Suggestions for a good bug out rifle. What have you chosen and why?

[NewLeaf]

I don't think there is a "Best Choice". It depends on the person carrying the platform. Can you carry it? Can you operate it? The secret is, like you've alluded to, is to practice with your choice.

If I have to bugout, I choose all of my weapons, since I bought each of them with a purpose. That implies I have the ability to transport them. If I could only have one, I would choose my AR15. The ammo is plentiful, cheap and fairly light, and can still stop a threat.

As far as the question of steel case ammo, that will depend on the make of the weapon and the ammo manufacturer. My AR gags on Wolf ammo, so I avoid it. Other steel cases worked fine, but now ammo is so cheap, I stick with brass.

Some do with Wolf. Good points

 

[HVACGuy]

i think there is a difference between get home and bug out. get home is a pistol and a shotgun, pistol carried, shotgun in the truck.
bug out is may wind up on foot, lightweight find food, start fire,drink from a creek bag.
so bug out is, water filter, a mre or two,
pistol-p89 and 9 mags loaded, jericho 941 on my hip
rifle -ar 15 and 22bolt 3 22lr mags and 7 pmags loaded
and a cricket with 1k rnds of 22.
pistols= crap happens close
ar= crap happens farther away
cricket= i am hungry as crap and see a bird,squirrel, or rabbit

I always keep an emergency pack with me good for a couple days, whatever the weather, in case I get stranded. (Most likely from someone in GA knocking me off the road in light snow doing 90 trying to get to the grocery store for milk and bread, lol.) Also good knife, pistol, extra mags, etc.

 

[Sigo]

I always keep an emergency pack with me good for a couple days, whatever the weather, in case I get stranded. (Most likely from someone in GA knocking me off the road in light snow doing 90 trying to get to the grocery store for milk and bread, lol.) Also good knife, pistol, extra mags, etc.

Great points.

Sorry about knocking you off the road. I was out of milk.

 

[olchevy]

My only hope is if crap ever gets that bad that it happens in fall/winter, so I can carry my sbr under my jacket and not stand out as much until I get "in the woods" of course with my luck I would be screwed, crap would go south while I'm locked within the Atlanta airport, where my only side arm is miles away locked in my vehicle where we park. Granit the airport Atlanta Police Department run the HK UMPs and the Customs Border Patrol and ICE run actual Mk18's and the Secret service that are always there typically run the HK MP7's so who knows maybe they would let me get one of their "real guns" that would be awesome.... I want to shoot that APD UMP so bad, the last officer I talked to said his was semi, two shot burst and full auto. Not sure if theirs were the .40 or .45

 

[RiverBend]

Here ya go if you've got a trade
https://www.theoutdoorstrader.com/threads/ft-wasr-magpul-edition.1342767/

 

[letusbuyyourcar]

The AR is okay . I just don't like 5.56 all that much. Get one that's a dedicated Glock mag lower ( especially if you already own a G17/G19.) The rifle you want for this specific duty should be lightweight as possible. So the TNW Aero Survival Rifle comes to mind. The Marlin Camp 9 and the Sub 2000 rifles would be good for this job. If you need bigger than pistol calibers I would go with an M1 Carbine either on the original style full wood stock or a Choate polymer side folder if space is at a premium.

I love AKs like most guys here and SKSs to a much lesser extent. If you used an SKS for this job it really needs to be a paratrooper model. To save length and weight. An AK would need to be a side or under folder. I love my under folder but it's gotta be the heaviest long gun I own. If you went with an AK for this job I would get a few 20 round tanker mags and keep one loaded in the rifle. That helps make it easier to stash.

 

[WinstonSmith]

I'll stick with my AR in 556, a 22 conversion bolt, and my glock 24 in 40 ( with a drop in 9 mill barrel and 2 mags in my bag). Add some night vision and a suppressor for the rifle that can also work with the 22 and be taken apart and cleaned. I carry 6 mags for the pistol and 10 556 with one 22 mag. I can carry plenty of ammo and have a good chance at scavenging ammo if need be. Along with that I can fit 30 of my homemade mre's at almost 4000 cal each that include multivitamins. Sawyer water filters (one on camelback one for camp use), my metal widemouth canteen and canteen cup set, my alcohol stove, a ghillie blanket, a snug pack sleeping bag with military gortex cover, good tarp, rain gear, weapon maintanence kit, med kit, 550 cord 2 pair undies and 3 pair good socks, basic hygiene that includes foot powder, and good boots. Good bushcraft knife with fire rod and leatherman surge rounds it out. More info than you asked for but I think it's a decent system that can actually be carried comfortably for 30 -45 days without resupply in almost any weather ga has to offer. Oh, and TP. Don't leave home without it.

This is for extended bug out. Get home is much much less.

 

[HVACGuy]

I'll stick with my AR in 556, a 22 conversion bolt, and my glock 24 in 40 ( with a drop in 9 mill barrel and 2 mags in my bag). Add some night vision and a suppressor for the rifle that can also work with the 22 and be taken apart and cleaned. I carry 6 mags for the pistol and 10 556 with one 22 mag. I can carry plenty of ammo and have a good chance at scavenging ammo if need be. Along with that I can fit 30 of my homemade mre's at almost 4000 cal each that include multivitamins. Sawyer water filters (one on camelback one for camp use), my metal widemouth canteen and canteen cup set, my alcohol stove, a ghillie blanket, a snug pack sleeping bag with military gortex cover, good tarp, rain gear, weapon maintanence kit, med kit, 550 cord 2 pair undies and 3 pair good socks, basic hygiene that includes foot powder, and good boots. Good bushcraft knife with fire rod and leatherman surge rounds it out. More info than you asked for but I think it's a decent system that can actually be carried comfortably for 30 -45 days without resupply in almost any weather ga has to offer. Oh, and TP. Don't leave home without it.

This is for extended bug out. Get home is much much less.

Lol, yeah I was starting to picture a deployment bag rather than a backpack when you started the list. I do also have several packs already loaded up for storm and or "extended vacation" situations. I love those Sawyer water filters that come with the bags. I also have one if those and a collapsible canteen in the nice fur (or whatever that stuff is) lining, in my everyday pack. You can live a lot longer without food than you can fresh water!

 

[BIKER13]

10-22,SR22,Beretta22 lr,22 revolver, lots of ammo and take whatever comes available.

 

[WinstonSmith]

Lol, yeah I was starting to picture a deployment bag rather than a backpack when you started the list. I do also have several packs already loaded up for storm and or "extended vacation" situations. I love those Sawyer water filters that come with the bags. I also have one if those and a collapsible canteen in the nice fur (or whatever that stuff is) lining, in my everyday pack. You can live a lot longer without food than you can fresh water!

The pack is a medium alice pack with a stuff sack on top and bottom.