That's a really tough question and I guess 42 pages of response prove that out. I guess if I had to choose only one firearm in a sane (?) world, it would have to be a Rem 870. I could hunt anything with limitations all around. If I were to choose only one for survival purposes, I would have to say, I'd grab a Ruger 10-22. I could carry lots of ammo on the run and when/if needed, ammo is easily available. I could hunt most everything up to deer size with confidence. The report from the round is quiet, so if I'm protecting my position, it'd be hard to pinpoint my position. Fast rate of fire, and very deadly when used properly.