Five Calibers Preppers Should Consider
Kevin Felts 06.30.17
The topic of stockpiling calibers and ammunition can seem like beating a dead horse. Preppers and survivalists talk about this topic until we are blue in the face. Then again, new people get into prepping every day. What may seem like an old and worn-out topic to us may be new information to others.
One of the first calibers usually discussed is 22 long rifle. There is no doubt the 22 long rifle is an excellent choice for preppers. It is a good choice for hunting small game and dealing with pests such as raccoons and opossums.
Then there are the 223 Remington / 5.56mm and 7.62X39. Those calibers have been talked about for decades and there’s no denying they are an excellent choice for preppers.
In my opinion, preppers tend to focus too much on military-style firearms and calibers. What in the world did our grandparents do before the AR-15 or AK-47? We seem to have forgotten about calibers that have served sportsmen for decades.
30-30 Winchester
A 30-30 lever-action rifle is slow to shoot, slow to load, and has the trajectory of a football. Nonetheless, the 30-30 Winchester has probably killed more deer than any other modern hunting caliber.
Regardless of what new calibers are developed, the 30-30 Winchester is not outdated.
243 Winchester
The 243 Winchester has a reputation of being a “shoot it twice” caliber. Shoot the deer once, then shoot it again when you find it.
Take the Remington Model 750 Woodsmaster chambered in 243 Winchester for example. Buy a few extra magazines, and the rifle offers a low-recoil solution for people who do not like larger calibers.
In all honestly, the 243 Winchester does not get the respect it deserves.
270 Winchester
The 270 is capable of taking everything but the largest North American game animals. It is flat-shooting, available in a wide range of rifles, and is popular with sportsman, yet preppers overlook it.
When it comes to harvesting deer, the 270 Winchester is a fine deer slayer.
30-06 Springfield
Introduced in 1906, the 30-06 has proven itself on the battlefield and in the woods. With more than 100 years on the market, there are a wide range of rifles to choose from.
Couple of my issues with the 30-06: It does a lot of damage to the deer, which wastes meat, and recoil can be excessive for taking deer and hogs.
When it comes to taking deer and pigs, is there a need for anything larger than 30-06 Springfield? Probably not.
7mm-08 Remington
This caliber does not get enough attention. You get a 308 case, and a 7mm bullet.
It is effective in taking deer, but is often overlooked by the prepping community.
Many Other Calibers
There are so many overlooked and ignored cartridges–257 Roberts, 6mm Remington, 280 Remington, just to name a few–it would be impossible to cover them all.
Tucked away in closets, pawn shops, and gun stores all over America are rifles that would be well-suited to putting meat on the table in the event of a collapse or just a weekend hunt. If only preppers and survivalists didn’t spend too much time and energy focusing on military calibers.
Take that old deer rifle out of the closet and show it some love.
