My coworker is a gun lord, of sorts. His cousin owns a gun shop in IL and he's been doing big-time reloading for several eons. Is an encyclopedia on the topic and owns many and I've been talking to him about Y2K. Got questions? Lemme know and I'll ask him for you. He's also very knowledgeable about all related laws in NY, IL, and TX.

His suggestions on the subject:

1. If you're going to buy weapons, try for one handgun and one long gun that use the same type of ammo. Many do. Also, aim for common stuff that may be cheaper and more easily tradeable or buyable after the fact. (Note: it is illegal to buy re-loaded ammo from anybody but a licensed dealer. The smallest error in re-loaded ammo will likely maim or kill you. Don't do it unless you REALLY know the person knows what they're doing!)

2. If you are either likely to miss, or have such a horror of shooting someone that you probably won't, buy a shotgun and types of shot that won't kill someone but will darn sure hurt them enough to slow them down a bit.

3. Get a rifle, possibly with a scope, if wild dogs or other animals could be a threat. (Wild dogs are often tame, collared, polite dogs around here, which simply go rip up good sized goats, ostriches etc. at night, as they're unleashed. The minute dogs are a pack they are 'wild' for all purposes. The minute people and farmers quit feeding their dogs and cats we have a serious problem on our hands. Any person, especially children, would be a nice snack for the average dog pack, and wild cats may carry more diseases than rats.)

In the state of Texas, a license to own a gun is not required. (Hey! One state that is still at least partly constitutional!) However if you want to carry it concealed, you must get a permit. Unlike many states such as NY and CA, you don't need some glorious reason why you need a concealed permit. You just need a clean criminal record et al, as they do a background check, but otherwise they have no right to refuse you one just because you're not a cop, PI or celebrity.

In Texas you can buy guns just like fridges and old wedding rings -- through the newspaper want ads. You can also buy them at gun shows. However if you buy from a dealer at a gun show they will run you through the Fed computer system that is illegally (!! I won't start on that) collecting *and storing for long term* the names and personal data of people who buy guns (ever see that movie "reds?"). If you buy from a person there will be no real record of it with the gov't which might be preferable, at least for this occasion.

You can buy long guns in another state, but you cannot buy handguns except in the state where you are a citizen.

This may be incomplete but this is the info I got so far. Just thought it might help someone else.

PJ

-- PJ Gaenir (fire@zmatrix.com), January 10, 1999

Answers

There's a very good book on the subject that was published in 1975. It's Survival Guns, by Mel Tappan. Nothing better has been written since then, and the only stuff missing from there is information on guns which weren't around then.

-- Noah Simoneaux (noaj@yournet.com), January 10, 1999.

Unfortunately, Tappan was a paraplegic with NO experience. He got it all from talking to a few "ex-spurts".

His little "basic survival battery" would set you back around $30000. Hah. 20+ guns.

Just sit down and reason it all out. Concentrate on your likely needs, not LIKES, and figure out what will satisfy those needs. Looks or likes do not figure into it.

-- Bill (billclo@hotmail.com), January 10, 1999.

Listen and learn from Bill, he taught me a lot well over a year ago on another website. He has a lot of wisdom and insight on what it takes to survive for what will be coming our way in the near future (I hope your the same Bill from Frugal Squirrel, I recognized your e-mail address).

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), January 11, 1999.

Yes, Bardou, tis me. I guess I've become infamous, eh? I don't want to be well-known, but there it is. :)

I'm no super duper gun wizard. I just learned the hard way to THINK and evaluate gun choices based upon needs, not likes or wants. Test everything, and take nothing for granted just because some gun-magazine "ex-spurt" says so. :)

-- Bill (billclo@hotmail.com), January 11, 1999.