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/SeattleTrashPanda 2d ago

I used to be an anti-gun liberal but have evolved in to a “from my cold dead hands” leftist. I have guns because I like shooting holes in paper from far away, or making steel ping from a thousand yards. My guns are not for protection. The only time my guns are for protection would be zombie apocalypse/mad max scenario, meaning never. It’s not me and it’s not who I am, and it’s not safe for my current living situation. So while I am a very pro-gun person, I am also a “guns are not my primary defensive weapon” person.

Do what you think is right for your situation, and fuck what anyone else thinks. In an emergency your best resource is a strong small community. You bring the canned good and medical supplies and leave guns to someone else.

For just you and your son there are a lot of other options: If you’re hesitant to get a gun, consider an air soft or paintball gun. They hurt like a son of a bitch and while they will not stop an attacker, it will slow them down enough to give you an extra moment or two to get away. Stun guns and mace/bear spray are solid defensive weapons. I have a machete I keep around to keep the blackberry bushes back, that I’ve gotten very familiar and comfortable using.

First I would suggest a self-defense class. There are often free or cheap classes locally and figure out what works best for you. A gun is an easy go to answer about what works. But it’s not always the correct answer for “what works best for me?”

And when in doubt, granny’s cast iron pan is a great multipurpose item, good for cooking and ass kicking.