Ask any group of preppers what the Number One prepper survival long gun on the planet is, and doubtless some version or other of the ubiquitous Ruger 10/22 semi-auto rifle will be at or near the top of the list. A .22 bolt action or lever action rifle would be on few lists.
Others that will be on the list will include some form of the AR-15, some type of AK-47 as well as some kind of 12-gauge pump shotgun.
I certainly will not take issue with the AR, AK or a pump, but I am going to make an argument that a semi-auto .22LR might not be the best choice in a survival situation, when compared to a .22 bolt action or lever action rifle.
To save space and time, I’m going to just refer to both of them as a .22 bolt action (but what I say for one goes for the other)
I know, I speak sacrilege. As I write this, I can see the nighttime virtual mob of preppers with their virtual pitchforks and torches held overhead, ready to burn me at the stake.
Hear me out.
There are real, verifiable and I think compelling reasons to consider a bolt action or a lever action .22 rifle over a semi-auto .22LR gun.
My favorite 10/22 alternative, the Ruger American Rifle .22 (CLICKY) takes the same magazines as a 10/22 but is more accurate and less picky about brands of ammunition.
Rimfire is not for self defense
Before I list those reasons, I have to start with my assumptions: I am assuming that we are talking about your main .22 rifle, not a “get home bag” gun. I am also assuming that this is not your ONLY gun, the one you count on for self-defense.
Frankly, ANY rim fire gun is a very, very, VERY poor choice for self defense, due to the high failure rate of the ammunition and the low ‘stopping power’ of smaller calibers. I don’t know of any large caliber rim fire rounds currently being made, but if there are, I’m not talking about those… I’m talking .22 rounds (and .17 HMR rounds, .22 Magnum rounds, etc.)
If for some reason you are planning on just the .22LR as your “main self defense gun” I would HIGHLY advise you to reconsider your choice if at all possible.
If not for self defense, what is a .22 bolt action good for?
SO… if we are not using the .22 for self defense (Which, again, unless it’s a get-home gun we shouldn’t be), then what are we using it for in a survival situation?
Hunting.
Training people who don’t know how to shoot/need to get better at shooting.
Those are your two major uses of a .22 in a survival-type situation, right?
OK, for those two things there is absolutely ZERO advantage of having a semi-automatic gun over a .22 bolt action. None. Nada. Zip.
There are, however, several disadvantages.
- Semi-auto guns are generally much more picky about the type of ammo they eat. I’ve owned three Ruger 10/22’s and even thousands of rounds later, they each like certain brands of ammo better than others. This may not matter when you can just run to the store to buy the ammo they like to eat, but in a SHTF situation, it’s a problem.
- People shoot more ammo with semi-automatics than with a .22 bolt action lever gun. Ammo is at a premium after the SHTF, so burning through it is a “bad thing” if ammo is in short supply.
- Semi-autos can only take one type of ammo. A Ruger 10/22 (the standard models) shoot .22LR. In contrast, a Henry Lever Action .22 can shoot .22LR, .22L and .22 shorts.
- Semi-autos that shoot subsonic rounds (to keep the sound low) often become “bolt action” rifles because the rounds don’t have enough force to operate the action. In contrast, .22 bolt action rifles and lever guns don’t care. If you are trying to not be noticed, sub-sonic rounds are your friend!
Are we done yet? No, there’s more
So… we have no advantages and four disadvantages right there…
And here’s a bonus fifth disadvantage: People tend to just “blaze away” when shooting semi-auto because, you know what, it’s fun! The same person is much more likely to take care and aim every single shot with a bolt gun, therefore developing better and more accurate habits.
My recent post about 5 Guns To Own When Ammo Is Scarce addresses the value of having a .22 that can eat ANY kind of .22LR ammo, no matter how cheap and cruddy it is. Unless you stock it ahead of time (see my post “How Much Ammo” addresses this issue) you never know what you will end up with to shoot.
I could come up with more, but I’m not trying to write a grand tome here, just an article to get you to stop for a minute and consider if what I am saying holds water.
Comments and disagreements are welcome! What do you think? Do I make sense or am I full of beans?
As a fan of the 10/22, I could quibble about a few of these items, but instead I’ll give you one more. All semi-autos have some springs, and springs wear out eventually, albeit generally after thousands of rounds. You can cover this problem by stocking spare springs, which is what I do.
You really haven’t committed a sacrilege because this has been one of the most well thought out posts about the semi vs bolt/lever in 22 I’ve read in years that goes beyond just the rate of fire, accessories available and magazine capacity people typically look at when choosing a 22 rifle. When you look at what the scope of use really is for the 22 you’re spot on.
One point I didn’t make about 10/22’s vs. a bolt gun like the Ruger American Rifle that I considered putting in there (but it seems kinda chippy) is that 10/22 are a pain in the butt to clean, whereas a bolt gun is easy as pie. Having said that, some lever guns are even more of a pain to clean, so I left it out.
Boresnake
Boresnake good 🙂