There are tons of websites on this topic, but I would like some help from my fellow pede's to make sure I am getting the best information for the situation in the USA today.
Like many others across this country, when the riots and looting started I was shocked to see the police and the federal government prevented from helping law-abiding citizens.
It was like being hit in the face with ice water.
My faith in this country always being able to protect me was radically changed.
I was woken up to the reality, that like in all things if is MY responsibility to provide for myself and my family. I could not count on the government to provide safety. This is something I needed to ensure I could provide myself.
To that end, I knew I had to arm myself. At 45 years old, I had to purchase a firearm.
I did some research prior to going to the gun store, but that all proved to be for naught.
When I got to the store, they were nearly all sold out of all of the weapons I was looking for. In speaking with the guy behind the counter, and evaluating the weapons that they had, we settled on a Ruger All American 45 and a Stroeger 20 gauge shotgun. I was able to buy 20 rounds for the Ruger and 20 rounds for the Stroeger when I purchased the weapon along with gun locks for both.
I would like to go to a gun range so I can train on these weapons, but this does not seem to be enough ammunition to train and retain anything for home protection.
I have now been to the store 3x per week for the last 2.5 months and have not been able to find any additonal ammunition for the Ruger (and I am honestly confused by all of the choices for 20 gauge shotgun).
Can anyone provide advice on what someone new to owning a gun should do next?
After reading about Kyle and people saying things like he was missing a 'kit' extra magazines, talking about his rifle sling(?). It left me thinking that there may be additional equipment that I should be purchasing to go along with my weapons.
Where can I get ammunition for a resonable amount?
What's the best way to get training on a weapon? (the local gun range classes are all booked up for 3+ months).
Should I buy a 'kit'? What is it? Where could one get one?
Should I buy an AR-15? I hear Kyle had a $400 rifle, but all of the weapons I now see online are $1k+. Is this simply due to demand?
What other gear should I be purchasing to prepare for home defense/ riots in the street/ possible cival war?
What tips would you provide for new gun owners?
The NRA looks to be a totally F'ed organization. Is joining GOA a good move?
I would like to ensure that I am legally protechted if I ever need to use my weapon. What types of insurance should I consider as a gun owner?
What are the advantages of a conceled carry permit? Would you recommend that I get one?
You can search around on that site, but I've found that the cheap stuff is sold out more often than the expensive stuff. Sometimes you can catch something cheap when it comes in stock though.
I tend to keep around 1000 spare rounds for my larger guns, but only a few boxes of the stuff for my pocket guns.
You might want to get a box of hollow points to keep for self defense. It'll probably be a little more expensive than the plain fmj, but it has less chance of going through the threat and hitting whatever is behind it.