6 Best Survival Guns in 2024: Different Firearms For SHTF Moments

What is a survival gun?

Simply put, a survival gun is the one you grab when a pistol caliber won’t suffice. Whether in the city or the backcountry, a survival gun helps you get home.

There are many situations, settings, and times where having the right caliber and style of firearm to get you home safely will differ.

For example, consider the AR-15. Is it a great survival gun? Yes, especially in settings like your home or urban environments, where the .223 Remington/5.56×45 is effective against the typical target(s).

Since its introduction in the late 1950s, the .223 Remington has been a wonder-caliber for many roles. And there’s a reason why: it’s capable and versatile.

And it’s an affordable round. With the right rifle, you have a setup that will last you for many years. That’s why I recommend the Noveske Chainsaw, which balances quality and affordability.

Now, I’m not saying that the .223 Remington is the best round for every scenario.

Would I want to have an AR-15 when I’m driving through Alaska and my truck dies? No, I’d like a larger caliber, like .308.

In this article, we’ll discuss several firearms suitable as survival guns and explain how to choose one.

Image	Product	Price
	Best Overall- Noveske Chainsaw	Check Price
	Best Value – Aero Precision M4E1	Check Price
	Best Compact Survival Gun – Cry Havoc Takedown Kit On AR-15	Check Price
	Best SHTF Rifle – American Defense Manufacturing UIC Mod 2	Check Price
	Best For Affordability – Palmetto State Armory Sabre	Check Price
	Best General Purpose Rifle – LaRue PredatOBR	Check Price

Best Overall- Noveske Chainsaw 

Specifications

Pros & Cons

Suppose you want a solid hard-use rifle for when the time comes. In that case, the Noveske Chainsaw is a top-tier rifle that can handle all the dirt and rock that’ll kick up, and even though it costs more than a budget rifle, it won’t give up on you when you need it most.

From its forged 7075-T6 aluminum upper and lower receivers to its heat-treated steel MPI-tested bolt, it’s made to withstand some serious use.

It features a mid-length gas system, an ALG Defense Advanced Combat Trigger, and a Radian Raptor LT ambidextrous charging handle, to name a few of the highlights.  

It also has plenty of space for optics via the full-length Picatinny rail and M-LOK slots all over the handguard for your accessories.

Best Value – Aero Precision M4E1 

Specifications

Pros & Cons

The M4E1 is one of the most solid and well-performing budget rifles in 2023. Aero Precision has a history of producing solid rifles at an affordable price, so there’s no surprise here.

Since a survival gun is most likely to sit in a bag or your vehicle for a rainy day, much like a home defense rifle, spending a ton of money on it may not make sense for some.

And with the lower price of the M4E1, it leaves a lot of room in your budget for buying attachments and ammo.

Which is essential, you know. Do you really want to be running around with no sights or a way to keep the rifle tight to your body?

We’ll talk all about that in a minute.

The M4E1 has plenty of M-LOK slots and Picatinny rail space for those attachments and accessories. It also comes with ambidextrous controls and upgraded furniture.

It’ll work in home defense scenarios, your truck, and a survival scenario.

Best .22 Caliber Rifle For Survival – Ruger 10/22 Tactical 

Specifications

Pros & Cons

.22 LR (Long Rifle) has ample mystery behind it.

Did your grandpa REALLY take down that buck with a .22 ‘right between the eyes’? Only he and God know that one, but it does make for a great story. Odds are? It didn’t happen.

.22 LR is a varmint-sized cartridge. I know I will probably cause an argument in the comments, but it just isn’t as good for taking down large game as some say.

Still, the ammo cost is cheap, and the 10/22 can put food on the table. And it’s legal to own in states where owning an AR-15 is more complicated due to treasonous gun laws.

With a standard 25-round magazine, a full-length Picatinny rail to mount your optics and a cold hammer-forged barrel, you get a lot of bang for the buck. The rifle is also compatible with the Silent-SR sound suppressor if you need to remain stealthy.

That makes it a pretty good option for survival, but not if survival means fighting other human beings. This wouldn’t be an end goal for me, and I will only ever recommend firearms that can actually work in all areas.

However, if you’re dead set on .22LR, look at the Ruger 10/22. They’re affordable, well-constructed, reliable, and offer many different models and trims.

Best Compact Survival Gun – Cry Havoc Takedown Kit On AR-15

Specifications

Pros & Cons

So you want compatibility and a rifle that will get you home.

Well, modern problems require modern solutions. And what can be more modern than an AR-15 that can fold into three and stowed in the smallest places?

The answer: Nothing.

Instead of trying to list just one gun here, we figured we’d go with a takedown kit. Takedown kits are the quickest and easiest way to shed inches from the overall length of your rifle (when not in use) and the best way to have extra firepower on you.

They are quite genius, honestly.

With the Cry Havoc takedown kit on an M4E1 from Aero Precision (which we talked about above), you can get your rifle down to a mere eight inches overall (depending on your barrel length). It’ll fit anywhere.

You may need a compact survival gun from the truck to the backpack or anywhere else, and this takedown kit will ensure you can fit one anywhere. It may be pricey, but it is well worth it since you can use it on many different rifles.

Best SHTF Rifle – American Defense Manufacturing UIC Mod 2

Specifications

Pros & Cons

The UIC Mod 2 from American Defense Manufacturing (ADM) is a rifle you’ve probably never heard of from a company you’ve probably never heard of. But should you have? Absolutely.

The UIC Mod 2 has one of the best lower receivers on the market. The lower is constructed from aircraft-grade billet aluminum and is hard coat type 3 Mil-Spec anodized for durability. It is fully ambidextrous and comes with a Geissele G2s trigger, standard.

As for accuracy, it comes with a Criterion barrel. It’s more than capable of Sub-MOA accuracy with the right ammo. But even with the wrong ammo, you’ll get about 1 MOA.

It’s built for the hard use. It’s commonly used by law enforcement but has also been used by special warfare operators and various three-letter agencies.

No wonder ADM has an extended lead time.

Best For Affordability – Palmetto State Armory Sabre

Specifications

Pros & Cons

I’m a firm believer that you pay for what you get.

That said, the Sabre differs from what you usually get when you pick up a budget rifle. An ambidextrous safety is quickly noticeable, and then, as you pull back the ambidextrous charging handle, you see the South Carolina state tree with two sabers.

A little further investigation reveals it’s from Radian.

The rifle also has a Hiperfire RBT trigger and a Microbest BCG.

PSA is stepping up its game and has found a way to bridge the gap between “budget” and a rifle worthy of a Top 10 spot among all the other rifles in the industry.

I know, big words. But you can rarely pay under $1,000 and get a rifle that is up to the task of some serious use.

Check out our PSA Sabre review for more information.

Best General Purpose Rifle – LaRue PredatOBR

Specifications

Pros & Cons

I know this rifle costs more than a used car (well, maybe a couple of years ago), so before I talk about it, I will vouch for the Sig 716i Tread as a good budget 7.62 option, but it is heavier.

Anyway, LaRue Tactical. Most of us know LaRue for making great triggers that rival and mock Geissele, but some may not know that LaRue also makes rifles more than capable of withstanding some serious use.

I recommend it due to its lightweight (important when you’re moving around the woods) and the .308 Winchester’s capability of stopping animals in their tracks, whether they’re your dinner or they want to make you dinner.

Hey, it’s the wilderness.

Despite being lightweight, it’s still highly durable, as it is CNC-machined from billet aluminum. The PredatOBR can be “broken down” and stored if needed. Combining that with the lower weight makes it an excellent choice for hiking long distances.

It also features LaRue’s MBT trigger, R.A.T. 6-position stock, and a handguard with tons of room for accessories.

Again, this rifle is expensive. But if you’re in the wilderness in a survival situation, you’ll need the extra stopping power over a distance, and that’s what you get with a .308.

When picking these rifles, we wanted affordability, availability, and ease of use. The Armalite platform is one of the easiest to use, with a ton of aftermarket and original manufacturer support, and ammo can be found almost anywhere.

That goes for 5.56×45 and .308 Winchester.

I did feature one or two higher-end options, but you get what you pay for. And if you can afford it, the PredatOBR is built for survival.

Some will say the .308 Winchester is too big for a truck gun, but I beg to differ.

.308 Winchester is a general-purpose caliber, which means it gets the job done quickly and efficiently.

Why I Recommend The AR-15 For Survival Rifles

The AR-15 is the perfect middle-ground between not too much and not too little. Although unethical, killing a deer with a well-placed 5.56×45 is easy, and it has been doing well against human beings for a long time.

Additionally, if you want to shoot something heavier, all you need to do is swap your upper. Now you’re shooting .300 BLK. Do you want to shoot varmint? A .22 LR conversion kit is easy to keep on you.

I know you will be carrying three different ammo types, but these are the types of options you’ll have with an AR-15.

And you can essentially have three rifles in one.

But that’s not the only reason why I recommend an AR-15.

Think about it. You’re in a survival situation, and if this is a SHTF scenario, finding parts for a firearm is going to be complicated. And if you do, they will cost a ton of money.

But, since there are millions of AR-15s in America, you can bet parts will be available when needed. And there will be a lot of 5.56×45 running around, so you don’t have to worry about ammo.

Considering those reasons, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see why the AR-15 is a great survival option.

Training For When The Time Comes

What is having a gun and all this other gear if you don’t know how to use it? Oh, sure, everyone can pull a trigger.

But there’s a difference between pulling a trigger and learning how to effectively and efficiently get rounds on target.

So I’m telling you to hit the range, shooter. Look for training classes to teach you how to use your firearm effectively. If you’re in a survival scenario, you’ll already be filled with adrenaline; there’s no need to make it harder on yourself by having unfamiliar gear.

If you feel you aren’t ready for training classes, here are some things you can do to improve your skills.

Dry Firing

The holy grail of shooting drills because it doesn’t cost a dollar, and you don’t have to leave home to do it. And it can be done over and over and over again.

We also put together a guide on the best dry fire training systems to help you improve your shooting skills.

Find yourself a room where you can be completely alone. Preferably, this room will have a safe wall to point your gun at, where there is nothing on the other side (no neighbors, family members, or the dog).

All ammo should be removed from this room, not one round left, utterly empty of anything that can cause the gun to go bang. Snap caps could stay, but they should have a different finish than live ammo. Red is typical and is the one I use.

Post a note on your door that “no live ammo is allowed past this point.” And stick to it.

Now, hang a target on the wall where you’ll aim your gun. I typically choose a human silhouette target since human survival instincts and anarchy are the most likely threats where I live.

But that’s where you have to think about what you’ll potentially be aiming at.

Stand away from the target and practice your presentation (draw). Square your body to the target, both feet in the direction of the threat, move your dominant foot back six inches, and squat an inch or two.

I tell you to practice your draw because that is where the firearm will most likely be when you encounter a threat—either a pistol in the holster or a rifle slung across your chest.

Just practice the draw. It’s the part people mess up on the most, believe it or not. Once you’re comfortable with that, you can incorporate pulling the trigger as part of the sequence.

After this is done, you can move on to step two.

Draw (Present) and Fire

Now that you have drawn your firearm, incorporating the shot is the next step to building the muscle memory you need to be effective with a firearm.

Same as before, you’re going to draw or present your chosen firearm and put your sights on the target.

Start slowly. There’s no need to rush. Mistakes happen when we rush.

Since you’ve been dry-firing, this should come naturally. Now you’re just adding the firing.

This is where you determine if your timing is off or need to work on your aim. You may find you’re pulling the trigger to the right, left, down, or up. There are reasons for each, and here’s how to mitigate each.

Or how to figure out the ways you should adjust your grip. Once you start seeing consistent accuracy with your firearm and are comfortable with the mechanics of presenting and shooting a round, you can move on to the next drill.

Bill Drill

This old drill was made by a guy named, you guessed it, Bill. And it was done on a wheel gun, hence the six shots in the drill.

You’re firing six shots at the target instead of one. Nothing has changed; everything is the same, but you’re shooting more rounds.

Seriously, everything is the same. Draw, aim, and shoot. But do it five more times than you did with the last drill.

Of course, this neat little drill is favored by those who use guns for defensive purposes. The purpose of the Bill drill is to polish the fundamentals that will save your life in a defensive shooting.

It’s not as simple as just aiming the firearm and squeezing the trigger until there are no rounds left. These shots must be center mass.

Like anything else, getting good and fast with the Bill Drill requires starting slow. Don’t get so caught up in sending rounds down range that you can’t accurately place your rounds in the target area; just get one in, release the trigger slowly, pull it again, release it slowly, and so forth.

Mozambique

Ammo is expensive, and time is of the essence when you have to draw your gun. Why shoot them six times when you can get it done in three?

The Mozambique drill is a two-to-the-chest and one-to-the-head firing sequence. Everything is still the same, but you’re shooting the target twice in the A-Zone and then once in the head.

It helps to use IPSC/USPSA targets with Mozambique and Bill Drills to have the human silhouette with indicated zones.

Again, start slow. The head is not the best place to aim when in a defensive shooting, so ensure you take extra care here.

Customizing Your Survival Gun

The best part about getting a new gun is it’s a blank slate. A new canvas. Or, as most experienced shooters see it, a money pit.

A common mistake I see shooters make is doing too much to their survival gun. You don’t need a competition trigger with a one-pound trigger pull, and you don’t need a barrel capable of sub-MOA from 1,000 yards, either.

It just needs to work well. It shouldn’t be a piece of garbage, but it doesn’t have to have the most expensive parts on it.

As a general rule of thumb, any rifle being used for defensive purposes needs three attachments:

A light for positive identification of your target and to help assess the situation.

A sling to keep the firearm close to your body if you have to use your hands but don’t want to set your rifle down.

An optic so you can shoot faster and farther. Most engagements happen within 40 yards, so take what you will from that information.

Everything else should come after. A suppressor will be of great use if you really want to build the ultimate survival rifle. But they are expensive and take time to acquire. It does pay off, though.

Lastly, don’t get so caught up with attachments that you add unnecessary weight to your firearm. Take it shooting and see what you need, and forget the rest.

Legal Considerations

The type of survival gun you can keep in your vehicle or anywhere else will depend on your area’s laws.

I believe that being a victim isn’t an option, so having your firearm on you as much as possible is a must.

It’s easy to find out what you can and cannot have by Googling your state laws. Most places don’t like when you have an AR-15 in your truck, and others don’t want you having a firearm in your car at all.

This is a touchy subject. Some people don’t care about the law, and others never have had a parking ticket.

Do your research, understand your local laws, and decide for yourself how to best proceed.

Maintaining Your Survival Gun

If you’re going to be effective with your survival gun, you’ll have to train with it. If you’re going to train with it, you’re going to have to maintain it.

This could be anything from a quick cleaning to a full-on breakdown to change parts. Either way, it’s essential to know the ins and outs of your firearm so you can take it apart, replace what needs replacing, and get it all back together.

While I could sit here and tell you how to break down every firearm, I don’t think I could keep you interested that long. Cleaning is one of the dull/tedious sides of firearm ownership for many, and I’ve made a bunch of money doing this for other shooters.

It pays to be good at what people hate doing, like plumbing or roofing.

Anyway, once you figure out what firearm you want to go with, you should spend time on YouTube watching videos on how to clean it, what parts to watch out for, and how to replace those parts (and all the others).

Additionally, you should learn what type of ammo works best with it.

If you’re choosing an AR-15 for a survival gun, I recommend checking out School Of The American Rifle on YouTube. Chad is a wealth of knowledge, and I still learn things from him constantly.

But there are a ton of videos out there for every firearm. Learn before it’s too late.

Other Items To Help You Survive

• Spare Underwear and Socks (most important)
• First Aid Kit (and training)
• Ammo
• Communication source (HAM Radio or CB Radio)
• Water filters
• Knowledge of plants (you’d be surprised)
• Knife
• Multitool
• Fire source (a good lighter will do)
• Military-style poncho (for shelter)

Here are other things you should think of acquiring (or stowing away)

• Level 4 Armor
• Cash
• Emergency food

And one thing you should obtain before anything else

• Training (on how to survive as a whole, from treating cuts to different edible plants)

There were many firearms that I considered for this list.

Many were thrown into the ring and picked apart. For example, I wanted to add the LMT MARS-H but found it heavier than the PredatOBR. It also failed more in a head-to-head test.

But I trust the monolithic upper receiver on the MARS-H more than the one on the PredatOBR.

A solid piece of aluminum is always stronger than two individual pieces. 

All of these picks stood out for one reason or another. The cost-to-quality ratio was the most significant factor. I’ve seen PSA and Aero Precision rifles do hard work and show that budget rifles can hold up to the task.

Don’t worry about spending a ton of money. Practical and tactical go hand in hand these days. And none of these rifles will lead you down the wrong path.

Pick up a rifle within your price range, invest some money on attachments since those are more likely to break, get trained, and you’ll be fine.

Be good and take care.