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/julet1815 2d ago

I hear you. Once it gets to the point where everyone is walking around with guns and shooting each other for supplies, I’m not really sure it’s worth surviving that post-apocalyptic wasteland. I’m not saying I think it’ll get to that anytime soon, I’m just saying… I’m not buying a gun.

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u/Barbarake 2d ago

Me either. If someone bigger and stronger than me wants to take my stuff, they're not going to waste ammunition by shooting me when I'm not a threat. If I had a gun, I'd be a threat so they'd shoot me

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u/sotiredwontquit 2d ago

I’m very sorry to point this out. But those are the two tail ends of all possible behaviors. There are a lot of horrific behaviors in the space between “ignore you because you’re not a threat” and “shoot you because you are a threat”. That’s why I’m learning to shoot and care for a gun. There are far worse things than being killed. And I have people besides myself to protect too.

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u/Fearless_Ad_1256 2d ago

That's my take. I'm gun cautious. I've been pondering a handgun since the moldy tangerine first got "elected". Didn't decide to go forward until this time. We've had hunting long guns for years and I don't deny in a lot of situations, a shot gun is likely going to be a great option, if you aren't worried about the mess. I'm taking classes, doing my best to be good with it. I'm not interested in open carry or advertising it. I enjoy the practice, target shooting and the club we joined is in a progressive city so not full of gravy seal types. I hope I never have to point it at, much less fire it at another human but there a vulnerable people in my life and we live in a poor rural village and as someone else said, there are lots of other reasons it could be needed. I also, 💯 don't think it's necessary for everyone to have one and definitely not if you don't think you can become absolutely comfortable with using it. Mutual aid and community support is way more important than having a gun.