2nd Best Survival Firearm

My budget first choice was the Ruger 10/22. I know that might have most folks shaking their heads and calling me an idiot.  But remember, that was the first choice on a very limited budget.  Of course, you could always argue about what a 'budget' is.  If you can save $30 a month for 'preps', then it's only a couple of months further down the road to get to my next choice.  So each person has to evaluate their situation to determine what is best.

Another $100, (we're up to $400 for gun and ammo) will get you into a 12 gauge shotgun.  You can actually get a Remington 870 pump for under $300, so you're really not much out of my super budget realm and the 10/22.  But the 12 gauge shotgun will buy you alot more versatility.  The biggest boost is in defensive firepower.  The 12 gauge, with buck or slugs, is a great home defense weapon.  You can definitely take down a man with one, as opposed to 'having a chance' with the 10/22.  Plus with the shotgun, you can hunt everything from dove and rabbits to deer.

Ease of use is also a big plus for the shotgun.  Hitting your target, at normal home defense ranges (max probably 10 yards), is much easier with a shotgun and buck shot than with a pistol or rifle, for the average untrained home defender.  And as everyone knows, the sound of a pump action chambering a shell is definitive, and the aggressor will have no questions about what he is facing.

I would recommend a normal hunting style shotgun, over the 'home defense' versions with a pistol grip, IF you plan on using your shotgun primarily for hunting with a secondary role for defense.  It is easier to swing on a flying target with a normal stock than a pistol grip because of the position of your hand.  If you shotgun is primarily for defense then the pistol grip might be advantageous.

A handy accessory for the home defense shotgun is the Side Saddle.  This holds 5 extra rounds on the gun itself.  A normal shotgun will hold 5 rounds (one in the chamber, with the plug removed: most states limit the number of rounds in the gun for different kinds of hunting, usually 3 [2+1]).  The side saddle gives you 5 more rounds at the ready.  In a home defense scenario, if you go through 10 rounds of 00 buckshot, and need more, you're having a very bad day.

So if you select the shotgun as your primary survival weapon, don't forget to stock up on the appropriate shot sizes for the type of game you might be hunting.  Buckshot won;t do you much good against dove.  Heck, I've hit a dove a little too close with #9 (caught him in the full pattern) and there was nothing left but a pile of feathers.