If there were an apocalypse, what type of weapons would you want?

AK47 is rated as #1.


Rick

Except the question wasn't "What kind of weapon would you be likely to find?" it was 'What type of weapons would you want?'. If I was an 18 year old woman in an apocalypse, I'd want me an Uzi. Full auto. With lots bullets.

Pretty sure you cant hunt deer or game with an uzi. I'd want something very reliable, not prone to jamming- like an AK. Something that ammo is plentiful, like an AK. something intimidating, to help avoid firefights- like an AK. Also a gun that will have more range than the people I'm likely to encounter.
I'd go with an AK.

Soylent green stew of course.

GUNS

Rifle:

A .22 rifle is useful for small game and portable; a .450 Marlin rifle can bring down a South Dakota bison, . . . but is cumbersome, especially for a 19-year-old girl.
And in any case, for traveling light one must make compromises.

DonDiego will recommend an unlikely compromise: the Marlin Camp Carbine in 9mm. This rifle was manufactured from 1985 through 1999 and is readily available used. DonDiego supposes the ammunition stores will no longer be open post-apocalypse; the 9mm cartridge is presently the most popular handgun cartridge on the planet so it should be among the more available when ammo's no longer being made.




Handgun:

For close-up defense one needs a revolver with stopping power; as a minimum DonDiego would recommend a 9mm, perhaps the Ruger LCR. (In general one cannot go wrong with a Ruger; they are tough and "accurate-enough". And Made in America.)
This would also allow the heroine to need only one cartridge for both her handgun and rifle, a significant advantage.

However, for real stopping power DonDiego suggests the Ruger Single-Six in .357Magnum:



n.b.:
__A .357Magnum handgun fires the less powerful .38 cartridge as well as the .357Magnum, so it provides some versatility. One needn't employ the larger caliber when it is not needed. However, the need to carry several different calibers may be impractical.
__DonDiego recommends a revolver over a semi-automatic in any case because of reliability and simplicity.


Shotgun:

If one is afoot it may be unwieldily to carry a rifle, a handgun, and a shotgun. But if one can, just carry a 12 gauge Remington Model 870. It is the best selling shotgun of all time for a reason.




OTHER PRACTICAL ITEMS

A tactical tomahawk is a useful tool as well as a potential weapon. DonDiego doesn't know enough to recommend one; and the heroine pr'bly cannot be very picky anyway.



An axe.



A Hammer.

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ABSOLUTE NECESSITY

SPAM. The heroine should seek SPAM at every opportunity.




NICE TO HAVE
At some point a nubile 19-year-old female will experience certain urges, . . . the descriptions and resolutions of which DonDiego will leave to the singular writing skills of malibber2.

Subsequently, the young lady may have use for the War Stroller.




DonDiego awaits the completion of malibber2's coming tome on the apocalypse. And a complementary signed copy, . . . hopefully with the author's signature and a mention of poor old DonDiego in the acknowledgements.

The average person will not have access to automatic weapons, so let's rule out things like an Uzi. The most useful firearm would be a pump shotgun, like a Remington model 870 in 12 gauge. Loaded with slugs, it will bring down most North American game animals within 100 yards. Loaded with buck shot, deadly at close range for personal protection. High capacity semi-auto pistol, like my Springfield XD in .40 cal would be an excellent sidearm...never did like 9mm. The Ruger GP-100 in .357 mag with a four inch barrel is another good choice...easy to load and maintain; you can load magnum rounds or use .38 special ammo in this revolver. I would also choose an AR-15 with 30 round magazines for maximum firepower to engage multiple two legged predators. The Ruger mini-14 carbine is another good choice. If you must have a rifle.... Marlin 30:30 lever action rifles are common, as is the ammunition, easy to use and has fairly low recoil.

Guns like AKs and Uzis are in any gun shop. Not fully automatic versions, but one would want to conserve their ammo anyway.

DonDiego forgot one defensive item which malibber2's protagonist might procure:



These "Zombie Traps" are most effective spread around one's camp, f'rinstance at night, with the teeth pointing up. They are effective against Zombies who are notoriously clumsy and dopic*. They may also be employed effectively in urban environs where the locals are unfamiliar with farming/lawn-care implements.


*From the urbandictionary:
dopic Big dumb uncoordinated idiot.

For zombies, I'd go with a .177 pellet gun. Silent, but powerful enough to penetrate the brain cavity.

Just a brief observation.

Poor old DonDiego owns just three long-guns:
A Remington Model 870 in 12 gauge
A Ruger Mini-14 "Rance Rifle" in .223Remington
A Marlin Model 336T "Texan Carbine" in .30-.30

Three-out-of-four of BIGLAR73's recommendation ! ! !

It would seem the Tomato Ranch Ridge is adequately defended.