what three weapons should i have for my shtf kit

[Hoss230]

Either a Winchester 94 or a Marlin 336 would be an excellent choice for a 30-30.  You can usually find used ones fairly cheap.  Ammo ain't cheap, though.  And, if we're talking about a SHTF weapon, you'll want a healthy supply of ammo.  I'll still recommend a Mosin.  The rifle itself is only around $100 or less, and the ammo is roughly $100 for a sealed tin of 440 rounds.  You just can't beat the value, and they're pretty much impossible to kill.

The Maverick accepts nearly all Mossberg 500 parts.  You should have an easy time customizing it.

[HPHooked]

Pistol:  .357 Magnum revolver.  Can fire either .38 Special or .357 mag rounds along with snake shot.

Rifle: .357 Magum Lever action - same ammo as pistol so more rounds can be carried that would otherwise be diverted to other caliber ammo.  My dad and I hunted central Texas whitetails with Marlin and Rossi leverguns in this caliber.  One shot drops with little wasted meat from the 158gr JHP .357 Mag rounds.

Shotgun:  12Ga pump or single shot for game getting on the wing or out of the blind.  Birdshot and #1 buckshot with few slugs as backup for larger animals like bears, moose, etc.

This should set you up for just about anything.

[Slimshady]

.30-30 is the classic American deer hunting round, and the Winchester and Marlin Lever Actions are the rifles that gave it that rep. The Marlin is a bit heavier, but it's a lot easier to scope if you want one. Ballistics are similar to the Russian 7.62X39 round used in the SKS and AK rifles, and with a good hollowpoint or softpoint bullet the .30-30 is gonna do a lot more damage.

I always recommend a .22 if limited to hand carrying firearms and ammo. Lots of ammo in a wide variety can be carried for little weight. I prefer a Marlin 39 myself, good ammo capacity, very accurate, and if encountered by "officials" at a checkpoint or whatever it looks like a squirrel hunting rifle instead of a "deadly assault rifle", less likely to get confiscated or you arrested. The Ruger target pistols are also nice if you want a pistol instead of a rifle. Both can easily be quieted down for hunting without attracting attention very easily. Placed in the right spot, a .22 will kill just about anything shy of an elk or moose.

A shotgun is also very useful. 12 guage is the most popular, a good pump gun is hard to beat. Ammo is bulky and heavy though. 20 is also very effective and has the bonus of smaller and lighter shells at the cost of reduced performance with shot loads. Slugs are more equal in performance, based on my informal testing.

Third gun should either be a longer range rifle or a concealable handgun of at least 9mm. Depends on the terrain and expected need of close range self protection or long range hunting.

As far as basing caliber choice on resupply from outside sources, if one expects to find a dead invading army soldier/Mad Max extra/whatever carrying ammo you can take, they usually also have a firearm that takes it handy as well. Trading amongst the civillian population, you would want to stick to the common calibers sold at Wally Mart.

[BigfootWRL]

Well, since it's what I have at the house. 

1. Ruger P95D
2. Mossberg 500 12g
3. Hi-Point 995

I have a growing supply of 9mm here as well as #4 bird shot and 00Buck for the 12

Now if I am at the ranch I have lots of options, but since the S will HTF more likely while at home that is what I listed.

[sean187]

my .40
my future mav or mossberg 12
and my future .22 since i learned here
how important it is to have one.

[Beowolf1911]

I have always followed the philosophy that if you have only one gun it should be a 12 gauge.  I also always felt that if you have only 3 it should be a high capacity semi auto rifle a 12 gauge and a good side arm.  lately my opinions have changed as quality rimfires allow incredible accuracy up to any beyond 100 yards.  I have 4 shotguns, and they are limited to skeet and HD at this point, because a good rifle can just do so much more.  My two go to guns in a SHTF situation would be a AK and a 1911.  For general food gathering it is my Mossberg 144 I can down any small animal at 100 easy.  The AK as mentioned ballistically is similar to the 30-30 and I generally produce 2-3 inch groups at 100 with it, so it will most likely serve as a SHTF hunting rifle.  If I lived in a more heavily populated area, I would most likely substitute the AK with a Marlin 336 in 30-30.  The marlin has a smother action then the winchester, and as mentioned it is easier to mount a scope and it is more reliable with one.  The lever gun will draw less attention then the AK, although at the cost of 20 rounds of capacity and a slower rate of fire.  I thought about getting a lever gun in .44 mag to match my revolver buy in my opinion, I was better off carrying two types of ammo for the added range from the rifle and capacity in my sidearm.  The bulk of shells and low range have all but eliminated the 12 gauge in my bug out kit. For the cost of five good rounds of buck shot or slugs, I can get 20 rounds of 7.62x39 and they probably weigh less.

[zaostar2]

I've always thought of it as what would ammo would be most available while scrounging around as well as being a good all around weapon ..  I would choose either a 9mm or .45acp for my hand gun .. Ammo is very common to find for both and in the event either broke on me both caliber would be the most common battle field pick up  . The second weapon would be a .22 riffle . Once again easy to find ammo and you can carry allot . The .22 is a perfect small game gun to keep food on the table and is quite enough not to get the attention of any marauders  that may be around . The next would be my long range power house weapon for large game and save my a-s gun .. If the SHTF today that would have to be my 7.62x54r M38 .. I have about 500 rnds on hand for it and it would do the job well .. If I had my choice for this riffle I would pick up an SKS with a quick change magazine .
Just my 2 cents 

[perotter]

As the org post was weapons & not hunting tools(ain't going to be any game to hunt), I'll stay on topic. Also, he has seemed to

Hard to beat a 75mm or so recoilless. Small enough to be portable, good range & still enough poop to get the job done. Urban or rural. Parts are widely/easily available.

For a tactical rifle, a KelTec 16c or a AK folder are hard to beat if a situation gets out of hand.

FWIW, if one can't make ammo(beyond reloading) you'll need to get used to the idea of following someone's orders to survive. Or have the skills needed to produce something to trade for ammo.   




 

[Beowolf1911]

As the org post was weapons & not hunting tools(ain't going to be any game to hunt), I'll stay on topic. Also, he has seemed to

Hard to beat a 75mm or so recoilless. Small enough to be portable, good range & still enough poop to get the job done. Urban or rural. Parts are widely/easily available.

For a tactical rifle, a KelTec 16c or a AK folder are hard to beat if a situation gets out of hand.

FWIW, if one can't make ammo(beyond reloading) you'll need to get used to the idea of following someone's orders to survive. Or have the skills needed to produce something to trade for ammo.   
 

SHTF isn't necessaraly Mad max, I think hunting is going to be a necessary skill, and fighting may not, hiding will serve most people better.  And I think many of us here have stockpiled enough ammo to serve us well even if it is a mad max situation.

[SpecialK47150]

Neither myself nor mike, the original poster, has any ammo stockpiled.  And he meant shtf like if we had to get somewhere, defend yourself, etc.

[nclpta]

add a 995 carbine.  you have a 9mm handgun and you can share ammo.  this would take care of anything out to 100 yards. 

[perotter]

SHTF isn't necessaraly Mad max, I think hunting is going to be a necessary skill, and fighting may not, hiding will serve most people better.  And I think many of us here have stockpiled enough ammo to serve us well even if it is a mad max situation.

Won't be any game to hunt after a couple of months or days. Read history. The American Indians couldn't survive by hunting. Plus what was the good game country then, is now the good farm country. Some is now living on it.  

Glad that you & others have each stockpiled over 350-750,000 rounds.

[perotter]

Neither myself nor mike, the original poster, has any ammo stockpiled.  And he meant shtf like if we had to get somewhere, defend yourself, etc.

If you have to get somewhere very far away, one would most likely end up walking. Hard to beat a Kel-tec SU16c. Less than 5 lbs & folds. It can be used like a pistol when folded. A Hipoint 995 would be ok to at least 200 yards.

If I was walking, I'd only take 2 regular firearms. The 3rd weapon would be a 40mm grenade launcher or a 50-60mm mortar with the shell like the Japaneses used in WW2. Attackers expect the attacked to react in a certain preconceived way. Most won't be mentally ready to have explosives falling around them. A good chance that they will be confused as to what to do & retreat.   

I'm not counting a bolo knife or a shovel(spade) or ax as a weapon.

 

[Beowolf1911]

Neither myself nor mike, the original poster, has any ammo stockpiled.  And he meant shtf like if we had to get somewhere, defend yourself, etc.

If you have to get somewhere very far away, one would most likely end up walking. Hard to beat a Kel-tec SU16c. Less than 5 lbs & folds. It can be used like a pistol when folded. A Hipoint 995 would be ok to at least 200 yards.

If I was walking, I'd only take 2 regular firearms. The 3rd weapon would be a 40mm grenade launcher or a 50-60mm mortar with the shell like the Japaneses used in WW2. Attackers expect the attacked to react in a certain preconceived way. Most won't be mentally ready to have explosives falling around them. A good chance that they will be confused as to what to do & retreat.   

I'm not counting a bolo knife or a shovel(spade) or ax as a weapon.

 

But we are talking about weapons we can get adn train with now, now weapons we might be able to obtain later.

[SpecialK47150]

Yeah, I have no way to get a grenade launcher or mortar.

I'm looking to build an AR, though the Kel Tec SU-16a compact, at least thats what the gunbroker auction called it, looked pretty good.  Though when folded, it couldnt shoot.