Buying a gun at the worst of times,
as it currently is, can be a tricky endeavor. I was recently thinking of
getting a 1911 .45, but decided against it for one single reason: the ammo
shortage. I have a Ruger LCP 380 that I usually carry, and that I have put
several hundred rounds through. I also have a Glock 26 9mm, which I also have
quite a few range hours with. Both of these guns are familiar to me, and I
would not need to think about the mechanics in order to use either if my life depended
on it. The 1911 would not be the same way. Since that gun, and really every
weapon, handles differently and has different safety mechanisms, I would need
to spend at least a month hitting the range a few hours a week in order to be
confident in my skills. While I can find the time, I cannot
find the ammunition needed to practice until I would feel proficient in shooting the 1911. In a life or death moment, the last thing I want to think about is how to use the gun I'm carrying. For now, I am going to pass on getting it.
So what can someone do who does not have a gun already?
I do recommend that you practice as
much as possible with ANY new firearm you purchase. If you choose to buy a new
gun, research the availability of ammunition BEFORE spending your money on the
gun itself. It will not do any good to have a gun without having ammunition to shoot both when you NEED to, and to practice with.
And it is not smart to have to rely on a gun you are not familiar with in a
life or death situation. Part of survival is being very familiar with your
equipment, its uses, capabilities, and limitations. Remembering to flip the
“safety” off is not something I currently have to think about. Neither the
Glock, nor my Ruger have one. The 1911 would require the muscle memory for me
to reflexively preform this action. That muscle memory can be developed in a range, but
without having a few hundred rounds, I would be putting my safety in jeopardy to
rely on this gun.
So what can you get for protection?
In all honesty, a shotgun may be
the best bet. Shotgun shells are still pretty easy to find, and there is only a
minimal amount of aiming that needs to be done in order to neutralize a threat.
Although many of us do not like to, women CAN shoot a shotgun with relative
ease, and accuracy. Since the scatter pattern of a shotgun has a much wider
damage area than a handgun or rifle, practice for the need of accuracy can be limited
to a box or 2 of smaller size shells. I keep 00 buck in mine, loaded and ready
at all times, but shoot something with less “kick” when I dust it off for
practice.
If you are still set on getting a
handgun, and I do recommend that you get at least one if you are interested, do
your research first. Decide on the type you think you want, and try to find a
box of ammo before borrowing, or renting one to shoot prior to buying. Then
make it a personal mission to actively look for ammunition whenever you leave
your house. Unless you are VERY good friends with someone who sells guns and
ammo, calling around will do no good. Once ammunition goes on the shelves at a
business, it is usually a matter of minutes before they are sold out again. You
will physically have to go and check the shelves so you can grab boxes as you
find them. Do not expect anyone to hold ammunition for you because you called!
You would have better luck catching a unicorn. Be realistic in your search, and
be aware of typical market value of the ammunition you are hunting for. In my
area, for instance, there are dealers who charged around $25 for a brick of
.22’s, and are still only charging that when they have it available. There are
also dealers who have jacked the price to nearly $80 for the same brick of
.22’s although the cost from the suppliers has not risen. And still others try
to sell a box of reloads for the price of new rounds. It warrants saying again,
DO YOUR RESEARCH!!!
Once the market for guns and
ammunition becomes “easy” again, remember this time of shortage, and stock up. But that
should be the motto for any prepper, “Stock up when things are cheap and easy to
find.” Although I do not practice with my Glock or my Ruger the way I did this
time last year, I know that I have plenty of rounds for my shooting needs since
I did stock up.
Good luck with your search, and
Happy Prepping!