If the SHTF and there is not much time or space, what caliber guns would be best?

When you positivly need it dead, 50 caliber Mark 7.

Quoted: If the SHTF and there is not much time or space, what caliber guns would be best?

What kind of SHTF situation?

No power? LA riots? Zombie hordes?

.22 and a .38.



I hate this question.  My serious answer would be .22lr, .223, and .308.  Pistols is 9mm and .45.  

9mm for pistol, and 5.56 for rifle. Maybe 7.62x51 depending on the situation.

I have a ton of ammo, but if I had to run out the door right now, I would take 1000 rds of 22 and the buckmark, and 200 rounds of 9mm and the Keltec sub 2000...

I don't plan on taking 300 yd shots at bad guys...

BMG... Duuhh

My SHTF's are:
12ga
9mm
45acp
5.56
7.62x51

No time or space -- this is quantum physics exam question isn't it?

Quoted: No time or space -- this is quantum physics exam question isn't it?

More like a Bud Light exam.

5.7x28

What kind of SHTF situation? No power? LA riots? Zombie hordes?

Anything bad enough to bug out in a hurry, along with civil chaos.

Quoted: If the SHTF and there is not much time or space, what caliber guns would be best?

.308
30-06
.223
30-30
.45 acp
9mm
.38 spl/.357 mag
Because it is plentiful and inexpensive

Any centerfire rifle caliber you have and have ammo for would work if the shit really did hit the fan.
Any pistol caliber would work (even .22lr) if the shit were hitting the fan.
Shotgun 12 or 20 gauge
any buck
slugs
smaller shot down to 9 shot (4 shot and 6 shot would be a lot better)

Quoted: My SHTF's are: 12ga 9mm 45acp 5.56 7.62x51

That will work.

.223 for my rifle -- I can carry lots of ammo and it's powerful enough for most of what I need.  If it works for the military, I'm sure it'll be fine for me.

Probably 9mm for the pistol since I can carry more ammo that way for the same amount of weight as a .45.  I prefer the .45 as a cartridge though and since it's a backup weapon most likely I might consider the .45 instead.

I'd like to get an M1A, but for TEOTWAKI situations I think that .223 might suit my needs better.

JMHO

Everyone's choice is different.

Mine ?

.22LR
.308
9mm

Most of what you here will be some combo of
.22LR
38 -(humurous)
9mm
.45 ACP
.223
.308
7.62 X 39 mm
12 Gauge.

5.56, 9mm, .308, 12 gauge and .45.

Military and LEO calibers. Ammo would be easier to come across

Quoted: 5.56, 9mm, .308, 12 gauge and .45. Military and LEO calibers. Ammo would be easier to come across

+1

Quoted: 5.56, 9mm, .308, 12 gauge and .45. Military and LEO calibers. Ammo would be easier to come across

I just wonder if the supply for these calibers would be used up the fastest.

5.56 in a 6920 - Red dot w/ Surefire. lots of preloaded mags.
.45 1911 - Kimber ultra carry.  

Quad 50's

.22, 5.56/.223, 7.62x51/.308, 9mm, .40, .45  

Come on guys -- in a real SHTF/TEOTWAKI would you really take like 4 or 5 different calibers?  Are you going to have two rifles, a shotgun, and two pistols strapped on you?

You're ruining the fun !!  If I could, I'd take one of everything too, but let's be realistic and say one rifle and one pistol.

If it was one rifle one pistol I would take an AR and either my CZ75 9mm or my Gock 23.
I only have 3 regular capacity and one neutered (10 round) for the Glock so I would most likey take the 9mm. I have 5 mags for it that hold 15 to 17 rounds,

.45ACP and either

.223 or .308

Quoted: Quad 50's

DING DING DING ...... We have a winner!!

Best SHTF calibers?

Best is such a relative term, don't you think? The best for you or the best for me?  The type of situation? Much can be 'assumed' and everyone knows what 'assume' can mean.  

I have four calibres which I am most comfortable, of course, these would be dependant upon the situation at hand:

.45 Super,
7.62 x 51
8.6 x 70
12.7

Thats easy, My AR15 with a 16" lightweight barrel, with A1 sights, accompanied with my Glock 19 with at least 2 - 3 15 Rd mags. Simple as it gets. A mag harness that would hold at least 6 of my 30 Rd AR mags, and a sturdy backpack that would hold the bare essentials, like extra socks,food, ammo,simple mess kit,and first aid kit. If your going to be on the run, it has to be simple. More than likely you will find what ever else you need along the way.  GOOD LUCK..........

9MM
5.56
If I have to be on the move it will have to be limited to  just 2 calibers. If I'm staying put then that's a different story.

.223.  

.22LR
9x19mm
5.56x45mm
7.62x51mm

.87 caliber is the best round for all SHTF scenarios.

9mm
5.56x45mm
7.62x51mm
12 Guage
.22 LR

HK 45
SPR
Benelli Super 90

With all the ammo I can carry, then head up to my cabin in the U.P. (Michigan's Upper Peninsula for all the geographically challenged)

7.62x25mm Tokarev

5.56/.223 and 40 S&W. Dont forget the Glock 40 and a hefty supply of bandages!!!!

I tend to think one could take care of many things with suppressed 22LR.

5.56 and 9mm

Quoted: img154.imageshack.us/img154/9317/p10032180qa.jpg 5.56 and 9mm

You just had to do it, didnt you?

Quoted: 5.56 and 9mm

Hmmmmm, I need more overtime at work!!!!

Phased plasma, 40 Watt range....

12ga. Slugs, 00buck, #4buck, #6, and #8.

When the feces impacts the oscillating air-mover:

A Trident III would be the all purpose SHTF caliber.

Quoted: img154.imageshack.us/img154/9317/p10032180qa.jpg 5.56 and 9mm

Show off!Same for me.9mm5.56

It would depend on the scenario, since you'll likely be fighting alone, or in a small group you will likely not have a logistics train to back you up the best choice in most scenarios would be whatever the enemy is useing for two reasons: One you could get ammunition, and spare parts from the enemy, and Two it would creat confustion amongst the enemy particularly if your operateing behind enemy lines as they will hear "friendly" gunfire where there isn't supposed to be any, and may even hesitate before returning fire because they don't want to hit "friendlys"....  Alternativly if two sides are fighting each other with one being Friendly, you could try going to the friendly forces for ammo, and supplies, they may even give them willingly, in which case you would want to use whatever there useing, which would also make it less likely they will mistake you for a hostile....  The other scenarios are  where there is no organized "enemy" (like looters for instence....), in which case anything goes as they will likely be equiped with a hodgepodge of different weaponry with little, or more likely no standardization, so carry whatever your most comfortable with, and feel would be the best for the situation, you might want to consider common calibers, and weapons though as ammunition, and spare parts will be simpler to find (so .303 British, 7.5 French, 7.5 Swiss, 6.5 Swedish, 9mm Makarov, 7.62x25, 5.45x39, .30 Mauser, 7.62x54R, and 7mm Japanese, etc. are probably out but .308, .223, 9mm, 30.06, .45 ACP, .40 S&W, 7.62x39 and .22LR, etc. are probably in....) , and if society is still functioning at all you may be able to buy more, in which case uncommon calibers like .303 British, 7.5 French, 7.5 Swiss, 6.5 Swedish, 9mm Makarov, 7.62x25, 5.45x39, .30 Mauser, 7.62x54R, and 7mm Japanese, etc. might actually be of some beneffit as they will likely be the last to run out or be looted....  Here are a few scenarios, and may suggestions:

Red Dawn: A forien force has over run your location whethor a full invasion, or just an incurtion it's irrelevent your behind enemy lines, the enemy is likely useing Soviet Era Equipment....

Rifles: AK-47, or AK-74 depending on what there useing

Long Range Rifles: Mosin Nagant M-44 or for more range Mosin Nagant M-91/30 (They probably don't have any Mosin Nagants but you probably could get some 7.62x54R from them....), or SVD Dragonov, Romanian PSL, or for more moderate ranges SKS.... (There likely not useing SKS's so I'de go with the Yugoslavian M-59/66, or if they do have a few SKS's use whatever kind there useing....)

Pistols: whatever there useing, or a Makarov, Tokarov, or CZ-52 depending on what caliber there useing....

Shotgun: There probably not useing any but if they are it will probably be a 12 Gauge, you can probably use whatever you want....


Probability: Almost none there  is a virtual 0% chance of this, and any country that tried it would be a glow in the dark crater as a result, assumeing they even could in the first place, there are no countrys that have this capability today....

NATO/EU interdiction: Or European "Allies" turn on us fearing our power, and influence, and they want to force us to be communists like them, this scenario is much like the above one except the weapoons change as they will now be useing NATO standard equipment....

Rifles: AR-15 the dominate weapon of both the enemies, and friendlys will likely be some varient of the M-16 Series, or if your not concirned with useing a frienndly or enemy weapon anything in 5.56 Nato, or .223 Remington....

Long Range Rifles: M1A (Some US troops, and LEO's may have M-14's, and it's varients....), FAL, L!A1, or G-3, depending on what there useing, or any other rifle that uses 7.62 NATO, or .308 Winchester, like the AR-10 for example if your not concirned with useing an enemy or friendly weapon....

Pistols: M-9 (used by our millitary, and maybe by some of the enemy....), or some other 9mm being used by the enemy, or if your not concerned with useing a friendly or enemy weapon any other 9mm, alternativly you could use .40S&W as thats used by most police, or .45 ACP as the millitary is probably going to switch back to that, and it's used by some police, I would recomend a 1911A1, or whatever the millitary is useing....

Shotgun: Mossberg 590A1, Benelli M1, Benelli M4, or Remigton 870 depending on what the military or enemy is useing, if you arn't concirned about useing the same weapon as the enemy or the millitary then any other 12 Gauge....

Probability: About the same as the above, although the chances of succsessfully landing go up to maybe 5% though whats left of the enemy would be slautered, and Europe would be reduced to a smokeing radioactive crater....

"Peacekeepers", or High Treason: The same as the NATO scenario except this time there invited probably eighther to assist in confiscateing civilian weapons to enforce UN mandated "Sensibal Gun Control" (Meaning no guns....), or to "Monitor the Election" (Meaning to make sure the Liberals win....), they were invited by a Treasonous government, and won't be leaving untill we have been subdued into good little Communists....  The millitary may or may not be on our side, I think most would be, but if they weren't then you should probably plan to head for the hills, if theres an organised resistence then after years of fighting effectively behind enemy lines it may be possibal to topple the government, and win, barring that you should probably head for the hills and not plan on comeing back....

Your Weapon choices should be whatever the millitary, or enemy is useing....

Probability: Depends on who is elected....

Second Civil War: The country is finnaly fed up, and a noticeable chunk revolts the millitary will likely split between the two, or more likely most of it would pick one side over the other, they will probably pick our side, forieners may or may not interviene, they probably will, and they will probably side with the enemy, though I dought they would lend any direct millitary support, mainly just financial, Inteligence, and Logistical support, though there may be some special forces missions, at most a limited interdiction....

Rifles: AR-15, or if your not concirned with useing captured or friendly spare parts any other 5.56 NATO, or .223 Remington....

Long Range Rifle: M1A, or if your not concirned with useing captured or friendly spare parts FAL, L1A1, G-3, AR-10, or any 7.62 NATO, or .308 Winchester of your choice....

Pistols: M-9, or if your not concirned with useing captured, or friendly spare parts any other 9mm, or .40 S&W as thats used by most cops, or .45 ACP, as thats used by some cops, and the millitary is probably going back to it....

Shotguns: Mosberg 590A1, Benelli M1, Benelli M4, or Remington 870, whatever the enemy, or friendlys are useing, or if your not concirned with useing captured or friendly spare parts any other 12 gauge....

Probability: Will most likely happen sooner or later, probably much sooner, than later, the only question is when....

Riots: It may or may not be National, but there are riots in your area, it's complete anarchy, you may or may not bug out....

Rifle: There is a phycological aspect here, both intimidateing the bad guys, and the reaction of the Sheeple....  

AK-47: Maximum phycological impact against the bad guys, the AK has alot of "Street Cred", probably thanks to the Left, and the propaganda in the media they fear the AK, useing an AK will increase the odds of them surrendering, or retreating without a fight, however it also has the same effect on the Sheeple the AK is assossiated with the "Bad Guys", and if they see you with one they may think your a "bad guy", and if there able to, and have the guts target you, and open fire, or call the police,assumeing there able to respond the police will assighn a higher priority to stopping you as you'll be the "ad man/gang banger, or terrorist rampageing down the streets with a machinegun shooting at schoolkids", or so they will be told, and or believe, the SWAT Team will then show up, and since there pressed for time, and probably scared, and generaly frazzled they are likely to shoot first and ask questions later, if the situation is really out of hand it may be the National Gaurd, they AK also however has a reliabilty edge, is available with a side folding, or underfolding stock, it's not inacurite but it's not very accurite eighther it's atleast "minute of torso" at 300 yards which is what it was desighned for, and if it's the AK-47, as apposed to the AK-74 has a fairly heavy hitting round, though if there suitably trained, and, or motivated they may eventually get back up, the AK-74 is more accurite then the AK-47, and reasonably accurite in general, but doesn't hit as hard as the AK-47, though it does more damage....

AR-15: Has a phycological impact on the bad guys, but not as much as the AK, also has an impact on the Sheeple, however the AR-15 is starting to be accepted more, and is used by many police departments, government agencys, and the M-16 (Same thing as far as the Sheeple are concirned....) is used by the millitary, the AR-15 is generaly seen as the "Good Guys Gun", and if they see you with it, they may see you as a "ood guy", or just assume your a cop, or other official....  The AR-15 has excelent ergonomics, is very user friendly, it's modular allowing you to customise it, it's very accurite, and it's lighter then the AK, and you can carry more ammo then the AK-47, however while a very reliable rifle it still has a slight dissadvantage to the AK, It's round is velocity dependent, and though it can probably accuritly hit targets at out to 1,000 yards or more if you wanted, the round isn't very effective past about 300 yards, (the same distence incidently where the AK-47 starts to loose accuracy....), and it doesn't have much stopping power, but once they go down they tend to stay there, the AR-15 can use a collapsable stock, however, it cannot take a folding stock....

Mini-14, or Mini-30: Reasonably accurite, and reliable though not steller, there are a lot of spare parts fairly readily available, and it's seen as a common rifle, and is much more politicly correct, then the AR-15, or AK's, so is less likely to alarm the sheeple, however it also doesn't have as much of a phycological impact on the bad guys, and the magazines are fairly expensive, and tricky to find....

Long range rifle: M1A (Acurite, and not as politicly incorrect as some, it's less likely to alarm the Sheeple....), FAL, L1A1, G-3, or AR-10, SKS, M1 Garand  these might (except for maybe the M1 Garand....) have a better phycological impact on the bad guys, however, might alarm the sheeple, or you could try just about any Deer rifle I would recomend a fairly common caliber....

Pistols: Whatever you want I would recommend a .45 ACP, preferably a 1911, or a .40 S&W probably a Glock 22 as alot of police use that, and you may be able to get some spare parts....

Shotguns:  Whatever you want I would probably go witha Remington 870 because spare parts would be simpler to find, alternativly a Mosberg 590A1, or a Benelli M1, or a Benelli M-4, or some other 12 gauge as thats the most common caliber....

Probability: Pretty good, you never know when or where a riot could start, or how long they could last....

Natural Dissaster:  Look at Katrina, this scenario is the same as the riots scenario except that the infrastructure will be damaged, possibly destroyed, and it could go on for a relativly long term, as opposed to riots which would probably last less then a week at most....

Weapons consideration should be the same as the Riots scenario except that more consideration should be given to availability of ammo, and spare parts, sustainability, ease of use, and reliability, there may also be some prolonged firefights, and you could be cutoff for awhile, this might also be a good time to consier some of the less common calibers assumeing you can still get toa store that stocks ammunition, as the less common will likely be the last to be sold out, or looted, so you might add weapons like the Mosin Nagant Series, Lee-Enfield Series, Mausers, the M-96 Swedish Mauser in particular for it's accuracy, though 6.5 Swedish may be tougher to find then 8mm Mauser, the K-31, M1 Carbine, Makarovs, Tokarovs, CZ-52's, Nagant Revolvers, or other surplus weapons, however these should be kept as a compliment to weapons useing more common calibers....

Probability: Pretty good you never know when a Naturalal disaster will happen, or where it will occur....

Nuke it from orbit. = No more SHTF.

Quoted: Come on guys -- in a real SHTF/TEOTWAKI would you really take like 4 or 5 different calibers?  Are you going to have two rifles, a shotgun, and two pistols strapped on you? You're ruining the fun !!  If I could, I'd take one of everything too, but let's be realistic and say one rifle and one pistol.

+1

Quoted: Quoted: img154.imageshack.us/img154/9317/p10032180qa.jpg 5.56 and 9mm You just had to do it, didnt you?

Now im depressed , and BTW ,god i hate you Even though you are the man

Quoted: Come on guys -- in a real SHTF/TEOTWAKI would you really take like 4 or 5 different calibers?  Are you going to have two rifles, a shotgun, and two pistols strapped on you? You're ruining the fun !!  If I could, I'd take one of everything too, but let's be realistic and say one rifle and one pistol.

just for giggles one day, I wore my AK,AR,sig,glock and carried my winchester 1300 all with a mag inserted and 2 extra mags for each "except for the shotgun of course" NO WAY would i take all of those it was so freakin heavy I walked up and down my stairs 4times and around the house 2times that much weight is not practical when trying to stay alive