Best Choice for non-semiautos in case of TEOTWAWKI

[Crash]

I'm not too fond of semiauto rifles, so what would be the best action type for home protection in case the world goes to hell in a handbasket? I would need something for reasonably long distances (500-600 yds) and something that would be good out to about 300 yards. I know that there are rifles that would cover both of those distance requirements, but I'd rather have one for each. I'm guessing that a Henry in 6.5 Creedmoor or .308 Winchester would handle the long range stuff and another one in .223 would be OK for the shorter range requirements.

Recommendations?

Thanks for your input,

Crash

[wheelgun1958]

It's always prudent to use the same ammo as your opponents....ergo 223 and 308.

[Crash]

It's always prudent to use the same ammo as your opponents....ergo 223 and 308.

wheelgun1958,

Excellent advice--and the .308 is probably (in most places) cheaper and more readily available than the 6.5 Creedmoor.

Thanks for your help,

Crash

[Paladin]

My first thought "in case of TEOTWAWKI" without a semi-auto is to get a pump action shotgun. With slugs you can get a respectable range out of a shotgun.

But the shotgun won't get you the distances you are talking about. If you are really going for beyond 500 yards, I'd say 6.5CM has become America's caliber (including SOF), but 308 will do.

Special Operations Forces appear to be increasing their focus on the 6.5 CM as the best way to take advantage of advances in ammunition and weapons technology to improve intermediate range sniper lethality, reliability and performance — when suppressed — at distances from 50 to 1,500 meters.

Ruger Precision is worth looking at. SIG Cross is a bit lighter.

If you are looking for a non-semiauto fighting rifle, old school WW1/WW2 rifles are still around.

[Grayling813]

I'm not too fond of semiauto rifles, so what would be the best action type for home protection in case the world goes to hell in a handbasket? I would need something for reasonably long distances (500-600 yds) and something that would be good out to about 300 yards. I know that there are rifles that would cover both of those distance requirements, but I'd rather have one for each. I'm guessing that a Henry in 6.5 Creedmoor or .308 Winchester would handle the long range stuff and another one in .223 would be OK for the shorter range requirements.

Recommendations?

Thanks for your input,

Crash

Any quality bolt action that you can hit targets at the required distance. I'd still with the more common hunting calibers that there's tons of ammo and reloading supplies for, .308 and 30-06 comes to mind. Lever action acceptable if it works for you.
Stay with one caliber for short and long distances if you're not going to have a semi-auto for the short distances.

[PUCKER]

Maybe I'm a weirdo, but when I see "non-semiauto" I think of Full Auto...

[Rafe]

For a budget-conscious, knock-around option, this today-only special from Brownells might be worth looking at:

https://www.brownells.com/guns/rifles/b ... tic-stock/

At $450 with no FFL fees (on the seller's end) or shipping charge, it's hard to beat a basic Remmy 700. But, as Paladin noted, a friend of mine has a SIG Cross and it's pretty sweet, and I've been thinking about a Ruger Precision for longer than I care to admit.

Edit: The email ad said either .308 or 6.5 Creed, but the 6.5 is showing $449.99 while the .308 is at Brownells' regular $606.49. Just makin' a note of it.

[philip964]

So I read all the reviews and the .308 seems the best choice. However, the 6.5 Creed is so tempting.