If you watched any of the Democratic National Convention — I can’t say I blame you if you avoided it like the plague, pun intended — you probably caught the overarching focus on the evil of guns. Joe Biden is running on a solid anti-gun stance and it was made quite clear to all during the DNC.
Don’t believe it? Haven’t heard yet? May as well go to Vox:
Biden does have a record, and a plan, in favor of gun control. In the 1990s, he was a top Democrat in getting both federal background checks and a 10-year assault weapon ban enacted. Biden has often boasted that he has “taken on the National Rifle Association (NRA) on the national stage and won — twice.”
As part of his presidential campaign, Biden introduced a sweeping gun control plan that includes universal background checks, an assault weapons ban, more resources toward the enforcement of existing gun laws, a public push for the development of “smart guns,” and incentives for states to adopt “red flag” laws, which let courts confiscate guns from people deemed a risk to themselves or others and develop gun-licensing systems.
But wait, there’s more:
Biden’s plan would also close several loopholes in existing law, repeal a law that made it harder to sue gun manufacturers and sellers when they make or sell guns they should have known would be diverted to criminal uses, limit the number of guns an individual can purchase to one per month, require safe storage, finance strategies to combat urban violence, and fund more research into preventing gun violence. (For more specifics, read Biden’s full plan.)
And remember how ARs owned prior to Clinton’s decade-long ban were grandfathered in? This would be different:
Biden’s plan also doesn’t include, as Booker and former Rep. Beto O’Rourke previously called for, a mandatory buyback program — essentially, a confiscation scheme — for assault weapons. Instead, his plan has a voluntary buyback program through which gun owners can sell assault weapons. But if gun owners don’t sell their assault weapons, they’ll have to go through a background check and register the weapons, like they’re already forced to do with machine guns today.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock — or getting all of your news from CNN — you already know Biden is anti-gun. You also know he’s clearly not playing with a full deck, but I digress. But if you think there’s not a chance of him winning, you’re being purposefully naïve. Odds are actually quite high that Biden will win. It would be great if he didn’t, but as gun owners, the smartest thing we can do right now is to proceed as though he’s going to win.
How? I have a few ideas.
First of all, back your candidate with more than social media posts. Support the heck out of them. Be realistic about your third-party picks, people, because the odds of them winning are slim to none. Put some time in volunteering for local and national campaigns this year. Just because you can’t afford to financially back a candidate doesn’t mean you can’t help in others ways.
Second, for the love of all that is holy, learn what smart buying is and how — and when — to do it. If you waited until now to buy an AR-15 you’re probably SOL, but keep trying.
Similarly, if you waited until now to build an AR, good luck finding all the parts you need. Never wait until the SHTF to get yourself in gear. Plan. Understand the realities of how much ammo you really need, what parts are most likely to break on the guns you do own, and which guns are truly the most useful.
If you haven’t stocked up on ammo or parts yet, get to it. Demand isn’t going to decline any time soon.
Don’t rely solely on the internet. Search gun shows, visit local gun shops, visit not-so-local stores, and stay on top of it. When items do come in stock they tend not to last long. Instead of randomly buying, make a list of what you really need. Prioritize. Understand that if and when we end up with far-reaching bans and limits, you’re going to be hurting for more than ammo.
Oh, and when you do find your parts, ammo, or gun, try not to be so incensed at the price you end up paying. Yes, price gouging is wrong — we all know to whom I refer regarding ammunition prices — but there’s also this thing called a free market. You can’t repeal the laws of supply and demand. Charging with the market will bear is normal. When the supplies are this low with sky-high demand, prices will go up.
Take this situation seriously. Maybe we aren’t looking at bans, but whichever way the election goes, the shortages are going to last for a lot longer than many people realize. Get what you can when you can get it. Hopefully you’re already fairly well prepared. Even if you think you are, don’t get cocky. Remember, there is no such thing as too much ammo or too many guns.
How are you preparing for the potential gunpocalypse?
