TTAG reader Karlan in Austin, TX writes:
Some friends and I went to the free MACC [Mexican American Cultural Center] show last night. I wasn’t sure of my right to carry; it was city property, but they were serving liquor. So I decided to “play it safe” and leave my gun home. After the show ended I separated from my friends to grab a bus home (approx 11:40 pm). While walking on the lakefront path between MACC and Congress Street I see two individuals sitting to the side. Two other people had just walked past them. They were waiting for me, alone . . .
One crosses into the path like he is holding a phone conversation, I immediately know something fishy is up and walk on the hill on the path. He lunges for me grabbing my jacket and simultaneously pulls out a knife which he has cocked back. Somewhat nicely asking: “Just give me your wallet bro.”
I was able to free his hand and I booked it. While never good in sports I was confident in my ability to out run any non-Kenyan; I remember thinking this consciously. I called 911.
No less than ten perhaps as many as 15 officer responded, including the Police Chief of Austin, Art Acevedo. He was nice enough despite what many say.
After the paperwork was done, I needed to get my thoughts down. I typed the following on a mobile device rather quickly, but just wanted to raise some questions/comments:
– Austin public transportation sucks, it is poorly designed, and does not run late enough. Forcing me to walk 20 mins to catch a bus because connecting bus wouldn’t make it in time.
– 6th St/downtown violence is nothing new and must be addressed.
– I should have been carrying.
– Know you rights on city property.
– I was able to get away, should I engage if I could (I felt stupid turning my back and running)
– Note attackers features, this is hard to do in these situations if you’re focused on a knife; I was lacking in my description.
– What do you do if you’re not driving, not drinking, want to socialize, but can’t carry in bars? Give up your freedom?
– People with 0% BAC should be able to carry in bars IMHO
They didn’t find them BTW :/ I will never give up my right to walk on a sketchy bike trail after dark in any country. Next time I go out I will be carrying, even if it means I won’t be drinking. Drinking can be bad for your health.
How much?
Just one more case.
I have a bushmaster 15c. The lower receiver just snapped in half with only 200 rounds through it. I really liked this rifle all I can say is hmmm. Haven’t contacted bushmaster yet but I will tomorrow.
BAN KNIVES!
but in all seriousness.. it’s always that one time when you’re less than prepared that something actually goes wrong.
if a gun isn’t an option, bring a knife.
This was my first question–where was your knife? There is nothing worse than getting into a knife fight–everyone gets cut–but most thugs just want to intimidate, not fight. That’s why most DGUs are never recorded or reported–the BG sees the gun and backs off, no shots are fired.
Depends in what context. Defense? Training? Range fun? Sharing/donating? Reserves?
All the above? Well in that case, yes it takes “a lot” of rounds for it to be enough….and that’s just for ONE caliber.
– I should have been carrying.
I hate to quote JAMES F-ING YEAGER!, but one time he said “There is a difference between allowed, and able. You might not be allowed to carry, but you are able.”
Fodder for discussion.
– What do you do if you’re not driving, not drinking, want to socialize, but can’t carry in bars? Give up your freedom?
– People with 0% BAC should be able to carry in bars IMHO
Move to a more gun friendly state. 😛 Just busting your chops.
I’ve never had a beef per se with anyone who doesn’t want to carry a weapon, be it a knife or sidearm, to protect themselves and others if necessary. That’s not the problem. What IS the problem, is people who tell others they can’t do so, particularly under color of law enforcement or political office. That’s just intolerable. You were lucky – this time. I’ve been there as well. Never forget that.
Tom
I’m really glad that your alive and well!
10,000 rds here, 10,000 rds there, after a while you’re talkin’ ’bout ‘nough. Of course the Gun Gods need a constant show of devotion, so if I am not buying guns I need to make sacrifices on the altar of ammo.
Are the people in Connecticut paranoid? How about California,Maryland,Massachusetts or the entire Northeast? How about Illinois where I live? We’re all 1 or 2 Sandy Hook’s,Colorado theatre shooting or Boston bombing from Odumbo issuing “executive orders”. Have as much ammo as YOU can possibly afford.
My plan would be to engage, fill the guy with enough lead that he dies, maybe shoot him in the head as he “reached for something while he was down”, and reholster my weapon.
You can have a gazillion rounds of ammunition for every caliber ever made, but if you have to “bug out”, leave, whatever you want to call it, what good does it do you…??? NADA, no good at all, you leave the majority behind, for others to find and steal, OR worse yet, the enemy…think in terms of mobility and then be realistic about it…anymore than that is just foolish and a waste of resources…and for those of you that think they can carry 1000rnds of each caliber for the guns they may have, are fools in their own right, you won’t get 2 miles down the road before you start dumping…
Like others have said, the important thing is you are safe and you got away. There was no need for you to engage the guy, you did the right thing in these particular circumstances. If the criminal had a gun, well, that’s a whole other subject for speculation but you did perfectly well here.
Don’t listen to the haters, Tom. Good story, good decision making.
What IS that gun?
I never have liked crowds because I always feel like i couldn’t find a suitable exit if I had to bail. Kinda sucks sometimes because Iv missed a few things over the years I would have loved to seen in person. But as the world gets nuttier, Im thinking maybe it’s no so bad.
Carrying a firearm > drinking. Any. Day. Of. The. Week.
In the current situation, the more relevant question isn’t how much ammo is enough, but rather, what lengths are you willing to go to in order to accumulate ammo?
In normal times, I’m in the as-much-as-you-want crowd. And why not? It’s your right and your money. Have at it.
In the current situation, if you’re constantly scouring the Internet, or worse, setting up a bot to do it for your, to find ammunition and snatch it up immediately for no other reason than just to stack it in your closet, then you’re a prick. Same if you camp outside of Academy or similar waiting for them to open so you can be the first to swoop down on whatever arrived overnight. Prick. Same if you have a buddy or relative at Walmart or wherever who sets aside ammo for you straight off the truck and never even reaches the shelf. Prick. Even if every time you’re out, you just snag a box or two of 9mm to set atop your existing pile or two of 9mm at home, it’s the same deal. Prick.
Morons with their “Wolverines!” mentality who haven’t so much as thrown a punch in anger since the sixth grade, nor in the intervening years dissented so much as to send back an undercooked steak, nevertheless hoard ammunition thinking that when the big SHTF crisis breaks out, they’ll be ready. Good grief.
Meanwhile, countless Americans who’ve purchased their first firearm, or gotten their brand new carry license, or who just want to take a newbie to the range and start them out easy (.22lr, anyone?), are screwed. They’re SOL in the real world because you’re playing SHTF in your fantasy world. Get over yourselves and quit hoarding. You’re a disgrace, no matter how many endless rationalizations of your actions you post here against me. I know, I know, one or two of you will have just the *perfect* excuse for your hoarding, because you’re special. Save it, you’re not.
Oh, boo-hoo, cry me a river. Anyone can get the most common calibers with no problem. It’s not as if it is unavailable.
Use GunBot.net
Problem solved.
Now if you are foolish enough to think that you should buy locally and spend your time staking out Wally World for the “best prices” … well, go ahead and pay that sales tax if you want.
I prefer to buy mail order, get it delivered to my door, no sales tax and usually, by using coupons and specials I get it for either no shipping charge or low shipping charge.
Mexican American Cultural Center? Quit fooling around…
I’m of the “if you’re not trying to swim with it” or “your house is on fire” school of thought.
Especially if we’re talking .38 S&W or 7.62 Nagant, etc.
I NEVER trust a guy who’s so vain that he can’t admit that he’s going bald.
I have a question or two for those who are eager to expend ammunition and spill blood.
Suppose for a moment that we actually win, and kill or imprison those who we oppose. Then what?
At that point we would be in a state of anarchy, with a minimalist government, an 18th Century infrastructure, and a massive cleanup and rebuilding effort ahead of us.
And what would prevent the next crop of statist tyrants from taking over?
You can’t shoot everybody forever. Think about Egypt and Syria. The Arab Spring hasn’t worked out too well for them, and that’s what you’re proposing to do here.
Yeah. Why wipe your butt. You will just have to have to take a dump again tomorrow.
As much as you can responsibly afford lol.
Gotta put food on the table and pay bills.
Laws against victimless crimes are evil. What kind of “crime” do you need undercover narcs to get evidence for? Any real crime has a victim, who will complain. If no one is hurt, no crime has been committed. Going after people who do stuff that Der Fuehrer thinks they “shouldn’t” do, is itself, evil. Overriding anyone’s Free Will is evil.
For me the minimum per gun is 200 rounds of centerfire and 1000 rounds of rimfire. When I drop to or below those numbers I stop shooting that caliber until I can replace them.
As for SHTF or TEOTWAWKI. Having enough ammo to give a mule a hernia means you have to have a mule. Most of us live in urban sprawls. A way to get safe drinking water will be more pressing than bunkers full of ammo.
Keep a decent quality air rifle on hand with tins of pellets and keep a goodly supply of birdshot for your shotgun on hand and you can subsistance hunt for pot meat.
Now, if you’re an active competitor you no doubt need a larger stock. But for most of us if the situation hasn’t been settled in a couple hundred rounds we’re hosed anyway.
The old timers I grew up around, mostly farmers, didn’t practice much if at all. When they fired a shot it was for the money. They put themselves in a position for that single shot .22 or single shot smoothbore to do it’s best work.
A lot of people argue that in SHTF situation you just need the ammo you can carry. I tend to disagree. To me seems that the premise that you will bug out is wrong. I once read an article that counter that argument and made me think. Most people will bug in. Why would you choose to live in the wild, away from all your stuff? Do you think that you will be able to survive more in the wild than in your home? How you will manage to do that with your family in tow? You are no Bear Grills. Even if you are put in that situation, it should be a temporary situation.
Planning to bug out makes sense when you own a different place in the desired location. In that case, you would certainly plan ahead and the majority of you stuff will be pre-staged there so no need to carry.
If you bug in, and most people will do, you need to survive the firsts encounters. That may require a lot of ammo and a lot of people banding together to defend their neighborhoods. Some of these neighbors may not be as prepared as you are. If you value your family’s life you will have to work with them. Surviving alone is almost an impossible task. Yeah, you will hate them that they are unprepared but you will have to get over that if you are to survive.
> I wasn’t sure of my right to carry;
Not good for a carrier not to know the carry laws.
I’ve got 2 bricks of 5.56, a brick of .22, and about a dozen .45 and .38. Everything on top of that is shooting supply, and I try to replace a box as I use it.
I also hang on to ammo for guns I don’t own any longer, like some extra 5.45 and 7.62. The best kind of barter ammo is the kind you don’t need.
If I can offer a humble suggestion, if you’re worried about the worst, or just worried about ammo shortages, buy guns that aren’t picky and versatile. My Dirty communist AK will eat the nastiest steel case .223 on the planet, and spending the extra money for the extra.357 revolver means lots of options. Even in the worst of last year, I could still get 38+p and tula 223 at Walmart.
Many scenarios,
As much as possible . . . . .WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME AMMO WENT DOWN IN PRICE?
I think the key takeaway from this guys’ statement is the “Give” part.
He says “Give” like it’s a gift bestowed from on high, whereas what we really want is to be left alone.
There’s a line from that old show “Stargate SG-1” that sums this up perfectly.
“If freedom’s being left alone, we have it”.
If only…
P.S. As a politician, you don’t have the power to “Give” a tax-payer purchased paperclip from your office, much less human rights. How’s that whole “chop CA into pieces plan going anyway? Let’s pick up the pace on that please.
Somebody will get fed up enough to fab up about 10,000 drop in Auto sears and Lighting links and dump them on the public nationwide, As an answer to these thugs and their raids…
I have a shit ton of it, but then again,I plan on selling it in 30 years for way more than I paid for it. My dad’s .32 Win Special lever action rifle that he gave my brother and I, he gave us a box of ammo from the early 70’s….I think it was $4 and change for 20 rounds. Now, you can’t get a box for less than around $26-28. I like to think of it as part of my retirement fund. Even if I only get 2-3 times as much as I paid for it, that’s still better than nothing…..and certainly much better than any bank pays in interest nowadays in a savings account.
I thought that was a good video. If they added at the end this is what happens to a disarmed populous everyone would love it. I personally think NATO should stop being little birches and intervene against regimes that do harm to the innocent.
The lesson I’ve taken from this is that the government absolutely cannot be trusted to obey the law when it comes to raids, especially if they’re trying to figure out who owns a gun. I guess the lesson is that you should buy firearms from the black market.
Then you have a lot to learn, The ATF got a “clarification” to the TRO specifying that it was allowed to request and execute warrants—and that is exactly what it did. it will be interesting to see what the affidavit in support of the warrant says–if the ATF hasn’t sealed it to prevent more publicity.
Just one more box.
@Chris B. Not surprised at all. I’m familiar with the “Save the Children” folks. I knew a guy who worked there and the more I talked to him and read him and his wife, the more convinced I became that they were spooks. I don’t know if that’s the whole organization in general … I kind of doubt the whole organization is a front. To top everything off, at one point this guy told me his B.S. job title that reeked of “spookiness”, not that I didn’t have my suspicions before but this definitely confirmed it, and I called him out on it subtly and he gave me a rather peculiar response. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are people in the organization that make sure it plays a role in supporting someone else’s agenda … quite probably a political one.
That line about the constitution is a good one. Cryptic. Chilling. Right on the money.
So does anyone know if my mini 14 can be sent back to Ruger to have the barrel updated? or possibly buy a different barrel for it, (I’ve heard the short stainless barrel that I have is the cause of my issues) my mini I’ve had about 10 years and has 300 or less rounds through it because it is so grossly inaccurate. I have tried many different ammos and it doesn’t seem to like any of them. I really like the gun, and don’t want to get rid of it, plus its one of only two highpowers that I own, and the other is a .300 Winmag so no varmint hunting there; but it does me no good in its current condition.
Went to the new Sportsmans warehouse in Hillsboro.
Ammo galore. All calibers, gauges, weights. OK prices.
Powder, primers, bullets. They had it all.
They sold 60,000 rounds of .22 in 2 days. (Though I suspect I’ll see more online “sales” at 50 bucks a brick)
I bought a modest supply of components for .375 and 7mm mag.
Tony, you could potentially be more or less somewhat halfway correct. Hahaha what does that even mean?
Wouldn’t it get interesting if all of the agents, supervisors and directors who had any remote function with this type of raid (intel on customers/ list) somehow end up with having their personal information released for public viewing. Addresses, phone numbers….
C’mon, this is getting silly. “Virginia” doesn’t stand with “Connecticut”. A single dude from Virginia who won’t show his face happens to disagree with a law in Connecticut. Most Virginians couldn’t care less.
I figured the reply disablement was just me being banned. I’ve been kicked outta better places than this, I tell you. LOTS of them!
Is this really anything more than a short course in machining practices as related to making your own gun? This doesn’t really have a lot to do with Ares, does it? When someone tints their Tahoe’s windows darker than is legal, is GM going to be searched? Is this just a matter of the ATF flexing their muscles in order to instill fear in people?
This may be related to an idea that was floating around. Can a licensed gunsmith “fix” a non-functioning 80% firearm. At some point in the machining process the paperweight stops being a paperweight and becomes a firearm. At that point a gunsmith can work on that firearm to improve functioning. If the work is done while the customer waits there is no paper work required. If drilling the holes turns the paperweight into a firearm, this may be what they were attempting to accomplish.