Virus Outbreak Gun Sales
(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

Matthew Rosky, a North Carolinian who bought a Benelli 12-gauge shotgun for himself and a 20-gauge shotgun for his wife on April 4, said he doesn’t “plan on being relieved of my property or my life if it comes to that.” He said the couple lost their home to a landslide in 2019 and the threat of a national emergency pushed them to follow through on the purchase they had already been considering.

“I am not real enthused with politicians letting criminals out of jails, nor will I be surprised to see crime go up since many police departments are not responding to anything but the worst emergencies,” Rosky said. “Obviously, this is a pessimistic outlook but, ‘Hope for the best, prepare for the worst,’ seems like a good mantra at the moment.”

Andrew, a federal contractor living in Virginia who bought a Heckler & Koch VP9 for himself and one for his wife on March 21, said he had already experienced societal breakdown firsthand. He was a student at the University of Southern California during the Los Angeles riots and witnessed some of the destruction. He recalled “the acrid smell of smoke and the ceaseless police and fire sirens and LAPD choppers” as “the most poignant and searing memories” of his lifetime.

– Stephen Gutowski in First-Time Buyers Explain Why Coronavirus Drove Them to Gun Stores in Record Numbers

109 COMMENTS

    • My wife told me the other day that “If it comes down to it” she’s going to sit on the roof of our house with a stack of rice crackers and the M1A.

      I would have laughed but she makes rooftop Korean cracks about herself every time we put up Christmas lights so it’s not exactly a new joke.

      • Get some empty sand bags you can fill so you can provide her a bit of effective cover up there. If memory serves, a lot of those Koreans were crouched behind the cinder block ‘lip’ of the roof and peering over the top at the rioters below…

        • The whole thing’s a joke. One of the few Asian jokes she tells that’s not outrageously and overtly racist.

          Besides, fighting from the roof on this structure would offer no advantages and a number of disadvantages.

          And if she actually did start letting off the M1A I’d 1) be pissed since, realistically, she has a plethora of better options or 2) know the world really had just ended.

        • Let’s see, 20 easily aimed rounds with 2,600 ft. lbs. of muzzle energy,f ired from a place with lots of room to maneuver? Sounds like a pretty good option to me!

        • I didn’t say the M1A is a bad option. I said she has a fair number of better options for such a hypothetical situation.

      • That’s pretty awesome. I love it when people have a good sense of humor and the rooftop Korean is as good a stereotype as any.

      • That shows the concrete lip they were crouched behind. I hope Strych will be a good husband and give his wife some sand bag cover up there… 🙂

        • Remember to stay away from the dish! One wrong move and you will be spending your evening watching DVDs and talking to your wife a lot. Have her guard the shed or the garage door. Advise from someone married 45 yrs. Those married less than one year can make like bunnies but for the rest of us old married folk the TV is our ventilator.

  1. And here comes the democrats telling everyone they don’t need guns and all that.

    Lets see how that plays this November.

  2. Lived through the LA Riots but just recently picked up several firearms? Better to learn late than be dead. Benelli and FN, the man has somewhat expensive tastes, guess Ruger and Mossberg just won’t do for some lol.

    • Edit: Just realized that the article references two distinct individuals, both with very discerning tastes in armaments. Nowadays new firearm owners gotta be so fancy. What’s wrong with an old beat up 5906 or an 1897 trench gun? Shame that AKs are so pricey now.

        • Good point. Initially Esoteric Inanity didn’t give it much thought in the first post, but found it quite strange. However, he was being slightly sarcastic in his second post. This one likes to occasionally poke fun at gun snobs (although, admittedly Esoteric Inanity does own a few rather expensive firearms along with his plethora of inexpensive plinkers and surplus beaters). This one agrees that the cheaper options were likely depleted and the Johnny-come-latelys were stuck buying high end guns at a premium price.

        • All that talk of a sell off and prices coming down had me thinking I might acquire a P7 again until I thought, nobody panic bought a P7. I still get dizzy mad about mine getting stolen and the bad luck of being out of the country and not paying attention as they went out of production.

        • If you are defending your life why in the world are you looking at cheap models? I want the best (within reason) and the most reliable. With that, I can handle the rest.

      • All the old 97’s I’ve seen have been pretty pricey. And with the panic going on they’ve bound to have gotten even higher.

        • I’m almost ashamed I got rid of mine at a gun show too many years ago.
          I’d love to find another. They are just really neat.
          And yeah. Very pricey.

        • Two shotguns I’d love to own, the Winchester 1897 and a true coach gun with short barrels and exposed “Rabbit Ears” hammers. Partly for their functionality and partly for the history and just the very cool look of the designs.

          Almost owned a coach gun back around 1980 or ’81. Was in a K-Mart, a Blue Light Special grabbed my attention in the Sporting Goods department. It was a sale on Brazilian made over-unders and side by side’s. I put a rabbit ear side by side on lay-away for just a week until pay-day. And when I came back they’d sold it to somebody else.

          Seriously pissed off, the K-Mart manager apologized for the screw-up and made me the same deal on a Newhaven 600AT by Mossberg (model 500). Still have it, total reliability, freshly cleaned and oiled or filthy it just plain works.

          Still, I want me that rabbit ears coach gun … just because !!!

        • Exactly what Esoteric Inanity was attempting to tacitly imply (perhaps not so well as articulation isn’t necessarily this one’s strong suit).

          Many people who fancy the neoteric offerings often look down on those that utilize what might be considered anachronistic options. Ironically enough, those old firearms are now going for a premium also. One has to have some admiration for that old curmudgeon with his pre-polymer pistols and woodstocked war relics; If not for the history, then the practicality.

          Modern firearms certainly have their advantages, but one must admit that “old relics” can also be quite potent. Hence, Kalashnikov type rifles being nearly as old/older (design wise) than many other milsurp rifles (FN FAL, MAS49/56, Ljungman AG-42B etc.) can be seen as either obsolete by current “tactical dogma” or modern with updated features by pragmatic views. All based on perspective, but what is undeniable is that all guns, old and new appear to be increasing in value at the moment (some more than others).

          Merely Esoteric Inanity’s slightly incoherent musings.

        • Saw a P7 on armslist the other day for 700. Sadly, decided I’d rather address other items one just can’t have enough of. It’s gone by today naturally…

        • “I’ve noticed prices really spiking on gunbroker. H&K P-7’s are well past 2 grand now.”
          Simple trick for buying these high dollar guns off GB, wait for between Thanksgiving and New Years.
          I purchased two P7 M13s (a NIB unfired safe queen & a +95% shooter) in Dec of ’18.
          Picked them both up at their opening GB min bid prices. Both sellers were were not pleased with the total lack of bidders on their guns (both were selling their HK due to tight finances during the holidays).
          Money is tight at the end of the year, and people are traveling/entertaining/spending time with family……..I make it a point to check what’s available on the auctions.
          Grabbed a NIB 18″ barrel/NATO spec (P-Mags/D-60 M3 drum capable) Black AUG during the ’19 holiday season, actually paid a reasonable price.
          These almost never come up for sale (VERY few are produced by Steyr).

    • Esoteric Inanity,

      Back in March and into April, there was a huge run on firearms an ammunition. There is a very high probability that many gun stores sold out their inexpensive firearm platforms in fairly short order, leaving only the most expensive varieties on the shelves for latecomers.

      And consider basic human psychology/behavior. Look at someone who figured that their need for self-protection was so low that they chose not to purchase any firearms over the years. Then this COVID-19 virus shows up and they begrudgingly decide to purchase their first firearm “just in case”. Do you think that kind of person will be eager to spend top dollar on high-end firearms? Or do you think that kind of person will spend as little as possible just to have something — anything — on hand? I am going with the second characterization. And that would result in gun stores selling out of the inexpensive firearms first.

      • Appreciate the excellent analysis. uncommen_sense has delved into the nuance of this phenomena far deeper and more cogently than Esoteric Inanity could have done. This one agrees with the assessment, it seems logically sound. Now perhaps uncommon_sense can explain the whole “toilet paper” thing to Esoteric Inanity as he still does not understand. Human psychology/behavior can certainly be strange.

        • The psychology behind the run on toilet paper was two-fold.

          1) People were concerned about widespread disruptions to availability of all products. I believe that was/is a rational concern.
          2) Early on, a few people decided it would be wise to stock up on toilet paper in case the virus reduced availability (number 1 above). Then a few more people noticed those “early adopters” stocking up on toilet paper, figured those “early adopters” knew something that they did not know, and jumped on the stock-up bandwagon. Of course this snowballed to the point that even people who were not concerned about general product availability noticed the nearly empty shelves (of toilet paper) and grabbed whatever they could before it ran out.

          In other words this was just another example of “herd mentality”. Someone starts the herd running in a certain direction and the rest of the herd, figuring that the front-runners know something which they do not, follow suit.

        • There’s more to theTP shortage. Many people use the commercial grade stuff at work, the giant rolls of single ply that fits in those big vandal-proof dispensers. Now, many people are staying home, increasing the true demand for residential TP. And you can’t just start shipping the commercial stuff to the corner grocery store.

        • @uncommon_sense
          Another very cogent evaluation. Herd mentality is a good descriptor, add in the panic aspect and the only factor unaccounted for are the would be profiteers. Admittedly, Esoteric Inanity must be an anomaly as he just can’t quite empathize with such a mindset that would possess one to stockpile Toilet Paper to such a degree.

          Granted it doesn’t leave one’s ass black and blue as the funnies tend to do. It has other more unconventional uses too. However, toilet paper is very dry and tastes terrible when one’s hungry in a box with a fox. Guess Jim Morrison was correct: People Are Strange.

          @Phil
          Interesting, Esoteric Inanity hadn’t considered that. Likely would add to it, but hard to believe that alone would account for such a disparity in national supply.

        • The TP shortage is twofold: panic buying; and what I outlined above.

          It’s the same with food. Half of all meals are served ”outside the home”, school cafeterias, restaurants, etc., so the “meals served at home” half of the distribution system is overwhelmed, and won’t be fixed anytime soon. We gotta get back to work ASAP.

        • @Phil
          Ah, understood. After referencing the initial comment, Esoteric Inanity’s reading comprehension is subpar when tired, this one can see what he overlooked. Appreciate the clarification and further edification.

        • Does Esoteric Inanity always speak in the third person, or just when tired? Or just when quarantined?

        • @Phil
          Just when going by the name Esoteric Inanity in the comments section of TTAG and a few other sites (Used to do it on a cooking site of all places, until this one was unceremoniously shown the door.). IRL Esoteric Inanity is a rather nondescript and somewhat boring person but otherwise, reasonably normal.

          The persona and nomenclature were developed for a stand up routine that this one used to do years ago; “esoteric inanity” was the eponymous punch line to a rather long winded and dry joke that this one can’t even recall now. Needless to say, the act never really did catch on, and the persona was retired. With the aforementioned exception, and Esoteric Inanity used to do this shtick to his ex. Imagine that in the bedroom, it drove her batty and probably didn’t help any relationship issues.

          This one tends to be more active on TTAG when he is having a manic episode, can’t sleep or is bothered by something. For some reason the slightly bizarre and senseless interactions (Albeit sometimes serious.) are cathartic. Otherwise, entheogens are the preference/thisonejests.

          Quarantine in Southwest Wyoming isn’t really any different than any time prior. The wind still blows, people wander around aimlessly, there are more sheep and antelope than people here, road construction is ever ongoing, if the wind ever ceased then people would panic and Esoteric Inanity still can’t get svelte, blonde, prepossessing beauties to understand his affinity for vincilagnia. Yeah, life in SW Wyoming hasn’t changed much.

        • Dear Esoteric Inanity,
          Phil understands. Phil wishes you a good night, and hopes that you find all of the TP and ammo you seek.

        • I see the toilet paper thing as people assuming they would be trapped inside their house for two weeks straight if they got coronavirus.
          An entire family trapped inside a house for two weeks will go through quite a bit of toilet paper.
          No one thought about any alternatives, like jumping in the shower immediately after or even using those unpaired socks that are always left in the dryer.
          I have enough of those that I could get by for a month wiping my butt with a sock.
          Even though I live alone and have a bidet.
          How come those are not lot more popular here in America?

  3. It’s good to be prepared, better late than never. Wait until the unprepared come knocking on your door wanting food. Especially if you live in a large metro area. It is amazing that some people think this will never happen. If you don’t learn from the past, your bound to repeat it. Most have no idea concerning the depression of the 1930’s. My empathy meter registers empty for those who will not take responsibility for themselves and their family. F*#&’em.

    • Wally, so if someone comes to your house “unprepared”, hungry, asking for food, your response is to say “F*#&’em”? There was a couple named Joseph and Mary and she was “unprepared” about to have a baby and people said the same thing until they had their son in a barn. And later their son and freinds were “unprepared” and depended upon strangers for food and even lodging as they toured the land. I suppose you would have just said “F*#&’em”.

      • That’s a very delicate topic, with no one-size-fits-all answer. On one hand, we should be helping those in genuine need, which is the major reason why I myself stockpile more than I believe I’d need for a foreseeable emergency. In fact, I’ve already shared small portions of certain items with a couple of individuals who were in a tight corner.

        On the other hand, if the S were to truly HTF and a 1 month emergency ended up stretching out into 6 months and my supplies were beginning to thin, there would come a point where I’d need to fall back on my primary responsibility to my wife and family, and I could not sacrifice their safety and survival. Their comfort, perhaps, but not their survival. I pray to God we never have to come to that.

        • +1

          Share what you can when you can and always remember that family is first.

          If you have elderly or infirm neighbors…share your time – giving them a hand with shopping, minor maintenance, lawn mowing, etc.

        • @Old Guy,

          Yup. Have already done all three that you mentioned for my elderly neighbor next door. Time of crisis can be used to strengthen community bonds.

          • “community bonds”…Heavens Haz, don’t you realize that the Progressives have dibs on any expression using “community”…shame on you for socially appropriating their lingo. Only Progs can have sympathy, feelings, or assist others in times of need. *

            * I was being sarcastic, however, there is a very good book by Arthur Brooks titled Who Really Cares that explores (with supporting facts and figures) charitable giving between Conservatives / Liberals. The book is a bit dated, but, his conclusions are just as valid today as when he wrote it.

        • I recall when my eldest son – in his early 20s at the time – tried to use some sort of hip and edgy term he thought would confuse me as a generational “gotcha!”. I looked at him, cocked my head, managed a wry smile, and simply told him “I like that word…I’m taking it for myself…it’s mine now.”

          The meltdown he suffered over the next few minutes was absolutely priceless as he realized his utter lack of control over what other people say and do. 🙂

      • Esoteric Inanity recalls an old tale with themes of generosity and kindness given to strangers:

        Zeus and Hermès (or was it Odin and Loki? No matter.) decide to go tramping in the countryside while disguised as bums. They come upon several dwellings where they proceed to beg the inhabitants for food. Each time they are turned down, and in turn each time Zeus puts a curse upon the uncharitable occupants.

        Finally the two Olympians find themselves at the doorway of a very humble looking residence. An old and quite haggard woman greets them. They proceed to request food and lodging. The old woman quickly invites the vagrants inside while announcing to her decrepit husband that they have guests. The old couple then goes about providing what meager accomadations they can to the strangers; his and her chairs at the table, the last bit of bread and water served in the only two cups that they own. Finally the old couple offers up their very beds to the unassuming gods, along with their sincere apologies that they have nothing more they can offer.

        At this point Zeus and Hermès reveal themselves to their indigent hosts, no doubt shocking them greatly. The Olympians explain the reason for their ruse (Esoteric Inanity forgets this minor detail) then go on to praise the man and his wife for their selfless generosity. In return for the magnanimous hospitality shown to him, Zeus offers to grant any request to them. Vast riches, renewed youth, or even dominion of the land and its occupants, all presented to but for them to ask. The husband and wife, after some insightful discussion between themselves, politely turn down Zeus’ offer of riches, youth and power for they have no desire of any of that. However, they ask one request of the Olympian. That being that when one of the old couple should die, the other would instantly follow. For neither had want of life without the other. Upon hearing this request, Zeus complimented the old couple’s wisdom and guaranteed that neither should live without the other.

        Years later when the old woman took ill, with her husband by her side at her death bed, they both peacefully passed on. Left in their place were two large oak trees (Or were they ash trees?) standing with their branches forever intertwined.

        • and on yet another outing, they had gone philandering.
          after performing like an immortal, the god apologized to the clueless bewildered woman.
          “listen, you can’t have known, i’m a god- i’m thor.”
          to which she replied, “you thor? m’er f’er, i can hardly walk!”

        • “and on yet another outing, they had gone philandering.
          after performing like an immortal, the god apologized to the clueless bewildered woman.
          “listen, you can’t have known, i’m a god- i’m thor.”
          to which she replied, “you thor? m’er f’er, i can hardly walk!” “

          This one supposes that it’s better than the one about Saturn’s father being somebody’s ass up in the sky.

          Admittedly, once Esoteric Inanity understood it, after several readings, the joke was quite humorous.

          “Haha. Wow. Haven’t heard that joke in a really loooong time.”

          A prime example of how comedy is intertwined with tragedy. ‘Twas a tragedy that such comedy could outshine such a sentimental and classic Greek myth.

          Perhaps Esoteric Inanity should now recount the Fornaldarsaga and the honorable exploits of Örvar-Oddr……Nay this one doesn’t need anymore bad Nordic jokes coming his way today.

      • That is why I keep a stock of MREs. If someone is truly in need, I’ll help them ONCE. After that, it’s up to them.

        I’ve spent many years and thousands of dollars preparing for just about any calamity you can image. With 2 decades of military service, and a lot of training and study, I like to think I am prepared for the worst, this side of an asteroid obliterating the species.

        If you wake up tomorrow, that is the time to start correcting the error in your ways. The markets are loosening up to the point that one may acquire just about anything one could want/need. Get to it, people. What I have is for me and mine.

  4. Realistically it does seem that some areas are seeing a spike in burglary, I haven’t seen stats on what percentage is actually home invasion, but I can see why some former non-gun owners are a bit nervous.

    Especially with all the bullshit going around. The current politics pretty much dictate that the argument that gets attention is “millions dead vs. nothing to worry about”. Neither group is particularly rational and the media and webtards aren’t exactly helping people make rational choices. Fuck, the “big deal” yesterday in some comment sections is that this virus is “airborne AIDS”.

    • Indeed, the country is currently polarized to the point that there can be no consensus. If one side were to offer up a pragmatic opinion, the other then would resort to histrionic hyperbole. Said back and forth would produce diametrically opposing views that lack any semblance of reality. Even some of the ostensible “experts” are propagating little more than baseless speculations. Worst of all, the polemicists in the MSM are spewing blatant falsehoods and even shamefully repeating CCP propaganda.

      It’s a wonder that things are as stable as they seem right now with everything taken into consideration. On the bright side, this crisis does exhibit the current resilience of the American people (no offense intended towards the other fine folk of the world, they have their positive attributes also……somewhere/this one jests). All this in spite of the ever more egregiously disgraceful antics of its politicians and “free press”.

      Esoteric Inanity won’t get started on the conspiracy theorists and overly zealous religious types. However, this one has come to learn that Covid-19 was caused by a 5G wireless communications tower covertly set up in Wuhan by U.S. Navy SEALs. Said ailment is both deadlier than influenza yet not so. Wearing masks in public didn’t inhibit its spread until it was suddenly determined that it did. Hydroxychloroquine is perfectly safe to treat malaria but has deadly side effects when used to treat Covid-19 (According to CNN). Finally, known cures include ingesting high doses of vitamin C, colloidal silver, tiger penis and rhino horn, cannabis, essential oils and praying devoutly (No offense to anyone of faith, but the clergymen that were preaching faith and prayer as a panacea to the pandemic, while disregarding certain precautions, are being irresponsible at best. Esoteric Inanity stands by the 1st Amendment; Free speech, exercise of religion and assembly are fundamental to the republic, but the vulnerable must be taken into consideration right now. Meaning that 1st Amendment rights are not suspended for anyone but merely everyone should exercise them with more caution and an emphasis on personal responsibility. Also preferably refrain from concocting potentially hazardous nonsense).

      • when i picked up my goat and oxtails from klaire’s she said it was the 5g. wonderful xaymacan lady telling me in all seriousness that it was all because of the chinese and the 5g.
        maybe she’s got something there.

        • It’s been said that there is a seed of truth to every conspiracy. Or something to that effect. China wasn’t blameless before this accursed contagion, it certainly isn’t now either.

  5. Today is the anniversary of the most important day in the history of Firearms Rights. On a bloody battle field 245 years ago. A group of citizens banded together. To fight against the Tyranny that was being forced upon they. By an Omnipotent Regime. They were unsure of the outcome of their fight. Yet fight they did because they knew their way of life was at stake. Why people fight for Freedom has taken many forms. While Oppression is always the same. Denying people of the Right to choose their destiny. Whether it be Firearms Right, Voting Rights, The Right to Freely Associate or Freedom from Governmental Control. Freedom is a precarious ideal. Often Hard won and yet easily relinquished for the promised comfort and security of those in Power. I simply ask. How will you honor those brave souls today and the many who have followed? Who willingly put skin in the game to give each of Us the Freedoms We enjoy. Leaving Us with the charge of seeing that those Freedom were not handed down in Vain. Keep Your Powder Dry…

    • I’m heading to the lake to hopefully find all guns that drowned when my boat sank last year…. what a bummer…

      • That happened to me and two of my friends while fishing in February. The only difference is that we valued our fishing equipment more than you, your guns. We were able to flip the boat and get a tow to shore. We went straight to the sports store, bought fins, masks and snorkels and went right back. Got the motor running, got back out on top and found all of our gear except a small lure box and the upper half of a rod.
        We flipped going over a submerged log. We froze our ass off, but, saved the trip.

    • Ah… Darkman, you are correct. Good observation. And it was over the topic of enforced gun control.

      Note that it happened exactly four weeks (28 days) after Patrick Henry’s famous “give me liberty or give me death” address to the Virginia House of Burgesses. The majority of delegates in that room did not believe the Crown would truly revert to draconian measures, and were hesitant to take any action, hence Mr. Henry’s impassioned plea to their senses.

      Only four weeks later, the spark…

  6. “Matthew Rosky, a North Carolinian who bought a Benelli 12-gauge shotgun for himself and a 20-gauge shotgun for his wife….”

    Buys “himself” a 12 gauge and a 20 gauge for the little lady. Apparently he’s OK with handing his wife and underpowered firearm. Hell, why didn’t he get the little woman a 410 instead?

    • Haha. If you think a 20 is underpowered, you’re not a gun guy. The primary reason to choose a 12 over 20 would be number of pellets and larger selection of ammo. There isn’t any 2 legged threat in the world that can’t be downed by a 20. Typical 3″ 12 guage buckshot is only moving 50-200 fps faster than 3″ 20 guage.

      You can check here for more information.
      https://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/20-gauge-home-defense/amp/

    • I don’t see how a 20ga shotgun is “under powered”?

      True, 12ga is bigger, sends out more lead. But any caliber or gauge is potentially deadly if the bad guy gets hit in the right place. Which is much harder to achieve if the good guy cannot handle the size and recoil of the weapon in his or her hands.

      Perhap’s the author’s wife is petite? As many ladies are? Which suggests a smaller/lighter recoiling boomstick would be more advantageous in her hands than a full size model.

    • My wife has a Mossberg 500 20 gauge for bedside home defense. I defy anyone to stand up to a 3 inch round of #5 shot. Especially since she trains to shoot @ the pelvic girdle area. She’s sorta mean that way.

  7. Bought my last gun in January because I wanted a de-cocker model. Virtually no room for more ammo. On September 11, 2001 I realized I wasn’t prepared and vowed — never again.

    • Virtually no room for ammo… Haha. My last order has overflowed into a small cardboard box in my master bedroom. Wife isn’t happy.

  8. I work as the “doorman” at a gun store in a New England state with very restrictive laws. My job is to control the flow of customers into the store, to explain necessary steps to buy a gun or ammo, and to check for permits and proof of residence. Many folks showing up to buy a gun believe it’s like buying a fishing rod at Wal Mart. In our state, you can’t even buy a box of ammunition without a state-issued ammunition purchase certificate. People beg me, scream at me, threaten me, and/or tell me it’s their Constitutional Right to buy a gun. They get quite an education about needing a “golden ticket” to get into this Wonka World.

    The phone calls I get from elderly people are saddest “….I am 75, I live alone, have never fired a gun, but am so afraid”. I have to explain the permitting process, and also tell them that no permit classes are running anywhere in the state, so it will likely be 6 months or so before they can begin the process.

    In addition to our state’s residents, we have many folks from NY and NJ showing up attempting to buy a gun or ammunition (all their gun stores were deemed non-essential). I tell them, the only thing we can do is have them pay for it and we’ll ship it to the FFL of their choice in their state. They walk away empty-handed, but with my advice to next time, vote Republican.

    • Right now would be a goldmine to be sitting on some pre-1898 guns. Not ideal for home defense but better than none.

      If I didn’t have firearms, I’d be making some orders from Cold Steel. Halberds or Boar Spear, with a machete or sword for close in. If you have the budget and want to put in the time to learn how to swing one then I’d suggest a sword or viking axe.

      • Ask and ye shall receive…

        https://elkcreekcompany.net

        Some serious eye candy there. Prices may seem a bit higher than one may be used to, but, the quality!
        At one time, he added that he would take old silver coins at x times face value.

        I’m liking the fact that they will ship right to my doorstep.

        • Yeah, some of those prices are in the “Hey, I won the Power Ball lottery and look what I just bought” range. Not saying I wouldn’t like to own a few of them myself, just far too expensive to be practical for my wallet.

      • I brought this up before for people in behind the anti gun state governments as a possible alternative and it was stated that if the firearm was capable of firing a center fire cartridge it was still considered a firearm under state law in many places.

  9. Haven’t bought any gun stuff since end of December’ish. Some of us have so much already, we can just sit back and watch in amazement as lines formed outside gun shops and politicians argue over what is “essential” and what is not.

    On Roof Koreans, so far things have not gone the way of the LA Riots. For reasons that should be obvious, those riots were caused by very different circumstances than this current apocalypse. The massive swelling of anger toward authority does not exist like it did in Lost Angles, CA in 1992.

    One thing that’s for certain, if we ever do see a riot anywhere like we did then, the “Roof Korean” effect will be far better armed than ever before.

    I do not expect that to happen, but it is a good thing that the ability of the law abiding to defend themselves against mindless hordes of rampaging idiots has improved so dramatically.

    • IMHO we won’t see large scale disturbances so long as the trucks continue to run. And so far the supply system has continued to function.

      • The big hit to the supply chain now is meat packing facilities. Several in the Midwest have shut down for anywhere from 1 week to for the foreseeable future due to Chinese Virus. Already seeing a run on meat products in stores. Meat will become the next hot item. Fortunately We are well stocked with the freezer full and more canned and cured in the food pantry. Be safe out there.

        • My supply of turkey increased again this weekend. I expect it to further increase this week.

    • “The massive swelling of anger toward authority does not exist like it did in Lost Angles, CA in 1992.”

      Yet.

      But when it does…

  10. All guns are good, cheap or spendy, it’s the person on the trigger you got to worry about.

    • Hmmm, I’ll raise you some models of the Llama, Chiappa, Jennings and Lorcin for cheap guns that have too many failures to be good.

      Own a Chiappa rimfire revolver that took a year of tinkering to get it to shoot a full cylinder, had a Jennings that always failed to feed.

        • Sir,

          You forgot the awesome Perfection of Gaston’s Big G!

          (/sarc)

          (disclaimer: I own two and a half of them…gives me kvetching rights. My G44 is loads of fun)

          Does your S do double duty…Smith and Sig?

          Not to be coy or tacky…but, a number of shooters up here take their fully-supported DD’s out in the field and give them a good workout on the weekends.

          G’nite

  11. Oh we’re about to reach the tipping point. Witness all the protests in the last few day’s. HOW does it make sense in rural Wyoming with a tiny population to shut the state down?!? Almost plague free…anyone notice the “one world” BS YESTERDAY? “In this together” crap concert featuring the usual leftards. We got an anti-Christ waiting in the wing’s ready to burst on the world scene promising “peace & safety”. Hope you’re ready with more than guns&ammo!

      • Yeah, we’re all in solitary confinement together. Let’s sing Kumbaya and join hands while maintaining six feet of distance from each other.

        The dizzy sh!ts who actually believe this “in this together” crap should be locked in a gas station toilet for a week or two. With no toilet paper, of course.

        When it comes to TP, maybe the slogan should be “all out together.”

        • Oh that picture in my mind won’t go away now, but we’re all in this together, (sigh).

    • Hey! Concerts to help the world are fantastic! Somewhere, people are still waiting on their Live Aid checks from 1988 and that gives them HOPE! Thanks, Bono!

      • You are aware that after Live Aid. Nearly all of the supplies sent to Africa sat on the docks and/or wasted away in warehouses. What didn’t was sold on the black market. Because many of the Authoritative leaders didn’t want their people knowing there was a possibility of a better life without them in charge.

        • You mean something actually went somewhere from it? I’d have to see actual evidence of it doing anything other than making more money for a bunch of musicians.

          • …I offer in supporting evidence the Clinton Foundation and their generous support of Haiti after the 2010 earthquake…

            (/sarc)

            Note: due to endemic corruption in Haiti, incompetent NGO’s (Non Governmental Organizations) and charities [sic] like the Clinton Foundation not releasing promised funds…Haiti is still a (blanked up) mess ten years after the earthquake.

            Bill, Hillary and Chelsea all deserve reservations in the Eighth Circle of The Inferno…with Bill and Hillary co-hosting in the Ninth Circle on alternate days.

  12. I would love to know how many direct deposit stimulus checks went to guns and or accessories. While I would’ve loved a 1911 I bought a new lawn mower, and a Milwuakee cordless hammer drill then paid my property taxes cus you dont own your home lol.

    • My Dad told me decades ago: “Son, you never really own a home, they own you…but, it beats the Hell out of paying rent all your life”.

      He was right…as usual.

      G_d, I miss his down-to-earth humor / advice.

    • WhenEVER I get my gubmint check all I’m getting is a sling for my AR15. Gunwise anywho…

  13. The local Ace Hardware store advertised a just-in inventory of S&W M&P9 Shield 2.0’s as well as 442 snubbies. They sold out in a day. They were not particularly attractively priced and of course no rebates.

    So glad I took advantage of salad days pricing and/or rebates on firearms. You won’t see that again for a very very long time (if ever).

    __________________________________________
    The most asinine and laughable example of how ignorant the liberal media is on 2A is to watch footage of the “Rooftop Koreans” on YT and see the newscaster repeatedly ask the on-scene reporter if know whether or not the guns the RK’s are carrying are “registered”. Seriously WTF and who cares.

  14. Definitely my favorite fake gun site. As our rights are removed without a whimper, the profiles here continue to fake post about guns and ammo. Well done TTAG.

  15. The article says the one guy has been impressed by what he’s seen from gun owners in person and online, that it is all about safety first, and practice, practice, practice. This is good that we are making a good impression. Some of the first-time buyers also did not want to be identified for fear of punishment in their jobs, that sucks.

  16. For those who get it…

    Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

    Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

    But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

    Abraham Lincoln
    November 19, 1863

  17. Regarding the referenced ammunition purchases, I wonder if that might show a perhaps all to well placed lack of faith in “government”?

    • By all accounts it is clearly a severe lack of faith in the democRat Party.

      TRUMP/PENCE 2020.

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