Travis Olander 01.25.23
“Gucci” weapons and tactical rifles – just like the Saint Victor .308 – are cool and succesful, however a top quality survival rifle is an apt companion for the SHTF-minded prepper. Originally made to accompany Air Force pilots within the occasion of a Cold War shoot-down, the trendy survival rifle has advanced right into a succesful, modular, transportable, and correct rifle. There are, after all, a couple of survival rifle, additionally known as Takedown Rifles. We’ve come a good distance from the glory days of the rudimentary, service-issued AR-7 – however hey! – the stock-stowed AR-7 continues to be related, so let’s begin there.
Takedown Rifles: #1 Henry U.S. Survival AR-7
- Caliber: .22 LR
- Capacity: 8 rounds
- Overall Length: 35″
- Weight: 3.5 lbs.
- MSRP: $344.00
It cuts its tooth behind bomber pilots’ seats within the Fifties: The U.S Survival Rifle, generally known as the Henry AR-7, is the quintessential survival shooter: It’s an extremely light-weight, .22 lr-chambered breakdown gun that stows away inside its personal hole, waterproof buttstock:
The semiautomatic motion, its stick journal, and the barrel all tuck neatly contained in the polymer inventory. Broken down, the rifle measures simply over a foot lengthy and some inches huge, offering svelte storage inside any backpack or rucksack. The motion is dependable, with a easy closed bolt being fed by an 8-round field journal. Open leaf sights present a fundamental however efficient sight image, whereas the 16.125″ barrel and 1:16 twist yield sufficient accuracy to take small sport inside 150 meters. Modern AR-7s come festooned with an everyday ole’ Picatinny rail, affording significantly better accuracy and efficiency when paired with a small glass optic, just like the Leupold VX-R (1.25x-4x).
Takedown Rifles: #2 Savage Arms 42 Takedown
- Caliber: .22 LR, .410 ga.
- Capacity: Single-shot
- Overall Length: 35.75″
- Weight: 6.1 lbs.
- MSRP: $559.00
If you want a bit of extra “oomph” that common ole’ .22, think about Savage Arms’ 42 Takedown Rifle/Shotgun combo. Fitted with two barrels — one, a rimfire, the opposite, a .410 smoothbore — the 42 supplies dependable single-shot performance in a light-weight package deal at nearly 6.1 kilos. This break-action survival gun supplies 20″ barrels, maximizing velocity and accuracy. After all, every shot should rely once you’re working with only one spherical in every tube.
The break motion and takedown perform are one in the identical: Just pull the retainer pin to separate the chambers and barrels from the hammer and set off mechanisms. Although stowage contained in the inventory isn’t a factor, the 42 Takedown supplies a small profile that matches simply inside a typical backpack. No Pic rail is on the market for including an optic, however adjustable leaf sights present loads of good accuracy.
Takedown Rifles: #3 Ruger 10/22 Takedown Edition
- Caliber: .22 LR
- Capacity: 10+ rounds
- Overall Length: 37″ (varies)
- Weight: 4.6 lbs. (varies)
- MSRP: $559.00 – $799.00
No checklist could be full with out the legend: Ruger’s notorious 10/22 semiauto rifle makes an entrance in a basic takedown configuration, sacrificing nothing of the unique design to get there. Available with barrels measuring between 16.12″ and 18.5″, the ten/22 Takedown comes fitted with basic wooden shares or accurized polymer shares.
Some fashions sport all synthetics and heavy, threaded CHF barrels for top suppressed accuracy, just like the Model 21133. Regardless of configuration, all Takedown variations of the ten/22 break in half simply previous the motion, separating the barrel and foregrip from the chamber and bolt. All fashions are fitted with Ruger’s typical open leaf irons, although some fashions afford Weaver and Picatinny mounts on your favourite glass or purple dot. Each Takedown .22 is able to becoming Ruger’s compact and quirky rotary journal, along with typical banana mags for greater capability.
Takedown Rifles: #4 Taylor’s 1892 Alaskan Takedown
- Caliber: .44 RM, .357 Mag, .45 LC
- Capacity: 10 rounds (varies)
- Overall Length: 34″ (varies)
- Weight: 5.9 lbs. (varies)
- MSRP: $1636.08 – $1740.88
Let’s ditch the tiny lil’ .22’s for a second, and try a correct cowboy gun: Taylor’s & Co.’s 1892 Alaskan provides up no firepower nor aesthetics to remodel an outdated Western lever-action into a correct takedown rifle. Available with 16″ and 20″ barrels, you’re getting full velocity and power out of its potent .44 and .357 cartridges.
Each variant of the 1892 options conventional tube magazines, able to dealing with not less than 10 rounds. Options will be had with stainless barrels and accoutrements for some flash, or all-black for a subdued end. Overall size varies from 34″ to 38″, relying on barrel.
The takedown perform is straightforward sufficient, too: The barrel and journal separate as one unit from the motion, requiring no particular instruments for storage. “Skinner Express” irons accompany every mannequin, with some optioned for “Scout Mount” optics because of drilled and tapped receivers. Stocks and forends are made from wooden with overmolded rubber.
Takedown Rifles: #5 Kel-Tec Sub-2000 Folding Carbine
- Caliber: 9mm, .40 S&W
- Capacity: 10, 33, or 50 rounds
- Overall Length: 30.5″
- Weight: 4.25 lbs.
- MSRP: $556.00
KelTec makes some zany weapons, however the Sub2000 is really a helpful little carbine. Unlike different entrants on this checklist, this super-compact folder comes chambered in 9mm or .40 S&W. Coupled with a 16.25″ barrel, you’re getting some critical velocity out of cartridges designed for handguns. The Sub2000 can also be one of many solely takedown rifles you’ll discover that straightforward folds in on itself with out truly, effectively, breaking in half. The rifle pivots on a single pin simply beneath the rear sight submit, permitting the barrel to fold and lock again towards the rear inventory.
The Sub2000 takes standard magazines that match contained in the pistol grip, whereas the charging deal with is tucked neatly away contained in the hole buffer tube. Large iron sights present an honest sight image, with Picatinny rails and M-LOK slots usual into the polymer forend for typical attachments and grips.
Takedown Rifles: #6 Kel-Tec SU-16 Takedown Rifle
- Caliber: .223 Rem / 5.56 NATO
- Capacity: 10, 33, or 50 rounds
- Overall Length: 30.5″
- Weight: 6.0 lbs.
- MSRP: $556.00
Like the Sub2000, however favor rifle cartridges? KelTec’s SU16 is up for consideration. This rifle may look a bit, effectively, low-cost — nevertheless it’s packing some fairly cool options and a correct gas-operated piston system as an alternative of direct impingement. It even takes normal AR-15 magazines, and sports activities an 18.5″ barrel with a 1:7 twist charge to reliably ship most off-the-shelf .223 and 5.56 hundreds downrange with good accuracy as much as 300 meters.
The SU16 is a pseudo-takedown rifle: The complete receiver, together with the bolt, barrel, and journal effectively, stay as one unit. Only the inventory and set off meeting fold down and beneath the barrel for storage. But the SU16 compensates for this still-sort-of-bulky setup by offering a built-in bipod.
Either facet of the handguard folds outward underneath spring stress, offering a steady, fastened taking pictures place within the inclined or from a supported place. Coupled with its optic-ready Picatinny rail, the SU16 is maybe probably the most correct and succesful takedown rifle on this checklist. Managing to weight simply 6 kilos with a piston system is a pleasant bonus, too.
Takedown Rifles: #7 Chiappa Little Badger
- Caliber: .22 LR
- Capacity: Single-shot
- Overall Length: 31″
- Weight: 2.9 lbs.
- MSRP: $280.00
If the SU16 is our most succesful and built-out takedown rifle, right here, then the wire-framed Chiappa Little Badger is its antithesis. This single-shot, break-action .22 LR barely qualifies as a firearm. It’s extra of a bang stick that occurs to have some rifling fitted inside its 16.5″ enterprise finish.
It is severely minimalist, missing even standard handguards and a pistol grip (you may set up a grip to the underside Pic rail, behind the set off). Interestingly, although, the Little Badger has some fairly succesful iron sights: Military M1 adjustable sights, much like what you’d discover on an M4 or M16 clone.
The benefit of the Little Badger is its ridiculous measurement and featherweight profile. It is available in underneath 3 kilos and folds into what appears to be like like two sticks that match inside a waterproofed plastic tube. It’s the essence of a bare-bones survival rifle with a price ticket that displays its intent.
Takedown Rifles: #8 Ruger SR-556 Takedown
- Caliber: .223 Rem / 5.56 NATO
- Capacity: 30+ rounds
- Overall Length: 32.75″ – 36″
- Weight: 7.1 lbs.
- MSRP: $2,049.00
Ruger apparently felt the AR-15 wasn’t transportable sufficient (even with its simply separated higher and decrease) as a result of they took their vaunted SR-556 and made it much more, effectively, “takedown-able.” This distinctive iteration of the AR rifle features a detachable barrel extension that mates straight with the star chamber, permitting the barrel and chamber to separate from the higher receiver and handguard with out the necessity for a workbench and Armorer’s Tool.
Breaking the rifle down means additionally detaching the entrance sight-gas block combo from the piston system within the higher receiver. Yes, this runs with a two-stage piston as an alternative of direct impingement. So, cleaner performance and fewer cleansing. But in conventional AR style, the decrease meeting stays one piece when damaged down, with no modified buffer or recoil spring to talk of.
The SR-556 is taken into account a high-end AR in its personal ceremony: It comes with a 41V50 CHF barrel, with an non-compulsory .300 Blackout barrel that may be swapped in for suppressed fireplace bought individually. A two-stage set off supplies crisp motion, with high quality Magpul furnishings and a heavy-duty Picatinny handguard. Looking for one thing compact and silent, as an alternative? Check out the recently-announced, integrally-suppressed Ruger 10/22 from SHOT Show 2023.
