I'm curious. I see a lot of posts lately regarding gun purchases, gun collections, locating ammo (guilty), etc. I've been around this forum for quite some time (as many of you have), and I certainly can never remember so much interest being shown regarding firearms. Now, after reading that last line, it does come off judgmental and critical as if this gun talk is a bad thing. I'm all for it (actually enjoy reading the threads), but it had me thinking. Are your interests and purchases driven by circumstances? For instance, we all know gun control is a hot topic right now. So, are more of you researching guns, considering buying guns, stocking up on ammo, etc, due to the current political climate? Or, is it just something that's a popular topic to discuss now? I understand that it's expected that sportsman and those who enjoy the outdoors would also tend to be firearms enthusiasts, but I was just curious. Now, who wants to help me locate some more 9mm ammo:D
I'd say 85-90% is circumstance driven, with the rest being me pure gun talk. The AR parts thread started prior to the gun rush, but took a turn as did some of the CC threads.
I'll admit the main reason I'm trying to get an AR right now is due to the current events. I'm not a big gun fanatic by any means, but I believe in our second amendment and most my posts have been due to that. Currently I own a .45, 12 Ga., .22 bolt action rifle and about 2/3 of an AR. Next gun I want is a .44 mag pistol for deer. As far as 9mm I went to a local store on the way back from deer hunting last Sunday, wanted to see if they had .223 but if course didn't. Picked up 2 boxes of .45 auto instead, but they had tons of 9mm.
Seems to be a knee-jerk reaction. Some of the guys that I know that are buying AR's right now have no real reason in mind. A couple that I have asked simply said, because some day I may not be able to get one. It kind of seems to me like they were getting along pretty well without one prior. I see no reason to run out and pay two or three times what they were worth prior to the last mass shooting. It's not like they will kill a coyote any deader than the rifles I already own. To me, its like telling a kid they cant have a cookie until after dinner. It just makes them want it so much more. The forbidden fruit. It would be kind of like aluminum arrows being outlawed and half the guys that are already shooting carbon going out and buying up every last aluminum arrow they could get their hands on. They dont really need them, and likely wont really use them, but they feel a strong urge to have something that others may not get. It's all a little comical to me. I dont begrudge anyone from owning one, they are cool. But, I have no desire to own one and dont see the urgency factor.
I rushed out and bought one, because I knew there would be a huge run on them. I have been wanting one, and was planning on building one from scratch, but circumstance changed my thinking and my hunch was 100% right. I didn't pay one dollar over retail for mine and I likely wouldn't have been willing to pay any inflated markup, I would have just waited things out. I am also buying and stocking up on ammo, but I am not willing to pay the crazy markups that others are paying. I did over pay for my 20 round mags, they were going for less than $10.00 and I payed about $17.00 for them, but I still expect there to be a ban on anything over 10, so I payed the premium. I have them, and won't be letting go of them. You can call it a knee-jerk reaction, and you can laugh all you want. I don't trust the man in charge, and I certainly don't trust congress to protect my rights. I believe New Yorkers can attest to that.
I have bought almost nothing since this latest panic. Mostly because I'm a cheapskate but also because we're fairly stocked already with guns, mags and ammo. I do find the latest situation interesting. I think a lot of people remember the last gun ban and want to be grandfathered in. I also think a lot of people are more in the TEOTWAWKI/SHTF/Zombie Apocalypse mindset and suddenly realize they'd better the black, scary guns and ammo while they still can. If and when the hysteria blows over, I'd like to see some of these people out at the marksmen courses, high power matches or urban rifle training classes. Work on the skills and have fun.
Then you also wont be surprised if they make them illegal for civilian ownership. You kind of make my point. A lot of the guys that are buying them are doing so because they have such a distrust for our government. So, if you distrust the government so much, you wont be surprised if they make ownership of an AR illegal. So, buying one now really would not do you any good, right? Because, they are going to come take it away. Please dont get me wrong, I am not trying to belittle anyone from owning an AR. It really makes no difference to me. I love guns. I just find the whole urgency to own one kind of interesting. Like I said before, I own many guns that may well be on the chopping block. But, I am not about to add to the collection at this time.
Since I finally started making decent money a couple years ago, I have found that I really enjoy buying up guns. Actually it gives me something to do when I go into stores. Now I can be on a mission to look for ammo and purchase whatever my buddies and I are looking for. Going through all this junk also makes me realize that I need stock up when prices are cheap so i don't have to run around when there is a shortage of everything.
Nearly .20 per round of .22lr!!!! http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=325263329 Gah!!!
No, I don't expect that they will be "coming to get" my AR, but if they are banned, the price to purchase a grandfathered AR-15 would be just as much or even more than what people are paying right now. I don't believe that this congress would pass a ban, but I'm not willing let my faith in the system, misguide me. We have people making decisions about weapons that are not qualified, or even understand what they are used for and how they are properly used. They just see that a gun could hold 30 rounds and they think everyone will want to start killing people. I can promise you that I could do more damage w. my shotgun and an xrail than you could ever think about doing w. an AR. You ask any law enforcement office, and in close quarters I can bet you they will tell you they want their shotgun, but the lawmakers are oblivious to the fact that a shotgun could do just as much, if not more damage. Handguns account for the majority of all shootings, and have been used in mass shootings on more occasions that AR's have, but again lawmakers are oblivious and just want to attack "assault rifles." I had originally planned to buy one this spring, but decided I needed to upgrade my bow at that time. So that is what I did, figuring I could wait until my bonus the next year to pick up the AR. Obvious circumstances speed up my purchasing process, but my reasoning never changed. There were several A1 type AR's in stock at several places I went, but that was not what I wanted. I wanted a long range accurate coyote gun, which is what I ended up with.
Part of my interests are being driven by current events and part are not. If my deal goes through tonight, I will have bought 3 guns since November. Savage Model 110 .270 back in November, Henry lever action 22 mag, and my pending Ruger 22 cal revolver. You don't see an AR in there, right? I'd really consider buying one if they weren't three times as much now. I always wanted one of those Remington R15's for predator hunting but that's not gonna happen now. I have been running around like a mad man trying to find ammo. I've stocked up my 22LR supply to about 2,400 rounds now. Got a few boxes for my .270 (but that's not going anywhere) and a few hundred rounds for my .40 and .380. Only thing I'm lacking on is 223 ammo that I legitimately need for coyotes. I won't find any of that anytime soon. I'm just adding to the problem but damn, I want ammo too. Especially before prices are permanently raised or any restrictions are put on it as to how much you can buy.
Oh and if SHTF, my Henry 22 mag will be my go to gun. I figure I can take any game animal I currently hunt or "man sized" targets if I need to.
Looks like Christine went to private school. Her math is good. That is crazy! I should empty out my ammo vault and sell everything I have. I could be a hundredaire!!! Maybe even a thousandaire!!!!!
Respect. Again, I hope you dont feel like I was picking on you or poking at you. I completely understand where you are coming from. You already had plans to own one, makes perfect sense. I was more or less scratching my head at the folks (some I know well) that had absolutely no desire to own an AR until they were told that they may not be able to some day. Some of them also believe that they may be "taken away". I just think, WTF man...? If you really think that is going to happen, go buy a nice shotgun.
2 days before sandy hook, i purchased a flintlock over a hi point carbine. I just figured I'd get that after Christmas. That's not happening anymore. As soon as they said what the shooter used, i snagged a case of 223. Normal price. It's been tradition that i get antsy for a random gun purchase this time of year. But stores are either low on stock or jacked up prices. Even on guns that aren't in danger of the ban. Just annoys me that i am thrown off my leisurely shopping pace.
I agree. I can also say that if I were already sitting on a couple Assault type rifles, then I wouldn't have felt the need to go out and buy another.
I'm not quite sure why there is such a run on ammo now, not just black gun .223 or .308 ammo either, all ammo. Ammo is not going to get banned, why are people searching like mad and paying through the roof prices? No matter what happens to the black guns, this is going to blow over and ammo is going to be back in stock and prices are going to come back down. Lots of bolt action .223s will need ammo again right? That said I purchased a .357 revolver last week that I had been eying for some time before the shooting. I felt alone on the revolver side of the glass case while people climbed on top of each other on the semi auto pistol side of the case.
