Posted on 03/27/2010 9:58:15 AM PDT by Travis McGee
If you don’t presently own any firearms, you may have been considering taking that step in order to protect yourself and your family. Or perhaps you already have what you consider to be an adequate home armory, but is it really enough? In the event that our economy tanks, one certain outcome will be much higher levels of criminal violence. Read Fernando Aguirre’s excellent “The Modern Survival Manual: Surviving the Economic Collapse,” based on his experiences in Argentina after 2001, to see what happens to civil society when a national currency collapses and the banks are closed. Today’s career criminals will be that much more desperate and willing to use violence against their victims. The feral youths who need little encouragement to bust heads for sport in times of relative plenty may be starving, and no moral consideration will keep them from sticking a gun in your face or a knife in your back.
At the same time, the federal government may define this surge of criminal violence as civil disorder and enact emergency decrees, especially if armed citizens begin to fight back on a wide scale. One need look no further than the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina to see how officials react toward ordinary people with firearms during a period of civil disorder. A freeze on gun sales and/or ammunition is a predictable outcome during government-defined “emergencies.”
Most of the readers of this column probably don’t need to be convinced of the wisdom of owning and practicing with firearms. You may even believe that you already possess all of the guns you need, whether a .38 caliber revolver in your bedside table or a small battery of handguns, shotguns and rifles in your closet or gun safe. You may even own one or more of those liberally despised so-called assault rifles. In any of these cases you may think you don’t need to consider any more gun purchases.
There is, however, one reason to purchase at least a few more weapons: to arm thy neighbors. I can hear you saying, “What is Bracken talking about? If that foolish grasshopper of a neighbor didn’t bother about his security when guns were readily available, why should I worry about him now? Besides, he may even be an anti-gun liberal, so the hell with him!”
This reasoning is short-sighted on several levels. First, we have all heard the old saying that “a conservative is a liberal who has been mugged.” When violence explodes during an economic collapse, millions of new conservatives will be created from former left-wingers. And besides philosophically anti-gun liberals, many folks simply grow up in families where guns are not present and reach adulthood having never touched a firearm. But no matter why they don’t own firearms, when the ultra-violence breaks out your neighbors down the street will deserve a way to defend themselves from criminal predation. Simple charity, Christian or otherwise, suggests that we should not leave the elderly couple, the widow or the single mom with young children defenseless against evildoers bent on rape, robbery or murder.
When the incidence of home invasions, carjackings and “express kidnappings” skyrockets, some of your neighbors will discover a sudden interest in acquiring firearms, just when firearms may not be available through normal channels. These unarmed neighbors may then ask if you have any extra firearms to lend to them. Which one of your carefully considered collection of guns will you hand over to arm your defenseless neighbor? Your high-end “concealed carry” pistol, which fits your hand like a glove? Your wife’s? Your pump-action shotgun? Your AR-15 Sport Utility Rifle? The fact is, you will be loath to give away any of them, not even to a neighbor in need. You have acquired each of them for a carefully thought-out reason! But your neighbor is still defenseless.
That is why I encourage you to buy a few extra firearms in anticipation of this future need. I would suggest that a revolver is the simplest entry-level firearm to provide to a non-shooting neighbor. There are no magazines, safety catches or slides to learn to manipulate. You simply open the cylinder, insert the bullets, close the cylinder and the revolver is ready to go. A revolver has the shortest “learning curve” of any firearm. Anyone can learn basic gun safety and effective close-range self-defense with a revolver in one afternoon. In dire extremes you could hand a revolver to a non-shooter after a five-minute period of instruction and dry-firing. Revolvers are intuitive; you can even see if they are loaded or unloaded simply by looking at the cylinder.
Of course, a much greater level of firearms training is highly desirable if there is time for it. If possible, take your non-shooting neighbor to a gun range now, in advance of a period of “civil unrest.” Training a non-shooter in the safe operation of firearms also shows your own overall knowledge of security issues. This demonstrated firearms proficiency will stand you in good stead when your leadership skills and tactical knowledge may benefit your overall neighborhood security posture.
Beyond the simple morality of providing a means of self-defense against criminal violence, there is another reason to be prepared to arm thy neighbors: the force multiplying synergy of multiple fields of fire. Recall the old cowboy movies when the gang of black hats rode into a town where the citizens were forewarned and prepared. As an historical example, consider what happened to the vaunted James Gang on the Northfield Minnesota Raid when they lost the element of surprise. Only Frank and Jesse escaped unhurt. The rest of the armed gang were killed by the townsfolk or captured shortly after, badly wounded.
An armed and alert neighborhood is a very dangerous environment for criminals. In a time of rampant violence, with the ever-present threat of home invasions, more armed neighbors mean more angles of fire for the criminals to confront. Instead of focusing their evil intent on a single home, selecting one sheep in a helpless flock, they will be threatened by fire from many directions and their retreat may be cut off. This compounds their risk compared to attacking a neighborhood where most folks are unarmed and cringing in corners, praying to remain unmolested.
Of course, it is best if your neighbors have all received a high level of firearms training. Otherwise, the risk of a “friendly fire” accident while repelling an armed gang with shots from multiple directions is increased. And of course, you should not provide a firearm to a drunk, a druggie, or a mentally unstable neighbor for obvious reasons. But the danger of living in an unarmed neighborhood is even greater, because such an area is a magnet for repeated violent criminal attacks.
The best outcome would be to leverage your training of individuals in safe firearms usage into general neighborhood self-defense drills. Then if the “James Gang” rides in…they won’t necessarily ride out! Word will get around, and your neighborhood will achieve an aura of armed strength that deters future criminal incursions. Consider why tiny Switzerland has never been invaded by its much more powerful and often bellicose neighbors. It’s not because of the Alps. It’s because the Swiss have a strong tradition of armed self-defense at every level. Both invading armies and criminal gangs go around “hard targets” that are known to shoot back!
If nothing else, from a strictly selfish standpoint, the humble .38 revolver you lent to that widow might provide you with a critical early warning of imminent danger when she fires it in self-defense. Forewarned is forearmed, even if the warning is a rapid series of pistol shots heard from up the street at oh-dark-thirty. But in any case, I would rather hear the widow’s defiant shots than her helpless screams.
So, consider buying a few extra firearms and ammunition while you can easily and inexpensively do so. A used revolver in good working condition can be purchased for as little as $250, a used pump-action shotgun for not much more. And if you don’t know what an SKS rifle is or what they cost, find out. Then you will have the option of arming your neighbors in a time of extreme peril, without diminishing your own family armory.
What would the new gun be used for?
The wife shoots too and I’m teaching two of the daughters (the third is a bit too flighty).
I’ve got two P89s and one PC9. The P89s are big, ugly, loud and indestructable. with the hi-caps that’s thirty rds before reloading. The PC9 is cute.
Just don’t leave a round chambered in a Tokarev. If you drop it on the hammer, it’s going to go bang. And don’t even think about that “half-cock” position.
Yeah, me too. But you might get unexpected “drop ins” due to areas becoming unliveable.
It might never have been said, but it was still true.
Arm ONLY the neighbors that have the stones to USE the damn thing..
Exactly.
Otherwise, all you are doing is putting yet another gun in the hands of the bad guys!
Good deal. I think training willing non-shooters is a sacred obligation.
There are only two PC9s on gunbroker at this point. One for $325, the other at $650. Six months ago you couldn’t find one for twice that. I’m tempted to pick them up as an investment.
BTTT
Got my .223 saiga for less than $350 NIB off gunbroker. I’m loving it but I’m stuck with the ten rd mags because I’m in NYS. The thirty rd mags are easier to find and in some cases cheaper.
Russkins weren’t big on safeties, were they?
Excellent essay Matt, thanks for sharing.
Here’s a youtube clip I did, on 2A:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn5E_TnEerA&feature=player_embedded
While today you have to consider the legal consequences of arming another person, specially in Argentina where only people with gun permits can handle guns and you are legally responsible for what gets done with your weapon, the ability to arm others shouldn’t be underestimated.
I once mentioned that I gave my brother a 38 Special snub nose revolver just a couple hours after he landed in Argentina.
My brother doesn’t know how to perform a tactical reload, he doesn’t know what SUL means or the best way to resolve corners, but I trust him enough not to shoot anything that doesn’t need to be shot. That’s enough in most cases where you end up arming others.
If the situation is bad enough, there no help coming. You have to ask yourself, how long can I stay alert before falling asleep, how long can I stand guard? With some basic instruction you can have a few people doing shifts after some basic instructions, mostly about gun safety handling and when NOT to shoot. Later on if the situation goes on you can teach them more but none of this would even be possible if you don’t have the minimum tools. That is, a few extra guns, ammo and holsters.
I have a couple extra 38 special revolvers for this reason. Also a couple more Hi Power 9mms and 45 ACP pistols. I have 5 or 6 extra police surplus leather flap holsters. These come with the cross chest sling needed to carry it. You can simply tote it like that. A belt would add extra stability but you can do without it, and the holster itself has an extra magazine pouch. Space for two mags for the 45 ACP. Not the latest tactical piece of gear, not even the best or the most practical, but its perfect for a grunt newbie and it cost less than 3 dollars each.
As of right now, there are some towns and districts in Argentina were the neighbors themselves run patrols and stand guard at night, armed. Legal? No it isn’t but it’s the unwritten agreement they made with authorities that simply can’t protect the people. Saw it on the news a couple days ago.
Chile is another good example. People organized and look after each other. There was a man that explained the problem he had, not having anyone nearby to stand guard when he fell asleep.
The chances of this happening may not seem that big, but it does happen and there’s many scenarios where you may need armed neighbors. Recent, real world scenarios.
These are things that can be taken into account when adding more weapons to your collection.
FerFAL
I shot a buddy’s PC9 a few weeks ago, it seemed to be a decent carbine. I’d get one.
They are damned hard to find. I’d grab one now if you have the chance.
I’m coming to your place! Look for the 1970 Winnebago with the crap loaded on top, hauling a trailer.
Thanks for your great addition to this thread, based on “been there, done that!”
Matt, great advice about arming neighbors. All of mine are armed, even the Democrats. Oregon is a very gun friendly state.
I finished reading Foreign Enemies and Traitors; superb read, like your first two books. That is an excellent trilogy!
I’m going to read them all again; they are that good!!
Be sure and let us know when your next creation is available.
I think people should also consider the CZ-82 which fires 9X18 Makarov rounds and is normally good to go as soon as you buy it. Rounds are easily available on line for $0.20 each and they can be bought for around $250.00. They are nowhere near as powerful but they are more easily taken down and used by less experienced shooters. I prefer the CZ-52 for pure fun but I've carried the 82 and would never carry the 52.
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