Gun and ammo question

[MossRoad]

I was held at gun point at the DQ on LWW when I was 16. That was fun.

Two years ago, I was driving one of my kids to SJHS at 7:30am and there were two guys standing on a porch in the same area pointing a handgun at passing cars and laughing. I called the cops.

Many shootings 5-10 minutes before or after I go through the area. It's pretty scary over there.

 

[MossRoad]

Of course, the SBPD parks the Armadillo in several of the blocks I travel fairly frequently. That seems to settle things down for a few weeks at those houses. :laughing:



For those not familiar with the Armadillo, its an old armored bank truck with omnidirectional cameras on the roof that records EVERYTHING 24/7. They park it in front of a nuisance house and leave it there for a week. Things change.

Also, they have a shot-spotter system in that side of town. It's microphones that triangulate gunshots within milliseconds. Cops usually respond to within a few yards of the shot within 2 minutes. Quite increadible.

 

[airbiscuit]

Not in Indiana.... gotta be .XXXXXX224 (or 6mm) or larger.
DNR: Deer Hunting Questions & Answers

EDIT, should be .243, not .224

6.5mm Grendel is .264 and has excellent ballistics

 

[airbiscuit]

My experience with interchangeable barrel guns is that the one you want to use is usually not the one installed. That could be bad in an emergency.

Bruce

That is exactly right. Then you realize you can get a complete lower from Palmetto State Armory for $129 with free shipping, and then you have 2 complete rifles

 

[wagne223]

People that treat any animals inhumanely should get the same treatment...!

I'm with you on this one.
I kill my share of animals, however I do it as humanly as possible.

Drowning is horrific and not a legal method of take in any state I'm aware of.

Yes there are still rules for killing nuisance animals. Both legal and moral.

 

[JRobyn]

Wow. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that this thread quickly scurried off in multiple vaguely-related directions! "I'm interested in a small caliber LONG gun, mostly for critter control" went to shotguns, 9mm handguns and armed robberies!

The advice given about .223 vs 5.56 vs .22 LR is correct. If you go for one of the .223/5.56, look for one that has the "Wylde" chamber dimensions (like Rugers). They will safely and effectively chamber BOTH, but do include just slightly longer "leade" before the bullet engages the rifling. This will adversely affect the accuracy a NEGLIGIBLE amount (unless you are professional benchrest shooter). The advice given about a decent-quality .22LR semi-auto rifle like the Ruger 10/22 is spot on. Very hard to go wrong with one.

But I, like you, looked for something with just a bit more capability than .22LR, when I go to grab ONE gun, either for hiking and plinking, or varmint control, or zombie apocalypse. I found from experience that racoon are tougher to kill with a .22LR than it would seem. Especially at night, in poor light, when they are moving around. I thought that a .17HMR was the answer, and actually bought one, but then returned/exchanged it for a Ruger Ranch Rifle (stainless) in .223/5.56. More than 10 years later, I still believe it was a good decision. I did have the trigger smoothed up, which makes it a wonderful gun to shoot. I added a terrific Weaver 1-3x20 scope (1x is AWESOME for most game shots - you can keep both eyes open with the SAME magnification for unlimited field-of-view). There are many that will say the Ruger minis are not accurate. Garbage. Not as accurate as a bolt bench rifle? Of course not.

For the same cartridge, ARs are fine, but I really like having a rifle that looks "regular" instead of "evil black". Plentiful, cheap ammo. 30 rd magazines readily available if desired. Winchester 64 gr PowerPoints make a respectable deer cartridge (IMHO). They look even better after a year or two of rattling around in the back of the farm truck to gain a little "patina".

 

[paulsharvey]

I know and understand about selling it to your wife, but you already have and like a 9mm pistol, if the SHTF, you could have a 16" barreled 9mm +P carbine with ammo that matches your pistol. If it really came down to hunting, I truly would have no issue putting 124 gr +P pistol ammo from a 16" barrel with more precise shots, into white tail deer.

.223/5.56, and 6.5 Grendel are all very loud, and if we are shooting pests at night, may be something where you don't want to do. .22 LR from a long gun is pretty quite, but if you could swing it, suppressed 9mm... even if that's out of the question, 9mm from a rifle isn't That loud, probably on par with .22 Mag

 

[/pine]

One combination I have not seen mentioned are the Kel-Tec PMR 30 and the CMR 30...
The compact rifle uses the same 30 round clips as the pistol...

quite a combo IMO...especially if you realize how under rated the .22WMR round is (in all the available bullets/weights)...it is also much lighter than larger cartridges...which makes a big difference when moving large quantities...

 

[MossRoad]

One combination I have not seen mentioned are the Kel-Tec PMR 30 and the CMR 30...
The compact rifle uses the same 30 round clips as the pistol...

quite a combo IMO...especially if you realize how under rated the .22WMR round is (in all the available bullets/weights)...it is also much lighter than larger cartridges...which makes a big difference when moving large quantities...

It's the same price as an AR. I'd go for the AR. Bigger round. Bigger hole. etc.... I do like the .22 magnum round. I have a High Standard 9 shot revolver that has interchangeable 22LR and 22WMR cylinders. I'd like to pick up a 22WMR bolt action rifle some day. But if I'm going to buy a rifle for the collapse of society as we know it, I'd stay away from that round. It's not that common of a round and will be hard to find (in stores or on dead zombie soldiers) compare to other rounds. And its good out to 100-150yds, etc... while the other one is way farther out. That's what the OP said he was looking for.

 

[TheMan419]

Wow. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that this thread quickly scurried off in multiple vaguely-related directions! "I'm interested in a small caliber LONG gun, mostly for critter control" went to shotguns, 9mm handguns and armed robberies!

The advice given about .223 vs 5.56 vs .22 LR is correct. If you go for one of the .223/5.56, look for one that has the "Wylde" chamber dimensions (like Rugers). They will safely and effectively chamber BOTH, but do include just slightly longer "leade" before the bullet engages the rifling. This will adversely affect the accuracy a NEGLIGIBLE amount (unless you are professional benchrest shooter). The advice given about a decent-quality .22LR semi-auto rifle like the Ruger 10/22 is spot on. Very hard to go wrong with one.

But I, like you, looked for something with just a bit more capability than .22LR, when I go to grab ONE gun, either for hiking and plinking, or varmint control, or zombie apocalypse. I found from experience that racoon are tougher to kill with a .22LR than it would seem. Especially at night, in poor light, when they are moving around. I thought that a .17HMR was the answer, and actually bought one, but then returned/exchanged it for a Ruger Ranch Rifle (stainless) in .223/5.56. More than 10 years later, I still believe it was a good decision. I did have the trigger smoothed up, which makes it a wonderful gun to shoot. I added a terrific Weaver 1-3x20 scope (1x is AWESOME for most game shots - you can keep both eyes open with the SAME magnification for unlimited field-of-view). There are many that will say the Ruger minis are not accurate. Garbage. Not as accurate as a bolt bench rifle? Of course not.

For the same cartridge, ARs are fine, but I really like having a rifle that looks "regular" instead of "evil black". Plentiful, cheap ammo. 30 rd magazines readily available if desired. Winchester 64 gr PowerPoints make a respectable deer cartridge (IMHO). They look even better after a year or two of rattling around in the back of the farm truck to gain a little "patina".

I don稚 particularly care if it is a 都cary looking gun. I am after utility of having a good gun I can grab and go. I like the idea of having a 30rd mag and not the 5 you get in a shotgun.

It would mainly be varmit killing but I figure while SWMBO is in the mood to let me buy get something that can help against 2 leg creatures.