Imagine you have to leave home quickly due to a big disaster. What guns would you take with you?
Being on the road during an emergency can be risky. You’re exposed, can’t bring all your supplies, and might not know exactly where you’re headed. It’s crucial to have the right firearms for different situations.
When you bug out, the guns you take might differ from those you’d use at home. Space in your vehicle is limited, so you can’t bring everything. You need a few key firearms that serve different purposes. Here are some suggestions for the best guns to have when you’re on the move.
1. Kel-Tec Sub-2000 9mm
The Kel-Tec Sub-2000 is a folding pistol caliber carbine that is chambered in 9mm. It’s extremely compact when folded, making it easy to carry in a backpack or small bag. The Sub-2000 can accept Glock magazines, allowing for compatibility with your Glock 19 or other 9mm Glock pistols. It’s lightweight, easy to use, and provides good accuracy, making it a versatile and practical choice for bugging out.
2. Glock 19 9mm Luger
The Glock 19 is the most popular centerfire pistol in the U.S. today. It’s reliable, simple, and requires minimal maintenance. It’s lightweight, easy to conceal, and versatile enough for both concealment and duty use.
Standard magazines hold 15 rounds, but the Glock 19 can also use 17 and 33-round magazines.
3. Henry Big Boy .44 Magnum
The Henry Big Boy lever-action rifle in .44 Magnum is a powerful and reliable firearm. The .44 Magnum round offers significant stopping power, making it suitable for both self-defense and hunting large game. The Henry Big Boy is known for its smooth action, sturdy build, and classic design. It’s a dependable rifle that can handle tough conditions, making it an excellent addition to your bug out gun collection.
4. Remington 870 12 Gauge
The Remington 870 is one of the most popular pump-action shotguns in the world. Known for its reliability and versatility, the 870 is excellent for self-defense, hunting, and even breaching doors if necessary. It can handle a wide variety of ammunition types, including buckshot, birdshot, and slugs. With its rugged design and widespread availability, the Remington 870 is a solid addition to your bug out gun list.
5. Sig Sauer P320 9mm
The Sig Sauer P320 is a versatile and modular handgun that is highly regarded for its performance and reliability. Chambered in 9mm, the P320 is easy to shoot, has a comfortable grip, and offers good magazine capacity. Its modular design allows you to change the grip size and caliber, making it a highly adaptable pistol for various situations. Whether for self-defense or general use, the P320 is a solid choice for your bug out arsenal.
6. Springfield M1A .308 Winchester
The Springfield M1A is a semi-automatic rifle chambered in .308 Winchester. It offers excellent accuracy and power, making it suitable for long-range engagements and hunting large game. The M1A is a civilian version of the M14, used by the military, and is known for its robust construction and reliability. Its .308 round is widely available and highly effective, ensuring you have a powerful and dependable firearm when bugging out.
7. Ruger GP100 .357 Magnum
A .357 Magnum revolver is a solid choice for bugging out. Revolvers are simple to use and can fire both .357 and .38 ammunition.
The Ruger GP100 is especially durable and designed to handle a lot of .357 Magnum rounds without issues. A stainless steel model with a 4 to 6-inch barrel is ideal, offering resistance to rust and corrosion. Its heft helps absorb recoil, making it easier to shoot.
8. Marlin 336 .30-30 Winchester
The Marlin 336 lever-action rifle in .30-30 Winchester is a reliable and powerful choice for bugging out. This rifle is known for its durability and effectiveness in hunting medium to large game. The .30-30 round offers good stopping power and accuracy, making it suitable for both self-defense and hunting. Its lever-action mechanism is simple and dependable, ensuring you have a trustworthy firearm in survival situations.
9. Beretta Cx4 Carbine and Beretta 92FS 9mm Luger
Pairing a pistol caliber carbine (PCC) with a handgun that uses the same ammo and magazines is practical and smart.
The Beretta 92FS, along with its variations like the 92A1 and M9A3, is known for reliability and accuracy. These pistols are durable and have a slick action with a fixed barrel design.
Beretta 92 magazines are easy to find, affordable, and come in various capacities from 15 to 30 rounds.
The Beretta Cx4 Carbine is ergonomic and has been made since 2003. It can be used by both right- and left-handed shooters, with sling mounts and accessory rails for scopes, red dot sights, lasers, or flashlights. Its shorter length makes it highly maneuverable, ideal for tight spaces or as a truck gun. The recoil is light and manageable.
The main advantage of having a PCC and handgun with the same magazines is obvious: you only need one type of magazine for both weapons. Plus, the 9mm round performs better from the 16-inch barrel of the Cx4 compared to the 4.9-inch barrel of the 92.
Overall, having a Beretta 92FS and a Cx4 makes for a strong defensive combo in any crisis.
NOTE: The Cx4 also comes in versions that accept Beretta Px4 9mm or .40 S&W magazines, but the 92-variant is recommended since 92 magazines are more common and affordable.
10. Ruger 10/22 .22 LR
The .22 LR round is highly practical. It’s small, allowing you to carry a lot of it, which is great when space is limited in your vehicle.
The Ruger 10/22 has minimal recoil and noise, which is a big plus in a survival situation. It’s excellent for small game hunting. The magazines are plentiful, with standard ones holding 10 rounds and larger options available from Ruger and other manufacturers.
11. AR-15 5.56x45mm NATO
The AR-15 is extremely popular in the U.S. for good reasons. It’s ergonomic, has low recoil, and is highly customizable. This rifle is great for hunting and self-defense, and its magazines are affordable and easy to find.
In a bug out situation, the AR-15 shines. The 5.56x45mm NATO/.223 Remington round is effective for hunting game like deer and wild boar, and it’s also excellent for self-defense.
AR-15s are known for their accuracy and reliability if you buy from reputable manufacturers. You can customize it to your liking with a red dot sight, flashlight, and a sling, making it an excellent primary weapon for bugging out.
Additionally, 30-round AR-15 magazines are widely available and affordable, so stocking up now is a good idea.
12. Mossberg 590A1 12 Gauge
The 12 gauge pump-action shotgun is very versatile because of its ammunition options. Buckshot is great for self-defense, birdshot for small game hunting, and slugs for big game hunting at moderate distances.
The Mossberg 590A1 has several upgrades over the 590, including a thicker barrel, parkerized finish, metal trigger group, and a bayonet lug. It’s known for its durability, having passed the US Army’s pump-action shotgun torture test in the 1980s.
13. Henry AR-7 .22 LR Survival Rifle
The Henry AR-7 is a unique and highly practical survival rifle. Chambered in .22 LR, it’s lightweight and can be broken down into its own stock, making it extremely portable and easy to store in a backpack. Originally designed for Air Force pilots, it’s reliable and accurate, making it great for small game hunting and target practice. Its compact design ensures you can always have a rifle with you without taking up much space.
14. Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 9mm
The Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 9mm is an excellent choice for a concealed carry firearm. It’s slim, lightweight, and easy to conceal, making it perfect for bugging out when you need a reliable self-defense weapon on the move. Despite its compact size, it offers good accuracy and manageable recoil. The Shield comes with 7-round and 8-round magazines, providing decent capacity while remaining highly portable.
Best Hunting Rifles of the Last 50 Years
Choosing the “best” hunting rifle is a pretty personal thing. We all have different opinions and preferences on what we like to hunt with. But still, over the last 50 years, there have been some remarkable weapons. Over the past half-century, the evolution of hunting rifles has seen so many innovations, catering to a wide range of needs from the casual deer hunter to the adventurous big-game enthusiast. What’s your favorite hunting rifle? Which weapons deserve a spot on this list?
- Read More: Best Hunting Rifles of the Last 50 Years
14 Most Versatile Hunting Cartridges
With almost 16 million hunters in the United States, and with such a huge range of game to hunt, the right rifle and the best cartridge is critical. We have some of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet, with animals ranging from tiny squirrels to gigantic moose. The cornerstone of a successful hunt lies in the hunter’s skill and knowledge but also in the choice of ammunition. The right cartridge can make all the difference, offering the power needed for a clean, humane kill without compromising the quality of the game.
- Read More: 14 Most Versatile Hunting Cartridges
38 Things Every Prepper Should Stockpile That Aren’t Water, Food, or Weapons
This list extends beyond the basic survival trio of water, food, and weapons. It’s a given that we need to stock up on water, food, and a way to defend ourselves and what we have. But what other things will you need in a survival situation? None of us truly knows what TEOTWAWKI will really look like, although most of us have theories we think most likely. But whatever the situation is, there are certain supplies that it just makes sense to have on hand, aside from the obvious trio I mentioned above.
