Firearms Neophytes Panic Buying

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One of my LGS is completely out of ammo and almost out of guns. He told me lots of newbie's buying guns. We both think it's a good idea to stay away from any ranges that allow the general public to shoot there. Not afraid of the virus but afraid of being accidently shot!
 
I've seen no stats but when online ammo sellers are cleaned out and shutting down temporarily, it's huge. There's a lot going on and hopefully the Fed can keep it under control because interest rates are rising at the worst time. Nobody wants our bonds. If inflation takes off it's going get even uglier. The Fed is walking a tight rope. BTW premium on silver eagles is $12 over spot but the official silver price is at 11 year lows.(which is total BS)
 
The shop I do instruction for has seen a run on guns and ammo.

Lot of first time buyers.

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The more people that become aware that the ole .gov is not going to protect them, the better.

I wish they had been aware of that earlier... but what can you do?

I am seriously considering offering a free basic handgun class for all the folks who purchased a firearm in the last week or two.

As a community we need to reach out to these folks and get them as safe as we can while celebrating our shared rights together.
 
Here's a report on how many people train: https://blog.krtraining.com/beyond-the-one-percent-part-1/

Summarizing the Texas data: 93% of the 3.2 million adult gun owners in Texas likely do not train. 4% of them take the mandatory new permit course, at best 3% of them take some kind of NRA course, and only 1%, less than 30K, take any kind of post-CHL level course or shoot any kind of match, including all kinds of pistol, NRA high power, and all the shotgun sports.

Performance with pocket guns by neophytes:

https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/blog/is-a-pocket-gun-enough/

Conclusions
Is a pocket gun enough? Data analysis indicates that a five-shot .38 probably holds enough ammunition to handle 70 percent of all likely situations. In the hands of a “low skill” shooter (anyone lacking training beyond the CHL level), the odds of getting acceptable hits are poor; that group averaged 57 percent on the test. When those two probabilities are multiplied to calculate total probability, the result is 40 percent, which isn’t great, but is better than 0 percent (no gun).

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The class spent a lot of time working on fundamentals while shooting three-inch dots and other small shapes on our KRT-1 target.

Training and skill, whether it’s acquired through practice with the pocket gun or a larger gun, dramatically increases the odds of getting acceptable hits from the low 60s to the mid 90s. Adding capacity to the pocket gun can also improve the odds, but adding capacity is not a substitute for developing skill. Three good hits are tactically and legally preferable to seven bad shots.

Thus the reality is in normal times - there is little evidence of training and only minimal competence. You might argue that the panic rush will make this get worse. It's possible, the flip side is that reasonable training would take serious governmental requirements and do we want to go there?
 
Personally I think the only way to learn about guns is to make a decision and buy one. That's where it all starts for some people, and especially people who didn't grow up around guns. An interest develops for one reason or another and a person buys a gun, and then it leads to training, practice, a permit, carrying, refinement of tastes, more guns, THR, and perhaps loading your own ammo.

Edit: Issue with my browser. Didn't finish my thought.

I think the unfortunate part here is that people buying now are most likely making poor or rather uninformed decisions. I hope they figure things out and don't let fear motivate their actions.

One thing is probably true, this panic will likely be very good for the used gun market.
 
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Personally I think the only way to learn about guns is to make a decision and buy one. That's where it all starts for some people, and especially people who didn't grow up around guns. An interest develops for one reason or another and a person buys a gun, and then it leads to training, practice, a permit, carrying, refinement of tastes, more guns, THR, and perhaps loading your own ammo.
Agreed. Also, if they have a gun, they might question things a little more when politicians talk about banning them.

If you know a new gun owner, that sounds like a great opportunity to invite them to go shooting and introduce them to basic gun safety and handling.
 
So... any rush would have to be in the last 2 weeks. Anyone got solid stats from their store or so on?

I have only got what I've heard. Background checks backed up 2 days with 3,500 people waiting, in my state. That's as of yesterday. Also reports of numerous people trying to steal ammo at my wife's place of work (likely because there's a limit on number of boxes per customer).
 
I think people are afraid of the virus and don't know what to do. They feel they have to do something, there's that profound fear, and maybe guns are the next soothing teddy bear after TP and disinfectant over purchases.

I wonder how many law suits will arise from new gun owners with no instruction or experience having negligent discharges. Since we know nothing most people do is their fault, it can only be the guns fault.

"When I took the safety off and pulled the trigger, the gun went off by itself. It also pointed itself at a person. This is obviously an inherently dangerous and defective product."
 
I think people are afraid of the virus and don't know what to do. They feel they have to do something, there's that profound fear, and maybe guns are the next soothing teddy bear after TP and disinfectant over purchases.

I wonder how many law suits will arise from new gun owners with no instruction or experience having negligent discharges. Since we know nothing most people do is their fault, it can only be the guns fault.

"When I took off the safety and pulled the trigger, the gun went off by itself. This is obviously an inherently dangerous product."

And there was no pop up window asking "Are you sure you want to delete?":eek:
 
I think its great that these people are becoming a part of our culture and are joining our ranks, but like someone buying a tractor, or a chain saw, or a welder, they need to know what they are doing for their safety and the safety of others.
This is the camp I'm in. It makes me a little nervous that we have so many first-time gun buyers doing this at a time when tensions are already pretty high.

That said, I'll also say this: Now is the time to be a good ambassador for all gun owners.
 
A small woman in her 40's came to the LGS today and said "I need some ammo for a 45" Gun guy asked her if it was a 45 auto or 45 long colt. She said "45". He asked if there was a slide on it and she said it had a slide, not the "round spinning thing"

After she was given some ammo for the 45 slide thing, she said she also needed a 12 gauge shotgun because her brother said that is what she needed to have. She saw the Shockwave on the wall and said she wanted that. He asked her if she had ever shot a shotgun and she said no and when asked if she knew how to shoot the Shockwave she kinda motioned in a way that would send her to the dentist if she did indeed touch off a round in the thing. Eventually she left with the Shockwave, some .45 ammo and 8 boxes of 00 buckshot. They are selling $20,000 a day in guns and ammo so far this week at a small town sports shop.

I don't believe a word of that.
 
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If Trump loses the election then I think we're all stuck with whatever ammo we currently have. At this point the panic buying will only subside after a November win.
 
GBExpat:
Many of these brand-new, first-time gun owners might not be pro-Second Amendment. But they know that the police "Thin Blue Line" can never be enough.
My brother's friend has a coworker who was anti-gun, which can mean different things (some readers here might not know this).

The same former "ant" just bought an AR-15 days ago, hand known nothing about them, and lives in the Mobile area. Such people sometimes wake up to the need for self-reliance.

Much of today's 'anti-gun' section of our society could easily have Begun as 'anti-AR-15', or still mostly see the ARs as the basic core of the issue (?), having switched off their thinking, to allow self-indoctrination by the mainstream media after Sandy Hook, Aurora, Lakeland.
 
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The last few days I have worked at a local gun shop in the evening to help with the rush of gun buyers.
The selection of guns are getting low but they have stuff coming in every day.
I can tell you that the people buying guns are all types. First time, seasoned buyers and all those in between.
How many of y’all remember Y2K and all the panic buying that went on for a while.
I don’t remember hearing about all kind of first time buyers shooting them selves or others.
Now we know that some type of professional training is good, I would bet that we have many members here that have never had any type of training other then with someone that knew more about guns then they did.
And then there’s that evil AR15 that so many of our members have bought and have never been trained in the proper use of it.
Now if you haven’t caught on to where I’m going, I’ll get right to it.
Worrying about who is buying guns does about as much good as worrying about if you have enough toilet paper.

If you know some of these first time buyers, just offer to help them if you can.
 
I’m happy that we have some new gun owners out there. I disagree that this will cause an influx of used guns in a few months. Newbies rarely understand that you can legally sell in most states. I have friends who love and collect guns who don’t know that Armslist exists.
 
So we are gun people who are freaked out by people buying guns.
Well, I am a bit concerned.
What if folks were panicked into buying their first cars, their only training in driving being Mario Cart and G.T.A.?
(Shudder.)

-And a lot of anti-gunners aren't against owning guns.
They're against people that they don't like or trust having guns.

I'm all for providing help, advice and training to new gun owners.
I just doubt that very many of them would accept this help from a stranger... .
 
Neighborhood watch guy posted a scheme (scam) on our neighborhood face book page today.
Crap about checking in on neighbor's and volunteers to do it by street, and offering up stuff that may be needed, etc.
People began commenting "I'm in" about doing it.
I posted my 1st and only comment to date: stay off my lawn...
:D
 
. . . I am more than a little miffed at the Leftist hypocrisy. Faced with the perception of a threat to their security finally seeping through their addled brains as a result of media driven panic, they want guns. When that perceived threat recedes, they will return to towing the Party line. . .
Maybe not.

Maybe they'll recall how it felt to be fearful and defenseless by choice, and start choosing differently. Maybe they'll decide that they need to see to their own defense instead of assuming that the G-man would always be there.

Maybe they'll decide that in part because you offer to take them out and teach them to shoot.
 
I’m happy to see people exercising their second amendment right to defend themselves and their families. Some people get their first gun because of a break in. Others because of a murder close to home. I’m certainly not going to sit in judgement over somebody buying their first gun because this whole scenario has them scared for the safety of their loved ones.
 
From what I've been hearing via a LGS or two, it seems the rush on guns is largely due to first time owners panic buying. I find that concerning.

I suppose my main concern is the mentality of these people. I got the feeling they aren't terribly pro gun individuals, and are just really scared someone is going to try and steal their groceries. Which makes me wonder how much (or rather how little) they know about the guns they're buying, the legalities involved, or how dangerous they may be with a new firearm and a whole bucket of ignorance.

I'm all for people - who previously haven't owned guns - taking their personal safety upon their own shoulders. But I do find the motives and speed with which people are procuring weapons a little unsettling. I feel like becoming a gun owner is not something that should be rushed. The thought process of "I just bought a gun and some ammo. I'm good to go!" is concerning to me.

How do you feel about it?
nearly every morning, i go to the local CVS store, to get my morning newspaper. many times, there is an electric company lineman coming off his shift at 5 AM when i am there. he is a gun collector, and works on them, and is very knowledgeable.

well it was way back in September of 2019, when we talked about me getting the "blue card", which in my state, allows us to buy handguns, legally.

now, it was not until February of THIS year, that i finally read the book all the way thru, passed the test, and got that coveted "Blue card" so here it was, at least 6 months gone by, since talking about it, till i did it.

i went to the range, and qualified in both the shooting test and written test.

then for about 2 weeks, i rented several guns to get the feel for them, and make a decision to what i liked.

i chose both the Glock 17 (4th gen) over the 5th gen...and a CZ 75B

i am FULLY enjoying my days at the range, i go 2 days a week, and if i can get in a third or 4th day, i go. (the wife really doesn't mind, as she knows i ain't cheating on her...lol)

now i have also ordered up my 3rd semi-automatic, a Canik TP9 sf

in all frankness, i got into this sport/hobby before all this virus nonsense and panic in the streets. as far back as September of 2019 by just talking to that electric company lineman, who is WAAAY younger than me, and at MY age of 70+, i RESPECT him..!!

i cannot speak about the huge uptick in gun sales (but each time i go and get my cartridges), i SEE a whole lot of people filling out the forms to buy arms.(so yes, most likely panic buying)

even the gun range shop the manager there told me Monday, that this past weekend, they had MORE orders for handguns then they ever had in months. (and i had seen this coming) days ago.

what scares me now, is my state maybe clamping down on the gun sales laws to say ONE handgun per year, rather than as often as you want. also a possible limit to mag capacities.

i am glad i got into the sport/hobby when i did, and that i will soon be picking up my 3rd gun, before any changes in the state laws, (if any changes are coming down the road) all thanks to the panic buying.
 
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