I'll bet those are still in service long after the last AK or M-16 has gone to rust.

My Survival Weapons chioces are based on several factors.

I have close range weapons at first.
Long range weapons will be 'acquired' as time and situations go on.
:03:
As will Ammo and other needed 'time critical' supplies.
The longer the situation goes on?
Well, I guess you know the rest.

Well I guess we would own each other then because my Bushmaster AR-15 has the same performance as your AR I'm sure.What is so wrong about one expressing their opinion? I cant say that I disagree that a shotgun is not the ultimate survival weapon? Others besides myself did.

I'd just carry a mini gun like in Terminator 2 and own everyone I'd be the survival king because I'd convert it to run of off solar power and convert it to take any from form of ammo.

Nothing at all, sorry if I gave you that impression.

My point is for most people getting into a gun battle at anything but close range is a recipe for failure. You can have the best assault weapon in the world but it's not going to do you one bit of good if you don't have the combat experience or training required to use it effectively.

A shotgun provides good firepower, beginners can operate it, shot shells vastly improve the chances of a hit, especially at close range and ammo in general is a heckuva lot more plentiful than .223 or 7.62x39. .12ga hulls are a lot easier to reload too which is another consideration in a long term survival situation.

So to sum it up if I were starting up my post apocalyptic survivors band while I of course would arm any ex-Army or Marines with assault weapons, maybe any ex-cops as well, but everyone else would get either a .12ga or a .22LR.