The AR7 – Packable Rifle for Survival

This could be called the era of the pack. In today’s world there are peppers who always keep a “bug-out bag” handy in their vehicle and at home in the event of a natural or man-made catastrophe. There is the wilderness survivalist who carefully selects items for his pack in the event he is lost or stranded in the wild. There is the backpacker who carries enough lightweight high-tech gear to camp comfortably in the backcountry for days at a time. And there are the wilderness travelers who travel by bush plane, canoe, boat, dog sled, snowmobile or ATV and carry a pack equipped for almost any emergency. 

One of the most popular firearms for many of these pack owners is a lightweight, takedown .22 rimfire rifle. The primary purpose for packing these rifles is for subsistence hunting for food in long term emergencies. However these same little rifles are also used for plinking and, in a pinch, protection. Since they are shoulder fired they are more accurate in most shooters hands than handguns when every shot counts. Also it is easy and lightweight to carry a good supply of .22LR ammo as 133 rounds weighs just one pound.

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THE 7-30 WATERS CUMBERLAND DEERSLAYER

It was the hike from hell! To get into the mountainous fold of land so that the wind would be in my favor required me to go straight up a bluff that was thick with cedar and limestone boulders. Then I had to slide down a steep hillside that was covered with cedars, briers and rocks. I was soon in the rocky crevice I had selected as a stand. It looked into a large white oak covered basin where three hollows came together. Once settled in the rock stand, I glanced down at the little G2 Contender rifle I had assembled just for hunting in the Cumberland Mountains.

Within an hour a large nine point buck came to the low grunts I made and the 7-30 Waters handload I had developed for this semi-custom rifle took the buck cleanly at just under 200 yards. Following that first hunt I named the rifle the Cumberland Deerslayer.  Since then the little rifle has taken many deer in the rough Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama.

To say the Cumberland Deerslayer is a custom rifle is not correct, for it isn’t. It is a rifle I assembled to hunt a specific region using after market parts and a few friends to help me assemble a short rifle that is perfect for the area I love to hunt. Any hunter can do the same.

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THE NEW 9MM RUGER SR1911

*Click small images for a larger view*

Now that there is an excellent selection of 9mm self-defense rounds on the market, gun manufacturers are developing some interesting pistols in this caliber. Among the most interesting are the new generation of 1911’s in 9mm. The past few weeks I have been range testing the 9mm Ruger SR1911 with a wide variety of ammunition and at various ranges. If you are not familiar with the pistol here are the specs:

  • Caliber: 9mm Luger
  • Slide material: Stainless steel
  • Capacity: 9+1 with the two supplied mags
  • Grip frame: Gray anodized aluminum
  • Barrel length: 4.25”
  • Slide Finish; Low-glare stainless
  • Overall length: 7.75”
  • Width: 1.34”
  • Height: 5.45”
  • Sights: Novak 3-dot
  • Weight: 29.3 oz.
  • MSRP: $979
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HOMESTEAD DEFENSE WITH A HANDGUN – ARE YOU REALLY READY?

At last you have realized your dream; you are living a rural lifestyle far from the problems of the big city. You are aware that in the remote part of the county where you live the nearest deputy sheriff may be 20 to 30 minutes away in case of a threatening situation, but you own a couple of pistols and you and your spouse have shot them several times so if someone tries to break into your house or attack your family you are prepared. But are you really?

Threats are Real

Up front, let me state that the purpose of this article is not to make it sound like living in rural America is dangerous and should only be done only by those who want to live in a fort. Far from it, I consider rural America to be far safer than living in cities and in a lifetime of living the rural lifestyle I have never had a threatening encounter. However many of us do live more isolated from immediate law enforcement assistance so if there is a imminent threat we may be called upon to defend our family. And this would increase if we should ever encounter civil disobedience on a large scale in nearby towns and cities. Predators would spill out into the countryside to pillage.

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