OK, enough already! I'm not out to be a hero here, just survive and make like I'm going to be in this thing for the long haul. I'll take none other than my Savage 24 .223/20 ga. Yep, a lowly stack barrel single shot combo gun! .223 ammo is readily come by, both through normal channels and in the form of catpured ammo. The shotgun is a fierce weapon at close range with slugs or #4, 3" buckshot. With my custom Leupold quick release bases the scope comes off and goes on with no change in zero, thus allowing the use of the frame mounted Williams receiver sight. This gun also has the original Lyman folding rear sight as yet another backup if all else fails. New front sight bead, mainspring, extractors, extractor springs, and two firing pins are stored in the buttstock in the stock mounting screw access hole underneath the buttplate.
I can also shoot all the .22 LR that I want using my stainless steel .22 LR adaptor inserts into the .223 chamber. Three of these in hand make for reasonably rapid reloading with .22 LR ammo.
Can't think of a more versatile survival type weapon to take afield. Lots of ammo can be carried in the form of .22 LR and .223 without much weight, and yet with the shotgun also have much more versatility in providing victuals for survival in virtually any situation.
For cutlery I'd have to go for my Leatherman tool, and of course a good old-fashioned 6-7" USMC style blade!
Sure glad I don't have to make that choice just now however!
God Bless,
Marshall