Firearms

Getting my PAL has been put on hold for now, but it is definitly still on the to do list...
as for guns, here are my thoughts..
1 - 22LR bolt or lever action
2 - 12G shotgun probably a breach action, although a pump action would be nice if I can afford it at the time
3 - hunting rifle for big game

I am open to suggestions on #3...
will be hunting mostly white tail in wooded areas.
Any ideas?

Denob, a Winchester model '94 in 30-30 is an excellent bush gun and not all that expensive.

30-30 is about equivalent to the 7.62 x 39 (SKS). SKS is a little lighter bullet 125gr vs 150 for the 30-30. At the ranges you'll be using it you might consider a slug barrel for the pump shotgun. Rifled slugs can be used from a smoothbore out to about 75 yards but a dedicated rifled barrel and sabot slugs will easily double that. Changing barrels is a snap, one fitting to unscrew by hand and the barrel pops off, your rifled barrel will have rifle type sights and probably tapped for a scope mount.
Mossberg for sure has a combo package, 12 ga pump with 2 barrels for just over $300 new. Hard to beat.

An SKS can be had for $200 or less. Surplus ammo is dirt cheap so you could practice an awful lot. Under $100 for 400 rounds.
Winchester 30-30 is going to be about $300 used and ammo won't be cheap. Maybe $15 for 20 rounds.

My opinion? A shotgun will cover the ranges that a 30-30 will.
Mossberg (or other ) combo shotgun package, smooth bore and rifled barrel.

If you really need longer ranges look to .308 or 30-06 calibers.

Getting my PAL has been put on hold for now, but it is definitly still on the to do list...
as for guns, here are my thoughts..
1 - 22LR bolt or lever action
2 - 12G shotgun probably a breach action, although a pump action would be nice if I can afford it at the time
3 - hunting rifle for big game

I am open to suggestions on #3...
will be hunting mostly white tail in wooded areas.
Any ideas?

As mentioned above the Remington 700 SPS in .308 gets my recommendation. at 550.00 its a good deal. as for .22 what do you want to use it for? not a leaver action fan.

After much thought and research I went with a Tikka in .270. Deer are not very big on the island and the bush is thick.

I have different type of guns, and to keep in practice I own a air pistol and air rifle in which I practice with in my basement. My nosey neighbor asked what the noise was once and I showed him my powered staple gun which is actually louder. Some people say that air guns don’t have the same feel but the practice is still the same and it costs a lot less for ammo.
Remember "We prep to live after a downfall, Not just to survive" JT

Wow, This firearm discussion is really all over the map. I would encourage anyone who is concerned about self-sustaining and is a law abiding citizen to get a license and training for at minimum of a long rifle( that means ladies too). Become proficient, confidant, and it can protect you from hunger or harm. possibly you may enjoy the sport. When it comes to personal protection, any firearm is better than none. When you need to eat, a .22 long rifle can put fresh food on the table everyday, even if its just a squirrel or a budgie bird. You can carry six months worth of ammo in your front pocket. There are lots of choices for firearms, get one thats practical to suite your needs, but learn how to use it well and properly.

My thoughts on the topic are as follows;

My firearms:

Remington model 500 12 Gauge Pump
2x lee enfield .303
cooey .22 long rifle
cooey .22 short barrel (great for putting in a bag)
cooey break action single shot 410
winchester 30-30 lever action
several air rifles

I am an avid hunter but am planning on adding several additional firearms to my collection specifically for prepping as follows;

ar-15 in 5.56 with 9mm conversion kit for low cost practice(restricted)
bushmaster acr in 5.56 with questar barrel (non-restricted)
norinco m-1911A1 high capacity (10rnd) .45 acp x 2
2x norinco NP-18 highpower 9mm (10 rnd) (will accept 13 rnd mags if you come across them in a wrol situation when legality is the least concern)
(the wish) - barrett .50 cal (crazy enough non-restricted) - mainly for fun but would come in handy if you happen to win the lottery before the SHTF

Explanation:
the AR:
relatively cheap, very customizable, comes in many calibres and can be changed if needed, questar also offers a 10 rnd pistol mag that is legal to use in the AR giving you a 10 rnd semi auto assault rifle legal in canada. parts and ammo would be very common when the SHTF (probably the easiest to find parts)

ACR: non restricted with the questar barrel, (restricted without) allowing you to practice without needing to be at the range, cant hunt with the 5.56 other than some squirrels but then its kind of overkill. Mainly allows you to practice with an assault rifle chambered in your restricted calibre without needing a R.P.A.L. or a range. Also when the SHTF if you can get a hold of some american mags you now have 30rnd capacity.

The norinco pistols: I am new to handguns and wanted to get a decent yet inexpensive pair in .45 acp and 9mm. also they both offer 10 rnd capacity with the ability to be increased should the SHTF. The reason for two of each is just a personal preference, I like pairs for swapping testing at the range, etc. and again if the SHTF the more the merrier, if one breaks, gets lost, given to family etc. you still have one.

The .50: This is something I have always wanted to have, I have access to enough property to safely fire without needing a special range (very few ranges offer 1km+ distances lol) and again is primarily just something I have wanted for fun however if the SHTF, HAVING this, let alone using it could be a big deterrence for people to mess with you. (could also be used to stop vehicles from ramming gates etc, and if needed to be used is very intimidating to say the least) the biggest (only?) drawback is price. They start at around $5000 depending on dealers (you can get a steyr .50 for a lot less) and ammo is about 5 bucks a pop so reloading would be a must.

Anyway...

If I had to pick a list of the ideal loadout for a prepper it would be;

1 good, high powered air rifle, either a combo pump/co2 or straight pump and stock as much hunting pellets as you can (come on, they are dirt cheap). When the SHTF you can safe your actual ammo for bigger game, defense etc and do pest control, small game etc with this instead, plus its a lot quieter and you dont need to have a PAL to start practising with it.

a decent "hunting rifle", I am a fan of the .303 or .308, the ammo is relatively cheap, the .303's have large magazines, are easy to use and you can get out there and practice/hunt now. The ammunition will be pretty easy to come by, especially if you live in smaller towns with a lot of hunters.

A good, assault rifle. Either an AR or an ACR, M4 if you like, whatever, it doesnt matter, get what you like. The main thing is you want a semi auto with a decent size capacity and accessories in a calibre YOU ARE COMFORTABLE WITH, whether it is 5.56, 7.62, 9mm etc. and plenty of extra magazines and ammo (this goes for all your firearms). People will argue that "no you NEED 5.56 etc". If it comes down to it and you need to fire on someone, whether it is a 9mm round or a 7.62 they wont care, it will still hurt plenty, so just get what you are comfortable with and used to shooting. One thing to note is if you do go with a 9mm conversion etc. you could have the same calibre round stocked to fit both your rifle and your pistol. Ideas to think about.

Handgun: again take the time now to find out what you prefer, there is no right calibre or make. If you can afford it, get a cheaper model until you find the style/calibre you like and then invest in a better quality model in the same style/calibre that is more durable/dependable along with extra parts (also goes for you other firearms, you would be surprised how cheap you can find parts and repair kits sometimes, stock up). Also make sure you have slings for your long guns and holsters for your handguns.

Last but not least get a GOOD, solid shotgun. I would recommend getting a 12 gauge. I have both a 12 and a 410 (the 410 is nice to carry around for birds, nice and light) but if i had to pick one it would be the 12. It is very versatile. You can hunt everything from squirrel to moose, you can have shot or slugs, you can even pick up some flare rounds. Great to have. 3rnds max for hunting but at the range or when SHTF you can fill it with as much as it will hold. great to have, probably one of your most important firearms, everything from hunting to defense all in one package.

One last thing, I plan to invest in some reloading equipment and learn to use it, It will be a valuable skill to have.

These are my opinions, I welcome your comments but please dont flame, this is what works for me.

Great posts from the last 3 people, very in depth as well.

Flamers are not normally here, although... there still is Monotoboy kicking around.
Everything is right as rain with your post. I would love to have a .50 as well, sigh

My only thoughts would be to add in the Spare parts, which is mentioned above and the cross weapon ammunition. I laugh when I read some things, all their firearms are in different calibres, all different as well from person to person, that is a logistical nightmare, for so many reasons.
Reloading equipment is a must as soon as you can get it as well nicely stated above.

Additional thoughts. Your location will also determine the type of ammunitions you have, the ballistics. If your in Heavy Bush country or wide open or a mixture of those, then pick your calibres based on those factors as well as what you like.
eg, heavy bush, close in shooting, lots of branches and overburden, you need a flat trajectory round. Close quarters, good stoppers, so look for rounds that fly flat.
Open meadows, you can go for the longer shooters, the calibres which will cover the greater ground. They have a built in rise when they travel to the target, study that so many reasons why.

Lastly different bullet heads do different things, as well as the difference in Bullet designs.
eg .45 vs .357
.45 is a stopper round, broader head does not have the deep penetration that the .357 does, but boy does it make a big hole
(also differences in reloaded, hollow point, ACP etc)
.357 drilling round it goes faster, smother and deeper, it drills its way through the air and the target
(variations similar as listed for the .45 but primarily a drilling round)

Lastly the Human Body is similar to the Watermelon
The Human Skull similar to a Pineapple
take them to the range see what will happen when you hit them with different rounds. Remember anything over a .25 then the .22 will kill a human, a .22 magnum is an awesome round.
No arguments, or posturing or speculations, it is just plain fact.
Variations as well, body armour, chain mail, flack jackets, heavy winter clothing with multiple layers and lastly and most interestingly is the Silk Armour and the Lacquered Armour. All those will require better round placement and higher calibres of rounds unless you are very accurate with the smaller calibres.

Then totally against the law are land mines, claymores and small nukes or rocket launchers with grenade launchers (US forums)

People PLEASE, PLEASE take me serious on this next "Firearm", it's fairly inexpensive, you can use a whole variety of different types of ammo, and much of the ammo is reusable. It’s a sling shot bow, or sling bow. If you can use a sling shot, than you can use this to take down game. Go to YOUTUBE and see the different configurations, But apply KISS when you can.

In a long term survival situation at my retreat I would turn to my...

Scoped .303 for deer, moose and bear
12 Gauge pump action shotgun for birds
Scoped .22 semi-auto for small game
Revolver on belt at all times

1000 rounds for each minimum stored in surplus ammo boxes
Cleaning kits and lots of gun oil

If you do not have a firearms license get one or buy a good bow or cross bow and lots of arrows or bolts and extra drawstrings

People PLEASE, PLEASE take me serious on this next "Firearm", it's fairly inexpensive, you can use a whole variety of different types of ammo, and much of the ammo is reusable. It’s a sling shot bow, or sling bow. If you can use a sling shot, than you can use this to take down game. Go to YOUTUBE and see the different configurations, But apply KISS when you can.

This is the silliest thing I've ever heard. Now I'm not trying to pick on you, Son, but I don't think you have a good grasp of the dire situations that people here are trying to prep for.

I'm ex military and I was born in the Northwest Territories where if you did not hunt, you did not eat meat. I have been hunting and shooting my entire life and i can't imagine myself up against a wounded or dangerous animal with a flippin sling shot. While trying to picture in my mind where you are trying to hunt with a toy only comes out as a comedy or a tragedy.

Anybody who is a Canadian Citizen of sound mind that can pass a criminal records check can get a firearm. Its a one day course and a few weeks for the paperwork to go through. The caliber and style of firearm that you are most confident will work well to feed and protect your family and yourself. Forget about your toys or you won't survive. When there are a half dozen people who have not eaten for a week, they will risk death for that one meal. If you and your toy is the only thing between them and that meal, your life will now be measured in seconds. Spare yourself from answering this, but have you ever hunted or killed anything? You think you can feed and protect yourself with a toy? Without the proper gear, starvation is 100% I have no Rambo fantasies and the idea of shooting another Canadian is repelling, but just because i won't pull the trigger first, doesn't mean I won't be the last man standing. Bad people will have guns, and you will not. Get this in your head.

Perhaps you can alter your hypothesis of what happens in a lawless and starving city by reading recent accounts of Rhodesia, Somalia, Rwanda, and Bosnia. This is not fiction, these things actually happen and will happen again. Very bad things take place when people are starving and have nothing to lose. If you have something to lose, you need to have the skills to keep it. There is no doubt in my mind that criminals will have firearms and the skills to use them. Where does this put you? Toys will not feed or protect anyone.

Anyone who has ever lived under my roof has become skilled, licensed, and confident with a firearm, including my step-daughters. They may not hunt, but Samuel Colt make them bigger and meaner than anyone coming through the door in the middle of the night.

People PLEASE, PLEASE take me serious on this next "Firearm", it's fairly inexpensive, you can use a whole variety of different types of ammo, and much of the ammo is reusable. It’s a sling shot bow, or sling bow. If you can use a sling shot, than you can use this to take down game. Go to YOUTUBE and see the different configurations, But apply KISS when you can.

Confucius say "Those who hunt game with slingshot very hungry"

I do not think he said that..LOL
Anyway, Ranger is Ex Military same as me, now I do not think the sling bow is much good except for this, take a big rubber band or blown air tube from a bike, put in BOB.
If you loose your firearm or regular bow or lost in bush etc etc.
You will have learned to make a slingbow before you need it. There are videos of guys hunting Boars with it in the US. Do I think this is a great Idea, no and I already said that, but that being said. Just by knowing how to do it before increases your chances of survival. Just bring along the strong rubber, weight next to nothing and you can make it from scratch.

You will also have the slingshot, a good little wee game getter. Yum, tree Chicken, and House chicken, roof chicken

Ah, the furry tailed tree rat. But dont rule out squab.