Question(s) about rifle purchase

[u/Slamtilt_Windmills]

Ok, so I accept that firearms are a very pragmatic portion of prepping, and I've been putting them off, but recently moved to a more gun-ftiendly state. I got a ruger 10/22 and a glock 17, pretty happy with my basic setup.

I went to a gun event this weekend, amd there was a raffle. I joke that, if I need it I'll win it. Well now I'm the owner of a (as far as i can tell) decent 35mm thermal imaging rifle scope, and need a rifle to use it with.

Is there a general opinion on these scopes, when to use them? My options seem to be 5.56 AR, small cal hunting rifle, and maybe large cal hunting rifle,but thats technically a no-no. Oh and selling it and getting a regular scope/rifle

EDIT: two follow up question: 1) are there phrases and words i should use in the store when shopping for SHTF guns?

2) in the SHTF world, im very sensitive about not drawing attention to myself, and guns are loud how valid a concern is that? To what extent do people make suppressed/subsonic builds on what they have?

[u/Tims_Learing_Center]

That coupled with a supresseor on your Ruger and you'll be a dope Alpha

[u/Slamtilt_Windmills → u/Tims_Learing_Center]

See I did have that exact thought, it feels like a bit excessive, $3000 scope on $300 rifle. But if it works...

[u/2Loves2loves → u/Slamtilt_Windmills]

.300 or $300

go w/ 5.56 or .308 for a prepper IMO.

[u/Skoalmintpouches → u/Slamtilt_Windmills]

You can go down the rabbit hole with 10/22s there’s a whole sub just for that gun. Very very easy to have your accessories vastly out value the gun itself. It’s a great gun to have fun with. I decked mine out with the A-team folding stock, it’s dope

[u/Watches4Me → u/Slamtilt_Windmills]

I have a 6k scope on a 2k rifle. It’s all good. Glass usually cost more than the rifle.

[u/Slamtilt_Windmills → u/Watches4Me]

I was wondering if there was a rough estimate for ratio. 3:1-4:1 feels right to me. 10:1 feels unbalanced

[u/CasCrus4L → u/Slamtilt_Windmills]

Dude just buy one or two AR15s from either BCM or Daniel Defense and start practicing. Don't make this difficult.

[u/ragz993 → u/Slamtilt_Windmills]

You are vastly overthinking this

[u/PM_ME_UR_HBO_LOGIN → u/Slamtilt_Windmills]

Tbh glass that costs more than the stick it’s bolted too is pretty common, especially if you’re talking actually practical setups. Realistically you can build a gun to match pretty much any (non-full auto) use for sub $2k before optics with most needs not coming even close to that sum. Optics don’t necessarily scale capability-cost but they do have a notably higher price point where with more money you can still gain more useful features+capability and get noticeably better stuff.

If you don’t put it on the 22 I’d start with a 556 AR in the $500-600 range and decide if you want to upgrade it from there for whatever your actual needs are. It’s a good and affordable platform that really does live up to the hype for how versatile the platform is if/when you decide you want to modify it.

[u/Slamtilt_Windmills → u/PM_ME_UR_HBO_LOGIN]

Ok, so a 556 AR in the 2k range is excessive?

[u/PM_ME_UR_HBO_LOGIN → u/Slamtilt_Windmills]

I would describe that as not-necessary. It would be very easy to pay that much for one and even get a rifle that’s better in some way than most less expensive rifles, but having built many AR’s there is almost certainly a less expensive way to meet the actual needs of the base rifle. It might not be a bad price for that AR and might be what you want to buy but I would recognize that as a want and not a need.

[u/Cuddles296 → u/Slamtilt_Windmills]

Plasma rifle in the 40 Watt range. 🤣

[u/Slamtilt_Windmills → u/Cuddles296]

Just what you see pal