Arm Thy Neighbor

[Bear 45/70]

the OP forgets one little thing that made the eradication of the James Gang by a bunch of farmers who loved long range target shooting in minneapolis, is the fact that
the citizens had the weapons, the warning that crap was coming, and that the citizens had absolutely no qualms, "buts", or "ifs" about defending their town and life savings in the bank.

few people TODAY have the brass to VOTE for what is right, let alone to actually get off their ass and do somthing about. Most people still believe in "if the armed criminal wants something, give it to them in order to keep the 'moral" highground".

And arming the neighbors is in theory a nice thought but however to many issues arise with it.

some states require the OWNER of the weapon to have it stored in a safe in their own home. hence letting the neighbor keep it in their house is a legal no-no.

liability. can not get over that fact. if your weapon is used in a crime, they simply consider YOU to be the culprit who knocked over the gas station and killed the 3 clerks in the bathroom.

We are talking a state of emergency or a SHTF situation, what makes you think laws will mean anything? Tey sure don't to the Government, so why would you follow them. Not only that but most of those laws violate the hell out of your Constitutional rights and following them makes you a bad citizen, not a good one. You are using Liberal thinking for a situation that requires Survival thinking.

 

[Nicky Santoro]

I live in Nazi Jerky. In all likelihood, my neighbors would prefer to see me beaten, jailed or shot in the face as a criminal for merely owning guns. If the SHTF they'd be as useful as mammaries on a bull elk so they can KMA. I'll be on my own and so will they. Any marauding gangs will be the beneficiaries of experience I gained 40 years ago courtesy of the US Army and some Asian gentlemen a lot tougher than any gang bangers.

 

[Werewolf]

I am not advocating that this be locked, or that the others should be either. (Frankly I don't really know why there is an aversion to those postings...)

Me either. They're kind'a fun actually - especially when they veer off into zombie land or something else nearly as outlandish. Harmless. What's the problem?

I am simply confused as to how the decision making process works on this.

Nooooooo...

Really? :banghead:

 

[Werewolf]

Indeed.

But when things are that bad "later on" -- I don't think I really can trust my neighbors.

Armed or not.

And that - is - the - point.

 

[FROGO207]

Lets see............1000 rounds for each weapon.............I think I shall build another garage. This would be a good target for ammo I would think. Then having reloading and bullet making experience/materials....PRICELESS

The area I live in there are a fair number of firearms but not much forethought about ammo reserves.:banghead:

 

[wrs840]

Well inspired by this article and thread, while Pawn shop trolling today, I picked up a Marlin 30AS 30-30 in really good shape for $249 as the first acquisition for my "Arm Thy Neighbor" inventory. I brought it home, swabbed the bore and headed to the bottoms to try it out. I tossed out a 27.8oz red plastic Folgers can and backed off to 100 yards. I hit it four shots out of nine with iron sights, which is pretty dang good for me. I guess it'll do for a start.

Les

 

[searcher451]

Sorry, but I've lived next to some neighbors through the years who might well be the last folks on the planet I'd like to see with a gun in their possession. When push comes to shove -- and frankly, folks, I think that we are a long, long way from that -- you'd better know your neighbor pretty doggone well before you stick a rifle in his hand. But that's just me.

 

[wrs840]

Well, most of my neighbors are already well armed. Kinda comes with the territory around here. While your couple-o-three points are well taken, searcher, I don't think they (or the bulk the objections in this thread), really counter, or even address, the point of the Matthew Bracken article.

Les

 

[jaholder1971]

I loaned a neighbor a .38 years ago due to a problem ex-boyfriend of his daughters who wouldn't take no (or a restraining order) as a sign the relationship was over. I got the .38 back a couple months later when his daughter moved out of state.

 

[kamagong]

My neighbors can go kick rocks. I don't know them from Adam, and I'm not going to arm someone who might turn around and use my own gun against me. If things really get dicey I'm packing up my wife and kid and heading a couple of cities over to my parent's house. They have the room, and they can't really move because of my bedridden grandmother. In that scenario I would have no problem arming my neighbors since I have uncles and cousins living a few houses away, I can arm them and trust them to have my back.

 

[Ala Dan]

I do not think arming my neighbor's would be a very good idea - thugs
a'bound, and all around; as they may very well use the exact arm(s) that
I gave them, too shoot me or my family. Most of 'em know that I am a
former LEO~!

 

[geim druth]

Some very fine points raised by this article, and by the answers also.

One important notion is that the person that provides the weapons is the 'go-to' guy for his neighbors. Implicit in this point is the idea that when you arm another person he is accepting some measure of authority from you.

In the last Dark Ages when you armed someone, he became your retainer and acknowledged you as his chief. Do you think that would happen today in a SHTF scenario?

 

[Vonderek]

In the last Dark Ages when you armed someone, he became your retainer and acknowledged you as his chief. Do you think that would happen today in a SHTF scenario?

No. In earlier eras lawful men conducted themselves according to generally accepted codes of conduct. In modern times people just do whatever the heck they want. If you armed someone now, I seriously doubt you would be acknowledged as their chief. The best you could hope for is actually getting your gun back during your lifetime. The worst would be getting shot by your own gun while you tried to defend your property from your now-armed neighbor.

 

[ChronoCube]

Trying to picture myself in the scenario, I can see myself arming my unarmed friends whom I've taken to the range. But I can't see myself arming my neighbors.

Maybe the title should be "Arm Thy Friends"

 

[Salty1]

As an FFL most of my neighbors have a CHL and have purchased from me, those who have would get some ammo. As for the rest if they are not taking personal responsibility for the protection of themselves and their families now then I do not feel any obligation to provide them with any security in the future. The old saying that "lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine" holds true in situations such as this, I would also have a concern that this type of person with no firearms savy and planning would also think they could come get my food and water. Sure would hate to be looking down the barrel of one of my own guns.....

 

[Domineaux]

Never heard before but I love this:

lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine

 

[owsi26]

I agree in general but until the uprising occurs, it maybe very hard to convince a neighbor to even accept your firearm into their home. Since they know nothing about guns they might not even pay attention to your safety tips.

If they do accept YOUR gun and one of their kids kills himself or someone else, I wonder about your legal liability. They might be so angry at you for talking them into accepting the firearm, that they do take legal action.

I agree in principle though

 

[Gritacular]

I think people are taking the neighbor thing way too seriously.

Keep a few extra simple and reliable firearms on hand to arm anyone you trust. Safety in numbers and all that.

 

[MachIVshooter]

It's a good thought, but most of us don't have the spare cash to buy potential future loaner guns for people we may barely know.

In my particular situation, I have more than enough to arm many a neighbor. But so do my neighbors, so we're pretty well covered. Vehicles also tend to outnumber residents substantially in this neck of the woods, and large fuel tanks, and gardens, etc, etc. Rural communities tend to be more self-sufficient and have a mindset more geared to survival without assistance.

However, in the event of massive civil unrest, I'd be carting a few more weapons to my folks. They were borderline anti's until they faced some danger in a remote area while camping/horseback riding. They adopted my Ruger security-six, but at this time see no need for further armament. When the hoodlums start migrating away from the cities that they've stripped clean of resources, the suburbs are next, and then the nearby semi-rural areas, such as where my folks are. Before the goblins get there, I'll ensure that they're equipped with enough in the way of scatterguns, rifles and ammunition to hold their own. Of course, if it got bad enough, they'd probably end up here anyway.

 

[Shadow 7D]

I don't have to worry in my neighborhood, we have already had the informal lanes of fire discussion, part of the reason I like where I live.

 

[Travis McGee]

I'm very gratified to see this essay still has traction. I would never try to convince anybody to give a weapon to anybody else. It's just about having a few "extra" guns, so that you might have the OPTION to arm a trusted neighbor at a future time, if you decide that is a wise course of action that will benefit your neighborhood security overall. If you don't have the "extra" guns, you will either lose this OPTION, or you will have to dip into your primo stash of guns to arm a neighbor.

 

[wrs840]

^^^^
Thanks for re-focusing the thread on the original thoughts, Travis.

I think you presented a great (and needed) treatise on a facet of firearms-responsibility not frequently brought up in gun conversations.

Les

 

[PH/CIB]

Out of all my family on my side and my wife's side only my brother and I take self defense seriously and we have rifles and ammo for all of them. However I have no intentions of arming my neighbors, if it gets that bad, I will leave my house. The best plan is to have a friend or family member with a farm. The farther you can get away from everyone else the better. The farm should have a pump well not dependent on electricity and the ability to raise a garden and have chickens and cows for milk and eggs and pigs to eat. It should also have a defenseable perimeter. All friends and family members will stockpile their guns, ammo, food, clothes, survival supplies etc. It would help to have a doctor on board, a mechanic, a farmer, a gunsmith, etc everyone should have a skill to add to the mix if possible.

I have defended perimeters before, one person cannot do it you leave 180 degrees your back blind, even two persons back to back have terrible side vision, a house is a four sided box I prefer four people to be on perimeter duty or OP OR LP at all times. Since you have to sleep, eat and go to the bath room, a group of eight to twelve people is desirable to have two shifts of 12 hours or three shifts of eight hours, the more people the better. The cities will become nightmares with armed personnel taking over grocery stores and drug stores and dept stores and living off the contents inside and defending the perimeter. I have went without food for three days I imagine after a week or two without food we would all kill each other over a candy bar.

Years ago after WWII I was a little kid but I believe the government had a national or state civil defense program. Why no such programs exist today is a tradgedy maybe we the citizens of this country need to set up our own, for any major disaster.

 

[wrs840]

The best plan is to have a friend or family member with a farm.

Well, that would be me. In true distress, I expect I'll have folks like like you showing up in quantity, which will be a good thing. Validates the thrust of the article, IMHO.

Les

 

[PH/CIB]

Aim Surplus has bolt action Mosin Nagant rifles that are refinished in excellent condition with strong bores for $90 and 7.62x54 ammo, similar to 308 or 3006, for $90 for 440 rounds, there is no reason most everyone cannot afford to have a rifle and plenty of ammo for defense. For survival you cannot beat a 22 rifle which you can pick up for $100 and 1000 rounds of 22 ammo probably cost around $40 and you can then put small game in the pot for a year.

I have friends and family who farm, God Bless You WRS840, they are some of the most generous people on the planet!