7 Best Survival Firearms: Which is Right For You?
Gun owners tend to be the prepared type. They tend to have generators, water stashed, food, and beyond. Most tend to be outdoor types who embrace adventure. I hike, hunt, kayak, and camp as frequently as a busy schedule allows. If you like to adventure and you like to be prepared, you’ll have a plan of what to do in an emergency. That prep can include lots of things, but this is Gun University, so we are talking firearms. Today, we are talking about the best survival firearms.
What’s a Survival Firearm?
A survival firearm is a weapon that can be used in a pinch to harvest game or to protect the user. We can use most guns as survival firearms, but some excel at the role. A good survival firearm is often purpose-built, with many features that make it better suited for survival situations. These firearms are not your typical defensive firearms. While any gun can be used defensively, survival firearms are usually designed and oriented for hunting.
Survival firearms are well suited as a secondary thought on your adventures. Something you keep in the back of the boat, on the kayak, or in the bottom of the bush plane. It’s not used daily, but it’s insurance to cover your butt in case things go wrong.
It’s also a gun you can shove in your bug-out bag or strap to your bug-out bag and kind of forget about. If the wildfire, tsunami, or zombies are coming your way, you grab the bag and go. It’s not a gun you shoot all the time, and it’s not the best gun for every task, but it’s a gun, and having a gun is more important than having the perfect gun.
The Features of Survival Firearms
If it’s a survival situation, you are likely on foot, and ounces equal pounds and pounds equal pain. You want a lightweight weapon that’s easy to tote and easy to pack out. You might not always be able to have hands on with your weapon, so you likely want the ability to toss it in a pack. This requires the weapon to be lightweight and very compact. This makes takedown and folding guns very attractive.
You also want to find a weapon that can be used in your area to take game and defend yourself. In big game county, a .22LR might not be enough. In the southeast, a .22LR might work extremely well. You need to find the right caliber and configuration that not only works for you but for your environment.
You typically want a weapon that’s versatile and can be used for a variety of situations. You don’t want to be boxed in if you can avoid it.
Gun University’s Choices of the Best Survival Firearms
Best Survival Firearms
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Best Survival Firearms
Here is our list for the best survival firearms:
- Savage Model 42 (Best combo gun)
- Chiappa Little Badger Extreme (Best single shot 22LR)
- Henry AR-7 (Best semi-auto 22LR)
- Axor Arms PAF12 (Best shotgun)
- CZ 600 Trail (Best bolt action)
- S&W M&P FPC (Best 9mm)
- Any AR-15 Carbine (Best semi-auto)
Best Survival Firearms – Reviews
1 Savage Model 42 Takedown : Best combo gun
Savage Model 42 Takedown
A break action over under featuring both 22LR and .410 barrels.
- Shootability A
- Reliability A
- Ergonomics B
- Accuracy A-
- Value A
Our Grade
A-
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TBD
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Savage Model 42 Takedown Specs
- Barrel length 20 in
- Overall length 35.75 in
- Weight 6.1 lbs
- Action Single shot
- Caliber .22LR / .410
Savage Model 42 Takedown Review
The Savage Model 42 Takedown is the successor to rifles like the M6 used by pilots way back when. This modernized combination gun mixes a rifle with a shotgun to provide a diverse, powerful weapon for survival. The Model 42 features either a .22LR or .22 Magnum top barrel and a .410 lower barrel. Both are single-shot guns that share a hammer.
The Model 42 has a take-down feature that allows it to break in two. The barrel separates from the receiver to make a very compact and easy-toting package. Weighing six pounds, it is surprisingly light and easy to shovel into your bug-out bag. The furniture is polymer, so it shrugs off the elements, and you don’t have to baby the gun.
Rimfire rounds and .410 shotshells aren’t powerhouse cartridges by any means, but they are very capable. The .410 shotgun can take deer and even small hogs with buckshot, especially since it can take 3-inch shells. Throw birdshot in the .410 barrel, and you can kill small game with ease. The .22 barrel offers you more range for small ground-based game.
Using these smaller calibers makes it easy to carry a good bit of ammunition. Carrying 500 rounds of .22LR or Magnum is easy. .410 shotshells are considerably larger, but small for shotgun shells and also easy to carry.
It won’t be great for bear country, but to scrape by, it works. The Model 42 is a break-action weapon, and that does make it inherently slow to use, so make those shots count. It comes with plastic sights, which aren’t great, but an optics rail is available for better sighting options. The little, lightweight Model 42 is easy to shoot and well-suited for survival.
Savage Model 42 Takedown Pros and Cons
- Take down design
- Dual claibers
- Lightweight
- Flimsy sights
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$399.99
2 Chiappa Little Badger Xtreme : best single-shot 22LR
Chiappa Little Badger Xtreme
This rifle is perfect for stashing away in the event of emergency or wilderness survival and can become even smaller than the original Little Badger
- Shootability A
- Reliability B+
- Ergonomics C
- Accuracy B
- Value B+
Our Grade
B
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TBD
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Chiappa Little Badger Extreme Specs
- Barrel length 16.5 in
- Overall length 40.6 in
- Weight 1.5 lbs
- Action Single shot
- Caliber .22LR
Chiappa Little Badger Extreme Review
The Little Badger series has always been the most minimalist rimfire rifle on the market. Chiappa’s Little Badger Extreme found a way to make a light and small rifle even lighter and smaller. The Little Badger Extreme doesn’t just fold, but breaks down into a tiny package. The single simple rod supports a folding butt plate, and the barrel separates from the receiver. This takes a 40-inch-long gun and creates a package that is only 17 inches long overall.
It comes with a small waterproof case for easy and safe storage. The case keeps dirt and debris out of the rifle’s chamber and innards. It also makes it easier to store in a bug-out bag or even a glove box. It weighs only 1.5 pounds, so it also won’t weigh you down if stored packed in a bag. To keep the rifle so short and light, it chambers the .22LR cartridge.
The .22LR limits you to small game and relatively close range due to the lack of energy the .22LR has compared to standard rifle rounds. You can pick off squirrels, ground-based birds, and rabbits with no issue. A .22LR isn’t the ethical choice for something like deer, but if you’re in a survival situation, a headshot can go a long way.
The rifle comes with surprisingly nice sights. They are a little flimsy, but are M1-type peep sights that are adjustable and easy to use. It’s ready for optics with the quad rail in front of the sights. The Little Badger Extreme doesn’t offer much support in terms of the stock, but it’s enough to get the job done. The Little Badger Extreme is an affordable and fun little gun that shoots straight. It’s about as minimalist as a rifle can get. Go read our complete review on the Chiappa Little Badger.
Chiappa Little Badger Extreme Pros and Cons
- Lightweight
- Extremely compact
- Decent sights
- Stock lacks support
- Slow to fire
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$206.78
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$255.99
3 Henry AR-7 : best semi-auto 22lr
Henry AR-7
Henry’s version of the U.S. Survival Rifle, a semi auto 22LR, originally designed by Eugene Stone at Armalite.
- Shootability A
- Reliability B
- Ergonomics B
- Accuracy A
- Value A
Our Grade
A-
Reader’s Grade
B
Based on 3 Reviews
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Henry AR-7 Specs
- Barrel length 16.125 in
- Overall length 35
- Weight 3.5
- Action Semi-auto
- Caliber .22LR
Henry AR-7 Review
The AR-7 was originally an Armalite design, and much like the AR-15, it still bears the AR namesake, even though Henry now owns the rights and produces the gun. The original AR-7s were designed for pilot survival, and the rifle has passed from manufacturer to manufacturer. Henry was the first company to make it function mostly reliably. The Henry AR-7 is one of the few dedicated survival rifles that has a repeating design and semi-auto action.
The AR-7 is a blowback-operated, semi-automatic .22LR rifle. It feeds from a single stack eight-round magazine. The rifle is still very small and compact. It weighs only 3.5 pounds and breaks down into two pieces. The action and barrel are separate from the stock. The barrel also separates from the receiver. Users can then put the action, barrel, and two magazines into the stock of the rifle.
This creates a more compact package and also protects the action, barrel, and magazines. The stock can float and is made from hard polymer. It assembles in seconds without tools and jumps into action. The semi-auto design makes it perfect for fast follow-up shots and even allows it to be a defensive weapon in a pinch. The Henry AR-7 features some nice sights, as well as an optic rail. However, an optic will make it impossible to store the rifle in the stock.
The Henry AR-7 is reliable but a little ammo-picky. It works best with hot .22LR ammo, like Mini Mags, Federal Automatch, and similar full-powered .22LR loads. The AR-7 works fine with those loads but chokes with lesser loads. Keep that in mind when equipping your bug-out bag with an AR-7.
Henry AR-7 Pros and Cons
- Breaks down easily
- Great sights
- Semi-auto action
- Ammo picky
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$235.74
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$265.37
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$267.99
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$277.50
4 Axor Arms PAF12 : best shotgun
Axor Arms PAF12
A unique folding pump action shotgun in 12 gauge.
- Shootability A
- Reliability A
- Ergonomics B
- Accuracy B
- Value A
Our Grade
A-
Reader’s Grade
TBD
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Axor Arms PAF12 Specs
- Barrel length 18.5 in
- Overall length 39 in
- Weight 6.5 lbs
- Action Pump-action
- Caliber 12 gauge
Axor Arms PAF12 Review
Let’s get out of the rimfire world and embrace some power! The Axor Arms PAF12 is a twelve-gauge pump-action shotgun. There are plenty of great 12-gauge shotguns out there, so why does this Turkish import make the list? Well, it folds in half! That’s right, the front and top of the receiver fold downwards from the stock and lower receiver. This cuts the length in half.
This makes the gun short and sweet. It’s still stocked and easy to store. Outside of the folding mechanism, there isn’t much to make the shotgun stand out from other designs. It’s a tube-fed gun that holds four rounds. It can chamber up to a three-inch cartridge. Twelve-gauge shotguns are excellent survival weapons.
The wide variety of ammunition types makes it easy to tailor the gun to your chosen prey. Buckshot can take medium game and makes it easy to hit moving targets. Birdshot works well for small game of all types. Slugs can extend the range of the shotgun and can take down big game like bears if necessary. The pump-action shotgun can also be an excellent defensive weapon.
The Axor Arms PAF12 is reliable. I’ve put several hundred rounds through mine, and it’s been problem-free. The take-down latch acts as a decent rear sight, and the front sight is also easy to see and use. It’s tough to customize, but it’s perfectly useable. The downside is this silly spring in the pump that wants to drive the pump closed. It makes it tougher to cycle, so removing that spring is a must.
Axor Arms PAF12 Pros and Cons
- Folding design
- Repeating design
- Versatile
- Stupid pump spring
Axor Arms PAF12 Deals
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$340.91
5 CZ 600 Trail : Best bolt-action
CZ 600 Trail
A magazine fed bolt action rifle with collapsible stock and a threaded 16 inch barrel.
- Shootability A
- Reliability A
- Ergonomics A
- Accuracy A
- Value C
Our Grade
A-
Reader’s Grade
TBD
Based on 0 Reviews
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CZ 600 Trail Rifle Specs
- Barrel length 16.2 in
- Overall length 35 in
- Weight 6.1 lbs
- Action Bolt-action
- Caliber .223 / 7.62×39
CZ 600 Trail Rifle Review
The CZ 600 Trail is a very compact and lightweight bolt-action rifle that comes in either 5.56 or 7.62×39. The 5.56 variant uses AR magazines, and the 7.62 variant uses Bren 2 magazines. For a bolt-action rifle, it’s a rather odd design, but the Trail moniker gives you some hints about its use. It’s designed to be incredibly lightweight and easy to carry on the trail. The CZ 600 takes a minimalist stance to create a short and lightweight bolt-action rifle.
The CZ 600 Trail doesn’t break down or fold, but the stock collapses to help make the weapon quite short and compact. It’s only 27.2 inches long and weighs 6.1 pounds. It’s not easy to shove into a pack, but it is still light and enough to be strapped to one. The forend features an M-LOK rail, and the rifle is optic-ready.
The 600 Trail Series uses AR-like ergonomics, and the pistol grip is even replaceable and compatible with AR pistol grips. Ergonomically, it’s mostly ambidextrous, and the stock’s cheek rest can be swapped for left-handed use. In my testing, the rifle delivers sub-MOA accuracy and is quite pleasant and easy to shoot. Toss on a lightweight LPVO, and you have a super handy, super accurate, and very reliable rifle.
The CZ 600 Trail rifle’s calibers aren’t super powerful but can reliably take medium game, including deer and hogs. It’s a lightweight caliber that’s easy to store and quite common. My rifle is the 5.56 version, and AR mag compatibility is great, but it, oddly enough, doesn’t work with aluminum mags, so keep that in mind.
CZ 600 Trail Rifle Pros and Cons
- Lightweight
- Super accurate
- Great ergonomics
- Polymer mags only
CZ 600 Trail Rifle Deals
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$879.99
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$999.99
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$1,011.79
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$1,041.99
6 Smith & Wesson M&P FPC : best 9mm
Smith & Wesson M&P FPC
A PCC featuring a folding stock with extra ammo storage and MLOK handguard.
- Shootability A
- Reliability A-
- Ergonomics A
- Accuracy A-
- Value A-
Our Grade
A-
Reader’s Grade
TBD
Based on 0 Reviews
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S&W M&P FPC Specs
- Barrel length 16.25 in
- Overall length 30.4 in
- Weight 5.02 lbs
- Action Semi-auto
- Caliber 9mm
S&W M&P FPC Review
The genre of folding guns often works well with the world of survival firearms. Most folding guns are single shots, but the S&W FPC brings you a semi-auto action in a folding platform. The FPC, or Folding Pistol Carbine, is a pistol caliber carbine that folds in half. The barrel separates from the receiver and folds to the side, locking onto the rear of the gun. It’s not the first folding carbine, but it’s the highest-quality folding rifle on the market.
The S&W FPC is a 9mm carbine. Pistol calibers aren’t well known for their power, but they are capable of defensive use. The FPC could be used for hunting, but you are limited to rather close ranges. Still, a 9mm 147-grain JHP could drop a deer with good shot placement. It’s not great for ethical hunting, but survival is a different game. The FPC uses S&W M&P pistol magazines and comes with two 23-round magazines and one 17-round magazine.
The gun’s stock is not only supportive and comfy to use, but you can stash two loaded magazines into slots in the stock. This allows you to carry 63 rounds of 9mm on the gun pretty easily. I’ll admit I’m slow using the stock-mounted magazines to reload the gun, but with practice, it can be done in three to four seconds. The FPC is quite reliable with its blowback action.
Recoil is minimal, as is the weight of the gun. The FPC is light and compact, making it perfect for tighter quarters. When folded, it can fit in a pack or be strapped to the side of one. The gun is very easy to use and is perfect for beginners. The commonality of 9mm ammo makes it easy to find ammo, and 9mm won’t weigh you down too much. We compared the S&W M&P FPC to the Henry Homesteader in full length article.
S&W M&P FPC Pros and Cons
- Folding design
- Uses common caliber and magazines
- Lightweight
- Only a pistol round
S&W M&P FPC Deals
-
$573.00
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$579.00
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$579.00
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$579.00
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$579.00
7 BCM Recce-16 MCMR : best semi-auto
BCM Recce-16 MCMR
Bravo Company Manufacturing rifle with 16 in barrel with mid length gas system and M-lok handguard.
- Shootability A
- Reliability A
- Ergonomics A
- Accuracy A
- Value A
Our Grade
A
Reader’s Grade
TBD
Based on 0 Reviews
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Any AR-15 Carbine Specs
- Barrel length 16 in
- Overall length 35.5 in
- Weight 6.1 lbs
- Action Semi-auto
- Caliber 5.56 NATO
Any AR-15 Carbine Review
Finally, our last choice is one of the more versatile and common options. Any standard AR-15 rifle makes an excellent survival rifle. Particularly an AR-15 carbine that tends to be on the lightweight side. Most weigh around seven pounds, and that’s fairly light. AR-15s are quite common, and they come in every budget imaginable. An AR-15 carbine is a very accessible and capable survival firearm.
It’s not the lightest or smallest, but it does break down. The ability to separate the upper receiver from the lower receiver makes the AR-15 easy to pack and stash. The semi-auto design and rifle calibers make them very competent weapons for a wide variety of tasks. Most chamber the 5.56 caliber, and that’s common and easy to locate. Magazines, spare parts, accessories, and more make the AR easy to outfit.
Shooters can hunt medium game with ease and have a very capable weapon for self-defense. It’s easy to accessorize, but they will start to add weight to the platform. The AR-15 carbine design is also quite reliable. The biggest downside will be the weight. This is a heavier rifle than most on this list and tougher to pack out. Read our complete article on the best AR-15 rifles.
Any AR-15 Carbine Pros and Cons
- Super reliable
- Excellent versatility
- Common and affordable
- Heavier than most
Any AR-15 Carbine Deals
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$1,466.98
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$1,690.99
The World of Survival Firearms
Before we end the article, let’s dig a bit more into the topic of survival firearms at a deeper level. Let’s go a little deeper into the world that rotates around survival firearms you might not be considering.
Caliber
Caliber matters a lot and in more ways than you think. When choosing a survival firearm, you have to look at the caliber and what you need it to do. We need to consider the game we’re likely to hunt and the threats we are likely to face. Bear country might be a great place for a .44 Magnum lever gun or a 12-gauge shotgun.
Outside of the power, you need to consider the logistics of your weapon and the ammo you’re using. A shotgun’s great, but 12-gauge shells are bulky and heavy. The same goes for the .308 versus 5.56 argument. There is a reason why the 5.56 was such an effective option for soldiers in Vietnam and today. It’s lightweight and easy to carry.
More ammo is better than less ammo. Carrying a few hundred rounds of .22LR is really easy to do and offers you tons of extra shots if you need them. It’s about finding the right balance of a round that suits your needs and won’t weigh you down.
Must-Have Accessories
One of the big positive features of a survival gun is its ability to be lightweight and easily packed. Once you start tossing on accessories, things can get heavy quickly. At the same time, are you getting the most out of your survival rifle without some necessary accessories?
For example, if I go with the AR or CZ 600, am I getting the most out of it without a magnified optic of some kind? It’s likely not, so I might start looking for a microprism. If I’m rolling with a Savage Model 42, I don’t need a 1-6 LPVO, but a micro red dot is pretty handy. Your accessories need to make sense of your weapon.
The one accessory I will advise for all survival weapons is some form of sling. It doesn’t need to be fancy, but a sling is a godsend. It helps you retain your weapon of choice and provides a supportive strap to carry the weapon. A sling is 100% necessary, but everything else just needs to make sense.
What About Handguns?
I’m sure you’ve noticed that every weapon on this list is a rifle or shotgun. It’s handgun-free. Does that make handguns poor survival weapons? They are admittedly compact and lightweight by nature. Handguns can be great survival tools, but they are much more challenging to use. Handguns are tougher to shoot accurately.
I also didn’t include handguns because, in my world, I’m already carrying a handgun. It’s just a daily accessory for me. A survival firearm tends to be a long gun because of its capability, accuracy, versatility, and the fact the handgun is there by default.
Survive On
Survival firearms are an entire genre these days. There are tons of great options out there, and hopefully, we’ve helped you narrow it down and made your pick even easier. With that said, what gun would you take into the great outdoors if faced with a survival situation? Let us know below!
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About Travis Pike
Travis is a former United States Marine Corps Infantryman and currently a firearms writer, instructor, and works in Emergency Management.
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