This page has been archived and commenting is disabled.
Gun Ownership Soars To 18 Year High: 47% Of Americans Admit To Owning A Gun
Americans may be fleeing from stocks in droves, but they sure aren't shy about rotating the resulting meager liquidation proceeds into weaponry. According to Gallup, "Forty-seven percent of American adults currently report that they have a gun in their home or elsewhere on their property. This is up from 41% a year ago and is the highest Gallup has recorded since 1993, albeit marginally above the 44% and 45% highs seen during that period." Considering the social situation "out there", and the fact that the world is one badly phrased or translated headline away from a complete HFT-facilitated market collapse, this is hardly all that suprising.
More:
The new result comes from Gallup's Oct. 6-9 Crime poll, which also finds public support for personal gun rights at a high-water mark. Given this, the latest increase in self-reported gun ownership could reflect a change in Americans' comfort with publicly stating that they have a gun as much as it reflects a real uptick in gun ownership.
Not surprisingly, republicans pack more heat than democrats. Perhaps it is best not to piss too many off...
Republicans (including independents who lean Republican) are more likely than Democrats (including Democratic leaners) to say they have a gun in their household: 55% to 40%. While sizable, this partisan gap is narrower than that seen in recent years, as Democrats' self-reported gun ownership spiked to 40% this year.
Women are more armed than ever. Perhaps it is best not to piss too many off...
The percentage of women who report household gun ownership is also at a new high, now registering 43%
Southerners, yes shocking, are the best armed of all. Perhaps it is best not to piss too many off...
Gun ownership is more common in the South (54%) and Midwest (51%) than in the East (36%) or West (43%) -- a finding typical of Gallup's trends in gun ownership by region.
Gallup's conclusion: "A clear societal change took place regarding gun ownership in the early 1990s, when the percentage of Americans saying there was a gun in their home or on their property dropped from the low to mid-50s into the low to mid-40s and remained at that level for the next 15 years. Whether this reflected a true decline in gun ownership or a cultural shift in Americans' willingness to say they had guns is unclear. However, the new data suggest that attitudes may again be changing. At 47%, reported gun ownership is the highest it has been in nearly two decades -- a finding that may be related to Americans' dampened support for gun-control laws. However, to ensure that this year's increase reflects a meaningful rebound in reported gun ownership, it will be important to see whether the uptick continues in future polling."
Our conclusion: Buy gold. Buy guns. Buy ammo. Be prepared. It's coming.
h/t John Lohman
»
- 31520 reads
- Printer-friendly version
- Send to friend
- advertisements -
.... or less and for free if you're on tha ATFs "List of Approved Drug Gangs Needy of a Shitload of Automatic Weapons."
North or south of a line drawn on a map....
you have to be willing to break a few eggs to make an omlet!
and before anyone decides to shit on me..
that was a Quote from the head of the ATF, before he was fired about the reverse sting that killed a fellow Officer!
Uncontrolled Delivery: How the Fast and Furious Scandal Leads All ...
www.verumserum.com/?p=30134
Cached
You +1'd this publicly.
Undo
Oct 5, 2011 – ATF Chief Steps Down; Shoot, shovel, and shut up: Kenneth Melson, the ..... saying something like: you have to break a few eggs when making ...
WSJ: ATF Chief Likely To Be Ousted Over Gunwalker<br><i>The Wheels ...
minx.cc/?post=317749
Cached
You +1'd this publicly.
Undo
To my understanding the feds told gun dealers to break the laws by selling ..... you have and you are willing to part with him to him, you will have to become a gun .... "you have to crack pop a cap in a few eggs to make an omelet" ... It may not reach higher than the ATF Chief, but it would surely include the ...
Obama Happily Putting Guns in the Hands of Mexican Drug Dealers ...
www.chicagonow.com/.../obama-happily-putting-guns-in-the-hands-...
Cached
You +1'd this publicly.
Undo
Jul 1, 2011 – The idea was that the BATF could trace how guns get disseminated in Mexico. ... well, you can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs, right? ... to much talk that BATF chief Kenneth Melson will be eliminated from that ...
Compliant confiscation will leave all those glassy-eyed, law-abiding sheep who do turn in their guns as very easy pickings for those gangsters who don't comply as I doubt the police forces will care too much about violent crimes committed on former middle class Americans by that point.
Already the police forces have moved from protecting citizens to conditioning them for more control. It's not too far off when the police will only exist to protect their owners and their owner's property while subjugating the serfs to the owner's will.
That how it is in Oz, the Crims, Nutters and Illegal's have the guns, the law abiding voters
got screwd out of the theirs......
It's not like the residents of OZ were oblivious to the outcome. Enjoy being a law abiding voter, after all it is the patriotic thing to do.
you were the morons who voted that trash in.
Dude,
they can hire magneto!!
that was funny!
i agree...problem is if you have too many that they know of atf storms your "compound"
Right W.D., clearly things are behind schedule due to sticking point such as 'How the hell do we deal with millions of bankrupt armed and pissed off americans'?
Because lets face it, their 'Master Plan' was not to sit around fucking with markets as an end game.
Thing is, thanks to the government indoctrination centers d.b.a. public schools, there will never be millions of armed and pissed off Americans. There will only be the intermittent "lone-nut" (public enemy #1), or the previously demonized militia with a few dozen people.
If it ever does get larger, well, they will shut down everything, with the local police given orders to shoot on sight.
From what I've read, the so-called "Whiskey Rebellion" is about as close as anything to people standing up to the US gov., and even Washington knew the trick to take care of it: mercenaries from elsewhere.
I really don't think they want the population disarmed. Having 150,000,000 armed people is a like having another doomsday weapon at your disposal to threaten your opponents with. Why do you think the media is so terrified of the TEA Party? They are for all intents and purpose the largest Army/Militia in the world. The fact that they aren't violent yet doesn't change the fact that they are heavily armed and intimidating and who likes intimidating people with heavily armed groups of soldiers/militia: POLITICIANS!
Besides, could you imagine any country trying to invade the US and having the government give the populace carte blanche permission to savage the invaders? No tag, no limit, no season; bring in your bags of ears to collect your bounties boys!
4th stooge- i cant get your +1 to work but i'd +100 you if i could
I'd agree that probably a lot of people would turn in guns if threatened, those being people with 'a gun around here somewhere....maybe in this sock drawer I dont really remember'...
But not those who are in militias, train every weekend, stockpile ammo in 1,000 round cases. Yes we're law abiding and all, but we've got our breaking point. Far as Im concerned when they declare firearms illegal, after that I dont really give a damn Ive been in plenty of firefights before and one more is fine with me.
better to have and not need it, than need it and not have it. a cop is only minutes away when seconds count.
A gun in the hand is better than two cops on the phone.
I carry a gun because a cop is too heavy to tote around.
thanks....I needed that
God bless the child who's got his own. +1 Xib, police do more paperwork than protection work, just as a smoke alarm saves more lives in a fire than a department of trained professionals.
As for comments on disarming the population. At 47%, most know action along these lines would be a replay of the prohibition scenario. The 40% self-reporting rate for democrats indicates agreement across party lines on this issue.
For the other 53%, even if not motivated by the personal protection angle, dusting a clay zipping across a narrow open space between columns of heavy forest is just, plain cool.
Besides, as reported today, wealth increased for the top 1% by 275% since 1979. The bottom 20% grew by 18%. If you own a gun to protect your stuff, don't worry, major theft went faceless with the invention of HFT computers and lobbyists. Their owners are happy for everyone to be distracted by issues like firearms.
"And sadly, if the government tries to confiscate, most "law abiding" citizens will gladly turn in their firearms."
Just the ones they know about.
I believe we have passed the point where gun banners can lie with impunity. Crime rates are down everywhere as far as I can tell...coinciding with right to carry laws being passed in every state except one...Illinois.
An armed society is a polite society ;-)
If you see something, say something... that's the gov't motto. I envision a bounty. Neighbors will get cash rewards for turning in gun-toting neighbors.
We will be forced into living two lives; one public, one private, just like the Russian citizens were forced into during the Stalin years.
most of us should be living two lives by now
I think we are already there. Think about how much like soviet Russia we have become,
They won't have very much time to enjoy their rewards. Word gets out about things like that, and things happen to people.
4th stooge- why cant i get your +1 to work?!?!
/geek aside
It is due to starting with a quotation, the indented avatar, and the browser you're using. There is a work around, but its annoying to do.
A post that starts with italics will sometimes cause the arrows to stop functioning.
ah ha, note to self, thx
That leverage works both ways. Especially when loyalty and trust have to be balanced against payola (food) and protection (shelter). Better have your networks in place before the SHTF.
"They must have done something wrong." is what east Germans told themselves when they watched the Stasi carry off their neighbors. Then one day the Stasi is at their own door. One in four or one in five people, I believe, was a Stasi informant in east Germany. They generally snitched on people they didn't like, rivals, or the one snitched on had something the snitch wanted. Snitches also got rewards.
When you don't have a community that sticks together these kinds of things happen easily.
"I envision a bounty. Neighbors will get cash rewards for turning in gun-toting neighbors."
I would certainly hope they would make it a substantial enough reward to cover any unforseen costs that could be incurred by said neighborly rat ;-)
Of course it will be substantial. Are you forgetting it's the magic federal checkbook? The whole world will crumble, but DOT will still spend billions running not only DUI checkpoints, but now, even insurance checkpoints.
I just wonder if it will be equivalent to forty ounces of silver.
Good points.
Course, I don't have to concern myself with it around here. Everyone has at least one. Most have four to six. A shotgun is pretty standard with a "house handgun"...a long rifle of varying calibers and depending on how many vehicles they have, every one has a handgun in them somewhere. All the cops know it and they accept that fact...they're pretty much the same way off duty.
The state troopers are the ones who stay freaked out about it all cause they live elsewhere and just cruise through trying to collect state revenue. The local cops advise not even telling them you have one unless they ask, so they don't go all Johnny Bad Ass on you...lol.
Papers. Let me see your papers.
Well said.
I, for one, believe in the fractional reserve system -- at least as it relates to gun ownership: I admit to owning 'just the one'.
According to the laws of fractional reserve gun ownership, I may own up to 35x that amount. I also may loan them out to friends and neighbors (and fellow ZHedgies) should the need arise...
Just sayin'...
Dats a fact...and for the ones they know about...we could always bring back the reciept writing partys of past regimes.
Yep officer...sold that one to Ralph Lastanski five years ago...see, heres the reciept right here. He said he lived over in the condo on Elm Street...course they tore the condo down three years ago, sooo...good luck! ;-)
That's what all the tough guys did during hurricane katrina. The fact is you got to be nuts to shoot someone, even in self defense. They'll lock your ass up. I get a kick out of the foaming at the mouth right wingers talk so bravely about defending the constitution at all costs. They really believe they're gonna take on the government with a shotgun.
You know what I find even funnier a bunch of dumb farmers with smooth bore muskets taking o nthe #1 military i nthw world and winning.
Oh you meant our military will kill our own people, where do you think much of the military comes from and they will kill their own, 15% maybe, the majority cross lines in body or spirit or intelligence..
Cowardly liberal pieces of shit like you can shove a dildo up your ass and hide in the corner
If a bunch of rice farmers in Vietnam can kick the US army's ass, then 100 million armed Americans can do the same. Let's see how many of your feared goobermint goons will be willing to take a bullet to the skull when they go kicking down doors looking for guns
You should tell me your twitter handle and let me know when you have a hundred million americans doing anything other than watching the superbowl at the same time. You will probably have to go at it alone. My point is, thinking about shooting someone and actually pulling the trigger are two very different things for sane people, judging by your response you may or may not be. For what it's worth, I have a few guns, am far from cowardly and never voted for a democrat in my life. Most of my life I've been a republican, responded to people like you did me and then things changed. I don't like hypocrites anymore.
What's twitter?
And you were giving me crap about using a social network site and here you are talking about using Twitter. "I don't like hypocrites anymore." Self-loathing must be a bitch for you douchebag. Your point, like your posts and your hypocritical blatherings, are a joke just like you. For some reason you act like you moderate this site, as if anyone gives a shit about your opinion, and as if your view is the only one just because you said so. 'Tyler', hardly. FO.
If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.?- Sun Tzu
Castle Doctrine is the law in at least a few states I can think of, you must be from Illinois.
"if the government tries to confiscate"
Considering the selection of firearms available to the average American, that could prove problematic.
That won't stop them from trying!
Even if they tried, there's one small problem: they have to send people to confiscate them. For many, it would be their last day on the job.
Yes.
They will give up their confiscation efforts after the first 20 - 50 fascists get shot dead. Word will get around very fast.
Oh they could try, but really how strong are they when people start shooting back? The Japanese had more sense than trying to invade the US with a rifle behind every blade of grass.
Sorry, Andy and Opie are dead. Nobody is giving up their weapons to USG confiscation. That opportunity is long gone for the Boyz.
Wow, you're so edgy;
That's hot.
You should post a pic of yourself with a cig- you'd be even cooler.
I agree. He looks too rad and chic for ZH. Perhaps he should try Puffington Ho's
Actually, Monkboy has been somewhat of troll, but has contributed a lot of very insightful stuff over the years, so I have to put my support on his side of the court. He likes to provoke a fight, but Funkymonky usually knows which side of the argument is truth and which side isn't. On the other hand, bedside manner and diplomacy:not his strong point.
"This is my cigar, this is my gun, this is for lighting, this is for fun." Bill Clinton
Yeah, good ol' Bubba did have fun alright. With a lot of ugly ass ho's.
How can you be the POTUS and be banging the Lewinskis of the world? If I were the POTUS, I'd have Jolie, Alba and Johansson on my speed dial.
Once he got to DC, the Arkansas State Troopers were no longer able to get him dates.
Man, I don't care what anyone says. If you're the POTUS, you can bang just about any chick in America (and abroad). In this regard, I respect the hell out of the Kennedy bros. Those cats knew how to party.
But can you do it without being black-mailed? Willie tried to get some of what was locally available at the time, and they still busted his ass on it.
"If I were the POTUS,......"
Who sez he didn't?
Please. He might've banged Barbara Streisand but that's it. He's got a weird taste in women. Look at Hillary. Nuff said.
That's just a CIA power marriage. Which is why she kept using her valuable maiden name for so long.
He nailed one of the world famous JAPs, AFAIK ... No more singin' in da White House ...
1/2 way hot chicks get it on.... although Jolie might be worth the risk of impeachment.. I'd cigar her.
Who cares if they try to impeach you? I'd just be like, "Hey, assholes! This is a very stressful job! I'm all pent up and I need to relax just like every last one of you pricks!"
Its not an easy thing to take a life for most "normal" people, even the life of a worthless waste of human skin bankster.
The American guns will come out when everything else fails, and not a moment sooner.
As its supposed to be.
+ .45
You forgot the -70 on the .45....
Both are better than 9mm though, but plenty of 5.56mm would suddenly become available, at a door-step near you....
Winchester Bitchez!
Got Glock?
You obviously don't live in the South
It boggles the mind why more folks don't admit owning a gun. You really don't need to pulling it out, especially when the odds are poor the outcome is exactly but finally what you expected if you went through the trouble to actually have one of those social bombs.
A Gun? LOL
gay ass East coast
actually they appear to be making up for lost time. meanwhile the Midwest appears tired of playing second fiddle to "Mr. Saturday Night Special" down there. Wait till "there's a cmptition in me" comes to the fore. Then we'll end up getting gun ownership over 100 percent.
The Midwest is only that low because they include all the Metro-Sexuals in Chitcago....
What of Love?
And just wait 'til the shootin' starts. It'll be like the end of Reservoir Dogs.
And I ask myself why we still have a military.
Easy one: To protect our corporate interests abroad.
Political interests - it's the politicians that deploy the military.
Yes, at the behest of the paying corporations, but, nonetheless, under the control of the Czars.
They are one and the same.
Yes, it was a rhetorical question.
To protect us from the banks, like Jefferson said.
A gun won't save you when the locusts come.
Beyond here there be monsters.
If you're talking about crop eating Locusts you are correct. If you're talking about human Locusts you only need kill one and the rest will run away.
Why would anyone buy a gun? They're very dangerous and best left in the hands of trained professionals.
Oakland Policeman Throws Flash Grenade Into Crowd Trying To Help Injured Protester
It's all fun and games until somebody loses an eye.
[Edit - I gave myself a down arrow because I don't care but how many watched the cop (thug) throw the grenade into the crowd? The video is a whole 63 seconds.]
I prefer Celente's 3 Gs
Gold
Guns
and a Get away plan
and Guts
goolies
Only rats run. ;-)
He who fights and runs away lives to fight another day.
Unless you get shot in the ass
Thats a stat that the socialist/communist/revolutionist and foreign interest in America had better take note of.... an ass kicking.
Logical. a gun is cheaper than a guarantee from a bank right now. A gun will be needed in case of big depression when powerty will explode... after the bailouting of USA by CHINA everything will be possible. China is bailouting only rich people in Europe and USA, poor people will be even poorest after the baiouting of the Global System by the "modern" chinese communists. Nice closed futur for banks, BUT black futur for everyone...
Like I keep saying, people know whats coming, and it would be foolish to be unprepared.
One of these days all those video cameras you see at OWS will be guns.
There likely aren't four gun owners in Zucotti Park, and two of them will be agent provocateurs.
The single occupier that owns a gun will be the lone "End the Fed" Ron Paul 2012 supporter.
Now Oakland, on the other hand... well, the police better hope the gangs don't decide to take advantage of the opportunity that is presenting itself right now.
Many of the OWS people own guns I'm sure.
Sounds like a good opportunity for a million man suicide. What the Hell, let's round 'er off to two million.
We had a fair number of folks with AR-15s and full camo show up at Occupy Phoenix. I can't (or rather, can!) imagine how that'd play at OWS.
Remember how they freaked when the tea baggers showed up in Phoenix with their AR's?
I wonder why it wasn't a big deal this time around?
I would have to assume its becoming normal now...
I think the President was in town during the tea party rally, that likely had more than a little impact on security procedures.
Sidearms have been normal here for as long as I can remember, but long arms as daily carry -- I've never seen it in Phoenix and I'm an old dude native, outside of Phoenix it's still rare but more common. I hope it catches on.
maybe that stat will give pause to the UN "peacekeeprs"
lol...pausing is one thing UN peacekeepers do very well.
It certainly will, one way or another.
"Admit" to owning a gun......the headline makes it sound like it is illegal.......like "admitting" a murder, or "admitting" to smoking crack.....really? It is a constitutional right to own a firearm, and it's original intent was for citizens to protect themselves from tyrannical governments......maybe more should make the purchase.......and please Tyler, stop with the left wing headlines, your colors are showing.....as are mine
It may be time to admit you forgot to take your drugs today? Or maybe not, it sure is amusing to hear "our left colors are showing" after a few posts ago we were accused of being right wing, neo (or oldo) fascist extremists...
I think part of what the poster was saying that "admitting" was like "confessing". The left wing remark...who knows what that's supposed to mean.
I admit I don't own any guns, sir. I admit I don't own any gold or silver either, sir. That weed? Oh, that's mine. I have a doctor's prescription for that.
And with the doctors prescription, youre not allowed to purchase a firearm. At least in this state anyway.
Yeah, I think 'admitting' may have been taken wrong. For example, I DO NOT 'admit' to owning guns, gold, or any other 'survivalist' like materials.
Operational security, right;)
I will occasionally spout off in a semi-anonymous forum like this when I REALLY feel the need, but NO ONE local to me knows what I have.
I ADMIT NOTHING!
He didn't phrase it well, but I think you're right.
I suspect this poll is a much better measure of how comfortable people are telling pollsters they are armed, than it is of them actually being armed. The dip around '97 is tell-tale, that's when Janet Reno's Rescue Rangers were are their peak and militia hysteria was at its highest -- not a time you wanted to go around broadcasting you had guns to people calling on the phone.
I'd like to see the numbers on Michigan, versus the acoustic numbers on Nov. 15th (opening day of rifle deer season)....
the good old saying "divide et impera"
You can only exercise control when you create two parties fighting each other. The invisible third party is the winner, the 0.001%!
I see your point, but there's more to it than that. It all depends on where you're from, where you're being questioned, and most importantly, who is asking.
If Homeland Security is knocking on your door after Katrina, then no, you don't admit anything. Or if Hitler's men show up at a Jewish household. Or if a friend of yours collects "too many" and the FBI comes to town, even though he's never once been in trouble with the law, and is an honest person, then no, none of us own any guns.
In most other cases though, the answer is "You damn right we've got guns! What about it?"
I usually give my kids a 10oz bar of silver for Christmas. This year it's pump-action shotguns.
It is illegal to own a firearm in this fascist city I unfortunately live in (NYC)... along with quite a few other metropolitan areas across the country. Yeah, the "land of the free," that one.
I was asked recently (in a NYC resident poll) if I owned a firearm... if I did have here in the city, there's no way in he'll I would admit to it... can you say "FELONY."
Considering my options.
Yeah, it was a felony in DC too...until someone had the sack to wave the Constitution in their face and say "suck it, losers."
Bloomberg calls NY laws "reasonable regulation." Reasonable meaning you can't own shit!
Its too bad the NRA hasn't taken matters further here... maybe because they know they wouldn't stand a chance? Maybe because this entire city is already a fucking war zone, attitude/mentality wise. The more I think about it, if gun ownership was allowed in this city, it would more than likely turn into a REAL war zone.
Now I want them legalized more!
Well then another way to read the 'Admit' headline is to double it.
Based on a true story: (cue Law and Order donk/donk.) "Crime of Passion": She was in the car. He had a gun. They forgot this detail when discussing their case with their defense attorney. She was married. He wasn't. She pointed. He nodded. "That's the one" she said. He approached the target...she'd warned the subject "you're gonna pay" just days prior...and that time was now. The target approached his tongue lapping nearly to the ground. He approached what he always took as "the friendly human" born of the curiousity of the lost puppy dog he actually was. He stopped and dared give "the lost puppy dog look." Slowly, meticulously and with steely gaze Mr. Payback raised his firearm and with a focus born of decades of being known as "the ice man" raised that 357 and capped that puppy. The owner froze both enraged and fearful that he was next. The 15 (hundred) onlookers at the park let out a collective audible gasp. Mothers covered their childrens' eyes. "You killed my dog you bastard" the crestfallen owner gasped. "He tried to attack to me" was the iceman's cold hearted response. To be continued... Donk/Donk. (commerical break.)
Doggone ;-)
"owning a gun"
Why just one?
Exactly, I think the numbers would have been even more shockingly in favor of the south ;) Something like # of households with 20 or more guns... (the same number of households that own 1 gun heh)
You can't own just one, that's like having a single wrench in a tool box. You need a Pistol for close work and a shot gun for inside work. Outside work requires a high powered rifle. I prefer weapons chambered for NATO rounds. This insures a reliable supply taken from the dead and "liberated" from weapons cashes.
3 is two, 2 is 1 and 1 is none...
In which case, I have two. (and I'm part of that late-to-the-party surge over the last coupla years in the Northeast).
I cant find anyone in arkansas who will admit not owning guns, seriously.
Amended to mean one of each for every member of the household.
And spares for the nieces and nephews.
And a cute little one for Granny's purse.
People are merely exchanging the old currency for the currency of the future.
I own a gun.....and all I can think about is how can I get MORE.
Just watch "The Road" sometime, to see where we are kind of headed (I think the end of USA starting in 2013 will be part "The Road", part "Shadowrun" - a game on the Sega Genesis that depicted a broken down yet eletronically connected world).
agreed... we should all band together and make like a zerohedger commune before TEOTWAWKI
That was one of my favorite games. Playing the real life version would be even more fun.
Dammit, I should have shorted guns in '93...... What's the spread on bullets right now?
Depends on how much caffeine you've had....
GUNS!
Check!
Check!
The number of gun owning liberals are increasing too?... nice.
The TPTB are frightened to death. They do not want WROL riots. They are desperately recruiting more naive sheeple into their goon squads to protect them. They are also trying to make gun ownership illegal.
All hell is going to break loose soon... when it does, many top NWO criminals are going to be on the hit list.
The only frightened PTB are the faux ones who are trying to get elected. The real PTB manufacture the weapons, distribute them to all sides, then sit back and watch as divide-and-conquer works in their favor, yet again.
+1
You left out the most important part: they gladly make huge loans to all sides.
I'm no fan of guns, and didn't grow up around them. That said, in the last year, I have purchased a Glock 9mm that I keep in my nightstand beside the bed, a Mossberg Persuader in the closet and a .22 Marlin Papoose (the barrel unscrews, and you can basically fit it in a backpack.) All are safely out of kids reach, and all are loaded. When I bought the Glock, I hired a guy to show me how to use it, and it really demystified the gun for me. Goal is to get the concealed carry in the next few months.
practice Krav Maga or learn from the Attack Proof videos.
Quicker reaction to most situations and if need be you could inflict serious damage even death on your attacker.
But most importantly you gain mental and physical strength which you never have to conceal because it shows.
Eh no... mall ninja alert.
You need to do this with other people... this is the kind of thing that is lost in the translation from video... kinda like watching a video on how to play football... I THINK I'M READY COACH! sort of... but not really.
Don't find a mcdojo either... do your research.
Practice quick drawing and firing drills... practice FTF & FTE drills... practice assembling and disassembling firearms... keep them cleaned and lubricated at all times.
If you get a Saiga you can skip the FTF and FTE part. It can be stripped, cleaned, and reassembled in 5 minutes with a shoe lace. I've fired two different Colt ARs and ended up with an FTF on both.
5.56 XM193 is one mean round.
I really like my Mini-14. No FTF or stovepipes, and doubles as a nice club.... No plastic for me, danke.
I like the Ruger. I had a couple of 10/22s but tragically lost them in a boating accident along with all my other firearms. Honest question - is the Mini 14 chambered for .223 Rem or 5.56? The former can be fired in the latter but not vice-versa. The Saiga (AK variant) is made by Izmash - the original company that designed and built the Kalashnikov and will eagerly handle the mil-spec 5.56 nato. The 4140 steel flash hider has teeth and makes a nice poker. The steel plate on the butt-stock makes for a nice blunt instrument.
Remove the receiver cover, push forward on the main spring and remove rearward, slide back the bolt/gas piston assembly (2 parts) and lift. You are now field stripped. No tools and can be done with eyes closed.
All Mini-14s except the Target version are chambered for 5.56, unlike most civie ARs. Same field-stripping as a Garand, and about as reliable.
Just don't buy Wolf ammo. Not that a Mini won't run it without a hiccup, I just don't trust any ammo that has brass and nickle-plated primers in the same box. That's not cool....
+5.56 brass
I think ol' green tip, m855 is a better option... and, depending on the twist rate of your barrel, I'd opt for even heavier loads than that...
The thing about colt ars is that they're about as good as an AR gas system is going to get... short gas system inherent issues aside (everyone loves middies)... if you properly clean and lubricate most ars, they'll probably function very well... in all likelihood, any failure is the result of a failure to properly maintain the weapon or the type of ammo you're throwing through it (e.g. cheap ass steel cased). If the colt failed in that situation, the likelihood of most all other similar firearms also failing is very, very high.
It largely depends on budgets... you can get some ar family rifles that have reliability similar to aks, but for a much, much higher price tag.
I'm not a fan of sporter saigas for the fact of the proprietary magazines... I would much prefer an sgl21... or, just get an arsenal proper... obviously you can convert the saiga to accept standard hi capacity ak mags, but for the price difference it seems pretty goofy.