James,
I have been reading SurvivalBlog for a few months now, and I have to say that you are doing a great job! I have taken your Ten Cent Challenge [1], and look forward to renewing for next year. I have been following [the U.S. Congress] bill H.R. 1022 and your advice to stock up on “assault weapons” and/or high capacity magazines. If one cannot afford multiple weapons would you recommend buying a quantity of [AR-15 [2]] lower receivers in the hopes of building them up to full guns at a later date? – Kevin
JWR Replies: That is a good idea. AR-15 receivers can be used not only to build an AR-15 or M4gery [3], but also a variety of other guns that share the common lower such as the BRP Guns “XMG” MG-34 semi-auto [4] and Spider Firearms Ferret .50 [5] (a very accurate .50 BMG [6] bolt action single shot rifle), and even the “it would be absurd if they didn’t have to make it” DPMS pump-action [7] .223 (for use in states like California and New Jersey that ban most detachable magazine semi-autos.) You can currently get Stag Arms AR-15 lower receivers for as little as $89 each if you buy two or more [8]. For your privacy, the best way to buy would be from a fellow private party at gun show. (Assuming that this doesn’t run afoul of your state and local laws.) Unfortunately, stripped receivers very rarely make it to the “secondary market.” Scour all of the gun shows in you area for the next few months. You never know, you might find someone that bought a stripped lower and never completed a planned “build” project. Of course if you live in a state that has outlawed private party sales–where all transfers must be processed with FFL [9] paperwork–then this is a moot point. Go ahead and buy several through your local FFL. You might even be able to get the dealer to waive part or all of the transfer fee if he wants to buy a few for his own inventory and you can get a lower “quantity” price from a manufacturer or distributor. One final proviso: Any new ban legislation might specify that a firearm must be completed before the law goes into effect in order to be “grandfathered.”