Survivalist Pro
Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich Pexels Logo Photo: Nataliya Vaitkevich

What is the best caliber for survival?

22LR Caliber With 500 rounds of . 22 ammo weighing as much as 100 rounds of AK-47 ammo - and a quality rifle (like the Ruger 10/22) pushing the effective range well over 100 yards, and it's easy to see why . 22 caliber ammo is a perennial favorite of survival-minded folks.

Why are beards not allowed in Navy?
Why are beards not allowed in Navy?

The main obstacle to beards in the sea service is the Navy's assertion, based on Naval Safety Center studies, that facial hair would obstruct the...

Read More »
What is the 56-day rule?
What is the 56-day rule?

(11) include a 56-day rule, whereby the development can be begun upon the expiry of 56 days following the date on which the application was...

Read More »

Imagine you are in a survival or bug out situation and are only able to carry what you have, on your back. In this scenario, what caliber of weapon is the best for survival hunting and self defense? Let’s take a look at a few options. Weight is Your Enemy First let’s do a reality check. The average person in reasonable physical condition can only carry 15%-20% of their body weight for an extended period of time. So many who think they are going to carry a 10 lb. or (4.5 kilo) weapon, 10 lb. of ammo, plus water, shelter food, and everything else... well, this may not be realistic. The bottom line is that weight is a big factor to consider for a bug out weapon. Be Invisible Next, I believe one of the keys to surviving a worst case scenario and actually getting to your bug out destination - (which will probably be on foot - since major roads are likely to be closed) is to be invisible. If you have a "house" on your back with weapons and ammo in open sight, you are toast. In a disaster you do NOT want to attract attention. You want to blend in and appear as though you have nothing worth steeling. You want to look like everyone else. Think, “Gray.” 4 Keys to a Survival Weapon Now that we’ve had our necessary reality check on weight and size for a survival weapon and ammo... we know that a lighter weight, concealable weapon that is chambered in a caliber good for self defense and hunting is preferable. Favorite Survival Calibers - Pistol Because most pistols are concealable and some ammo calibers are excellent for self-defense and hunting... let’s start here. .22 LR Pistol With weight being such a huge factor it’s hard to ignore the .22 LR cartridge when chambered in a proven target or hunting pistol like the Ruger Mark III. With around 133 rounds of .22 ammo per pound compared to: 9mm @ 38 rounds per pound - .357 Mag. @ 28 rounds per pound and .44 Mag. @ 22 rounds per pound - it’s easy to see how many could find security in their trusted pistol chambered in .22 long. Although the .22LR has marginal stopping power vs. other calibers, a well placed shot is still lethal making a quality .22 pistol a reasonable consideration. 9mm Pistol For high capacity, conceal carry self defense many prefer a nice pistol chambered in 9mm. At around 40 rounds per pound, the 9mm is of moderate weight making box of 50, with pistol and a few extra magazines a reasonable load to carry for self-defense. As hunting caliber the 9mm cartridge is what I call a “tweener.” It’s a bit big for a lot of small game and a bit small for big game. Although a 9mm is part of my EDC and bug out bag, I pair it with a Henry AR-7 survival rifle chambered in .22LR for good measure.

Where is the safest place to hide cash?
Where is the safest place to hide cash?

Here are the Top 10 secret hiding places for money we've found: The Tank. There's plenty of room in the toilet's water tank for a jar or some other...

Read More »
What age do kids start to get depressed?
What age do kids start to get depressed?

The available data suggests that age three is the lowest threshold at which childhood depression appears, but that doesn't mean it can't be...

Read More »

.357 Mag. Pistol My favorite hunting and self-defense caliber is the mighty .357 Magnum. Loaded in a 4 to 6 inch revolver - like the Smith & Wesson Model 686 - a .357 Magnum can have great accuracy beyond 100 yards and wields great stopping power. On the downside, we get about 30 rounds per pound and revolvers have a capacity limited to 6 shots and are a bit heavier and bulkier than many pistols. But when you consider the formidable, man-stopping power or the .357 Magnum and the fact that you can harvest deer sized game, it’s a caliber well worth considering. Survival / Bug Out Rifles As I mentioned before, having weapons on the outside of your gear spells TROUBLE. So I recommend that any rifle purposed for a survival or bug out situation / be easily broken down for transport concealed. .22LR Caliber With 500 rounds of .22 ammo weighing as much as 100 rounds of AK-47 ammo - and a quality rifle (like the Ruger 10/22) pushing the effective range well over 100 yards, and it’s easy to see why .22 caliber ammo is a perennial favorite of survival-minded folks. Several .22 rifles with folding stocks are able to fit in medium to large sized pack. .223 Caliber With folding or collapsible stock, and concealable, it’s hard to pass by a good AR chambered in .223 / 5.56 for survival / self defense and hunting. The .223 is effective at long and close range, and about even with the 9mm round for weight at 37 rounds per pound. Add to this, new composite materials pushing the weight of ARs down... and it’s hard to beat the .223 for a survival caliber. 7.62x39 Caliber At around 30 rounds per pound 7.62x39 ammo is cheap, abundant and has excellent stopping power although an AK type rifle may be hard to conceal. But if you don't give a rip about concealing your bug out rifle the proven 7.62x39 cartridge may be a great choice for you.

How much money I should have to not work?
How much money I should have to not work?

Using the 4% rule to estimate how much money you need to never work again involves knowing how much you plan on spending that first year or...

Read More »
Will we run out of food in 30 years?
Will we run out of food in 30 years?

It said scientists put the limit on how many people Earth can feed at 10 billion maximum. The website uses the latest and most accurate live...

Read More »

Considering a 12GA Shot Gun Although a good 12 gauge shot gun is one of my favorite, up close and personal, home defense and hunting weapons - it’s HUGE downside is that on average you get only about 10 rounds per pound - and each round takes up a considerable amount of room in a limited sized pack. But the versatility of ammo available in 12GA from slugs, to various sized shot for game and birds - may be enough to push those with a strong back over the edge. For more information on hunting specific calibers I've included this cool inforgraphic from Hunter-Ed (See Below)...

Here's a Few Great Books on Hunting Rifles...

Here's a Few Great Movies Featuring Top Hunting Rifles...

What should not do in kitchen?
What should not do in kitchen?

19 Things You Should Never Do In A Kitchen Never try to catch a falling knife. ... Don't add dry flour or cornstarch to hot liquid. ... Never use...

Read More »
What should we avoid during reading?
What should we avoid during reading?

Reading without purpose. Many students dutifully read a text from start to finish, only to realize at the end that they're not sure exactly what...

Read More »
Is Switch weaker than PS4?
Is Switch weaker than PS4?

The Switch runs off of a customised Nvidia Tegra X1 chipset, while the PS4 contains an AMD Jaguar CPU and a 1.84 TFlops AMD Radeon GPU. What that...

Read More »
Are Love Islanders allowed to sleep together?
Are Love Islanders allowed to sleep together?

Sleeping and bed-sharing rules on Love Island Well, basically, the rules say that Islanders should share a bed with who they're coupled with - and...

Read More »