The world is a scary place. The world in 2020 more so. Threats of World War III then whole continents catch on fire followed by somewhat scary new diseases onward to insect infestation of the Baskin Bees and finally violent national riots. I could see why a person previously opposed to firearm ownership may see the draw of personal defense in scary times. Here are a couple items to consider whilst navigating these unknown waters.
What to Buy:
This is not the time nor place to get into the endless debate of “What’s the best gun for X, Y, or Z”. I am sure there is a person at a gun counter somewhere that will tell you to buy a shotgun because it “It’s got a good spread!”. Whether pistol, rifle, or shotgun; you are making the correct choice for you and likely won’t be disappointed, and if you are you can always buy another!
Consider purchasing something that you would want to shoot. That may sound like a general statement and painfully obvious, but you would be surprised how often this is overlooked. Being proficient and comfortable with your firearm is crucial. If your gun has too much recoil, is too expensive to shoot, uncommon caliber, or uncomfortable for any other reason you will not want to shoot it.
In uncertain times there will surely be those ready to make profits on your lack of planning or fear purchases. In some cases you may find used firearms for a reasonable cost, but you most certainly will find gouge prices. Avoid paying too much. Do research to determine what gun you want. Find out what the MSRP (Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price) is and don’t spend more than that. Even if you can’t get the gun you want immediately, have faith that the manufacturers want to make guns to sell just as bad as you want to buy one. Give your local Sportsman’s Warehouse or gun shop time to get you the right gun for you at a fair price.
What next?
Now you got your gun of choice. Now what?
Make sure you shoot your gun and check proper function. You should have some good target ammunition (Full Metal Jacket, Birdshot, etc.), reliable magazines, and quality defensive ammunition (Hollow Points, Buckshot, etc.) If you aren’t sure what ammunition to purchase go to your local gun shop and find the person behind the counter with the biggest beard and most tattoos -- just kidding -- kinda.
I recommend high quality firearms training will pay the most dividends versus high volume of ammunition without direction. Find a local class via your local gun shop, NRA, or various competition shooting organizations to help get direction. A good start for some of this knowledge can come from previous Trigger Time articles written by top level Law Enforcement shooters and professional shooters.
Cleaning:
Now you found a great instructor that gave you proper grip, stance, trigger manipulation, and confidence in your firearm. You most likely have blisters in place you never had before and a dirty firearm. An important step of firearm ownership is proper maintenance.
MAKE SURE YOUR GUN IS UNLOADED AND THERE IS NO AMMUNITION IN THE SAME ROOM. Take apart your gun as per the manufacturer recommendation. This information is located with the owner’s manual or can easily be found on the internet and there may even be some good YouTube videos to help.
There are a wide variety of great cleaning products available for gun cleaning and maintenance. I personally use Breakthrough Clean. As a general rule I wipe everything down with a Solvent or CLP until the patches come back clean. Once done with that I wipe a thin layer of oil on all metal surfaces and place a small drop of oil where metal rubs on metal. Almost all owners manuals have great cleaning and lubrication instructions and pictures.
If possible, test fire your gun after cleaning to ensure proper function.
Storage:
This is a touchy subject and unfortunately we must tread softly. There is a balancing act of safety versus accessibility. You could have three safes; one for a disassembled firearm, one for the firing pin, and one with ammunition. This would be a pretty safe way to store your guns and ammunition but makes for quite a task if you need it in a hurry. I like my hard-earned money and don’t want you to get hurt so I will not recommend a way for you to store your guns and ammunition. You will have to consider your neighborhood, people within your home, and personal safety to determine which fashion with which to store your new firearm. A personal standard of mine is no chambered guns in my home unless it is in a holster and on my person.
There are some new options of small safes with biometrics or quick access codes. They may be a good option in many circumstances.
With these things in mind you should be on your way to being properly outfitted for the next level of 2020 Jumanji.
