Your Choice of one Hunting (Survival) Gun.

[mortensen]

Let me narrow this question down to a choice of one hunting (survival) gun for the sole purpose of putting fresh meat on the table for your family, not for war or any form of combat.

What would you elimate? Would you eliminate semi and automatic weapons? I would as they are comprised of more moving parts and have been known to malfunction compared to something simple like a bolt action.

How about the old stand-by like the 30-30 lever action. However, you would find yourself limited when it came to hunting waterfowl.

Have any choice's or solutions?

Here's one that's worth considering, over and under.
www.savagearms.com/24f12.htm

[mortensen]

The 22 magnum is also a consideration. There used to be a birdshot available for this caliber, but don't know if it is still available or not.

I'm partial to a 12 gauge and always take one with me when varmint hunting in the desert. I seldom use it and consider it one of those weapons to be used when all eles fails.

I have a Mossberg 12 gauge pump action, rifled barrel, red-dot sight, and sling.

I take birdshot, buckshot, slugs, and flares. I'm in the desert with good night time visibility and the flares are handy in case of emergency.

12 gauge flares are available from this company:

www.firequest.com/catalog/flares.html

[gd3006]

And here I was gonna suggest a Savage M24 .223/12g and be the smart guy... If I had my choice though... I'd opt for the old .22lr/.410. Darn shame they don't make them any more...

gd

[mortensen]

There's been a few good, if not interesting survival weapons manufactured through the years for both military and civilian purposes. But as you mentioned, there no longer available.