Listening to Michael Bane’s podcast and his eternal (sounds like that but ain’t) talk about a gun combo for travel across the nation and an article by Ken Matthews in the latest SWAT Magazine, I gave it again some thought at what I would carry that would give me the least amount of trouble with authorities, a 50-state set up if you can call it that but it is not quite accurate.
So what is the point of this kit? This will be the collection of objects that will help you make it home when you are far away and something major has happened that created or is about to create a fracture and/or collapse of social services and/or civilized behavior.
The kit has to have a sidearm, a rifle of some sorts both in calibers that are easy to find. I decided that I would make it single caliber as to eliminate one more possible problem but not losing that much in firepower.
For the long gun: A custom-made Alaskan Co-Pilot in .357 Magnum.
Not a cheap gun at all that will set you back $2,400. But the take-down part will reduce travel bulk by half, a good thing if you don’t want to advertise much. I would particularly go with small red dot and co-witnessing iron sights/ Express sights and somewhere to hook up a single-point sling. From what I have read, a good commercial/hunting .357 Magnum round coming out of a rifle will reach the 1,700 to 1,900 fps range or just short of the .30-30 caliber physics.
As for handgun, I’d go for the Smith & Wesson Model 627, 4″ barrel, 8-shot in .357 Magnum:
I am very comfortable shooting revolver and I think the 4 barrel is the best compromise for carry. Being an 8-shot gun reloadable with moon clips will make it an equal or better sidearm than a 1911. This sucker retails for $969 which brings the price of the kit sans the rest of the ancillary stuff at $3,500. (Florida Lotto…where are you?)
Both guns will shoot the .38 Special cartridge which is a nifty thing for practice or if .357 is a tad hard to find. Michael Bane loves the .44 Magnums and Specials, but I think those cartridges are a tougher finding at your local Wally World.
This set up is not the final word on the subject but it is a good set up in my opinion. I’d probably change things depending on where and how I would be traveling.
Next would be something I haven’t given much thought yet: Carrying case.
The 672 is another one of my white whales(finally got my 686+, but I need a longer barrel for it). I also must have that collapsable .357 Magnum rifle, now.
caliber difference aside (dunno much about powder loads), I would suggest a kel tec sub-2000 in 9mm and a glock. Besides being much cheaper, these 2 have greater capacity in the mags, and they *share* mags as well. No need for much open ammo, and the kel tec folds in half.
‘Course it’s probably a felony to even look at in California, but my emergency evac doesn’t take me there 🙂
Not bad choices for enlightened states where they don’t freak at the sight of a black long gun.
How about a takedown Winchester 1897 or SXS Coach Gun 12 gauge? They’d seem like a better alternative to the Alaskan Co-Pilot unless your in Alaska, Montana, Wyoming or any other sparsely populated state. Plus I can pick up a Stoeger Coach Gun for $300-ish. Your Alaskan Co-Pilot $2400? I’d spend the difference on ammo. If you were stuck on a rifle option that breaks down easily, Remington, (I think they’re actually made by Baikal under the Remington name), makes SxS double-barreled rifles in .30-06 or .45-70 that cost in the neighborhood of $800-1000.00. Just food for thought.
“How about a takedown Winchester 1897”
As long as we keep it in .357 Mag, no problem… I just love the darn Co-Pilot and it can be customized.
“or SXS Coach Gun 12 gauge?”
Here we run into the another caliber thing which I want to avoid. Plus shotgun ammo is heavy if you are gonna take any amount via commercial airplane. Not that I am against shotguns, in fact I’d go for a Serbu Shortie based on the Mossberg 500 instead.
As I said, this is a “50 state” kit that would be “accepted” or at least not seen as Crazy Gun Nut kit with most LEOs.
I will go with another kit for more sophisticated & knowledgeable locations in another post. 🙂
“equal or better sidearm than a 1911” — Blasphemy!
I knew it…. LOL 😀
Didn’t you hear?
Revovers are just better.
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