US Air Force survival gun?

The US Air Force used to put a gun in their pilot survival packs, the
M-6 Scout. See: http://www.milesfortis.com/church/akc13.htm

Does anyone know what the Air Force uses today?

I'd really like to know because I'm looking for a survival gun to take
into the woods while backpacking. It must be as light in weight as
possible.

Thanks for your help.

On Tue, 20 Apr 2004 19:11:54 -0400, "Bruce W.1"
etched the phosphur particles on my screen with the following:

The US Air Force used to put a gun in their pilot survival packs, the
M-6 Scout. See: http://www.milesfortis.com/church/akc13.htm

Does anyone know what the Air Force uses today?

I'd really like to know because I'm looking for a survival gun to take
into the woods while backpacking. It must be as light in weight as
possible.

I bought one at the last fall's gun show. A neat weapon, very light
and accurate. I added a sling and optional .410 shell holder. Don't
have any idea what the USAF uses today but this one was a winner.

In my day ('55-59) all we carried was a Smith .38.

They don't put any weapons in survival kits these days. Crew members carry
their weapons on them.

--
Les
F-4C(WW),D,E,G(WW)/AC-130A/MC-130E EWO (ret)


Greasy Rider @ invalid.com wrote in message
news
On Tue, 20 Apr 2004 19:11:54 -0400, "Bruce W.1"
etched the phosphur particles on my screen with the following:

The US Air Force used to put a gun in their pilot survival packs, the
M-6 Scout. See: http://www.milesfortis.com/church/akc13.htm

Does anyone know what the Air Force uses today?

I'd really like to know because I'm looking for a survival gun to take
into the woods while backpacking. It must be as light in weight as
possible.

I bought one at the last fall's gun show. A neat weapon, very light
and accurate. I added a sling and optional .410 shell holder. Don't
have any idea what the USAF uses today but this one was a winner.

In my day ('55-59) all we carried was a Smith .38.


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The AF stopped packing AR-7s in their kits many moons ago (I packed them)
the question should be for where you are back packing what are the
threats/needs for a weapon? if you want it just for "in case" just get an
inexpensive .38 to strap on your hip and get some incendiaries rounds for
it. If theres an actual possible threat as far as animals then go with the
appropriate shotgun since you would not be shooting too far and it
eliminates the problem nicely, even if you miss!
Thats my 2 cents,
GMAN

"Bruce W.1" wrote in message
news:X6ihc.28292$fq4.11829@lakeread05...
The US Air Force used to put a gun in their pilot survival packs, the
M-6 Scout. See: http://www.milesfortis.com/church/akc13.htm

Does anyone know what the Air Force uses today?

I'd really like to know because I'm looking for a survival gun to take
into the woods while backpacking. It must be as light in weight as
possible.

Thanks for your help.

DavidG35 wrote:
The AF stopped packing AR-7s in their kits many moons ago (I packed them)
the question should be for where you are back packing what are the
threats/needs for a weapon? if you want it just for "in case" just get an
inexpensive .38 to strap on your hip and get some incendiaries rounds for
it. If theres an actual possible threat as far as animals then go with the
appropriate shotgun since you would not be shooting too far and it
eliminates the problem nicely, even if you miss!
Thats my 2 cents,
GMAN

================================================== ========

I was just hoping that the AF had made progress on survival guns. That
does not seem to be the case.

Ideally, my backpacking survival gun would be an over/under 12 ga.
shotgun (for bear defense) and 22 LR (for shooting birds for food). And
it would be made of titanium and composites for light weight. Of course
this weapon does not exist, was just hoping.

Yes the AR-7 was also used by the AF.

I would not want to have to use a Baretta 9mm for survival. But that
seems to be what our AF is stuck with. Maybe the whole notion of having
to survive in the wild is a thing of the past, what with GPS, satellite
beacons and all.

Ideally, my backpacking survival gun would be an over/under 12 ga.
shotgun (for bear defense) and 22 LR (for shooting birds for food). And
it would be made of titanium and composites for light weight. Of course
this weapon does not exist, was just hoping.

Yes the AR-7 was also used by the AF.

I would not want to have to use a Baretta 9mm for survival. But that
seems to be what our AF is stuck with. Maybe the whole notion of having
to survive in the wild is a thing of the past, what with GPS, satellite
beacons and all.



Having a firearm for a survival situation is a bit of an anachronism, combat or
peacetime. I am not aware of one ever having been successfully used in either.
Weight alone would preclude carrying enough firepower to hold off a charging
bear and nothing short of a .50 cal would be enough firepower to hold off an
enemy patrol ot even angry natives with pitchforks for very long. I liked to
think of the .38 I caried as a signalling device and carried a pack of tracers
for that purpose.

From: (SteveM8597)



Having a firearm for a survival situation is a bit of an anachronism, combat
or
peacetime. I am not aware of one ever having been successfully used in
either.
Weight alone would preclude carrying enough firepower to hold off a charging
bear and nothing short of a .50 cal would be enough firepower to hold off an
enemy patrol ot even angry natives with pitchforks for very long. I liked to
think of the .38 I caried as a signalling device and carried a pack of
tracers
for that purpose.

I disagree, having a sidearm in a survival situation is handy for making sure
you don't have to share your resources with strangers.

I carry a 357 magnum when backpacking since I am always alone and I have met
strange people in the woods. Bird or rabbit shot ammunition for the 357 can be
used for taking small game.

Overall a good knife makes a better survival tool if you know basic survival
methods. You can use it to skin the animal you caught with your figure 4
deadfall, snare etc. The knife should have a heavy enough blade to chop wood
with. It's also good for tapping a badguy on the head with. A good bowie can
split a skull. Don't leave your whet stone at home.

A flare gun would be better than tracers for signalling.

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired

Having a firearm for a survival situation is a bit of an anachronism, combat
or
peacetime. I am not aware of one ever having been successfully used in
either.
Weight alone would preclude carrying enough firepower to hold off a
charging
bear and nothing short of a .50 cal would be enough firepower to hold off an
enemy patrol ot even angry natives with pitchforks for very long. I liked to
think of the .38 I caried as a signalling device and carried a pack of
tracers
for that purpose.

I disagree, having a sidearm in a survival situation is handy for making sure
you don't have to share your resources with strangers.

I carry a 357 magnum when backpacking since I am always alone and I have met
strange people in the woods. Bird or rabbit shot ammunition for the 357 can
be
used for taking small game.

Overall a good knife makes a better survival tool if you know basic survival
methods. You can use it to skin the animal you caught with your figure 4
deadfall, snare etc. The knife should have a heavy enough blade to chop wood
with. It's also good for tapping a badguy on the head with. A good bowie can
split a skull. Don't leave your whet stone at home.

A flare gun would be better than tracers for signalling.

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired


I have carried a firearm a time or two while backpacking in grizzly country but
not in state and national parks where they are illegal. I hear the situation
in some of the CA parks is pretty bad, though. Not what I would consider a
survival situation, just common sense.

I also had a flare gun, flares, three radios. I figures I needed when I was
flying and the standard issue GI survival knife. I figured signalling gear,
having a useful tool like the knife, and water were far more necessary than
defensive weapons. So far as food, the survival instructors tought that you
really didn't need to eat for a couploe of weeks but did need water fairly soon
so I neverplanned to do any hunting. Plenty of veggies, bugs and tree bark to
eat until I got picked up. Besides, cooking meat requires a fire. Since I am
a fisherman I figured I could catch fish if I really needed meat on any kind of
a survival experience.

On Tue, 20 Apr 2004 19:11:54 -0400, "Bruce W.1" wrote:

The US Air Force used to put a gun in their pilot survival packs, the
M-6 Scout. See: http://www.milesfortis.com/church/akc13.htm

Does anyone know what the Air Force uses today?

I'd really like to know because I'm looking for a survival gun to take
into the woods while backpacking. It must be as light in weight as
possible.

Thanks for your help.

Kel-Tech makes a nice 9mm or 40S&W (your choice) folding carbine.
I would guess that it weights about three pounds (unloaded).

Al Minyard

In article Dqxhc.33883$fq4.8309@lakeread05, "Bruce W.1"
wrote:

DavidG35 wrote:
The AF stopped packing AR-7s in their kits many moons ago (I packed them)
the question should be for where you are back packing what are the
threats/needs for a weapon? if you want it just for "in case" just get an
inexpensive .38 to strap on your hip and get some incendiaries rounds for
it. If theres an actual possible threat as far as animals then go with the
appropriate shotgun since you would not be shooting too far and it
eliminates the problem nicely, even if you miss!
Thats my 2 cents,
GMAN

================================================== ========

I was just hoping that the AF had made progress on survival guns. That
does not seem to be the case.

Ideally, my backpacking survival gun would be an over/under 12 ga.
shotgun (for bear defense) and 22 LR (for shooting birds for food). And
it would be made of titanium and composites for light weight. Of course
this weapon does not exist, was just hoping.

Titanium would be hideously expensive for a survival weapon,
especially as applied to moving parts in a gun.
And the light weight would create eye-tearing recoil.
Any bear defense load would generate too much recoil.

Yes the AR-7 was also used by the AF.

I would not want to have to use a Baretta 9mm for survival. But that
seems to be what our AF is stuck with. Maybe the whole notion of having
to survive in the wild is a thing of the past, what with GPS, satellite
beacons and all.

AFAIK, aircrews use the M11 which is a Sig compact.

--
Harry Andreas
Engineering raconteur