Hello Jim,
I’ve finished reading your fine novel “Patriots [1]” several weeks ago, and have passed it on to another like-minded individual. I’ve also been scouring your web site daily for the last several months, and gleaning extremely valuable information not only from you, but the many fine individuals who add excellent links to current events. I have forwarded your link to others, and have it saved as “required reading” daily.
A brief background on our family; I had been one of the Y2K [2] aficionados, and had lived on the Big Island for many years. If it were still just my wife and myself, we would probably still be there. But having children changes everything. I became involved in politics there as a fund raising chairman for a twice successful Republican, who was seated in the State house on Oahu, hoping that we could make a difference. But after 10 years there, (and the birth of our first daughter), I determined it was time to relocate back to the mainland. China had also recently bracketed Taiwan, and expressed they could now hit Los Angeles with their now-successful missile launches. (Thanks to Loral Corporation and Bill Clinton). If the balloon ever goes up, I fear that Hawaii will be in deep kim chi.
I had done extensive research from Kona on the best place to settle on the mainland. We had traveled to the mainland numerous times, and visited all of the locations I deemed appropriate. We looked at Prescott, Arizona in the southern extreme, Grand Junction and Estes Park in Colorado, Mazama, Twisp, and Sequim, Washington (in the rain shadow of the Olympic Peninsula), Driggs, Idaho, Whitefish and Missoula, Montana, along with several others. I had multiple criteria as determining factors, such as growing season/weather, local political mentality, and economic vitality. After visiting everyone of these places, I had decided southern Oregon was an area that could conceivably weather both a nuclear exchange and long term social upheaval. I did not believe it was practical to “bug out” to a retreat locale, but would be “bugging home” from a business trip in any “event”. We learned in the restaurant business that there are three things important for a successful endeavor, and those are “location, location, location”. I have second -guessed my decision many times, but have sent a tap root down with the kids in school. So I would advise your readers to seriously consider their location, and to relocate to a desirable community, as I feel time is short.
With that segue Jim, I have a question for you, and would seek your council. I have a dreaded sense of foreboding with the recent election results, as I’m sure many of your readers do. After Y2K [2], my preparations for long term unrest had lapsed, and I feel into a state of complacency. I have slowly accumulated a fair number of firearms to protect my family over the years, and have acquired a couple of thousand rounds for each main battle rifle. The additional magazines have arrived in the mail, (thanks for that great link to CDNN [3] by the way), and I feel I’m somewhat prepared in this regard. If only I could convince my wife to shoot.
At any rate, my question is this: I don’t know if I should head to the local gun show today, or to the local store for sustenance for the family. I feel that if we are to buy ammo/firearms, it must be now, as Barack Obama could make us all felons with the stroke of a pen. All he has to do is to sign a treaty with the U.N., or file an Executive Order. So what should we do, buy guns/ammo, or additional food?
BTW, I continue to pray for the swift and complete recovery of The Memsahib. God Bless. – Steve in SW Oregon
JWR Replies: First, do not neglect buying storage food for your family. But in my opinion the outcome of the recent presidential and congressional election dictates putting a higher priority on guns and accessories for the next few months. We are living in exceptional times, and that calls for temporarily re-sequencing our priorities.
If your State law law allows it, then buy your guns from private parties–not Federal Firearms License (FFL [4]) holding dealers. Private party sales of modern (1899 and later) guns across state lines (in “interstate commerce” ) are banned under Federal law, but intrastate sales are still legal in most states. (Be sure to consult your state and local laws!)
Buying a gun through a licensed dealer leaves a prominent and permanent paper trail. Here are some relatively low profile alternatives:
Private party (non-FFL) sellers that are fellow Citizens of your State, at gun shows in your State.
Private party (non-FFL) sellers that are fellow Citizens of your State, advertising in newspaper ads.
Estate sales, garage sales, and farm auctions operated by private party (non-FFL) sellers that are fellow Citizens of your State.
Private party (non-FFL) sellers that are fellow Citizens of your State advertising at GunBroker.com [5]
(Use the “Smart Search” feature, and select “USA only – State where item is located”)
Private party (non-FFL) sellers that are fellow Citizens of your State advertising at GunsAmerica.com [6] (Use the “Advanced Search” feature, and “LIMIT TO STATE”. You can also select a check box to exclude guns that were listed by FFL holders.)
Pre-1899-manufactured “antique” guns chambered for modern cartridges, either in-state or out of state. (No FFL is required for Federally-exempt antiques. See my Antique Guns FAQ [7] for details. Again, your State and local laws may vary, so do your homework.)
One of president-almost-elect Obama’s publicly stated goals is to “close the gun show loophole.” [8] Clearly he wants to end private paperwork-free firearms purchases. This leaves us just a brief window of of opportunity to stock up what may need to be a decades-long supply. Be sure to buy plenty of full capacity magazines [9], since it is very likely that there will be an import ban (via executive order) soon after BHO comes to office, and a domestic production ban (via an act of Congress), soon after that. These bans will freeze the numbers of “grandfathered” magazines in private hands [10] and will likely triple the market price of all magazines of 11+ round capacity.) Buy plenty of extras for barter–even for models that you don’t own, but that will likely be in high demand. There may come a day when owners won’t be willing part with magazines for anything but astronomical prices, but they’ll probably still be willing to barter on a rational; “value for like value” basis.
Put an emphasis on gun and full capacity magazine purchases for the next three months, followed by some extensive ammunition purchases soon after the presidential inauguration.