Choice of Rifle, Shotgun, Handgun

Question
Hi GCH,

I'm brainstorming which would be the best weapons to have during a worst case scenario catastrophic survival situation where one may have to be mobile and on the run frequently.

I like the AK47 but a dealer told me in a situation like the above, if I'm going to be surviving in the United States, ammo and parts might be easier to find for the AR15 & I think he said that the AR15 was easier to take apart and there would be more AR15s lying around some battle site to interchange parts with. What is your opinion on that? I've read though you can drive a tank over an AK47 and still fire it; that one can submerse it in water or mud, clean it, and you're good to go. Might the AR15 be just as durable & are there other aspects I should take into consideration when choosing between these two rifles?

I'm also thinking about buying a Khar Mini.40 caliber, a Kel-Tec .380, or a S&W 5 shot hammerless revolver to carry now as a pocket weapon. A dealer told me he sells more of the 5 shot hammerless revolvers as compared to the Khar mini .40s or Kel-Tec .380s. I've just been learning off the internet and telephone, not quite ready to go to the gun stores yet till I can make the best unbiased decision away from sales pressure. I know the revolvers don't jam like a semi-auto but would they be more uncomfortable to carry in one's pocket and would the possible jamming issue be only a minor issue?

Thak you very much.

Mark E.

Answer
I'm getting a number of these questions lately.

Regarding the pistols: Hammerless revolvers have their niche in that they can be fired through a pocket. You could have the gun covering a potential threat and he wouldn't know it. You can't do that with an auto because of the reciprocating slide.

That said, .38 and .357 ammunition is getting hard to come by, and that would only be worse if you were in a survival situation. Also, it is not true that revolvers are more reliable than autos. Once dirt and mud get action, the revolver's tiny parts will grind to a halt much sooner than any quality auto will.

The Kel-Tec's are throw-away guns. They will work for about 1,000 rounds before breaking and the smaller caliber guns are spotty with regard to reliability (.32, .380). They'll either work or they won't. If you get one that doesn't work, it can't be fixed, just get rid of it. If it works, it works, but you have to keep the Kel-Tech's squeaky clean to be reliable, not something I'd rely on in an emergency situation.

In my opinion, the caliber you want is 9mm (9x19) because it is the NATO pistol cartridge and it will be available when nothing else is. As to the gun, the Glock 19 is absolutely reliable, is small enough to conceal well, but large enough for serious use (meaning you can hold onto it and fight with it).

Regarding the rifles: I have experience with both, and there is no question that the ARs are the superior rifles for their ergonomics (= ease of loading, reloading, malfunction clearance), their accuracy, and their weight distribution (AKs are front-heavy).

The AK's strength and reliability are largely fiction. The receivers are made of stamped metal that can be bent fairly easily. Well-placed cross struts and the front and rear trunions minimize this, but you certainly couldn't drive a tank over one, unless it was in soft sand. As for reliability, if you get dirt in the action, they will fail just like an AR will. The difference is that the AK requires no lubrication to run, and dirt could be cleaned from the action in a pinch by urinating over it. By contrast the AR blows carbon and muck back into the bolt carrier area, has small parts and tiny recesses.

I'd rather have the AR for ease of fighting with and accuracy, provided I had access to lube (it has to be wet to run) and cleaning supplies. If not, the AK is a better choice.

The problem with the AK is caliber. You're common choices are 7.62x39 or 5.45x39, both of which are not common here.

The NATO caliber (5.56x45)is what you want because, again, this will be available when nothing else is. You should note, though, that it is possible to get the AK-platform Saiga rifles in 5.56 NATO.

You don't want to stock more ammunition than you can carry in a grab-and-go bag, so my bottom line recommendation would be:

9mm for the pistol, specifically a Glock 19, and 500 rounds of ammunition

5.56 for the rifle, an AR if you think you'll have a clean place stocked with supplies to maintain it, an AK platform rifle if you think you may have no lube and only running water to clean it in; and 1,000 rounds of ammunition.