to squirrels. Much quieter then a high powered rifle or shotgun.
And it doesnt weigh much.

If it was a SHTF situation I might change my mind and go with an AR.

 

[Spoonman]

i guess a lot would depend on where these backwoods were located. would my source of food primarily be small game i need ot hunt often? big game, I need power to take down, possible at a long range? Waterfowl or game birds? So I guess I'd go with a savage 24, 12 gauge - .30-30 combo

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

i guess a lot would depend on where these backwoods were located. would my source of food primarily be small game i need ot hunt often? big game, I need power to take down, possible at a long range? Waterfowl or game birds? So I guess I'd go with a savage 24, 12 gauge - .30-30 combo

Good choice. For some reason the ol combo guns didnt enter my mind.
But I think i'd still stick with the .22 just for the weight of the ammo. Dont really think the weight would be worth it for birds. And their really isnt to many things you cant hit with a good .22.
And while location would make a difference,most places would have squirrel or rabbit.

 

[Spoonman]

i guess a lot would depend on where these backwoods were located. would my source of food primarily be small game i need ot hunt often? big game, I need power to take down, possible at a long range? Waterfowl or game birds? So I guess I'd go with a savage 24, 12 gauge - .30-30 combo

Good choice. For some reason the ol combo guns didnt enter my mind.
But I think i'd still stick with the .22 just for the weight of the ammo. Dont really think the weight would be worth it for birds. And their really isnt to many things you cant hit with a good .22.
And while location would make a difference,most places would have squirrel or rabbit.

you could always go with the savage 24 .22 - .410

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

i guess a lot would depend on where these backwoods were located. would my source of food primarily be small game i need ot hunt often? big game, I need power to take down, possible at a long range? Waterfowl or game birds? So I guess I'd go with a savage 24, 12 gauge - .30-30 combo

Good choice. For some reason the ol combo guns didnt enter my mind.
But I think i'd still stick with the .22 just for the weight of the ammo. Dont really think the weight would be worth it for birds. And their really isnt to many things you cant hit with a good .22.
And while location would make a difference,most places would have squirrel or rabbit.

you could always go with the savage 24 .22 - .410

My biggest problem with shotguns as survival guns is weight and volume of ammo vs the amount of protein your going to get.
I'm just guessing here but I would think you could carry eight to nine .22 rounds vs one 4-10 shell.
A 4-10 would have trouble with most birds bigger then a small duck.
You could kill 8 rabbits and or squirrels with the .22 and even if you missed a couple times you still come out way ahead.
And you could cure the rabbit hides and make yourself a warm pair of tighty whities for the winter...

 

[Michelle420]

I was reading this thread (http://www.usmessageboard.com/curre...e-stupid-but-can-we-make-them-pay-for-it.html)...that referenced the book "Into the Wild", in which the story culminates with Chris McCandless' adventure, unprepared, into Alaska's last frontier...it got me to speculating about, if I could only take one, what firearm would I take on an extended solo wilderness adventure.

So I ask you, if you could only take one gun into the wilds of the backwoods, what would it be?

Tim Gunn

 

[Missourian]

Those seem like good choices, but let's throw in some predators like wolves or bears...

 

[Dugdale_Jukes]

Taurus M62

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Those seem like good choices, but let's throw in some predators like wolves or bears...

Well that changes things for sure.
I would say go with an over under .22 / 20 ga.
And use slugs in the twenty for bears and what not.
The only problem is they generally only hold one round each so you better not miss.

I guess if deer were plentiful you could pack a semi auto 30-06.
But squirrel and rabbit would be off the menu. You'd hate to waste a round on one.

 

[Spoonman]

Those seem like good choices, but let's throw in some predators like wolves or bears...

that's why I have the 30-30

 

[PredFan]

I was reading this thread (http://www.usmessageboard.com/curre...e-stupid-but-can-we-make-them-pay-for-it.html)...that referenced the book "Into the Wild", in which the story culminates with Chris McCandless' adventure, unprepared, into Alaska's last frontier...it got me to speculating about, if I could only take one, what firearm would I take on an extended solo wilderness adventure.

So I ask you, if you could only take one gun into the wilds of the backwoods, what would it be?

Shotgun with a variety of shells. Shells suitable for bird and buck, possibly a slug or two.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Those seem like good choices, but let's throw in some predators like wolves or bears...

To make things a little more interesting. How long are we going to be in the wilderness?
A month? six months? Winter or summer?
Do we have to pack in all gear and ammo?
All those things would come into consideration as to what kind of gun I would bring.

And of course location. Since bears and wolves are in play,I'm guessing up north.

Might be interesting to pick a location and a time of year.

 

[PredFan]

The last wilderness adventure I went on was in Shining Rock Wilderness in the Blue Ridge Mountains. At the time I only had my 44 Magnum revolver. When we were setting up camp the 2nd night, we heard what sounded like a very large bear coming our way in the brush. I pulled out my pistol and waited.

First a little piglet about a foot long came out of the brush, then another and another. They wandered along the trail about 5 feet away fromus when momma came out. All 300 pounds of her. She looked at us, sniffed the air then followed her young down the path away from us.

 

[Missourian]

Those seem like good choices, but let's throw in some predators like wolves or bears...

To make things a little more interesting. How long are we going to be in the wilderness?
A month? six months? Winter or summer?
Do we have to pack in all gear and ammo?
All those things would come into consideration as to what kind of gun I would bring.

And of course location. Since bears and wolves are in play,I'm guessing up north.

Might be interesting to pick a location and a time of year.

Well, this thread was inspired by "Into the Wild", so let's use that as a guide...

McCandless was out of contact with civilization for at least 113 days.

He carried everything with him in one trip.

It was both summer and winter.

 

[Missourian]

Those seem like good choices, but let's throw in some predators like wolves or bears...

Well that changes things for sure.
I would say go with an over under .22 / 20 ga.
And use slugs in the twenty for bears and what not.
The only problem is they generally only hold one round each so you better not miss.

I guess if deer were plentiful you could pack a semi auto 30-06.
But squirrel and rabbit would be off the menu. You'd hate to waste a round on one.

This was the same problem I was having.

I thought about maybe a 12 gauge with a .22 LR and a .44 MAG insert.

Solves some of the ammunition issues, but an 8 inch rifled insert wouldn't eject, and a 3 inch insert (which may or may not eject) lacks the accuracy necessary for small game.

You're left with a "one shot" solution...and that isn't acceptable.

 

[chikenwing]

Those seem like good choices, but let's throw in some predators like wolves or bears...

To make things a little more interesting. How long are we going to be in the wilderness?
A month? six months? Winter or summer?
Do we have to pack in all gear and ammo?
All those things would come into consideration as to what kind of gun I would bring.

And of course location. Since bears and wolves are in play,I'm guessing up north.

Might be interesting to pick a location and a time of year.

Well, this thread was inspired by "Into the Wild", so let's use that as a guide...

McCandless was out of contact with civilization for at least 113 days.

He carried everything with him in one trip.

It was both summer and winter.

22 hands down,a brick doesn't weigh that much and ya got 500 effective rounds on anything but bear,or moose and such,wolves are going down with a good head shot and they are no threat anyways. 22 keep you in meat as long there is some and you have rounds

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

The last wilderness adventure I went on was in Shining Rock Wilderness in the Blue Ridge Mountains. At the time I only had my 44 Magnum revolver. When we were setting up camp the 2nd night, we heard what sounded like a very large bear coming our way in the brush. I pulled out my pistol and waited.

First a little piglet about a foot long came out of the brush, then another and another. They wandered along the trail about 5 feet away fromus when momma came out. All 300 pounds of her. She looked at us, sniffed the air then followed her young down the path away from us.

When it's dark? All things sound like a bear in the woods.
I've encountered bears,mountain lions and bobcats.
The bear had to be the scariest one. The wife and I were paddling the shoreline on lake Okanagan in B.C. and rounded a huge boulder only to come face to face with two of the cutest black bear cubs you've ever seen about 10 ft from us...........and mom was on the other side of em. It took about 2 seconds for it to sink in.

I could have pulled a water skier!!!

 

[hoosier88]

I'd take a crossbow for everyday - rabbit, small game. With line attached & the right tips, you could go for bird on the wing &/or fish. You can make your own bolts, although factory-made are going to be nicer right out of the box. I assume you can fit razor heads to bolts - I'd have to look into that. Mostly, you can recover hits & most misses. If you're going to be out in the wild for extended time, you need that.

I'd also lug along a hefty sidearm in a holster, plenty of ammo - 50-60 rounds?, for last-ditch against big predators - a .44 magnum? A revolver, unless you have the tools & expertise to work on a semi-auto in your den.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

To make things a little more interesting. How long are we going to be in the wilderness?
A month? six months? Winter or summer?
Do we have to pack in all gear and ammo?
All those things would come into consideration as to what kind of gun I would bring.

And of course location. Since bears and wolves are in play,I'm guessing up north.

Might be interesting to pick a location and a time of year.

Well, this thread was inspired by "Into the Wild", so let's use that as a guide...

McCandless was out of contact with civilization for at least 113 days.

He carried everything with him in one trip.

It was both summer and winter.

22 hands down,a brick doesn't weigh that much and ya got 500 effective rounds on anything but bear,or moose and such,wolves are going down with a good head shot and they are no threat anyways. 22 keep you in meat as long there is some and you have rounds

I'm with you all the way on that. LARGE predators would be your only issue.
When I stop and think about it I would probably take my chances with a the original .22 I suggested.
Thirty rounds in the dome would make most bears think twice.
Assuming you had the time to empty your magazine anyway.
The .22 is way more lethal then most realize.

And halfway through this response I think I came up with a decent soluti.....never mind.
I was thinking .22 mag but round capacity is weak.

I might be back with the 5.56 since it's accurate and the ammo is somewhat light weight,and you have a large magazine for large predators.

And you could still hit small game as long as it wasn't so far out the 5.56 round started to tumble. That was one of the complaints in V.N. ...it only punched a small hole if the round hadn't started to tumble.
But again you can avoid the lethality issue by using hopped up .223 hollow points. Which are illegal in a 5.56.
So after much thought? AR-15 with large predators. 22 LR without.

Free your mind with drugs??? Shiiiiiiit!!! Crown Royal seems to be doing a fine job !!!!