Marooned on a desert Island......pick you firearm!

[kombi1976]

In response to the issues raised by the Pick Your Cartridge poll I decided to post this one.
Here we go to keep things interesting.
The "desert island" you are stuck on has some predators like crocs and native wild dogs as well as the odd people you may need to defend yourself from.
Game varies from pigeons and ducks to some medium game like hogs, goats or deer.
Now pick one of the different firearms available above.

[RustyBrass]

looking over the choice, sorry, but I'd have to say none of them.  I'd prefer a modern assault rifle with full/semi select fire in 223, 6.8 SPC, or 7.62x39- no reason to be limited with semi auto when dealing with possible invading hoards !

[kombi1976]

Right......... :undecided:
So, how much ammo did you take with you?

[davidlt89]

I picked the bolt action rifle because it is what I am most comfortable with and feel I can shoot the best. In reference to the other thread, I would still want it in 30.06 or 7mm. God Bless.

[kombi1976]

Well, my vote went for the Kreighoff Optima centrefire/shotgun drilling in 12g/12g/7x65R.
It can also be fitted with KS Insert Barrels in the shotgun bbls to shoot anything from 222 Rem to 9.3x74R.
In all honesty it would be mad to take 3 or 4 different cals with you.
A few different types of shotgun ammo including rifled slugs, some KS inserts in 9.3x74R for croc hunting and protection, and the rifle bbl in 7x65R for medium game and predators would be heaps.
You could even get a couple of KS Inserts  in 7x65R as well for the ultimate in stopping power.......a triple rifle!! :)
3 quick shots in the chute ready to knock down anyone or anything that wanted to hassle you.

[RustyBrass]

Right......... :undecided:
So, how much ammo did you take with you?

 
quite a bit of 223 ammo can be carried being it's so light and handy, one of the major reasons the US Army went to the caliber- ability to carry more ammo and not run dry in a firefight.  if ammo supply on the island is an issue, just click to "semi" and problem solved !:army:

[bowhunter 51]

A deserted Island with odd people of unknown nationality & carnivores?
Without question....A semi-auto centerfire in 308 Win.........................BH51...

[RustyBrass]

A deserted Island with odd people of unknown nationality & carnivores?
Without question....A semi-auto centerfire in 308 Win.........................BH51...

 
 
 
 
 
i.e. a FN FAL

[Allen]

No one gun is perfect, but a pump 12g should handle all things needed.
 
Allen

[LvrLover]

In that situation I would like my old, reliable, shoots every time SKS. 2nd choice would be a mossy 500 or rem 870 in 12 guage as Allen suggested.

[RustyBrass]

there's truth in the shotgun recommendation, my brother in law is being deployed to Iraq in January for 9 months- in addition to his modern variant of the M-16, he was issued a Mossberg pump mod. 500 fed with -00- buckshot.

[22hornet]

I had to go for the bolt action centre fire. I would choose a carbine. No scope, open sights, in a smaller calibre like the 7.62x39mm or even a 6.8spc. Maybe the CZ carbine.
 
I wouldn't be shooting any long ranges. The crocs won't be a problem unless you go near them.
 
Reliable, light weight, easy to transport, easy to clean, not much to go wrong.

[Alboy]

I would want a 22 RF in a break open single shot. Very little that can not be fixed in a pinch.
 
Also since Kombi is so easy going I will point this in a little different direction. I would want a minimum of one of these and several would be nice. BVeing a "MEDICINE MAN" around primitives is big voodoo and handy. Medical kits

[Steve D]

What I have always thought of as my ultimate survival firearm is a combination 22 RF/12ga.  Savage made the Mod 24 in this combination although I am sure other firearms are available.  The 12 guage would handle all of the examples of critters to dispatch and the 22 RF would be available for lighter needs.  One would need to take a wide variety of 12 ga ammunition, from birdshot, to buckshot, to slugs.......   I'm used to carrying different ammo for the 12 ga.  I have a friend who hunts pheasants with a cylinder bore, 18.5' barrel 12 ga.  He loads his shells to provide a 15 ft, 15 yd and 40 yd pattern with different wads, etc.  I feel the most versatile firearm in existence is the 12 ga.  Nothing "does it all", but the 12 ga comes as close as anything.

[windywales]

as long as we're dreamin', why not a nice german drilling, in 16x16x7x57.  claw-mount scope.  you can get a drop-in .22 insert for one of the shotties, and take whatever comes down the pike.  for serious, though, the original .22/.410 would be a whole lot easier to pack the ammo for--and if i had to give up one, it'd be the .410.  there's no survival gun that can compare to the .22--as long as you've got the brains to not use it when you shouldn't.
mind yer topknot!  windy

[windywales]

by the way, a shootin' ar'n wouldn't be my first choice of companions i'd want on that deserted island.  windy

[country boy]

In my opinion the 223 is nothiing  more than a small game/varmit round.  Although we use a 22 rimfire to butcher beef here (head shots from 12 to 24 inches) you don't find that kind of opportunity much in the real world.  
 
The army picked the 5.56 mm for the reason of being able to carry lots of ammo and a small light rifle.  Good thing you have the extra ammo because it usually took more than one round to put the bad guy down even with good hits.  I knew many G.I.'s that rued the day they had to turn in thier M-14's with the 7.62 rounds for the matel toy and the pipsqueek 5.56
 
If a rifle is what you have to pick than I agree with the 308 win or the 30-06 but for all around the good old 12 gauge shotgun is hard to beat.  Shot shells mean small game and slugs and buckshot for everything else.
 
The idea of the combo guns is great also.  The only ones I have seen here are 12 or 20 gauges over 22 rimfire or 30-30 win.

[oldvernie]

I've got an old 25-20 that has seen everything from mule deer and beaver on down through several other little fuzzy wuzzys and sage grouse for dinner. I use Win.680 for power and the Remington 86gr slugs and have had one shot kills on everything including the deer. The ammo is smaller than the 223 and the 86gr slug @ 1895 packs about 675 ftlbs at the muzzle. I haven't needed much more than that.
I might see what LilGun will do in a 357 B92... that might change my mind about the caliber, but not much else.

[kombi1976]

Whats a B92, Vernie?

[oldvernie]

Browning model 92 - exactly like the Winchester, except for the gold trigger.

[kombi1976]

Ahhh, right.
I have a Martini Cadet chambered to 25-20 and although I haven't used it for medium or big game loaded with Hornady 75gr HPs or Turton 75gr FPHBs it is very effective on small game and predators.

[country boy]

I've got an old model 92 winchester in 357 mag with a 158 grain speer flat point bullet on top of win 296 powder I have killed deer, coyotes, and a ton of hedge apples.  It is a great deer rifle but I like the model 92 winchester in 45 long colt better.  With a 300 grain speer bullet it has killed deer, wild hogs, and a coyote or two.  I have also killed deer with an AR-15 and like I said, I have killed 1000 lb steers with a 22 long rifle rim fire.  It's not neccessarily the size fo the round but where you put the bullet.  
I am just saying that if I had to have one gun for everything and it was a rifle that bigger, it would seem to me, would be better as long as you could place the bullets where you need to.

[country boy]

I forgot to add that I do have a 25-20 in a winchester 92.  I have never shot deer with it but the rifle has accounted for a lot of rabbits, squirel, coyotes, and a ground hog or two.  I like the old model 92.  It is short, handy, accurate, and fun to shoot.  Reloading ammo keeps the cost down.  I don't know if I would ever use the rifle to shoot deer but am sure it would do the job just fine if you put the bullet where it needs to be.

[whacker1]

I chose the centerfire/shotgun combination - but would have chosen a bow if had the choice.  No one said anything about ammunition - and I can make some shady arrows - I don't know how to make powder, brass, primers - I can make bullets, but probably not on an island.

[Mauserfan in TX]

This is what i would hope to have with me. I call it my Hawg Assault Weapon. If not, i guess i would second the notion of the good old stick and string

[22hornet]

Is that an Ishy .308 SMLE?

[Steve D]

Having one myself, I would have to say that I recognize it.     The different shape of the magazine identifies it.  Mine does not have a scout scope, but a red dot mounted on a receiver mount, which blocks removal of the bolt, unfortunately.  :o   Mine doesn't have the extra paint.  It's strictly black.  If anyone knows where to get a 5 shot magazine for it, I would love to hear about it as the authorities here frown on hunting with a 10 shot magazine.:o

[Mauserfan in TX]

It is indeed an Ishpore. I posted it in the firearms section as well. You may try Numrichs gun parts for an extra mag.

[jesusgecko]

I'd just shack up with the Island chief's daughter,  and then let THEM do all the work!!!
 
Life as royalty on a tropical island sounds quite grand dunnit???

[kombi1976]

Is THAT why Helen Clarke's husband married her? :undecided:

[jesusgecko]

No,  just worked out cheaper than going to a dominatrix bar.

[kombi1976]

lmao

[babbyc1000]

ah ill just stick with a mossberg 500 12ga, should cover most eventualities

[hello]

lever action 44-40 for large island. ruger gp 100 357 for small island. 50 beowulf ar15 for australia sized island

[kombi1976]

Ever been to Oz?
I'd LOVE you to visit and bring one of those for me to play with. :D
The authorities mightn't see it our way though. :undecided:

[hello]

yup, well we have the best stuff here in the US of A. unfortunatly i cant have the ar in california but id love to get one someday when hopefully ill live in a state where those are legal. ive always loved revolvers though. cant stand most autos. and the 44-40, that is the most beastly hunting rifle ever in my opinion. its range is fairly limited but itll take out anything you can point it at

[hello]

i had a thought. for a small desert island, you wont see large animals. mostly birds and whatnot. so a 20 guage 22 over under is perfect. everything i picked is overkill, although we americans do like overkill

[hello]

thought again, id want an scar H /m203 for multiporpose (pirates)

[jesusgecko]

How about a cannon large enough to shoot coconuts at canibalistic natives,  or canibalistic natives at pirates.

[oneshot]

hmmm. I would choose the 12ga shotgun, probably an 870 or Mossberg 500 with rifle sights. Sometimes simplicity is best.  The ammunition choice would me 4 shot  #2 buckshot  and  Breneke slugs .  Most "desert Islands bring to mind tropical foliage which would not give many long range shots.  The 4 shot would handle the small game.  The #2 buckshot the medeum and the slugs the more "dangerous stuff".

[buckshot roberts]

I go along with Alboy.....Ron

[chainsaw]

Would rather have lots of strike anywhere matches and a sharp axe,but that wasn't an option.I chose a shotgun,only if I had plenty of water proof ammo though.

[GHorne]

I would have to have my trusty bolt action 375 H&H mag. I have shot little critters and big bad stuff with it.  There are other ways to take birds. Do not forget a good blade.

[habsfan70]

An M4 with red dot sight and plenty of ammo.