What 3 or 4 Guns Is Needed

[carlson1]

If you were going to keep or buy only three or four guns what would they be? Been thinking and thought I would think out loud. Interesting in reading the responses. Thanks for participating.
Mine would probably be:
AR 15 (Have a .22 conversion kit)
Shotgun
Beretta 92 LTT
S&W J Frame (5 shot)

[Tex1961]

I've seen this topic on other forums and there are plenty of varied responses for sure... I have to laugh when some members decide that their choices are absolutely the best and everyone else's are wrong... That being said.. IF I had to choose, It would probably be the following.

1. Long range hi powered rifle for large game and zombies
2. 22LR rifle for small game and plinking
3. Large capacity 9mm handgun for personal protection
4. Shotgun for bird hunting and zombies...

[FastCarry]

Hi cap/double stack/2011 9mm
Lightweight AR15
PDW 9mm

[troglodyte]

1. Long range hi powered rifle for large game and zombies
2. 22LR rifle for small game and plinking
3. Large capacity 9mm handgun for personal protection
4. Shotgun for bird hunting and zombies...

Hard to go wrong with this.

[Grayling813]

1. Bolt action rifle w/scope in common caliber (.308, 30.06, etc)
2. AR-15 w/optics, probably 20" barrel, chambered in .223 Wylde
3. Full size hammer fired 9mm Pistol
4. (toss up) Pistol Caliber Carbine in 9mm or Semi-auto 12ga Shotgun

Now that the bedroom is covered, the living room 4 would be....

[Paladin]

I would have my S&W M&P9 2.0 fullsize, a S&W Shield 9mm, LaRue 16in AR-15, and 6.5mm CM Ruger Precision.

If we are allowing more, An 11.5 in AR-15, USP45/Tactical, and CMMG Banshee 45 would also be on the list.

[Rafe]

Like others have noted, I'd always start with common calibers and common platforms and make those the core. So for a starter, minimalist collection, to me that would most likely be:

1. A Glock 17
2. A 12-gauge pump like a Remington 870
3. An AR-15, preferably with a .223 Wylde barrel
4. More mags and more ammo before the fourth gun

But I would feel positively naked with only those three. Adequate, but it'd be like having only three sockets for your socket wrench. For the topic, I'll stick with those three, but now I'll stray from the guidelines.

Two is one and one is none. Fourth firearm would be another Glock 17. That would mean the dear wife and I would have the same pistol, and everything about them would be swappable.

Fifth would be another AR: neither of the two have to be totally mil-spec, but the idea would be to have all major components interchangeable, e.g., BCG, fire control group, charging handle, optic(s), certainly magazines, and so on. Then more extra mags and ammo.

Then I'd go for a beefier rifle. My preference there is .308 because, again, common NATO caliber, not because it's the best possible longer-range cartridge. I don't do precision shooting, so I'm happy with a reliable AR-10-type platform for that. Mine is more mechanically accurate than I can be, so it's perfectly serviceable out over 200 yards for game. And I like that the manual at arms and administrative handling is essentially the same as for an AR...plus nice 20-round PMAGs.

Number seven would be a smaller pistol. I'd keep it 9mm and choose a popular and more concealable platform like a G43 or a S&W Shield.

Number eight would be a Ruger 10/22, one of the "tactical" modular models that comes with an optic rail and likes those lovely little 25-round banana magazines.

Number nine would probably be a pistol caliber carbine in 9mm, maybe a takedown model, so that if bugging out is ever necessary we can cross-pollinate the same handgun ammo with something that offers a bit more accuracy and muzzle velocity.

That said, if the question were, "What firearms do you have that would never consider selling?" the answer changes a little. I've always been a 1911 fan and like the .45ACP. I have at least two 1911s that ain't goin' anywhere. Having long been a pump shotgun guy, I recently added a semi-auto...and wish I had sooner. A semi-auto 12-gauge would remain in the safe; I'm happy with the Mossy I bought, but I could sacrifice it if stepping up to a classy Benelli M4. I also like to have a really small, flat pocket pistol, one that can tuck away into business slacks when necessary; so I'd keep one of those. There are times when you just can't dress around the gun. And even though I'd keep the AR-10 platform I have, it's really setup more as a "tactical" rifle than a hunter. I'd stick with .308, but I'd keep a bolt-action rifle with good middle-range glass, like 3x9.

So, yeah. It's like potato chips. Just a few won't do. You're out of luck if you've got a decent selection of Phillips-head screwdrivers but what you need to work on are standard slotted screws.

[Grayling813]

Two is one and one is none.

So at least two of each one of the four!

[Rafe]

Two is one and one is none.

So at least two of each one of the four!

Can't go wrong with that approach! And, of course, more mags and ammo...

[powerboatr]

I've seen this topic on other forums and there are plenty of varied responses for sure... I have to laugh when some members decide that their choices are absolutely the best and everyone else's are wrong... That being said.. IF I had to choose, It would probably be the following.

1. Long range hi powered rifle for large game and zombies
2. 22LR rifle for small game and plinking
3. Large capacity 9mm handgun for personal protection
4. Shotgun for bird hunting and zombies...

agreed but i would have 45acp in 1911 or XD.

[puma guy]

1. Long range hi powered rifle for large game and zombies
2. 22LR rifle for small game and plinking
3. Large capacity 9mm handgun for personal protection
4. Shotgun for bird hunting and zombies...

Hard to go wrong with this.

Ditto for me

[mayor]

I've seen this topic on other forums and there are plenty of varied responses for sure... I have to laugh when some members decide that their choices are absolutely the best and everyone else's are wrong... That being said.. IF I had to choose, It would probably be the following.

1. Long range hi powered rifle for large game and zombies
2. 22LR rifle for small game and plinking
3. Large capacity 9mm handgun for personal protection
4. Shotgun for bird hunting and zombies...

This is also my selection. And I have .22 and .177 cal break barrel pellet rifles for quiet harvesting.

[srothstein]

I think, as others have, that I would want two rifles, one pistol, and one shotgun. One rifle would be a 30 caliber for medium distance work and medium to large game. I am not sure if it would be a .308 or a .30-06, but lean towards a Super Match M1A in .308.

The second rifle would be a smaller caliber, like .223 or .22LR. I like the AR and mini-14 platforms but a Ruger 10-22 is also hard to beat. This would be for smaller game at shorter distances.

The shotgun would be a 12 gauge pump with a 20" barrel and an extended tube magazine. With the right choice of ammo and choke, this is good for hunting and short range self-defense.

The pistol would probably be a 1911A1 in .45 acp as my personal preference. I have to admit that a .357 revolver (either an S&W model 66 or a Ruger GP100) would also be a good choice, and I cannot say that someone else choosing a Glock made a bad choice.

[Jose_in_Dallas]

I guess really depends on the situation. Normal times? a problem arises/WROL? Heightened alertness such as rioting? For the most part, I already have the 3 or 4 I would want and plenty of ammo for all.

• AR-15. I actually have two, a Colt LE6920 and a BCM 18" barrel MK12. I have a .22 conversion kit that would work with either. For general purposes, it would have to be the Colt.

• Shotgun. I only have one right now, a Beretta 1301. I've taken a few shotgun classes with this including the 3 day Rangemaster Shotgun Instructors class. Pretty comfortable with using this and it's been utterly reliable in it's use. My plan is to pick up another at some point as a backup.

• Pistol. I have several including multiple Glock's. If it could only be one, it would be my Glock 17 that I've had some work done to it including a milled slide for a RDS. I've shot multiple classes with this one and thousands of rounds and only had one issue with it. Last summer I was taking their 5 day Gunsite 250 class and I took the gun apart to clean it and lost part of the guide rod and had to replace it with the stock one. Screw was loose and it and the washer went flying off. Found the spring but not the rest of the guide rod.

• If I had to do a fourth gun, it might be my 10/22. Easy and light enough for anyone to handle. Cheap to keep plenty of ammo available.

[Crash]

I've seen this topic on other forums and there are plenty of varied responses for sure... I have to laugh when some members decide that their choices are absolutely the best and everyone else's are wrong... That being said.. IF I had to choose, It would probably be the following.

1. Long range hi powered rifle for large game and zombies
2. 22LR rifle for small game and plinking
3. Large capacity 9mm handgun for personal protection
4. Shotgun for bird hunting and zombies...

That should cover just about everything!