So The Ammo Is Gone, What’s Next?

Unless you’ve been living in a cave somewhere, you’ve probably noticed that guns and ammo are being sold at record levels- surpassing 2008 & the post-Newtown hysteria by a long shot. And while I’ve heard some say the gun control debate “has been settled”, there’s Dementia Joe’s ghost writers reminding us that its not a debate, its a power differential. That aside, like the animals fleeing Mount Saint Helens weeks before it blew its top, people are hoarding the first thing that comes to mind- that which provides security.

You were warned, for decades now.

And many heeded the warning, thankfully. But arms and ammo are just one piece of the equation. Its a bellwether for what’s coming down the pipe in the big picture. Take a look at the second and third order effects- what comes next? We’ve already seen the food shortages that were threatened by the social impacts of Covid 19- whether the virus itself is worth the concern or not, there’s no debating the social impact- which are a preview of things to come should widespread violence break out in the US. I think that it will.

Something I’ve talked about numerous times in classes is understanding the importance of growing seasons. In generations past, people ate certain foods at certain times of the year because that’s either when they were harvested or they provided a certain survival requirement. For example, in the South we eat watermelon in the summer as a way to rehydrate and replenish electrolytes lost when working the fields. its an easy crop to grow and requires nearly no maintenance other than making sure the soil is not over-moist underneath the melons. The just-in-time supply system has all but broke that cultural knowledge. People are in for a major shock when the real shortages start.

One thing I’ve always admired about the Mormon Church was their approach to preparedness, advocating a year’s worth of food in storage. This wasn’t because they were preparing for doomsday, it came about because crop failure is a real thing, and starvation was a real threat. Still is. And in those same generations past everyone pressure canned the surplus bounty from the fields- nothing, and I mean nothing went to waste on our Grandparents’ table. Again, there’s a learning curve to it, and a pretty steep one at that, so if you’re behind the curve expect some whoops! moments.

The best bet is to have some insurance for yourself and your people in the meantime. While you can, plus up on your bulk food storage and check out what freeze-dried options are out there. I have bulk raw staples on hand, rice and beans, along with bulk canned meats for protein and vegetables for critical vitamins. Freeze Dried foods are a good supplement to those meals and breaks up the monotony of the same meals over and over, having a long shelf life as a safeguard for the very lean times.

The next thing that’s going to get scarce in the coming months is magazines. How many do you have? Whatever your answer is, its not enough. It doesn’t matter whether you’re buying into the myth of the ‘battlefield pickup’ combat resupply (its mostly a myth, been there, done that, got the pictures). You have to be prepared to be your own resupply. Get yourself extra magazines, because as everyone who’s done a combat weapons course with me knows, your life is not worth pausing to worry about magazine retention, but you also risk blowing through mags for other issues, like physical damage or long-term wear. A magazine is an expendable item, you ain’t.

On the topic of being your own resupply, are you prepared to store extra fuel? Even in a relatively tight space, there’s a number of fuel storage options on the market ranging from a couple of extra gas cans to larger capacity tanks. There were rumors of a potential gas shortage when the Covid hysteria started and thankfully that didn’t materialize, but if widespread violence follows the shutdowns from ‘protests’ we’ve seen on the highways, you’ll come to appreciate those extra few gallons you’ve put back. Don’t forget the fuel stabilizer.

Take heed. We’re not living in ‘normal’ times. We’re in the first stages of a genuine, well-orchestrated insurgency that began overtly with the release and calculated response to a virus coupled with made-for-tv newsframes designed to cause outrage and get people in the streets. Its a 5th Generation War right now- get ready for when it shifts back to the 3rd.

 

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About the Author: NC Scout

NC Scout is the nom de guerre of a former Infantry Scout and Sergeant in one of the Army’s best Reconnaissance Units. He has combat tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He teaches a series of courses focusing on small unit skills rarely if ever taught anywhere else in the prepping and survival field, including his RTO Course which focuses on small unit communications. In his free time he is an avid hunter, bushcrafter, writer, long range shooter, prepper, amateur radio operator and Libertarian activist. He can be contacted at [email protected] or via his blog at brushbeater.wordpress.com .

29 Comments

  1. anonymous July 17, 2020 at 06:54

    Yes, many times yes. Part of the drive is 1st time firearm purchasers are noticing this November will be different from any other. If (when) Trump is elected again, there will be rioting, and the home – business owner realizes that we will be on our own, whether by design or reality.

    Destruction of your own property in protest – have at it. Burn down my home or business – Nope.

  2. Travis July 17, 2020 at 07:16

    Thanks for the reminder, I hope people take heed. Bad times a’ comin…

  3. Anonymous July 17, 2020 at 07:22

    5

  4. Matt July 17, 2020 at 07:25

    I use PRI-G for a fuel stabilizer, available from Amazon. I generally put in double the dosage called for.

    We are using gas that has been stored in the garage since 2012 with no problems. The stuff works.

    Matt

  5. NC Scout July 17, 2020 at 07:27

    4.5

  6. idahobob July 17, 2020 at 07:37

    Yup, yup, and yup. You can never have too much and you never have enough.

  7. Marco July 17, 2020 at 09:36

    Trump is going to get curbstomped. Think about it. The TPTB only need to cobble together 400 thousand + votes in a few states that they control. We are in the late stages. I expect reconditioning camps within 4 years.

  8. […] via So The Ammo Is Gone, What’s Next? — American Partisan […]

  9. Michael Young in Canada July 17, 2020 at 12:43

    You raise some very good points, sir. The majority of people are not yet thinking along these lines, which is why now is the time to get those critical preps topped off (especially the ones you had to draw down on over the past few months). If you are only just getting around to laying down supply, you are a lot further behind the power curve than you will no doubt want to be, not long from now.
    Events like this covid malarkey are useful as ‘how screwed would we have been had this been a real emergency?’ thought experiments. You should’ve seen the flip charts we developed after the 2003 power outage. We treat these sorts of interim events as opportunities to learn from.
    If I may speak personally, the rest of the world can go to whatever hell is most seemly to them. The real fight, the only one left, is in America. Only in America is the issue of freedom and personal reliance still to be settled. In the other major nations of the west, like the UK and Australia, their freedoms have been long since traded away for ‘security’ and ‘inclusion’. Here in Canada, we never had them to begin with, and have never known anything like what the US has.
    The most important place on earth right now is the US. If it fails, if it goes dark, we are lost. It will take generations to recover from that loss. Very soon, the only light left will be that which we shine upon each other.
    God Bless America, and all who would stand with Her.

  10. Survivormann99 July 17, 2020 at 13:59

    My dark secret: I will admit that I am experiencing more than a little satisfaction about the fact that people who sat idly by and did nothing are now rushing to gun shops and online vendors and are having to pay elevated prices for guns and ammo. I saw something on the internet today saying 40% of gun purchases involve first time buyers. What I am seeing in gun shops and online is that the most popular firearms are gone, and that what is left on the shelves is simply the gleanings after the harvest. My local gun shop owner told me three weeks ago that he cannot get any pistol from his distributor except those in .22 LR. He grinned and said, “Can I interest you in a nice Buckmark?”

    Ammo is still available to a considerable degree, but at greatly increased prices. Factory brass case, Boxer primed 5.56 ammo could be purchased for as little as $.25/rd. (with the rebate) last year. Finding it for less than $.50/rd. now takes some effort.

    Those same people who are paying the inflated prices for their negligence will likely do the same with your advice about storing extra food. They will look back at the panic buying in March and figure, “I got by then, so, I’ll get by the next time. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Time will tell whether they rue their decision in the next few months.

    I expect that the urban chaos will continue until the election. If Trump is re-elected, “We ain’t seen nothin’ yet.”

  11. Fred Smith July 17, 2020 at 14:38

    Order placed to Missouri bullets, either way something to do in the winter.

  12. wyogrunt July 17, 2020 at 15:14

    Think reloading, components are available on line and locally. It had gotten to be a winter activity but now I load all my training/practice ammo. Even if you dont want to reload, save your brass, its gold, and can be used for barter. Col. Cooper called ammo ballistic wampum in the future.

    • NC Scout July 17, 2020 at 15:43

      Yup. I reload for precision and not quantity, but you’re exactly right.

  13. Gort July 17, 2020 at 19:55

    Fuel? More important than transportation is what will keep your house from freezing up in the winter. It gets 44 below zero F here sometimes and a small kerosene stove won’t cut it. So, there are more considerations than getting around. Keeping from becoming rock solid (knock, knock) is also an issue.

    • johnyMac July 18, 2020 at 11:03

      Gort, thanks for reading and commenting.

      Trying not to put anybody down here however, if you do not have a wood stove in your house get one. Not only can you heat the house you can cook when the grid goes down, propane runs out or natural gas stops coming to your house. If you live in an area where fire wood is expensive buy a triaxle of logs and cut it up yourself. I wrote an article many moons ago on doing this. Here it is https://www.americanpartisan.org/2019/01/heating-with-wood/

      A wood stove is not just for north of the Mason-Dixon line either. I had a colleague that bought a house just outside Stuart, FL. The house came with a wood stove which he almost never used. Well a hurricane came along and knocked out the area’s electrical grid for weeks post the storm. Since his range was electric they used the wood stove for cooking, heating & boiling water, and keeping the chill at bay during the night. He sent his three kids out each morning to gather dry wood that was laying on the ground.

      Last, there are always wood stoves on Craig’s list or in the local classified ads. You do not need to buy a $2,000- Jotel wood stove. But, I do recommend you have a professional install it.

      Great stuff Gort.

      73 & God Bless

  14. Michael July 17, 2020 at 21:43

    Defense and shelter is are critical. Do you have a Chaos Kit yet? It’s 0 dark 30 and you awaken to storm and a crash in the living room, broken window? Do you have slip on clothes, slip on shoes ready so you don’t cut your feet on broken glass? Do you have a defensive “tool” loaded along with a good flashlight with fresh batteries to see if it a storm tossed branch, Or a Thug Or your kid clumsily sneaking in after curfew? Once you secure the situation do you have plastic sheeting, fasteners, tools and a Headlight with fresh batteries to free up your hands to work? Got to hurry as it’s blowing snow everywhere. Got a first aid kit for that cut hand…

    The Neighborhood is getting crazy with people acting out nearby last night. Do you have pre-measured/pre-cut sections of heavy wire fencing, fasteners (and extra for dropped stuff) a charged cordless drill and extra bits (again for dropped ones) to cover your windows NOW so you can help keep Molotov cocktails outside the house? Maybe it gives you a little more reaction time as rioters have to rip off the wire first?

    Yes, you should have done it earlier or even better bugged out to somewhere else BUT (insert reasons here) and the wife didn’t want the house to look all Mad Max last week…

    Thus the Chaos kit. Yes you might have most of it around the place but where did the kids put that flashlight? The fresh batteries better NOT be in the X-Box and when things go sidewise it’s NOT time to be searching the house for….

    Do a walk around your house, decide where your going to have the non-combatants go to. Look outside your house see where folks can get up close and personal way too fast. Talk to your wife (sorry not being sexist here) about where your rally point is if you have to escape from the house. As EMS after most every housefire I respond to I listen to stories of how they didn’t know where little bobby or the cat or because they we all running around looking for each other. NOT good in a rioting situation.

    I had friends in the newly gentrified Brownstone in Baltimore during the riots call me asking for advice as their nice area had rioters and fires and… Now they have a Chaos Kit and can secure their windows and doors in under an hour.

    In the Chaos kit I also suggest extra fire extinguishers both for fire control and they work VERY Well on Hotheads your not sure you want to shoot. A face full of dry chemical and a thump from the extinguisher your down. A Large can of bear spray is very effective, as I’ve used it on a pack of angry drunks pissed that EMS was ruining their fun. I also suggest you think about tarps and gasketed roofing nails-ladder-tools if a tree puts a hole in your roof.

    Winter is coming, soon we will call these day the Good Old Days

    • johnyMac July 18, 2020 at 10:43

      Michael, all good points and suggestions.

      I loved your last line, “Winter is coming, soon we will call these day the Good Old Days”.

      Heed Michael’s advise.

      73 & God Bless Brother

  15. Joe July 17, 2020 at 22:12

    Question for NC Scout: I have about 6000 rounds of 5.56 for SHTF

    I currently have 30 PMAGS and 20 USGI

    Is this enough magazines for this level of ammunition? If not, how many magazines do you recommend I should have?

    • NC Scout July 17, 2020 at 22:39

      As many as you can get.

  16. shane michael connor July 18, 2020 at 01:54

    Among self-defense essentials, like guns & ammo, I’ve also long warned that body armor & night vision is at risk of govt restrictions and/or demand induced shortages and price increases. To that, I’d also add now, we could see even lengthier delays by BATF getting suppressor paperwork approved.

    Bottom Line, get what you need well before everyone gets spooked and puts a run on it, like what we’ve all seen here, yet again, with weapons & ammo shortage.

    Panic Early, Beat the Rush!

    • NC Scout July 18, 2020 at 04:58

      Exactly.

  17. Tom W. July 18, 2020 at 07:05

    Since Nov. 9th 2008 when I woke up and saw who won, ive done all that. Its never enough but the other aspect is the money. New gun owners may not be able to get 2500rds of insert caliber. Due to layoffs, furlows, or just going out of business.

    That also includes stockpiles of food. I’m in hurricane country so in the summer we stock up.

    • NC Scout July 18, 2020 at 07:09

      Noah built the ark before the flood.

  18. James July 19, 2020 at 19:22

    In response to Joe’s ?,tis a good start/keep at it!

    For gas storage I use only ethonal free gas in storage and do swap it out/same with food goods/gas buddy a good search for ethonal free gas in your area/still I use a stabilizer also.

    When ammo runs out,well,looking at many Montech 125 grain points in me collection for bow,yep,need more.

    I see all hear taking things seriously and remember,the smalsl add up no matter what you are getting whether goods/info/ect.,keep at it and if you can help friends/family/local group if you can(you don’t have a local group get at it),best of luck to all of us.

  19. James July 19, 2020 at 20:40

    Well,another dozen carbon shafts and another 9 Montecs on the way,still reasonably priced so went for it.

    Best to all with your storage goods.

  20. Phil July 20, 2020 at 01:17

    I have a subscription to Wooden Boat magazine, do you think that will be enough? I read them over and over.

  21. James Carpenter aka "Felix" July 20, 2020 at 19:24

    An expensive addition to you kit. And some cheap ones:
    Equip yourself with night vision. Starlight or thermal. Of course thermal is the “Best” and pricey to boot. So?
    The second thing(s)… in your BOB or GHA (get home again) bag, do you have at least one extra pair of quality socks and several large (39 gallon) garbage bags along with a good length of paracord? Neither cost much and their weight is negligible.
    Do what you can.
    Live (or die) with the results.

  22. Machine Trooper July 21, 2020 at 20:11

    Went to check my zero the other day, and get my son zeroed on the rifle I’m giving him. Stopped by a local gun shop to get some targets…there was almost nothing in stock there. Some bovine zombies buy COVID-1984 masks; the rest are buying every firearm and bullet they can get.

    I stocked up on weapons, spare parts, and ammo back before the background check was mandatory for everything. Let it sit even when prices were low, telling myself I had far more for every rifle than I could carry–which was true. But I didn’t have a home and a family then, and was looking at bugging out to the mountains with all that I could pack in my pickup. Now I’ve got a place to store my gear, and am regretting not splurging on more gear along the way. I’m not quite living an Alamo fantasy, but I’m a lot less quick and strong as I was back when, and therefore less mobile. Fortunately, I’ve got some good people who aren’t willing to be relocated to a camp, and together maybe we can accomplish something.

    I’ve had a duffel bag full of never-finished MREs for way longer than they should be good for. Started stocking food a few years ago but the heat has ruined some of it. Finally have it stored underground and need to use whatever cash I can spare to hoard more, for me and my peeps.

    Was counting on iron sights for my main rifle, but thanks to this site and BrushBeater, I’ve decided to pick up an ACOG. You guys also convinced me to get my area study started. I also bought a plate carrier and plates. We never had all this when I was pounding ground. Just had a flak vest (supplemented with a civilian ballistic vest). Anyway, not enough left over to afford night vision, but cest la guerre.

    Not nearly prepared enough, but I’ve got more than a lot of folks do. We’ll see what I can get done with it.

    BTW: I found that you can order topo maps from mytopo.com…in 1:25,000 WITH MILITARY GRID so we can use our GI protractors! Maybe it’s old news to y’all, but I’m excited that, as a civilian, I can finally get maps with military grid. I used lat/long and minutes when I had to, but always preferred using the protractor.

    • johnyMac July 22, 2020 at 07:39

      Wow Machine Trooper you are certainly way ahead of most folks.

      I said to MrsMac the other day that we need to take another inventory of food stuff and get our butts in gear to Sam’s Club and BJ’s. We have an appointment to have our pig butchered at the end of August. I guess it is time to put a half of steer in the freezer too.

      As you know sir, if you think things are frosty now, this ain’t nothing. Just keep doing what you are doing and you and yours will be fine.

      73 & God Bless Brother

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