Best Projectile Weapon for Survival Applications?

**Sam Reeves** · 07-30-2008, 08:26 PM

If I could only take one gun it would be a shotgun and a variety of shells.

**catfish10101** · 07-30-2008, 09:38 PM

Firearm for sure.
Which one? The one you have with you!!
I'd say shotgun for hunting but if only for protection, .45 caliber pistol or larger. The pistol is easy to carry, quick to draw, and good for close shooting (bear in your tent).

**klkak** · 08-04-2008, 10:07 PM

My Mom, sisters and I did not starve to death in my youth because of a single shot .22lr and a plentiful supply of nice fat mule deer and whitetails and the food commodities given out at the government warehouse in town. Between 1972 and 1981 that little .22 provided at least two dear a year, not to mention all the squirrel, quail, band tails, coon, bobcats and beaver. Oh and one old black bear that was trying to get into the chicken house one night. He was found dead out by the highway the next day after being hit 3 time with the little .22. Yes it was illegal to kill deer with a .22lr back in those days but those were desperate times for us. The only time I would feel under gunned with a .22lr is if I was facing something the size of a VW bug covered with brown fur and sporting 5 inch claws and 2 inch K-9s.

**klkak** · 08-04-2008, 10:11 PM

I would now only advocate the use of a .22lr or .22mag for the taking of big game as a last resort in a survival situation.

**Beo** · 08-05-2008, 10:20 AM

I still say the potatoe cannon and projectile vomit are the best

**91g-dub** · 08-05-2008, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by Beowulf65

I still say the potatoe cannon and projectile vomit are the best

I'll see your potatoe cannon and raise you a "Punkin Chucker"

http://www.pumpkinnook.com/facts/chuckin.htm

**Beo** · 08-05-2008, 11:38 AM

How about I raise you a Watermellon Mortar and two tomatoe grenades!!!

**Rick** · 08-05-2008, 04:08 PM

I fold. Why don't I ever get anything better than a spud gun?

**trax** · 08-05-2008, 04:32 PM

Because everyone here knows better than to let you have anything better than a spud gun? Just a guess....

**Gray Wolf** · 08-05-2008, 05:13 PM

Mom can Rick have a water balloon?

No son, he'll hurt himself

**crashdive123** · 08-05-2008, 05:32 PM

Spud? Is he back?

**Tactical Tom** · 08-08-2008, 11:32 PM

I'm going with a .22LR , ammo is Cheap & you can take up to deer sized game (with proper shot placement) I would take my Ruger 10/22 sporter & my Ruger MKII Stainless Target pistol

**sh4d0wm4573ri7** · 08-09-2008, 06:26 AM

I would have to go with either my 870 pump and assorted shells or my 22lr most likely if only one were allowed I'd choose the 870 hands down. But if I were to have all I wanted I'd opt for both.

**canid** · 08-09-2008, 07:26 PM

i would also tend towards the .22lr, particularly because in most areas, small game is more reliably taken than large, and not all conditions permit the preservation of more than a few days of meat anyway. in addition, as i believe was mentioned, the ammo is lighter and smaller. 25 12 ga buck loads buys you at least 500 .22lr, in cost and weight.

i would have thought more seriously about the bow, but under most circumstances, i can make my own archery equiptment, and for those who can't, what happens when all your arrows are damaged or broken? at least if you loose or break something you made yourself, you know how to replace it.

.22lr ammo is small, inexpensive and pletiful enough to feel justified using the occasional round for firestarting. also, many of us remember either using a larger cartridge wrong for firelighting, or seeing a popular television show host do so. it's harder to live down when you have only a few rounds with you and that may have been your last option.

**sgtdraino** · 08-13-2008, 02:22 AM

Originally Posted by Fargus

Personally, I've never hunted with one. In my youth, like most kids, I did use one. I used to know a few people who were fans of them for hunting though. They used ball bearings as ammo and the delivered power for the range was pretty impressive. I used to have one similar to these, a 'wrist rocket'. Although the ones we used appear to have had better tubing.

I guess the tubing is the one thing you would want to carry extra of. I just picked up one of these small folding slingshots at Wally World for about 6 bux. Looks nearly identical to the one I had 20 years ago. Looks like surgical tubing. I wonder what would be the cheapest place to get extra? Or, for that matter, better tubing. Suggestions?

Originally Posted by Fargus

A steel ball bearing with the diameter of a nickel can take down, stun, or seriously damage some fairly large threats, quietly.

The diameter of a nickel? Really? That sounds really huge and heavy to me, can a slingshot really give that enough velocity? When I picked up mine, I got the largest bearings they had, and those were still only 3/8".

Originally Posted by Fargus

The primary reason I chose slingshots and bows (crossbows are great, though not fast to reload) over a gun was the idea of recoverable or readily renewable ammo. I also consider weight a factor in a survival setting.

Yep, you really can't beat the weight or simplicity of the slingshot. Of course, it would still be nice to hear some actual hunting success stories for them!

Originally Posted by Fargus

Just my preference. I felt that the scenario presented favored a light weapon with ammunition that could be scavenged or recovered. Otherwise, a gun, hands down.

On that subject, I finally got the lever gun I wanted. It's a Puma M92 in .357 Magnum/.38 Special, with a 16" barrel and an enlarged hand lever. I have not gotten a chance to fire it yet, hopefully it will turn out to be a good gun. I have heard that Pumas (made by Rossi/LSI) can either be quite good, or rather crap. I got it because I wanted a rifle in .357 to complement my Ruger GP100 in the same caliber, and I have read that .357 through the longer rifle barrel puts it in the same ballpark as a 30-30. I know many don't think the large loop is very functional, but I just couldn't resist going for "The Rifleman" look.

And at least for me, I think the larger loop is more comfortable, because I don't have to change the angle of my hand when I work the action. I'm also curious as to how .38 shot shells will perform in the longer barrel.

**crashdive123** · 08-13-2008, 07:51 AM