More Galleries

• Ender

  4/25/2013 10:31:15 AM

  Personally I'll take the AR chambered for .22lr or .30 carbine. the ammo is light and plentiful they have a proven track record and if you go the .22lr you can carry a side arm with the same ammo. the .22lr is easy to make a home made suppressor for in the Apocalypse sound betrays your position which can get you into more trouble then its worth. after that I would always have my bow. reusable ammo and silent. guns don't kill accuracy does.

• scott

  12/19/2012 7:13:24 PM

  without exception 12 ga shotgun is #1 choice , preferably pump bayonet mount is a must no fancy optics or battery operated anything! full set of replacement parts and springs as well as basic tools for change out shell caddys on stock and action be prepared to relaod (roll your own by hand) for a long time every thing from slugs to 00 buck and shot loads for small game and birds extended magazine and bandelaros X2 speaking form experience!

• Ty

  12/9/2012 9:12:32 PM

  M16 with a collapsible stock with a 3 round burst.semi for zombies, 3 round burst for people. with a 12gauge 870 magnum masterkey

• John Q

  12/7/2012 3:05:32 PM

  My personal favorite is my Mini-14 I have had the rifle since 1980 it fires either 5.56 or .223. Plenty of ammo available. It is also a weapon that is highly reliable. If I had to choose only one weapon, that one is it.

• Gary

  12/3/2012 10:55:44 PM

  LWRC M6 A2 w/EOTECH 552 or 553 sight and iron back up sights. Tough & dependable will go thousands of rounds with little or no maintenance.

• Mason

  11/27/2012 11:18:41 PM

  Colt .223 SOCOM, or my Ruger bolt action M77 in .22mag. If in heavy urban, .223, if out of town, .22mag.

• Mike

  11/27/2012 12:50:06 AM

  Interesting choices. As a one-time weedeater, I agreed most strongly with the simplicity guys. I suppose it would depend on how much of a disaster we are talking about, but I'd go for the .22 or the black powder options in a very bad situation. Shooters get shot at. Being invisible and scared will do more for you than a minigun in terms of long-term survival. My opinion only, of course. Oh, and it'd be a bolt action .22, not a semiauto.

• Tim-LV

  11/24/2012 8:10:39 PM

  I have an old Remington Nylon 66 that's about as rugged as you can get. It's light and takes very little care. I can carry pockets full of ammo.

• Catmandoo

  11/20/2012 9:48:28 PM

  I would choose the SKS. It is highly reliable, simple to operate and applicable to many situations.

• TM

  11/20/2012 8:40:27 PM

  Only one weapon?.....My butt.. after a couple sacks of sliders...and they thought a daisy cutter had a big kill radius... one gun? Probably my 30-30 marlin...never failed yet

• fastedge

  11/20/2012 5:08:23 PM

  12ga/7.62x39 combo by Baikal with many chamber inserts

• KF

  11/20/2012 11:20:01 AM

  If I can have only one, it's my Savage Model 24 in 12ga/.223 Anything else is just silly.

• Bob

  11/20/2012 12:36:41 AM

  I really appreciate my Saiga 12. Large mags; slugs; variety of shot size...

• Chris M

  11/19/2012 8:18:08 PM

  I would have to go with my Sig 716. It's built like a tank, I've got an ACOG on top of it, and you can find 7.62/.308 everywhere.

• FastcoPac

  11/19/2012 6:27:34 PM

  The AK47, the king of battle. Easy, reliable, plenty of ammo world wide. Our troops come across some that are 60 years old still being use on the battlefield.

• JACK

  11/19/2012 5:48:53 PM

  Since I am a resident of California, I would have no choice but to choose any one of the AIRSOFT weapons with the bright orange barrel tip. How sick can it get! Jack

• JBev

  11/19/2012 4:39:29 PM

  If you could have only one tool, would it be a hammer, a screwdriver, a pair of pliers, or maybe a pocket knife? Guns are tools as well, and there are different types of guns for different types of tasks, each with their own compromises based on its intended task. But, the hypothetical “One Gun Solution” appears to me to actually be a question of versatility, and implies a level of desperation by its necessity to choose. Perhaps due to limited financial resources, sudden collapse of society, or the homeland being overrun by hostile forces, you fear needing to escape from your house with only enough time to grab one gun and its ammo… so, which should it be? If you wish to repel Mongol Hordes or keep zombies at bay, you’ll need box magazines to keep a steady flow of Vitamin Pb down-range and a substantial barrel to handle heat build-up. Military rifles, with their resistance to sustained fire, dirt, wet, abuse, and neglect, can find loving homes with those willing to overlook their shortcomings in accuracy, and we’ll start by looking at two very popular systems. AK-47s are considered by many to be the world’s greatest rifle, and for the moment, let’s just assume that’s true. I’m sorry, but you can’t buy an AK-47 because it has full-auto capability, and virtually none were imported prior to 1986. What you can buy is a neutered, declawed, and defanged “AK-47 type rifle”. While the AK will certainly go “bang” under a wide range of circumstances and conditions, reliability must also include being able to consistently neutralize your target, the primary function of a firearm. Unfortunately, the AK-47 with its intermediate power 7.62 X 39 cartridge was designed as an assault rifle to be used at short range in “spray and pray” mode. As a result, neither accuracy, nor power were primary design considerations. In the event you will need your one-gun solution to defend yourself against an armed opponent, distance between you and them is a distinct advantage. This lea

• James

  11/19/2012 3:20:53 PM

  Any quality lever action in 20" or 16" .44 mag or .45 LC. Big bore, can pack lots of ammo, easy to handload for. Menacing, efficient and all business.

• Nick

  11/19/2012 12:36:38 PM

  Like Mark said pick up truck full of various loads of 12Ga. and my Rem 870 Tactical (A-Tacs)! I love this gun!... Or an AK because it is a real doomsday gun not like a whimpy AR! To the AR guys they're cute but get some 7.62 kick!

• Mark

  11/18/2012 10:35:11 PM

  Remington 870 marine magnum with a pick-up truck load of ammo...should do the trick nicely!

• tootie

  11/17/2012 7:10:17 PM

  Silly question, even sillier scenario. I own 61 guns of every description made from the 1830's up to present day. All are in play. Minimum of 500 rounds for the older ones. 1,000 to 15,000 for the rest. 6 adults - well stocked - well protected. My local police department should be this well armed.

• Brice

  11/17/2012 12:00:16 AM

  Another great firearm is the FAL rifle. Shoots a 308, and kicks like an AR15. Great gun.

• Tom

  10/23/2012 9:32:55 AM

  If I thought that civilization was going to disappear for a long time I guess the best single gun would be a break open or rolling block shotgun. It would be able to use modern ammo until it ran out and then it would be able to use any black powder brass reloads that anybody was making. Finally if worst came to worst I think it might be possible to convert it into a breach loaded flintlock or matchlock using brass or possibly paper cartridges. Pebbles are an option for shot I suppose. If I could have more than one gun the next option would be a pump shotgun, a .357/.38 carbine, and a .357/.38 pistol. All capable of using black powder reloads, capable of hunting most game and the ammo for the .357/.38 would be interchangeable. I am not a gun expert by any means but this seems a logical order for long term use without modern technology.

• dave

  10/20/2012 9:01:18 AM

  any long range app would involve m70 winchester any mid range ar`s or ak`s and short range any S&W

• Ted

  10/6/2012 3:44:41 PM

  WHAT they call this a list? Not AK-47? The AK has proven to be one of the most reliable guns out there. Please someone picj an AK!

• Mike

  10/1/2012 1:36:51 PM

  SCAR heavy would be my choice.

• Kevin Pell

  10/1/2012 9:37:08 AM

  All of these would be great, especially if you could arm 10 individuals with one each. Nato rounds would be fairly easy to recover, as well as some sporting rounds. I would also submit that for close defense in home or on the street, the Taurus Judge, a wicked hangun that can clear out a hallway and follow up with some bone breaking 000 shot or .45 LC

• Fletch

  9/27/2012 2:34:33 PM

  Come on, M134? 'Cuz those are readily available, and you won't run through all the ammo that you can carry in under a minute.

• Bob Williams

  9/26/2012 12:54:35 PM

  Based on your reasoning, shouldn't it be a flintlock?

• Jack Russell

  9/26/2012 12:31:44 AM

  for 800yds...my 03A3 For 150yds up my M1 Carbine with 30rnd clips In my lap my Ruger GP100 any closer my Kel-Tec 380 Up close an personal my 03' Bayonet

• JP

  9/25/2012 3:44:30 PM

  Black powder does seem good for the long-term, but for the short-term, an AK-47 with 7.62x39 ammo offers good protection, hunting and the ability to run without a good supply of cleaning solvents.

• Paul E.

  9/25/2012 12:16:25 PM

  Just to be different, I would go with a Winchester 94, and a SAA in 45LC. These are guns made for rugged conditions. The 45LC. Will take down both game and men. Black Powder is nice, but if I have powder and primers might as well have them with a press. An important factor is having a gun that isn't too flashy and becomes a 'gotta have' by others.

• Marvin

  9/25/2012 9:51:34 AM

  I guess I'm lucky I have seven of the ten listed. I have the M1A Scout. It would be my pick for one gun. My Stainless steel Mini14 would be next, great rifle also. I would cheat and through a 45 auto in the group.

• Redline

  9/25/2012 7:01:32 AM

  Benelli Super 90, FN/FAL, .45 and a ugh...Glock .40(cops got 40's, disaster, cops die too, so someone needs to use the ammo). Real disaster, total anarchy? I am upgrading first chance I get to a 240B and a better vehicle

• Ramil

  9/25/2012 3:51:26 AM

  If you're going to go with a black-powder rifle, it better be a flintlock, since percussion caps or shotshell primers are not likely to be widely available. You should also find a flint deposit and start practicing flint knapping, since few stores are likely to be selling gunflints. If you're going to go that native, a crossbow would be a far better choice. At least you have a chance to make your own ammunition, it's quiet, and you won't have to invent a way to make gunpowder (just mixing the ingredients in a mortar and pestle is not going to give you "gunpowder" that is going to let you shoot accurately even at 20 yards, assuming it doesn't explode in your face). Ever try scraping saltpeter off a cave wall, or finding a deposit of sulfur?) There is almost no way you'll be able to buy gunpowder, or make anything better than they had in 1450, so you'd better lay in a few hundred pounds, just to be safe. Everything is easy, until you try actually doing it. OK, OK, I know you were only kidding. Right?

• Lew

  9/24/2012 9:24:24 PM

  I am in favor of any 22 but favor 22 WCF in an auto... You can take up to a deer under the right conditions. It's easily silence... The ammo you can carry is a lot. And what's availible gun wise, you won't get cocky.

• Steve

  9/24/2012 9:13:11 PM

  The only things wrong with choosing black powder are, the fouling, and lack of repeating fire from the same gun in a timely fashion. Single shot rifles are great for hunting and target shooting, but the reload time in a case of home invasion or being attacked by more than one assailant limit your options to the point it could end up being a fatal flaw. If you live in a so-called civilized community and the place goes anarchy, I would prefer the ability of aimed repeat fire over my ability to create ammo over the long term.

• TJ

  9/24/2012 7:44:14 PM

  Ma Duce, hands down. In the urban environment there is nothing that they can even hide behind that the Ma Duce will not go through. Think you are going to hide behind the neighbors Honda? And you won't need the power the minigun will require. I've been in disasters and the power and the comms are the first thing to go. Your on your own.

• CA

  9/24/2012 6:52:18 PM

  I would chose the Ruger 10/22 with several 30round mags. And plenty of Ammo cause it is not hard to pack that kindof ammo. Or A Mini14 for the same reasons as a 10/22.

• 2A4Ever

  9/24/2012 6:40:59 PM

  Make your own primer caps too?

• Chief

  9/24/2012 6:30:46 PM

  My short range weapon would be the Beretta CX4 Storm and for longer distances an M1A.

• Gordon

  9/24/2012 6:19:45 PM

  I would take my. 410 pump or my kel tech when I get it.

• Jason Montague LM#42122857

  9/24/2012 6:12:54 PM

  My disaster rifles are already in my safe. Mine:Armalite AR10 in 7.62/.308. My Lovely Wifes:Colt CSL(civilian M4)in 5.56/.223. Ammo easily available any where in the 50 states assuming that the Nov election comes out okay. I guess that our personal side arms aren't part of this article. Jason

• Pat P

  9/24/2012 5:32:45 PM

  Interesting concept, I hadn't thought in those terms. I really like the idea, and will explore options along those lines!!!

• sgtaem

  9/22/2012 6:58:04 PM

  Black Powder can be made,the bullets can be molded,but where do you get Percussion Caps? If you have a Flintlock,you can make or find Flints,but Caps will be hard to find.

• Pete

  9/22/2012 6:00:08 AM

  only rifles should be considered bc if u outgunned, u ded. use rifle to stay alive and subsequently trade w/ the hungry venison / elk/moose/etc meat in xchng for their shotguns & other less important but useful guns like the 10-22 for sure. I don't know where u live, but rifles are king. Socom is my choice.

• MosinNagant

  9/22/2012 3:57:14 AM

  The choices made by the "Editiors" of NRA Publications will most likely get you killed. Recommend instead: Ruger 10-22, take-down, silenced and scoped, with an added night vision monocular. Concealable, Quiet, Affordable. Can carry MUCHO ammo and magazines,spare parts, cleaning tools. Variety of ammo avaible cheaply. Brings down food, works as last resort self defense- you are trying to AVOID people yes??? Or if not have fun dying of infection from your minor wounds....after you and Rambo take out the Screaming Hoards...lol... and yes I own several Finnish Mosins, all pre-1898 ...hmmmmm....I do prefer my HK and Fal for the heavy stuff, and my Saiga 12 for crowd dispersal, but this is if only 1 gun.

• Gman

  9/21/2012 3:16:44 PM

  First choice would be my 870 shotgun. Second choice, my AK47.

• Tim

  9/19/2012 2:14:24 PM

  either the 10/22 or the mini 14. anyone ever read the zombie survival guide?

• Jack Harness

  9/19/2012 10:16:39 AM

  What do you do with this gun when you run out of primers?

• Joseph B Campbell

  9/18/2012 10:10:16 PM

  Mossberg 500 Pump Shotgun Multi Roll

• Kitt

  9/18/2012 9:26:26 PM

  Short term, any rifle would do. Long term stemming from his remarks about black powder, a bow or crossbow would also be ideal.

• Derek

  9/18/2012 9:02:12 PM

  If it came down to it, I would keep a hold of my trusted Marlin 336. Reliable, fast repeat shots, decent range and knockdown power. Ammunition has been around forever and relatively easy to come by. Mine has been drug through the woods, mountains, swamps and so on and never failed to fire. Its also fairly short, easy to carry, and has some weight to it if it comes down to up close suituations.

• Snapshot Buntline

  9/18/2012 8:59:53 PM

  I'd have to go with the black powder rifle, but it sure would be slow for a defense gun. If I had to go with what I have on hand, it would my Windham AR, and I'd reload what I needed.

• Dan

  9/18/2012 8:59:27 PM

  thankfully this is a decision I will never have to make but if I did it would most likely be a SGL 41-61 semi auto shotgun on an ak style platform in .410 and with a bit of luck it should shoot .45 long colt as well not much for real long range but whatever you put in it will have a very nasty effect on it's intended target. your editors have made some fine pics and I can see their point right down to the black powder and tho I have one it's no big deal because I could make my own just like the powder and shot the end game will be my bows/ crossbow when you run out of things to use in them you might as well kyagb

• Bob

  9/18/2012 8:42:27 PM

  I've got 23 to choose from in my home, but I thing I'd choose my M4. A man should also have a pistol as well. for that, I'd choose my 1911A2.

• Melanie Benash

  9/18/2012 8:31:32 PM

  I like the Mosin Nagant M-44 carbine. The ammo is cheap and effective. You can punch through a car door if you need to and takedown game with it. You can put 20-30 rounds down range in about a minute and its been proven in battle. I'd stick with iron sites since scopes can break. It has a fold out bayonette built in and anyone can use it with little or no training.

• Brad Edwards

  9/18/2012 8:17:05 PM

  I think the AR-14 rifled in .223 would be my choice. All around reliable rifle and still big enough take down a deer at 100 meters. Not to mention it is just a great looking rifle.

• Western Fan

  9/18/2012 4:22:15 PM

  Louis La Amour wrote about it several times in his stories, of people making their own podwer and forming their own lead...I hate to admitt it but this guy is right for the long haul 20-50 years in the distater future he would still be kicking. So...now I need another gun!

• Mikaoj Noskirneh

  9/18/2012 3:48:46 PM

  Neither of the above, my first choice would be an Arsenal SAR M-1, Bulgarian made modernized Ak47 or a Czech Vz58. Both in in 7,62x39.

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