How many preppers are running pistol caliber carbines as survival guns

[KJQ6945]

A rifle is far superior on almost every level, I get it. They shoot flatter, faster bullets. They can create devastating wounds. They can hit targets at great distances.

The only real advantage a sub gun has is discretion.
They are smaller than rifles, therefore, concealable.
They suppress better than rifles.

Discretion works for me.

 

[dudley0]

For HD or during a SHTF situation I will have my carbine in 5.56 with a can.

I have a few PCC's and like them for plinking and such. The only benefit in a survival situation would be if the only ammo you could scrounge up was pistol ammo. Then you have a wee bit more power or accuracy potential than a similar pistol.

Buddy of mine bought a sub2k from an individual but had to make a trip to the store at the same time. Had it with a big glock mag (not inserted) comfortably hidden under his coat with none the wiser.

 

[Gluemanz28]

I prefer the opposite. I like the rifle round in the pistol format. I will stick with my AK pistol (soon to be SBR) for that reason.

It fits nicely in my get home bag with plenty of loaded mags.

 

[KJQ6945]

For the life of me, I don't understand the hate for pistol calibers. Yes, I understand that rifles are better. We all know this. A pistol is used to get you back to your rifle. We've all heard it.
I never leave the house without a pistol, and if I'm leaving for overnight, I take a pistol caliber sub gun. They will fit in my overnight bag, or the console of my truck. It's a pistol with a stock and a red dot people. It's way better than a pistol, because it's much more accurate and has twice the rounds. It's not the end all, be all, but it beats a pistol every time. Don't believe me? Check the MCFG FNS scores. Very few regulars with a pistol will beat a new guy with a pistol caliber carbine. Stocks and optics work.

Either one of these will fit under a jacket, in the console, or the overnight bag.



If the SHTF, I stand a better chance of getting back to my rifle. Use all options!

 

[Cameramonkey]

I'm with you KJ... Is a .223 or .308 better than 9mm? ABSOLUTELY! But when the SHTF (we ARE talking disasters and SHTF after all) and you need to be on the move, and you arent sure when/where you can find more ammo, there is something to be said for cross-compatibility. You have only so much space in your ruck and you need to maximize efficiency. What is more efficent than all of your tools eating the same food? Much like it would be easier to have all of your vehicles running gas or diesel. If not, when you run out of one, that vehicle is dead. If both vehicles run the same fuel, regardless of the need (hauling heavy cargo or puttering around as efficiently as possible in that subcompact) you can easily alternate and use whatever you need at the time. If they dont share a fuel, you risk sidelining one of your tools.

Going off that ideal, a G19 paired up with a PCC that uses G17 mags is a match made in heaven. Is it as nice as a G19/AR-15 in 5.56 or G19/ M1A? No. But you also arent humping another separate set of mags, and double the ammo you may have carried before. If we are talking shelter in place in the homestead, absolutely having both platforms is ideal. But personally, I feel there is a place for a PCC for a TRUE SHTF situation.

 

[actaeon277]

Guns are like shoes.
Different ones for different occasions
No one is better than another. They each have their use.

 

[dcat91]

America, sometimes you disappoint me.
One of the bonuses of moving to a very rural community is being isolated, especially from some of you whackos!
You're what I worry about the most, grown men "bugging out" in full battle rattle assuming everyone is a threat...
If SHTF are you really going to be taking shots from 500 yards? Seriously? If some sort of economic collapse or whatever were to happen I'd be holding down Fort Paradise, and while my neighbors are few and far between were all tight and would watch over each other and help each other.
I normally have my 1873 in 45lc when roaming around the area on my horse, and I guess it would be my go to rifle but I'm guessing I'm better off with my marlin guide gun now... I hate to say it but my neighbors and I would be more than willing to help out any stranger with food and water,were a fairly self sufficient organic/small scale farming community but if we see someone running around with a plate carrier and AR15 or whatever they're not going to be so welcome...

 

[Trigger Time]

America, sometimes you disappoint me.
One of the bonuses of moving to a very rural community is being isolated, especially from some of you whackos!
You're what I worry about the most, grown men "bugging out" in full battle rattle assuming everyone is a threat...
If SHTF are you really going to be taking shots from 500 yards? Seriously? If some sort of economic collapse or whatever were to happen I'd be holding down Fort Paradise, and while my neighbors are few and far between were all tight and would watch over each other and help each other.
I normally have my 1873 in 45lc when roaming around the area on my horse, and I guess it would be my go to rifle but I'm guessing I'm better off with my marlin guide gun now... I hate to say it but my neighbors and I would be more than willing to help out any stranger with food and water,were a fairly self sufficient organic/small scale farming community but if we see someone running around with a plate carrier and AR15 or whatever they're not going to be so welcome...

That's great that you can live in the middle of BFE with uncle daddy as your neighbor. Some of us don't. Your preps will be different than others. As for 500 yard shots, I deffinately won't be attracting a fight by doing that when I can avoid one when I'm on the move with my family. Hopefully these scenarios never happen. But if they do I am as ready as I can be for now.
also my armor setup is very compact and streamlined and fits under regular clothing. I run a slick plate carrier with a chest rig so that all of my setup is modular. Looks are deceiving.
I certainly won't make myself standout when/if the time comes. Just me wearing a backpack basicly but in that backpack is an ass whoopin waiting to happen

 

[trucker777]

Ive said it before, I will say it again. I will just stick to my shotgun for a survival gun. It breaks down well enough to fit into a pack and has multiple different ammo options available according to purpose for what I would need it for. The LAST thing I would be doing in a bug out/survival scenerio is looking for a fight so my SG doesn't give off the "Rambo" vibe and it's less likely be perceived as a threat. No need to draw to myself negative attention.

 

[Thor]

Guns are like shoes.
Different ones for different occasions
No one is better than another. They each have their use.

If only Imelda Marcos had been a gun collector...that would have been more interesting. Also, agree with the point.

 

[Thor]

are you really going to be taking shots from 500 yards? ...

Depends. Is it a couple of guys/girls walking down the road or is it a couple dozen or more looting and burning? One scenario is wait and see, the other is engage early and often.

 

[The Professor]

America, sometimes you disappoint me.
One of the bonuses of moving to a very rural community is being isolated, especially from some of you whackos!
You're what I worry about the most, grown men "bugging out" in full battle rattle assuming everyone is a threat...
If SHTF are you really going to be taking shots from 500 yards? Seriously? If some sort of economic collapse or whatever were to happen I'd be holding down Fort Paradise, and while my neighbors are few and far between were all tight and would watch over each other and help each other.
I normally have my 1873 in 45lc when roaming around the area on my horse, and I guess it would be my go to rifle but I'm guessing I'm better off with my marlin guide gun now... I hate to say it but my neighbors and I would be more than willing to help out any stranger with food and water,were a fairly self sufficient organic/small scale farming community but if we see someone running around with a plate carrier and AR15 or whatever they're not going to be so welcome...

As others have said, it's really awesome that you can live in the backwoods and ride your horses, eschewing civilized society on all it's levels. It must be wonderful never having to go into town to the grocery or hardware store or worrying about family and friends who do living in such places. Cuz, you know. . .society never really breaks down. It never really goes to crap, endangering the lives of average people.

Oh, wait. . .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMP6bXnXdZM


or. . .Three People Beaten by Mob of Teens in Kroger Parking Lot | News Blog | Memphis News and Events | Memphis Flyer

or. . .Mob of teens terrorize downtown Louisville | Fox News

Oh, I'm sorry. My bad. Those things don't happen here.

The Professor

 

[gunbunnies]

Well my concept of the firearm as a survival tool is just that. One more tool that I may have to carry on my person to do a job. That job may be needed about 3% of the time that I am trying to survive and even though it should be a solid tool and be able to stop two legged and four legged predators, it may also be required to gather food. It's more likely if I do my part it will just be a couple more pounds in my backpack. Truthfully my knife better be one heck of a knife as it will probably get a whole lot more use than the firearm. The pistol eats ammo and the ammo can be heavy.... along with this ammo is like another set of tools depending on what your shooting. The distance thing is individual as I shoot IHMSA and can knock over steel at 200 yards but that doesn't mean that someone else can. The next part of the riddle may also be what are you prepping for ? Are you going to war or are you surviving a disaster ? I see the pistol carbine and same caliber handgun more as a disaster tool than a war tool. War=AR15 or AK47 or FAL or even Remy PSS... I've always loved the shotty as a great multi tool but I also see the ammo as heavy and bulky... Just a few thoughts on the subject....

 

[ACC]

I have definitely made PCCs part of my prep stash...along with high powered AR & AKs. I love the PCCs because they are easy to train with, cheap to shoot and if the SHTF, some of the women in my group may be more comfortable shooting PCCs as defensive weapons instead of AR/AK

 

[Damean-m44]

haha i bought a hipoint 9mm carbine just for that purpose. but i have others just in case not in pistol caliber.

 

[Fireball1394]

I'm sure someone will give me crap for it, but I'm running a modified Ruger 10/22 (HTA P90 Bullpup kit) as my primary. It's light, maneuverable in any area I get into, and with such high popularity for both pistols and rifles, if I ever were to get into a bind, it'd likely be the easiest ammo to get (find or trade). But, given my main survival plan is to bug-in rather than bug-out, I see myself sticking to my AR15 in .223/5.56 as a primary.

 

[6mm Shoot]

I can see the use fullness of having a lever action in 44mag to go along with my revolvers or a 45 P.C.C. to go with all the 45 handguns I have.

As hard hitting as the 44 is in a 4" barrel it is even better in a 8" and so a 20" has to be way better. Also if you are going for a long shot it is easier with a rifle than a handgun. Now as for as ammo fitting in all three guns that I just described, I am a re-loader and I load for each. Yes all could be used in a rifle but I don't think I would want to run the rounds for a rifle through a 4" barrelled hand gun. So in my way of thinking I don't see the inter changeability of ammo. Yes you could make a round that would fire from all three but it would be a compromise for all three.

Now as far as packing a P.C.C. in a pack, I have a AR that will pack down as small as most P.C.C.. In fact it isn't any thing really special. It is just a 16" barrelled AR with a adjustable stock. It is also in 6mm. That makes it a little harder hitting than the 5.56 and I can get a little better range out of it.

There is no correct or wrong answer to what arms you stock or use. I would say most of us on this site have more guns than we need to get through a event. I have handguns that will shoot out to 200 yards when you are laying on your back and holding the gun to your leg to fire it. Do you want or is it a good idea to use such a thing when someone is trying to kill you. Hell no. You want to use the one that will take them out while you are using cover to protect you. Most times that would be a rifle of what ever type. Handguns are to keep you armed all the time. You can't work and hold a rifle. You can work and carry a handgun.

What will come when things fall apart. I have no idea. My hope is it will be just like the last time thing fell apart. We will go through a reset. Most people will have little money and work for even less than they ever thought was possible. We will still have a government, police and a army just like now.

Will people be shooting each other in the streets? More than likely in the first 30 or so days, then things will settle down and start getting back to the reset. Anyone that has any land will start growing food if they didn't already. Jobs will be hard to come by.

Other countries have gone through the fall of their money and I see that as happening to us in the next few years. There is no way we can pay back what we owe and our dear friends in the government keep printing money to pay for stuff. That can't go on for ever. We are going to have to pay for this and I think it will be coming sooner than latter.

Now if we are talking a world war and we are invaded all bets are off. It will be a mess. We will die in numbers never seen before. They will use nukes and there will be no place to hide. We will truly see hell on earth. I have no desire to live through to the other side of such. The few of us that will remain will have to be tougher than our for fathers to start the world over again. It is said that the next time the world will be destroyed by fire. If it happens I don't see how anyone will survive. Most of us will die before we pull a trigger or eat any of our stored food. God help us all.