The All-Purpose Rifle, Sasquatch and Other Mythical Creatures
6 min read
It’s a short video clip that will live on. Even though it’s out of focus and pixilated: Through the forest, you can make out a tall figure of a walking, hairy… well, whatever it is – we’re led to believe that it’s Big Foot.
We preppers also have mythical creatures of our own. Like trying to catch a Pegasus, we set out to find that perfect, all-purpose tool. Sometimes it’s a do-all knife or a shelter system that’s both invincible and lightweight.
My Pegasus Rifle
In my own prepping, I have once attempted to hunt for that perfect, all-purpose rifle. I wanted it to be reasonably priced and adaptable for engagements from zero to 600 yards, quick on the draw, magazine-fed, semi-automatic, durable, dependable, low maintenance, chambered in a common caliber, tactical… and perhaps, if in any way possible… brew the best espresso on this side of the Mississippi.
However, much to my own dismay, after years of searching the globe – or Google, rather – my expeditions left my safe empty of this elusive creature. Many have given me ideas that might come close to my outlandish criteria: AR’s, the Ruger M77, the M1A, the Mossberg MVP, AK variants and even the Kel-Tec SU16C.
Then, it dawned on me: Guns are tools. You wouldn’t ask only a hammer to build a house from foundation to plumbing, so why would I have such an expectation of a rifle? Nope, you’re going to want access to a wide range of industrial equipment to build that house, using the proper tools for each task.
I’ve finally discovered the sobering reality, which had been in front of me the entire time. Turns out, I should have just listened to my good friends and the veteran wise men of the military.
“Gear up for the mission at hand, they say.”
Ah, well that makes more sense.
So, here are a few factors to consider when choosing your own ‘all-purpose’ rifle.
1. Range It… and Be Realistic About Your Expectations
From scouring online forums, it’s easy to find lots of armchair commandos and mall ninjas that will criticize a certain rifle – based on a strict standard of having no less than 2 MOA – Minutes of Angle.
I won’t go into exactly what that means, but let’s just say that sub to 2 MOA is pretty darn accurate. While it might not be a ‘tack driver,’ this is certainly nothing to scoff at. However, these same sniper-caliber expectations are often applied to all rifle platforms, and that’s like comparing apples to oranges.
This is one reason why I’ve come up with an understanding that, depending on your geographical region, you should trade certain accuracy strengths for dependability and rate-of-fire capabilities. For instance…
In regions where there is endless open ground with very little cover – you’re going to want a rifle and caliber with 1,000-yard striking capabilities. The flat parts of the U.S. Midwest, the Southwestern deserts, areas with lots of farmland and many parts of the Rockies would require the ability to take game – or a hostile target – over obscenely long distances.
In regions with denser cover, such as woodlands and swamplands, like most of the Eastern U.S. and parts of the Northwest, you likely will never have to take a shot much past 200 yards. If anything, you’re probably looking at most engagements happening within 50 yards.
In urban zones – this really depends on your philosophy of use; however, you’re probably not going to be taking any bear or a moose, so a heavy caliber is not going to be as necessary. If anything, I’d suggest a light weapon with a range capability of zero to 300 yards.
Urban zones are tactically challenging, especially from a gear perspective. Not only do you have certain areas that are wide, open spaces, but there’s also still plenty of cover. In these situations, you’re going to need the ability to have a fast-handling rifle that will allow you to take multiple targets at speed, which brings me to my next point.
2. High Hostility Factor
Say, for instance, you believe you’re going to have to fight off a horde of zombie goblin-like airsoft enthusiasts, armed with AK-47s. Yes, that was absurd, but follow me on this…
If you were in an urban zone or an area with lots of woodland cover, then would you even want a hard-hitting rifle that could strike targets at 600 yards?
Personally, I would decline that offer for even a cheaper Romanian AK variant, a shotgun, a compact AR or even a pistol caliber rifle – Kel-Tec Sub2000. Why? Well, I’ve found that when you trade range, you often receive a faster handling, a more agile and a higher rate-of-fire capable rifle in return.
Even so, if you were using an M1A in a possible close-quarters – CQB – engagement, you’d be swinging around a rifle that is semi-auto and magazine-fed. In order for it to be used as a long-range target taker, though, the rifle’s barrel must be longer, its mechanics more stout and heavier to accommodate the 7.62×51 – .308 – round, and now you have to deal with the issue of sighting – optics. This rifle is going to be heavy, harder to handle and the optics, which were originally sighted at 100 yards, are going to cause you problems within CQB ranges. In this situation, the goblin mall ninjas are superiorly armed.
That’s also NOT to say that your M1A isn’t going to be invaluable in such a scenario, but the rest of your team is probably going to be running AR’s or AK’s. Now, onto the flip side of that coin…
3. Low Hostility Factor
Say, your plan is to bug out, make for the hills and leave civilization in your dust. Chances are, you’re probably not looking at a high frequency of pitched battles.
If anything, you’re probably looking at an occasional standoff, but most of your shooting will be spent taking critters.
Your greatest threat will likely be starvation. You can also be fairly certain that an enemy horde won’t be ‘sneaking up on you’ out there, so being able to put mass amounts of rounds downrange isn’t as big of a priority, as being able to harvest a meal.
In this way, I wouldn’t want to tick off a bear or elk by slinging a 5.56 at them. That’s just asking for a claw-clad spanking, or worse – wounding the noble beast and not actually taking them. This is why I’d recommend a precision purposed bolt-action rifle in nothing less than a .308, if you’re in open ground; or you select, perhaps a lever-action 30-30 for white-tail deer in Appalachia, since you’re not likely to have a clear, ethical shot past 200 yards.
The idea here is simple: The closer the targets, the higher rate-of-fire and faster handling you will need. The further out your targets go; you can begin to dedicate your capabilities to longer ranges. You’re just not going to need a semi-auto if you’re shooting at a target that’s 600 yards away… the recoil alone would nullify such a feature.
Essentially, I’m not giving you specific suggestions for the rifle you should choose for your own system. My aim for this post is to enlighten you to the understanding that you should select the ‘perfect’ rifle for your mission.
This is why you should plan the mission first, and THEN plan how you will be armed. Whether you’re bugging out or hunkering down, you will not find one rifle that will do everything – and even if it did catch that Pegasus, then it will automatically be inferior to the rifles that the enemy purposed for that particular mission.
So, dear friends, stop hunting the elusive Sasquatch. Instead, hunt the beasties you know are out already there. At least that way, you won’t go hungry•
This article is talking about self defense and hunting in both everyday scenarios such as home invasion and in hypothetical such as end of the world type scenarios where it may be required that you defend yourself with lethal force – nothing more, nothing less. The author is not promoting the use of firearm to hurt or kill people in a malicious or illegal fashion.
Your advice of being reasonable with your expectations is great! One gun won’t cover it all.
For a long range rifle if you settle for 2MOA at 100 yds, this usually translates to 4 MOA at 200 yds, 8 MOA at 300 yds., 16 MOA at 400 yds., 32 MOA at 500 yds., and 64 MOA at 600 yds. (Qne MOA is about 1.1 inches so do the math. At 600 yds. are you shooting or just “spraying and praying” -a group of 5+ feet?) The distance from the bottom of the brisket to the spine for a large deer is about 18″ and for a bull elk it is about 24″. If you are using a 10X optic at 500 yds., a bull elk looks mighty small. Try watching telephone poles because they were originally strung with copper wire the older ones are 98 yds. apart, it will show exactly how far 600 yds; is.
A long range rifle is good, but you gotta identify the evil doers as evil doers! There must be a threat. Shooting indiscriminitally will catch up to you perhaps as the rule of law returns.. This sorta means even in open areas there is a need to deal with moderate ranges. In an open area, I’ll be grabbin’ my 1100 come dark and its improved cylinder barrel will be stuffed with #4 buck.
Perhaps, we are doomed because we must try to hold ourselves to a reactive position.
An angle is constant; the longer the offset, the larger the spread. Check my math, but 2 minute error = 2″ at 100 yards, at 200 yards the angle should remain constant but the error doubles to 4″, 400 yards = 8″.
Who says Squatch is a myth?!? 😉
Good Point – lol
IMO. I’m sticking with .308 rounds only because the weight of the bullets go from 110-173 grains. Bonus is you can get 30 caliber API rds. haha I think some of the FN’s or Sig’s w/folding stocks are great for a backpack, scabbard carry and/or a skeletonized AR-10 of sorts all are good to 600+ yards. CQB is ok with a 16.5″ barrel, remember were talking *ALL* encompassing gun here. Binoculars are for seeing the bad guys.
May I be “that guy” for just a moment? In response to the above comment regarding MOA: a minute of angle is indeed approximately just over one inch at 100 yards. It does not, however, compound as described above. It increases incrementally with distances. In other words, at 200 yards one MOA is approximately 2 inches, 300 yards is about 3 inches, etc. at one thousand yards, much further than the vast majority of folks will ever reliably shoot, one MOA is roughly ten inches. Okay, I’m done splitting hairs. I agree with the post, but as a former service member I can assure you that you should take the best you have. Ideally, an AR15 is not the best long range weapon, just as Mossberg’s relatively new MVP Varmint in 7.62 NATO is not perfect for CQC. However, in the hands of a person who has trained properly, some pretty amazing feats can be accomplished. Bottom line, get good with what you have. Training, in my opinion, is much more important than weapon selection. Just my opinion, as a compliment to a well written, insightful article.
Ditto
Besides a few handguns, I have 3 go-to firearms: a Remington 870 Tactical in 12-GA with an 18.5″ barrel and a forend mounted light for nighttime/home defense, a mid – level AR with iron sights and an EO Tech optic for closer ranges out to a few hundred yards, and a Remington 700 SPS Tactical with a 20″ barrel, bipod, detachable 5 round box magazines and 10X mildot scope chambered in .308 for shooting out to 800 yards. I built those up over time, starting with the AR, then the 870, so as to not spend too much too quickly. There are others I’d love to have, but I feel fairly well covered for anything that might arise. Hopefully, that need never does arise.
Having read Mel Tappan’s book “Survival Guns” a ‘few’ decades back,it seems you too have come to the same conclusion.
But is a very well written article,and humorous way.
Claiming recoil from a semi auto rifle would throw off a long range shot? This claim was obviously made by someone who NEVER fired any sort of combat rifle. Also consider the US military operates the Barrett M82 as a heavy LONG RANGE snipe rifle with kills being made over a mile away on Whats that A SEMI AUTO RIFLE. I myself made kill shots Iron Sites only at 500 meters with an M16 A2 under adverse range conditions. May want to get a firearms expert to talk firearms next time guys. My advice is have different people with different weapons, a Primary a secondary and a sidearm. Need a long shot rem 700 or M1a main battle rifle m16 or AK I prefer 16 only because you will find more ammo, sidearm with a common caliber
I am sure many will scoff at my personal preferences but I do see the sense Christopher made but with the addition of a fourth weapon that I feel rounds out my circle of need. I first agree completely with the choice of a 12ga in which I prefer a pump action, Mossberg 500, and I am sure most readers will understand such reasoning. Second my choice in a primary is the happy medium and comfort-ability I find in a mil-spec standard SKS. I feel the 7.62×39 with my personal proficiency offers me a fair trade-off in ability where I can take most medium to certain large game at 300-to-500yrd and easily have the ability to put a decent amount of suppression fire and cqb lethality all in one rifle. Side-arm I have to opt for the my compact 9mm, again offering what I consider a fair trade of desired qualities. Finally and a weapon I feel has many a great benefit especially in the hand of a well trained and practiced shooter is the ever faithful 22lr. Again I know there will be many that scoff at my choices but I am simply saying what I know works for me and what I would feel best served by in a scenario where I had to provide for and protect those I love. God Bless.