Free Education For Gun Owners

[Blacksmith]

The gun owners have been given a free education in what happens when people panic. We have seen it happen twice recently and in two increasing levels. The first after Obamma was elected to his first term effected mostly serious gun owners who saw shortages and increased wait times for a broad array of gun and shooting related items. We are now in a second greater panic that has expanded to include casual gun owners and people who have never owned a gun. It is being driven by fear that certain things people feel they want or need will not be available in the future.

The lesson to be learned is right or wrong, good or bad, true or not, when people fear a shortage the immediate demand can out strip available supply very rapidly. Depending on the depth of the fear and how wide spread the resulting shortages can be both disruptive and long lasting.

Please take a look at your personal situation and think about the ramifications of similar public fear in other areas of the supply chain. Now is not a good time to try and stock up on gun related things the train has already left the station, government surplus .22 LR ammunition that sold for $150 a case delivered less than 6 months ago is bringing as much as $655 now on Gun Broker in multiple auctions.

However it is not to late to start putting aside other things you may need in the future that could also be subject to public panics. This is not intended to set off those other panics but individuals can a little by little add to their supplies and become more prepared. Of course food is a logical area but one should also consider medications, first aid supplies, soap, finances, etc. and alternate ways of providing necessities like water and heat in the event the power, water/sewer, and communications grids are disrupted.

Baden-Powell had it right "Be Prepared"

[missionary5155]

Greetings
Blacksmith is correct on this evaluation. If there is something you need to stay alive better to have too many in stock than discover there is none available.
We live in an area where if you see it for sale and need it you better buy it as it will be a long time till you see it again. Basics are not criticle until a social upheval begins and then watch out. Panic buyers can get rather rude and forceful in exerting their demand for what you may already have in your hands.
Mike in Peru

[dakotashooter2]

Very good point... Because of our governments financial instability there may come a time when it is unable to act on a national emergency or disaster or at least in a timely manner. If you think the Katrina fiasco can't happen again you are sadly mistaken...... Stuff like that won't effect the rural areas as much but the big cities may turn into a domestic battleground. Remember to think basic needs. A generator doesn't do any good if there is no fuel around to run it.

[KCSO]

Your average grocery resupplies on a weekly basis and in a panic they will be empty in 2 days. And unless you plan to hunt the neighbors cat you better have food put away. This is not for doomsday, the last Omaha blizzard my siter in law didn't get out of her house for 10 days and the last three were soup and crackers because the STORE IS RIGHT DOWN THE STREET. Our last blizzard here the hardware was sold out of propane, emergency generators and propane and kerosene heaters in the firt 4 hours after the power lines went down.

[Hamish]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?104-Prepper-Talk

[1Shirt]

Did not know the grocery resupply factor that KCSO listed. Have no problem believing it however. Growing up in western N.Y. and in an area where lake effect snow can dump heavy, remember once when I was maybe 8-9 years old, being snowed in for close to a week before a snow plow got thru to clear the dirt road we lived on. Am a firm believer in at least having a month supply of food and that includes canned goods, beans, pasta, rice, potatoes etc. A two week supply would be for me an absolute minimum. We had a very bad ice storm here in Omaha a few years back. Some folks were without power if memory serves me right for nearly two weeks. As Blacksmith says, "Baden Powell had it right"
1Shirt!

[garym1a2]

I tend to disagree, now is a good time to buy, you just have to look harder and not over pay. I just got in a large order from Powder valley, it only took 5 weeks for them to ship it and the prices where normal. Last month I also stocked up on Glock 17, 21, 22 mags at near normal price $25 each from Midway. Got my Blackout barrel last month and an upper also from Midway for a decent prices. Only item I cannot find are small pistol primers and 22lr. But it is also a great time to sell excess.

[Blacksmith]

garym1a2

Yes if you can get things at near normal prices do it. I didn't want people paying insane prices. I found some large and small pistol primers last weekend and bought them they were a couple of dollars more than the last ones I bought but I expect that is the new normal. You can order Aguila .22LR ammo from the CMP, if you qualify, but they don't expect it in until late April, they have a new price because the supplier increased the cost to them.
http://www.odcmp.com/Sales/ammo.htm#Aguila22