Ok $1500 to spend before the ban…

[Oregon Rob]

$1500 and Katie is about to shut the door… what do you buy?
AR 15 And pistols are in the safe.

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[TTSX]

What's the ban? I'm assuming this is hypothetical?

 

[Member 53328]

What's the ban? I'm assuming this is hypothetical?

Yea. I'm not following unless there is some confusion in regards to the Washington law that goes into effect next month.

 

[Knobgoblin]

If you are being literal, it's magazines.
Magazines for what you have, and what you think you'll have in the future.

If you're being hypothetical, drop that $1500 on BitCoin.
(Buy the dips, lol)

 

[Oregon Rob]

Yea. I'm not following unless there is some confusion in regards to the Washington law that goes into effect next month.

Just hypothetically

 

[NeoBlackdog]

Benelli M2 with an extended mag tube.

 

[Nutty4Guns]

Add $400 and buy a Steyr AUG

 

[Knobgoblin]

Bump stocks

 

[P7M13]

Bump Stocks are overrated.
I've been putting mine into reloading components that are at a good value. And motorcycles - if you consider the last 1000 miles I've put on my Kawasaki in the month that I've owned it, I'm 15% towards the purchase of it in gas savings over my normal vehicles.

Were I you, I'd consider the following:
Normal capacity magazines (i.e. 17 round 9mm, 30 round 223, AK, etc)
Extra capacity magazines (i.e. 30 round fun sticks to feed a Glock)
High capacity magazines (drum for any of the above)
10 Stripped lowers
An 80% jig, router and tooling setup, and at least five 80% items.

 

[MTpockets]

Fuel...And I would use it to drive to a State that values the right to defend ones-self.

 

[Knobgoblin]

Bump Stocks are overrated.
I've been putting mine into reloading components that are at a good value. And motorcycles - if you consider the last 1000 miles I've put on my Kawasaki in the month that I've owned it, I'm 15% towards the purchase of it in gas savings over my normal vehicles.

Were I you, I'd consider the following:
Normal capacity magazines (i.e. 17 round 9mm, 30 round 223, AK, etc)
Extra capacity magazines (i.e. 30 round fun sticks to feed a Glock)
High capacity magazines (drum for any of the above)
10 Stripped lowers
An 80% jig, router and tooling setup, and at least five 80% items.

 

[P7M13]

View attachment 1223543

You gotta know my name...

 

[cigars]

Stock up on blinker fluid and grid squares.

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

Hypothetically?
An FAL
its the last .308 Id like to get.
No particular reason other than cool factor.

Maybe:
Bullpup or Underfolder

I figure pistols are safe and wont be unavailable.
As for mags, Ill just buy a 3D printer and make my own.
As they say: "Cant stop the signal"
I have a metal working buddy that claims he can make springs so I dont think that'll be an issue either.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

$1500 and Katie is about to shut the door… what do you buy?
AR 15 And pistols are in the safe.

Personally I would look at 2 things:

1) what is on your current "want" list
2) what is most likely (or maybe it would be stated overtly if it's a hypothetical future ban) to be banned.

Then buy the guns that you would most want that are on the banned list and are going to be banned. Also basic wear items parts for the same ideally. And lots of mags.

 

[SharkyBruce]

S&W M&P12 12ga bullpup.
$1200
at least 12 shell capacity
Plus, our esteemed President already blessed it.

 

[NeoBlackdog]

"Cant stop the signal"

From Serenity, awesome flick!

 

[EUGENE the REALTOR]

If you are being literal, it's magazines.
Magazines for what you have, and what you think you'll have in the future.

If you're being hypothetical, drop that $1500 on BitCoin.
(Buy the dips, lol)

That would be right now. lol. Down 50% in last 3 months.

 

[VinnieBoomBah]

That would be right now. lol. Down 50% in last 3 months.

He said 'dip' not dive

 

[bradsteen]

Edit: Crap, that was a longer post than intended. Oops!

Depends on what I already have, what is being banned, and whether or not the ban extends to unserialized components as well as serialized parts. It also depends on the extent of the ban - there's a big difference between "these can no longer be sold" and outright confiscation, and that detail would play a large part in my selection process.

If I have no guns yet and all guns & parts are being banned, I would prioritize a pistol, shotgun, and ammo. A pistol can be carried concealed and be readily accessible in an emergency, which makes it indespensable in my opinion. A shotgun is the most versatile long gun available - it is extremely reliable, mechanically simple, and can be used effectively for both hunting and home defense. Much as I prefer a semi-auto rifle or braced pistol, I certainly wouldn't feel "undergunned" with a pistol and shotgun in my possession. I would also be more comfortable knowing they would function reliably for years to come, whereas semi-auto rifles can be finicky.

For the shotgun I would probably pick a pump action (Maverick 88 to keep cost down, or Mossberg 500 if I can find a good deal). I would get the combo pack that comes with both 18" and 28" barrels. I would keep the 18" barrel on it, and swap to the 28" only if going hunting.

For the pistol I would probably pick a compact semiauto (Glock 19 or similar) chambered in 9mm - one I know is reliable, Ican conceal easily on my person, and with the greatest capacity possible. I would get at least 5 mags for it, and a caliber conversion kit for .22lr if available. I would not get a revolver simply because the shotgun is already a limited capacity firearm, and the need to reload quickly is more likely to arise with a pistol than with a long gun.

If guns are banned the assumption would be ammo is as well, so all remaining cash would go towards ammo - .22lr HP (if I got the conversion kit), 9mm JHP, 9mm FMJ, 12ga buck, 12ga slug, and 12ga bird shot. If the pistol happens to have a threaded barrel, I would buy subsonic ammo as well.

If it's an "assault weapons" ban, semi-auto rifle and pistol receivers and their corresponding mags would be my priority. Access to unserialized parts and accessories wouldn't be as much of an issue, so I would focus on those things I know would become hard or impossible to find legally. After the ban I would legally acquire the remaining necessary components to assemble the firearm(s) in question. Alternatively, I might just get one high quality semi-auto rifle and mags, knowing that I can still acquire other firearms to bolster my personal protection.

I would ignore accessories (slings, lights, lasers, etc) because I would be able to find them afterward without difficulty. Even if they ban guns entirely, paintball and airsoft would still be in business and would likely offer something adequate for those purposes.

***

On a related note, bans are kinda funny in that they force companies to innovate and find creative ways to meet the demand. Some of those products will just plain suck, but others aren't bad at all. Take Troy's pump-action AR as an example - it's not as good as a real AR, but heck, I would buy one if semi-autos are unavailable. Olympia Arms created the OA93 bufferless AR pistol as a direct response to the assault weapons ban of 1994. I'm sure a bunch of companies would pivot to making similar firearms, because demand will only increase following a ban.

I'm not saying bans are good - they obviously aren't. I am saying people will find a way to arm themselves regardless of whether or not a ban goes forward. Arms technology isn't exactly rocket science, and there have only been a few advances in firearms technology in the last two centuries that truly pushed adoption in one specific direction. Brass-cased ammo is one - it has been around since 1836, and we still rely on it today. Semi-auto feeding is another - it was invented in 1885, and while it took a while to gain traction in the civilian market, it has been widely used in military arms since World War 1. Those key innovations happened long before computers and 3d printing were a spark in someone's mind.

If absolutely necessary, I can always make my own gun. It might not be pretty and it won't be a shining example of manufacturing precision and technical accumen, but I can grab some metal tubing, metal sheeting, springs, and other materials and cobble something together. It will take time and energy and lots of trial and error, but I will make it work. If I want to get really technical, I can get a 3d printer, desktop CNC, and CAD software - with those I can make just about anything.

If you want to truly safeguard yourself from all bans, learn gunsmithing, metal working, woodworking, reloading, casting, and machining. Or embrace your inner nerd, learn how to use CAD to design parts, and how to 3d print or CNC them. The government can ban physical objects, but they can't uninvent a technology or erase knowledge. With the right information, practical experience, technical skills, and motivation you will only be defenseless if you choose to be.