[my-rifle]

This is the second time I have evacuated for a hurricane from New Orleans. In the past I have always stayed in place and ridden them out, but I'm married now, and my wife is pregnant, and she has an 82-year old aunt whom I can't in good conscience leave in a city that might lose power or worse. I packed up all my guns (or most of them at least!), but I had to decide which rifle I was going to keep accessible in case I had to infiltrate back into the city after another Katrina-style hurricane.

After lots of thought I settled on the Tantal. Mine is probably the most reliable of all my AK's, aside from a couple of underfolders. The shaky underfolder stocks though make them impractical. The Tantal, on the other hand being 5.45mm allows me to carry more ammo with superior penetration (being military surplus ammo), greater range, and better accuracy. Aside from that it has all the ruggedness of the AK design, AND a folding stock that locks up tightly for greater accuracy.

I was a bit surprised at my decision, give that the Tantal is not my favorite range rifle, but there it stands. I saw the aftermath of Katrina, and I would need a very reliable accurate gun if I were to have to get back into a city closed only to it's law-abiding citizens. I have a lot of confidence in that rifle, and in the future there won't be so much need for mulling it over. The Tantal goes in the bug-out bag, and I'll just grab it and go.

 

[tangotag]

I can agree with you about the Tantal. I went to the range yesterday and had a hoot shooting plate steel a little smaller than a pepper popper at 200 yards. It rang the steel quite often once the sights were adjusted shooting from prone. It shoots the bulk Bulgy 5.45 quite accurately. I take extra care cleaning after shooting the corrosive stuff. If you fire one round you might as well fire more, you have to clean it anyways. :grin:

For the reasons you mentioned I too would grab mine as a go gun. But than again I get rid of any rifle that is not "go ready". There is no reason for keeping a piece of crap.

I hope things are fine for you when are away from home and make it get back. :smile:

 

[hawk1911]

For all the reasons mentioned I too have chosen the Tantal as the bugging out gun. The staying put at home is still going to fall on my 12ga though.