I am going to argue here a bit...
again.
*smile*
We passed out guns to folks we knew, or were of like kind.
I am more familiar with tornadoes, and when I was coming up, there was no 911, or warning sirens, or anything else. Folks had stuff put back for all sorts of emergencies.
Tornadoes have not only come in and taken everything on the property, also the emergency items the neighbors had stored in a church, school, diner...etc.
Don't tell me a old worn out chest freezer, with guns and other supplies, cannot be blown to who-knows-where, I know better.
This was in late 1950's when I saw this. I was wittle, but I remember it.
In the 1980s, a tornado hit, and to this day, that area has not been rebuilt. In fact now, it is part of pasture.
I knew some of the folks, and again, Safes were flat missing, dead serious. And I do mean 'safe', not residential security containers.
In 2008 I personally lost items, and I had items in three, off site locations. Multiples of firearms, extremley sentimental, and gone. Some of these guns, I had had for fifty years.
Re: Experience
I am not going to fault someone, born and raised in a restrictive part of the USA, that finds themselves in the part of the USA, going through a disaster, and needing a means to stay safe.
I am not going to do it.
I would hope if I were to find myself in a part of the USA, I am not familiar with, someone would assist me.
Be this going to NYC, and getting around, taking a subway, which I have never done , or just out in CO, where I do not know some dangers.
I have been in new places, and folks assisted me, both in the USA, and abroad.
When Katrina hit, some folks I and mine knew, needed help. They had stores, and even off site emergency stores, still could not access them.
So we ran down, and that was not an easy feat.
We ran the guns and ammo I mentioned in my earlier post, and have shared around here before.
Some folks were more experienced than others. Some folks were injured, and while they may be familiar with a platform, they could not effectivley use it, or carry it concealed.
Some included folks, from other parts of the USA, restrictive areas, and were learning guns, just flat did not have a lot of experience yet.
They were down in areas attending school, or job related reasons.
My experience, based on how raised is to keep it simple. Kick it down to a basic level.
There are just too many variables, when folks are going through a serious event.
We know motor skills erode under stressful conditions. We also know skillsets are perishable.
When your world is turned upside down, and continues to be so, for an extended time period, you want simple, reliable, equipment. Guns are fine and dandy, but not the most important items always.
A Swiss Army knife with a can opener, might be a more used tool. Just getting a can of peaches open, and being able to make a Spam sandwich, is mighty big deal, sometimes.
Kids, they will break your heart. They are tough, they do their very best, still they are kids.
You can check condition of a revolver, or single shot, very easy, and safely, in low light, when you are bone tired, and the brain is screaming for some rest.
Still that kid is hungry, so your focus is getting peaches opened and making a peanut butter sandwich.
Maybe the student from another country is with you, say an exchange student , and you can share how to use that single shot, so you can shut your eyes for 15 or 30 minutes.
That exchange student is your responsibility, and "family" .
A person raised with guns, and then heads off with a scholarship either in the USA, or abroad, and away from guns, is "rusty" or "not as experienced".
Many of our own THR members have spent time in Iraq and Afghanistan, and they will come back, and take training to get back up to speed with firearms they have not carried concealed, or used.
Some of these members are Staff.
So we will have to agree to disagree.
I am not going to leave someone I know, or someone vouches for, in a bad way.
I would hope, someone would vouch for me, and not leave me in a bad way- again, as they have in the past.
Do not toss me a AR, I am not experienced with it, and not afraid to admit it.
I had some, and used to use them, too many years ago.
Mentors gave me six, brand new, Colt M16A1s, those six and everything that goes with them, burned up.
I had one more, I messed with.
I had shot some belonging to others...
I ...short version, 'respect' is the reason I did not continue with the AR platform.
The troops came back from 'Nam before I would have been sent, with a draft card in my wallet with 1H on it.
I lost friends in 'Nam, so out of respect, I could not "pretend" to be Military as I never served.
I had to be yelled at to accept and wear a Army field jacket I was given.
Don't toss me a Mosin, or SKs either, as I never messed with them, and a AK?
The last time I remember a AK, was private defensive lessons and that unique sound was my "start button" and the darn thing kept being fired to induce stress , as I was trying to do what I needed to do.
Toss me a lever action , preferably a Win 94, that- I do have more experience with.
When tornadoes hit in '08, I was doing my thing, out on the properties, and dodging more tornadoes , making sure evil did not come down to steal equipment.
And other reasons...
I toted a well worn Model 94, in 30-30, with 170 grain loads, this gun prefers for a long gun,
Behind the seat of the truck, a youth single shot 20 ga, in the vehicle, a well worn Ruger Standard.
I was using a Kel-Tec P-11 concealed. (Actually two).
Oh, had a couple of hickory axe handles, handy, as I did a 3 D cell Maglight.
