GULF COAST CRISIS: GUN PURCHASES Fearful Southerners buy firearms at torrid pace

Chicago Tribune ^ | September 8, 2005 | Lisa Anderson, Michael Martinez and Ray Quintanilla

[ConservativeStatement]

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Gun sales across the South boomed after the first reports surfaced of armed looters roaming the streets of New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. And images of shots being fired at relief workers only elevated fears in some communities.

Now, as hundreds of thousands of people displaced from their homes are being resettled, gun store owners say they're being flooded by a demand for guns--particularly in Southern states and others where many of the hurricane victims are being relocated.

Mostly, they say, the demand is being fueled by "good people" wanting to protect their families and property. That includes some who might not otherwise purchase such weapons, they add.

[RinaseaofDs]

Every tragedy has a silver lining: this is going to set the gun grabbers back about 60 years.

[SittinYonder]

Only one?

LOL - good point. That should have been "guns" plural. I guess I wasn't thinking because I only carry one at a time.

[knightshadow]

Ping.

[RetiredArmy]

Heck, I already have mine. So, I am armed, loaded at all times, finger on safety and ready. Bring em on. We can begin to cull the herds of thugs.

[highlymotivated]

Try buying at www.ammoman.com

He ships for FREE! Good quality and he's always done me right. Also a retired Marine.

[alreadythere]

Hey, enough with the Volvo-driving comments. We have two old Volvos, been driving Volvos for 25 years and they have served us well.

Our newest car is 1992, boxy, practical practical, long-running and not very fancy — a perfect car for conservatives.

Vote Republican always. Don’t have a gun yet, but thinking about it. Especially since Katrina.

[mbynack]

OMG...you have an Armory...thousands of rounds???!?

In MSM-Speak - two firearms is a "cache of weapons". Three or more is an "arsenal."

[Conspiracy Guy]

That's just in the house. I keep the rest strategically located.

[longhorn too]

That's a good start, now get serious about getting some ammo!

[Conspiracy Guy]

Who says I don't.

[tumblindice]

Gee, what happened to the `Houstondome Locked-down' thread?

We had some trouble finding 114 grain Federal Hydra-shocks at our friendly neighborhood gun shop, but no one was pushing in line . . .
(124 are OK, but 147 are, uh, inappropriate)

[mbynack]

I told my wife yesterday that I needed to buy a gun because of all this mess. She asked me how many I already own. I'm going to have to count them tonight before I can get back to her on that.

[George Smiley]

I was alluding to some comedian, Brett Butler, Jeff Foxworthy- I don't recall- made a joke many years ago about good old boys in Buckhead, or Midtown (upscale parts of Atlanta) that involved the difficulty of putting a gun rack in a Volvo.

[Jeff Gordon]

did go buy some more ammo yesterday.

So, you have one of those "urban arsenals." (me too)

[Conspiracy Guy]

Saved the link

[Conspiracy Guy]

That is my in home supply.

[ConservativeStatement]

:-)

[hiredhand]

Mostly Volvo-driving Handgun Control types...

Back after 9/11...and then when those two freaks in D.C. were shooting people with that BushMaster AR, a lot of people where I worked came to me for advice about buying some weaponry.

They were "Mostly Volvo-driving Handgun Control types ". I would ALWAYS try to steer them to decent .357 revolvers. Ease of operation and simplicity just can't be beat by a good solid revolver.

But when the $400.00 price tag got their attention, they always wanted to know what I kept for home defense/protection. I always told them that they would NOT want what I used! But they would persist and so I'd tell them the truth. My primary weapon is an FN-FAL ("parts" gun...STG-58), and my secondary is a Colt Series 80, .45 ACP. Of course, they were APPALLED by the black assault rifle with the pistol grip and detachable magazine..

...to which they would ask WHY I had a "gun like THAT". I'd say something like, "Well...we ARE talking about stopping badguys. If you want to keep half a dozen or so badguys away from your home, this is a good weapon." I'd also go into the fact that it's good from zero to about 600 yards with the current (crappy) sights that are on it.

Then of course they would want to how I managed to obtain a "machine gun" like the FAL. Sheesh... I'd have to go through the whole explaination about how it really operates.

The conclusion was always twofold...

1. They weren't willing to buy a decent "soldiers rifle", and have it kept in their home.... ditto for a decent ammo store.

2. They simply weren't willing to invest a couple of hundred dollars into a decent revolver....ditto for a decent ammo store.

Those who DID actually consider my advice were put off the idea when they got my opinion on trigger locks and such.

So they live in fear I suppose....brainwashed by the likes of HCI into believing that flash suppresors, pistol grips, and detachable magazines just aren't something that we have on home defense weapons.

A lot of them would nervously declare that if the SHTF that they were coming out to my place, out of town. I told them that I'd only be taking people who showed up suitably armed, with the desire to help us provide physical security.

So I'd ask them, "WHY did you come asking my advice again?....fine...use a freakin STICK for all I care! When thugs come with firearms, you'll think about this little conversation and die in fear swinging your stupid stick. That's a hell of way to die!"

...talking about getting funny looks. ;-)

Of some 52 people, TWO guys bought rifles (one bought an STG-58, the other and Armalite A-3)...a BUNCH of ammo, and a BUNCH of spare mags. I was suprised and asked them, "WHAT are your wives going to say about this?" Both pretty much said the same thing....that the girls would just have to get OVER it. From what I was later told, they did get over it! :-)

[highlymotivated]

LOL! Then I'm WELL into the arsenal stage. I currently have well over 2000 rds of .45, lots of .38spl, 12ga, and 30.06.

You just never know when life will throw you a curve.

[Radioactive]

Good for them.

May the purchase and use of guns for protection be a lesson to us all.

Way to go South!!!!!!!