What is the most versatile gun for ALL situations?

[WVGunman]

Because I know everyone is going to immediately say "An AR-15," let me expand on this question. Let's say you really only could have a single firearm. May its because SHTF, maybe some other reason. But the circumstances are such that you will need this gun to survive, and you are NOT a soldier or survival expert. Caveats:
- You know you will have to kill at least some of your food, but you don't know what will be available. Therefore this gun must be capable of taking most types of game up to about 100 yards away: game up to deer sized, small fast animals, powerful animals, and flying animals.
- You don't know what threats are out there. It must be powerful enough to provide viable protection against predators, either large animals (like black bear), humans alone or in small groups of 2-3, or feral dog/wolf packs.
- Ammo availability is unknown. It must fire a round that can be scavenged or somehow acquired simply. Let's say a good shorthand for "acquired simply" is anything sold at Walmart.
- Must use ammunition that is light enough so several dozen rounds could be easily carried. Your ability to pack ammo is not unlimited.
- It must not easily break. The fewer moving parts the better.
- You have no cleaning supplies of any kind, so it must not require fancy cleaning. In fact, the longer it can go without cleaning at all the better.
- It can be operated quickly under stress and/or in the dark.
- It must have virtually zero chance of jamming, under all conceivable circumstances.

After considering all this, I think a double-barreled shotgun is the only gun that can do ALL the above equally well. Trade offs would obviously be made, but the point is universal versatility; it doesn't have to the be the best at anything, but it can't be the worst at anything either.The real deal-breaker for something like the AR-15 is maintenance. There's no such thing as barrel fouling with shotguns, nor is there rifling or a gas system to be clogged or worn down. With a double-barrel there's no feed mechanism or action to break, wear out, or jam. If a situation can't be handled by two quick shots, you probably were a goner anyway.
The real question then would be gauge. 12 gauge is obviously way better at handling large beasts, but a 20 gauge could still do the job (if just barely) and a lot more ammo could be carried.
Thoughts?

 

[MosinT53Hunter]

A Ruger 10/22 in 22. lr. Consider that ammo is found in many sporting good stores, house holds and trucks, probably rolling around loose as we speak. Can kill just about anything( how improbable it might be, if there is a way, there is a will), and with 10 to 30 rounds, you can put up a fair about of firepower down range at anything your trying to hit. You can carry up to a thousand or so of rounds on your person if needed, much more so then 12 gauge rounds, It lasts a very long time, cleaning is needed from time to time. You have the option of an optic or red dot, light weight, can carry a heavy pack of necessary supplies without being encumbered with a heavy gun, and replacement magazines are quite common. Just my two cents.

 

[MosinT53Hunter]

Because I know everyone is going to immediately say "An AR-15," let me expand on this question. Let's say you really only could have a single firearm. May its because SHTF, maybe some other reason. But the circumstances are such that you will need this gun to survive, and you are NOT a soldier or survival expert. Caveats:
- You know you will have to kill at least some of your food, but you don't know what will be available. Therefore this gun must be capable of taking most types of game up to about 100 yards away: game up to deer sized, small fast animals, powerful animals, and flying animals.
- You don't know what threats are out there. It must be powerful enough to provide viable protection against predators, either large animals (like black bear), humans alone or in small groups of 2-3, or feral dog/wolf packs.
- Ammo availability is unknown. It must fire a round that can be scavenged or somehow acquired simply. Let's say a good shorthand for "acquired simply" is anything sold at Walmart.
- Must use ammunition that is light enough so several dozen rounds could be easily carried. Your ability to pack ammo is not unlimited.
- It must not easily break. The fewer moving parts the better.
- You have no cleaning supplies of any kind, so it must not require fancy cleaning. In fact, the longer it can go without cleaning at all the better.
- It can be operated quickly under stress and/or in the dark.
- It must have virtually zero chance of jamming, under all conceivable circumstances.

After considering all this, I think a double-barreled shotgun is the only gun that can do ALL the above equally well. Trade offs would obviously be made, but the point is universal versatility; it doesn't have to the be the best at anything, but it can't be the worst at anything either.The real deal-breaker for something like the AR-15 is maintenance. There's no such thing as barrel fouling with shotguns, nor is there rifling or a gas system to be clogged or worn down. With a double-barrel there's no feed mechanism or action to break, wear out, or jam. If a situation can't be handled by two quick shots, you probably were a goner anyway.
The real question then would be gauge. 12 gauge is obviously way better at handling large beasts, but a 20 gauge could still do the job (if just barely) and a lot more ammo could be carried.
Thoughts?

Unless your planning on taking only one and only firearm, having a gun, or anything else never ever malfunctioning is a fantasy. You have to have oil, just to keep things moving. You have springs and locks that do wear out, and need replacement. Cleaning even in the form of a used dirty sock covered in oil is a must. If you have a stuck firing pin when a bear is chasing after you, best of luck trying to convince it otherwise you don't taste all that good.

 

[BLB68]

- You have no cleaning supplies of any kind, so it must not require fancy cleaning. In fact, the longer it can go without cleaning at all the better.

This criteria seems odd. You're going to pack presumably a long gun and its ammo, but can't make room for cleaning supplies? Heck, some weapons let you stow the supplies onboard. Not to mention improvising.

 

[JeeperCreeper]

I will give the same answer on the "how few firearms you could get by with" thread.

XD45 compact

-Reliable and easy to maintain
-Semi-Auto
-Holds 10 or 13 rounds
-Concealable, Light, and Handy
-Shoots a common round
-Accurate enough for small game to 25 yd, Could take deer up to maybe 50 yd
-Can be loaded from tame 230gr range ammo to firebreathing 250 gr 45 Super/SMC rounds.

12 gauge is a cool option though, even Joe Biden loves 'em!!

 

[hdwhit]

In my opinion, the choice is a 12 Gauge shotgun. I prefer a pump shotgun because it is simple, intuitive and avoids all the potential problems of semi-automatic guns as well as being more tolerant of shells that are not in pristine condition.

12 Gauge shells are ubiquitous.

Loadings for birds of all sizes, small game and large game are readily available - greatly expanding the variety of animal protein you can harvest (in comparison with a pistol or rifle).

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Wow, a SHTF thread made it 7 posts without the mods shutting down.......

I rather like these thought exercises.

I hate to be on any bandwagon, but the AR really is the single best post-apocalyptic firearm, at least in the Americas or Western Europe where 5.56 ammo is standard.
They are accurate, can be scoped easily, can take any reasonable game with enough rounds at most practical ranges, and are effective with a minimum of training and maintainance. Yes, they need to run wet, but the landscape would be littered with abandoned cars, each of which has a whole pan full of oil and a dipstick makes a fair bolt oiler in a pinch.

For realms where NATO ammo isn't under every rock, the AK is king for most of the same reasons.

Add a suppressed .22 pistol, and you will go along way in Zombieland. Just remember: Cardio, Double-tap, Avoid Restrooms.

 

[Odd Job]

We've been down this road many times before.