Crossing America
Kim du Toit
January 19, 2003
1:56 PM CDT
The Challenge:
You have the opportunity to go back in time, arriving on the east coast of North America circa 1650, and your goal is to cross the North American continent, taking as much time as you need. When/if you reach the Pacific coastline, you’ll be transported back to the present day.
Your equipment for this journey will be as follows (taken back in the time capsule with you):
-- enough gold to buy provisions for the first five days’ travel
-- a small backpack containing some clothing essentials
-- a winter coat, raincoat and boots
-- waterproof sleeping bag
-- ONE long gun (and 800 rounds, but no scope)
-- ONE handgun (and 1,000 rounds)
-- TWO knives
-- an axe
-- a box of 1,000 “strike anywhere” waterproof matches
-- a topological map, binoculars and a compass
-- and a U.S. Army First Aid kit.
Once there, you’ll be given a horse, a mule and a dog—and apart from that, you’re on your own. Remember you’ll be traveling through deep woods, open prairie, desert and mountains. You may encounter hostile Indian tribes and dangerous animals en route, which should be considered when you answer the following questions (and only these):
1. What long gun would you take back in time with you?
2. What handgun?
3. Which knives?
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The Responses:
I was surprised at how many people wrote in. I figured on maybe a dozen people, who would be intrigued by such a silly mind game. Clearly, there are more than a few people who enjoy doing this kind of dreaming as much as I do. Here are the results.
Statistics:
1. Responses: There were a total of 192 total usable responses, very few of which observed the 100-word per-choice limit. Thanks, guys.
2. Categories: There were several major groups of response, broadly speaking:
-- medium-caliber rifle, small-caliber handgun
-- large-caliber rifle, small-caliber handgun
-- shotgun/drilling long gun, small-caliber handgun
-- small-caliber rifle, large-caliber handgun
-- medium-caliber rifle, medium-caliber handgun (sharing the same ammo type)
3. Not that old-fashioned: only a few people (6%) chose either a blackpowder musket/rifle, or a single-shot rifle/handgun.
4. Rifle types: we had the following major breakdowns:
-- 34% chose a bolt-action rifle, Springfield ‘03 (.30-06) and SMLE (.303) being the most popular
-- 22% picked a lever action, the preferred option by far being either a large-caliber handgun cartridge (.44 Mag) or the .45-70 Govt
-- 16% decided on a semi-auto rifle, the M1 Garand being the overwhelming preference
-- 16% thought a shotgun would be the best long-gun choice, all giving the variety of ammo (buckshot, birdshot, slugs etc.) as giving them the most flexibility.
5. Rifle calibers were fairly decisive:-- 60% picked a medium caliber (.30-cal, like .30-06, .303, .308, 7.62x39mm or the handgun .357Mag)
-- Even the 27% who picked “large” calibers, chose calibers that weren’t that large: .44 Mag or .45-70 Govt. were the most popular.
6. Long gun surprises:-- the .30-30 garnered only two supporters
-- only eleven people picked “modern” rifle types, like Winchester 70, Remington 700 and Savage
-- most bolt-action supporters picked older rifle types: Mauser 98, SMLE, Springfield ‘03
-- NOBODY picked a magnumthumpenblitzenboomer caliber (.300 Win Mag, .338 Win Mag, .460 Weatherby etc) except for one maniac who chose: “One of those WWII African survival (Luftwaffe?) drillings (9.3x74mm—almost H&H ballistics!—under two 12 ga. barrels!)”
-- lever-action brands were overwhelmingly Winchester, and one Marlin
-- only 6% picked a “drilling” (one rifle barrel under a double-barrel shotgun).
7. Handgun types: People had little doubt about this one:
-- 71% picked a revolver: S&W was easily #1 (although I probably influenced the response with my pick of the 10-shot 617), Ruger gave a good account of themselves with the Single-Six and Vaquero, and Colt was almost nowhere to be found
-- 25% chose a semi-auto (with the Ruger Mk II .22LR being the near-unanimous choice in small-caliber)
-- The rest picked a single-shot handgun, of the Thompson/Center Contender type.
-- A few people said they didn’t need a handgun, and would just take more rifle ammo instead.
8. Handgun caliber options::
-- 46% picked a large-caliber (.40 or larger) handgun, with revolvers like the Ruger Vaquero beating out semi-autos like the Glock/H&K/1911 handsomely
-- 39% decided that a .22LR handgun would do the job, split about 60:40 for revolver/semi-auto
-- 14% thought a medium caliber like .38/.357 would do the job, and most of these people chose a lever-action rifle of identical caliber as a companion piece.
9. Knives: Most people picked two kinds of knife: a large skinning knife, and a “toolkit” knife (Swiss Army or Leatherman). A couple of people compromised on the large knife (arguing that the axe could perform all the heavy jobs), and chose instead their favorite folding knife and a toolkit knife. Only a few people eschewed the toolkit knife altogether, settling for a machete- or kukri-style knife and a smaller skinner. The favorite knives were, in order: Cold Steel kukri, Puma Waidblatt (doubtless because of my endorsement) and the K-Bar USMC fighting knife.
General Comments:
-- Most considered the presence of hostile Indians to be a primary concern, even more so than hunting for food. This was the overwhelming reason for people to choose a semi-auto rifle like the Garand—firepower.
-- More than a few people said that they would probably live only on small game, not deer, and wouldn’t need a large-caliber rifle. A small-caliber rifle in, say, .22LR or even .22 Hornet would give them the accuracy they needed for hunting. But they would then take a large-caliber handgun for self-defense against Goblins.
-- One factor I hadn’t thought of, and one which should give everyone pause, is Murphy’s Law. This means that at some point, one of the guns would stop working or be stolen by Indians, which means that the “same caliber” people would have a real advantage.
-- A surprising number of people (about 25%) didn’t think they’d make it all the way across, dying en route. But none of them said that the prospect would stop them from taking on the challenge.
-- Not ONE woman responded to the challenge. No Calamity Janes or Annie Oakleys in this lot. That’s okay. I wouldn’t be able to handle childbirth.
-- One guy asked, if he reached the Pacific, whether he could get fresh supplies and go back. You are a man among men, seņor;-- although I’d like to see if you accepted the option once you got there. Me, I’d check into the Drake Hotel and live on room service and The Mrs. for a month. After having a two-hour shower first.
-- Here’s one interesting choice for a knife, verbatim: “Bushman, from Cold Steel; it has a hollow handle, and can easily be mounted on the top of a pole, making a serviceable spear or lance.” Hadn’t thought of that.
-- Most respondents, unsurprisingly, are old-fashioned conservative turds like myself. Sample responses:
“USMC K-Bar because it’s rugged and all the knife you really need, and if the Marines still think it’s the knife of choice after over 50 years then who am I to argue (I’ll take mine in the WWII brown leather please, just because I like it).”
“Ruger #1 in .308, stainless—absolutely frickin’ indestructible, even more than the Mauser, if that’s possible. Lightweight. Accurate. The .308s are plenty powerful enough for any game in the lower 48. Only disadvantage would be slow fire, and that’s only a disadvantage against unhappy natives… and in 1650 they don’t have guns yet.”
“The next blade [Bowie] would be a defensive one (or offensive as the case may be). WTF—if the bullets are gone and I still have to fight it would give me a chance. Or at least a chance to go out with a blaze of glory as the case may be.”
“For the rifle, I would take the Springfield ‘03-A3 in .30-06, standard sights. I know people worship the Mauser, but I am a simple man who likes simple things he is comfortable with.”
-- And for the several people who wrote and gave me the entire inventory of their supplies, from the kinds of boots and the contents of the medical kit, down to the brand of compass and type of backpack—you guys need to get a life. [
Oh right, like I never thought about any of that...]
That was fun. Thanks, guys.
