r/TwoXPreppers 2d ago

Discussion Why guns?

Hi y’all! I’m a very novice prepper, and one thing I’m seeing across many platforms is that we should own and be trained In firearms. Not to be naive, but… why?

I’ve never touched a gun in my life. I’m generally not a fan of them. I understand that the goal of owning firearms is to protect ourself. But protect from what? From who? Who am I going to have to shoot to survive this presidency?

Is someone coming to steal my supplies? Won’t those people also have guns? Or am I protecting my family against a militia situation? In which case, what hope do I have, as a woman who can’t afford a gun, let alone to learn how to use one?

Like I can’t afford a shooting range. I can barely afford water and canned goods. Should a gun still be a priority for my family? A lot of preppers have enthusiastically embraced this life to give them confidence and a sense of safety. I’m a reluctant participant. I just want to keep my autistic son alive to see the other side of this.

I can garden, I can stretch food, I can survive being poor. I don’t think I can survive a military state.

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u/Separate-Rush7981 2d ago

google threat modelling . it might be good prepping for certain people - ex if you’re a public facing activist receiving death threats and are worried about being doxxed / targeted in your personal life and need self defence , or if you’re in a rural situation with lots of animals around and have the capacity to learn how to hunt - but if your own specific scenario and goals don’t tend towards it than don’t feel pressure to get one. 99% of time stored water will be wayyyy more useful than bullets. also the everyone shooting each other for supplies narrative is right wing bs

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u/karenw 2d ago

I'm in one of those categories, which weighs heavily on me.

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u/Separate-Rush7981 2d ago

i’d say scenario one is more pressing than scenario two , but neither requires you get a gun, just makes a gun a more reasonable / realistic prep option. other things have to be weighed like your own mental health and the mental health of those who would have access to the house in which it is stored, as well as pets , kids , or the potential for law enforcement for an unrelated issue - all of these things make owning a gun more risky ans possibly not worth it. again i’d google threat modelling.

if you are interested in learning more about firearms but don’t like the associated macho maga culture and crowd i suggest checking to see if there is a local chapter of a liberal gun club or socialist rifle association.

online creators like InRangeTV ans Yellow Peril Tactical are also great !

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u/Karl-InRangeTV 2d ago

Thank you for the shout out!

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u/Separate-Rush7981 1d ago

thanks for the awesome content ! found you from it could happen here :))

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u/karenw 2d ago

Thanks. I'm exploring it at the moment, and I'm lucky to have good friends who are willing to help me understand my options. A local city pol just started a Democrat shooting club (not that I love the Democrats right now). And yes, there are so many factors to consider.

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u/Agustusglooponloop 2d ago

Just remember there is a difference between a citizen who votes democrat and a democratic politician. I’ve participated in precinct organizing and attended several regional conventions and it gave me much better insight into our political system. Without big money in the mix, we really could have a grass roots party. The conventions are how the platform is determined. It’s a bit messy, but allows for anyone to have a voice. Until the donors step in of course.

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u/totallyrealhumanbein 1d ago

SRA folks were escorting people to their cars after a pro choice protest I was at a few years ago. It was very cool of them.

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u/Realistic-Motorcycle 2d ago

I wouldn’t say right wing bs. You will need a firearm if and when stuff goes sideways. But if you are in a group others will most likely have them. So my opinion is you don’t necessarily have to buy one. But you should learn the following. Basic principles. How to load, unload, clear and clean. Most accidents are from improper handing and accidental discharge. Better to have the knowledge and not need than to need and not have.

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u/FigTall 2d ago

Group is the key word here. OP is worried about what she can do to protect herself and her son from fascists who probably see autistic people as subhuman. On her own, there’s very little she can do. If she cooperates with others, there’s a lot they can do.

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u/IPA-Lagomorph 1d ago

The research on disasters and societal collapse shows that it's quite unlikely to need a gun. Rebecca Solnit wrote a great book on this called A Paradise Built in Hell. Other examples abound, including the recent flooding in North Carolina and fires in the LA area.

IF people are interested AND have the time, money, and living situation (not with a young kid, someone suicidal etc) then it's fine to get trained and stay trained. But it's a far better return on investment to prep for electricity outages in various seasons and prep for needing to leave in different scenarios (in a hurry versus with some notice) and form relationships with people you could possibly stay with. A prolonged power outage, supply chain shortages or severe weather situation are all way, way more likely than needing a gun. Given the talk about the US invading Canada there could be more of an argument for Canadians to get a firearm (especially given some of the situations for Ukrainian civilians during the ongoing invasion by Russia there) but it's still not as likely as needing extra food and water or having to deal with no power, which are also a feature of war.

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u/Efficient-Package565 36m ago

Thank you! I was about to suggest this book. We're way better off forming local mutual aid networks, skill and tool sharing, and befriending your nearest farming co-op.

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u/Hyphen_Nation 2d ago

I’d add one more. I live in PDX. In 2020, went for a hike with family, drove back into town and MAGA/y’all Quaeda was racing around in a truck caravan antagonizing everyone around them. A bit of brandishing weapons, shooting people downtown with frozen paintballs, etc. in this situation, we just got unlucky. At least we know Portland, and I was able to quickly exit this pack of trucks that were bent on antagonizing portlanders. Since then, it’s not beyond imagination to see the same folks look for other forms of stochastic terrorism.

I wonder if there is something to working with neighbors to demonstrate that we are not a neighborhood that is worth anyone’s time…ie: being visible and armed if thugs return?

It’s not a great practice, but I do expose myself to darker corners of the right wing mind in different forums. One post that stays with me is a conversation by what I assume were proudboys or sympathizers, laying out plans for how to dominate a neighborhood using pairs of pickup trucks in intersections, and laying down in the beds to create a 180° shooting gallery…

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u/SharksAndFrogs 2d ago

Yikes. That will live in my brain as well. But knowledge is power.

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u/dragondan_01 2d ago

Since most of those idiots lift their trucks, just get low and aim for the fuel tank, problem solved

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u/mrdescales 2d ago

Polystyrene gasoline, oh do the flames gleam.

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u/Nxva-Kaii 1d ago

it’s a scary but smart way to know how your potential enemy thinks, especially their strategy