Firearms
AR-7 | Best Survival Gun?
Is the AR-7 the best survival gun on the market? Check out our review of this fantastic .22 rifle and decide if it's the ideal survival gun for you!
RELATED: Why Carry A Gun: 5 Reasons Why And The 2nd Amendment
In this article:
Why the AR-7 Is the Ideal Survival Weapon
AR-7 Assembling and Dismantling
The AR-7 has long been famous among the favorite small-caliber survival rifles of choice of many U.S. Air Force pilots, especially if they need a hand in a remote area. Over the years, this rifle has gained popularity and a good reputation among civilians for its reliability, portability, and ease of operation.
Right now, backcountry adventurers, backpackers, and bush pilots are using the AR-7 because they need gear that is easy to carry and promises reliability and accuracy in taking down small game. When assembling the rifle, the process is very straightforward.
You simply attach the receiver to the AR-7 adjustable stock, insert the barrel, and then screw the nuts. In less than a minute, your rifle is ready to go.
You can even do this without any tools. The pieces are also a perfect fit for your stock made water-resistant and impact resistant.
Just like assembly, the AR-7 easily dismantles without tools. You can stow its main components, the magazine, receiver, and barrel, conveniently in its plastic stock.
RELATED: AR-15 Barrel Install | Tips & Tricks
Specifications of the U.S. Survival AR-7
For full protection against corrosion, the gear includes a sturdy steel barrel, covered with ABS plastic coated with Teflon. The rifle is primarily designed to maintain perfect balance and tack-driving accuracy even when used multiple times.
It is also made portable and lightweight, weighing only 2.5 lbs., for easier handling and carrying. You can easily fit this in your backpack as well, allowing you to bring it anywhere with less hassle.
The rifle has a .22 LR chamber, giving more room for ammunition without putting too much weight on the gear.
Benefits of AR-7
One of the significant benefits of this rifle is it is easier to clean and maintain. It still works even if you haven't used it for years.
It is also great for hunting prey as it can provide accurate shots at around a 300-yard distance, according to a few reports. There are great improvements on the rifle as well, such as the barrel bushing and magazine for better feeding.
Because the designed is of that a .22 LR, most shooters can quickly learn how to use it because the functionalities are common. Additionally, with limited restrictions, it is quite convenient.
Play the video below and check out the U.S. Survival Henry AR-7 review of hickok45:
With the best features of the U.S. Survival AR-7, you will definitely be taking advantage of its accompanying benefits. It is made to give you ease of use without the many restrictions, so you can maximize its usage.
With its proven effectiveness, it's no wonder this is a U.S. Air Force favorite. Don't miss the chance to get this small-caliber rifle, and start exploring the wild like a pro!
What are your thoughts about this small-caliber rifle? Let us know your opinions about this survival weapon in the comments section below!
Up Next:
- Gun Modifications | AR-15 Dos And Don’ts
- Best Home Defense Guns | When The Cops Are Minutes Away
- Hunting Guns | Top 11 Rifles, Shotguns, And Handguns For Hunting
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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on December 11, 2015, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
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Donald L Steigel
February 7, 2018 at 1:16 PM
CChiappa X Caliber the most versatile survival weapon on the market. Sidearm 45acp, I use Springfield Armory XD. GMG-3. USN. PBR RivDiv-593 69/70/ SFC Ret. USA 80/2000.
Steve
September 20, 2016 at 7:58 AM
Had one for 50yrs.Modified with a stock from a soft air gun,now it looks like AR-15
Mike
December 14, 2012 at 3:19 PM
Donald,
Excellent comment!
I would not disagree that your handgun choice is a good one but I am going with a Glock 9mm because of reliability and capacity. Ammo is also available everywhere.
For a long rifle I agree there is no better choice than a 30-06 although I think there could be a lot of discussion about a 30-30.
The one thing I would like to add is that I believe the 30-06 is not a good choice for a smaller woman; too much kick. For my wife or daughters I would use a .243. Good for any game up to deer size (ok any size game in survival situation) and not a lot of kick. Flat bullet trajectory and good out to about 400 yds. The only down size is you better stock up on ammo because of a more limited availability.
Donald Conner
October 14, 2012 at 4:37 AM
As an old Marine to another Marine, I’m just preaching to the choir. But for those who don’t have the gun savy you and I learned the hard way, under the “tutelege” of some crusty old Gunny in the sweltering humidity of Quantico or desert heat of California, please allow me. It’s a neat little thing, but I’m not sure it would be my first choice. I know it wouldn’t. But if that was all there was, it beats hell out of a rock or stick for sure.
To the firearms neophytes:
It’s a good place to start. A 12 guage double barrel shotgun with the barrels cut to 18.25″ is not only legal but a fearsome weapon as well. 18.25 inches? Yes. Then it is legal in any state and not subject to more restrictive federal laws, or state laws, for that matter. That 1/4 of an inch is to make certain you are not going to find yourself in federal prison. Have a gunsmith do it. He will know the correct way to measure to make the cut. If you do it and come up 1/16th inch short you just made yourself a felon. Ain’t worth a few bucks, is it? Use #5 or #6shot in the house. It shouldn’t penetrate a wall and hit your wife or kid, but it’ll make a real rat hole in the dirty booger that doesn’t belong there.
I must interject this: don’t even think of breaking it down to sneak across the Northern or Southern border. The Canucks will jail you and so will the Mex’s. Canadian jails, as I hear it, are better than American ones. I’ve seen a big Mexican jail in Mazatlan, Mexico, and you do not want to find yourself there at all, no way, no sirree. From what I saw of it, I’d say Dante’s “Inferno” and a Mexican jail are just about the same. Not even one little .22 cartridge. Clean your vehicle at least 3 times. Every last nook and cranny. If they get you dirty, it’ll cost you severely.
Or get a Remington 870 12 guage pumpgun. Reliable as the sun (it’s there even if you can’t see it)and there’s about 10 million of them out there. They must be doing something right to sell 10 million, hmmm?
Having said that, let me suggest these items. A Savage synthetic heavy barrel .22 LR bolt action rifle. About $300, and as or more accurate than anything below $1,000 on the market. Inuit (Eskimos) have killed polar bear with them. You ain’t that goooood. But out to 100 yards you can take any samll game and some medium sized too, with a scope and practice. The other is the Savage synthetic stock in .30-06. If they sell ammunition in any little town, they’ll have ’06. It’ll kill anything out to a 1,000 yards, and more, if you can put the bullet in the right place.
Burris and Bushnell both make some some good, inexpensive scopes (NO, not cheaply made, just not in the class of a $2,000 Swarovski, Schmidt & Bender, or Leupold)and rings. 3x-9x and 40mm front lens is all you need.
If you really envision “The Hordes” then you need a Bushmaster AR-15, a ton of Lake City ammo, and gazillions of MagPul plastic magazines, and a decent scope and rings with a Surefire X400 fighting light hung on it. It has a laser built in and at $400 it’s not that expensive. That little red dot is very persuasive to most criminals, and the light is so bright it’ll blind them for a short time. You can run over the MagPuls with a 6×6 and you might crack them but they will still work. Once an aluminum or steel magazine is damaged you’ll never get it to work right every time, assuming that is important to you. If not, hammer away. I’m on my 2nd Bushmaster-they’ve come a long way since they were just about the only AR types available. Neither one ever failed me in any way, not once.
And you need a solid reliable handgun. Ruger makes a good .38/357 revolver at a fair price. Simple to use, rugged, and easy to clean. Find ammunition anywhere. A 7 1/2″ barrelled Ruger Redhawk .44 Mag would be a nice adjunct, if you can swing it financially.
As an NRA Life member and former high-power rifle competitor who’s spent a small fortune on gun magazines and learned a lot and spent more on ammuntion and reloading supplies and owned and sold more guns than I can remember, I think I’ve got an inkling of what a basic, sound, reliable working man’s firearms needs are. But IF I had to take ONLY ONE gun, it’d be the .30-06. It’ll kill anything in North America, big or small, 2 legged animals or 4 legged ones, alligators, polar and grizzly and black bears and mountain lions (the PD just last week killed one here in the city of Des Moines, Iowa, believe it or not!!)
The ’06 ammunition can be had in projectile weights from 125 to 220 grains. The heavy’s will put any bear down like a sack of lead. The little ones for whatever. Only a very few, highly specialized cartridge makers don’t manufacture them. Remington will sell you a train load if you want it. As will Winchester, Black Hills, and another hundred or so ammo companies large and small.
At last and finally: try to get a 3 to7 day return on a used gun. Then you can run it to a gunsmith and have him check it over. Hopefully you won’t get burned that way. If it’s new in the box (NIB), you’re good to go, keeping in mind that guns are made by people and machines and they both mess up from time to time. We found that out the worst way when they took our M-14’s away and gave us M-16’s, and no cleaning kits either?? That crap just will not fly in the Nam. A lot of good men didn’t get to see their families again, ever, because of that stupidity. You can only club and bayonet so many before they run over you. The 14 was heavy, but as long as you cleaned it religiously you were good. So take them out and run 200-300 rounds through each one. That should shake out any bugs. It’s nice to know it’ll work when you need it to. Besides, it’s only money, and what’s worth more? Your life or your money?
Semper Fi. Semper Vigilans.
Respectfully
Donald H. Conner
Joe
October 14, 2012 at 3:26 PM
Donald,
WOW, thank you for the depth of your comment! I believe the information you have put in it will help quite a few people.I look forward to hearing more from you
Joe