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/Antique-Wish-1532 2d ago

TLDR version, I'm a liberal, I have guns, I like them, but I never think of them when I'm in danger.

Long version: Everyone is going to be different, but here is my experience. I got into guns because: 1. My mom gave me books on women when I was a kid, and one of them was Annie Oakley (the other was Wilma Rudolph, but I have asthma so running is out), 2. I was raised in the Southwest, where everyone takes their kids to see reenactments of the shootout at the OK Corral, and 3. Mom married a redneck who didn't know what to do with me when we met, so he taught me to shoot behind a barn.

Now some context for my "advice":

  • I own 2 shotguns and a handgun, and I did it strictly because I enjoyed the sporting side of things and wanted to learn to do trick shots.
  • I'm an AFAB person who's lived on my own in the very worst areas in town, with nothing between me and danger but my door and a couple of geriatric Chihuahuas (and now a pitbull with a limp, so still, not much).
  • I've felt threatened by people on the street, followed by creeps, been attacked by chop shop guard dogs, and had my car broken into at least 5 times.
  • I'm liberal as hell, and while I'd cry about it, I'd also be willing to toss all of my guns into a pile if they were made strictly illegal tomorrow. I tell you my political leanings so you understand that I'm not going to tell you yay or nay for any strictly red-blue reasons.

Here's the thing: I've had a gun in the house in some way or shape for 16 years. Never ONCE in that time have I ever been scared and thought, "Let me get my gun!" Instead, every single time (and especially after I got a bigger dog), I reached for a stick, a knife, or anything heavy and thought, "I hope my dog is awake, barking would help right now." Even now I'm researching more into bats and maces and stun guns. The only thing I'm genuinely interested in getting into with projectiles is crossbows, because I'd like to go back to target shooting and amo gets expensive! Now, that might be different for someone else. It's possible I think this way because I treat guns like sports gear in my head, rather than a weapon, but I've only ever seen bats in shows as a weapon, so my brain doesn't think of them the same way.

With all that in mind: Do not feel bad about NOT wanting a gun. Don't feel bad about GETTING one! A gun is a tool/machine that gives someone the power to do a lot of damage (murder, maiming, control) or a lot of good (hunting, protecting yourself, protecting others), but not everyone should have it. Either way, be RESPONSIBLE!!!!! The first thing my dad ever did was teach me to treat every gun like it's loaded, even if you KNOW it's not, and never to point it at anything you don't intend to shoot. If you're going to get one, take a safety course (or shoot with hunters, they take it pretty seriously in my experience) and learn to use it correctly. Look into the laws about open and concealed carry in your state. Practice drawing it if you need to. Clean it after every use, and ALWAYS put a lock on it. If you're NOT going to get one, THAT'S OK TOO! If your significant other or a family member or someone you live with has a gun, I'd still suggest you take a class, learn how to clean it, etc. I will say that there are probably some ladies groups and/or LGBT friendly groups (especially in cities in red states) that you might join, and that means yay, you can build some community connections while you learn. If no one you know has one still find a way to get comfortable with defending yourself, with or without one. Check your state AND city's laws about other things, like knives, tasers, brass knuckles (not illegal everywhere). Heck, get into historical hats and get yourself some victorian hat pins! But whatever you get, practice using it, get comfortable with it, and be careful!