Gun Grab: What Are Your Options?

Gun Grab: What are your options? Answering the simple question of what to do when faced with a real gun grab

It’s a simple question with simple answers, right? Wrong.  Let’s examine the possibility of a gun grab, and what the average citizen can do to protect against the gun grab and the potential fallout as a result of a gun grab.

There is not a question any longer as to the potential for a major gun grab in the wake of a catastrophe or large public event.  Most of this blog’s readers are well aware of the threat.

But what would such an event mean to the law abiding citizen.  Let’s not sensationalize this, we aren’t an ultra-right wing radio talk show here: we are second amendment advocates and law abiding gun owners, like most of our readership. But let’s not gloss over the real prospects and side concerns of a gun grab.

What would it take for a gun grab to take place?

There are several catalysts for a “legitimate” (that does not mean JUSTIFIED, it means widespread and forceful) gun grab to take place, here are some examples:

• A major event (weather or terrorist attack), which conceals the “reasoning” for a gun grab in the guise of “greater national security” or better protection against “unnamed threats”
• A passing of the UN ATT (Read about the UN Arms Trade Treaty HERE) which could trigger confiscation of non-compliant firearms
• A second four years of Obama, causing an eventual 5 person “Obama-appointed” Supreme Court
• A bad run in the senate and house elections for the Republicans allowing the 12 major needed seats to be “turned over” to the Democrats/Liberal representatives
• Several states agreeing to harsher firearms legislation in key areas
• Other key events including a particularly dirty war, a socio-economic or political event dividing the country

Recent Gun Grab history includes post Katrina New Orleans and associated counties-a particularly well documented and savage gun grab, including documented rapings, innocent murders and law enforcement running amock, mostly due to the lack of private self defense implementation by those who had been victims of the gun grab.

This isn’t guaranteed to happen, but in the aftermath of a major event where infrastructure and oversight is damaged and where the population is in need of major help, “I’m with the government and I’m here to help” is probably one of the last things you (the prepared gun owner) will want to hear.

Gun Grab Coming?

Plenty of writing is on the walls for a major gun grab, without question; the internet is rife with thousands of brazen comments being thrown around by tough guys on forums, etc.  Everyone thinks that if the local police force comes to your door with a battering ram and asks for your guns, that they would fight back.  You know the whole “pry my guns from my cold dead hands” scenario.  Let’s be realistic though: it’s not a real-life opportunity in MOST cases of a gun grab.  Firstly, law enforcement is well trained, and given the proper backup and catalyst, it could be extremely difficult for you to survive a shootout with an entire team of trained professional LE.  Sure, you’ve got the benefit of LE not being interested in many cases of leaving their families to hurt and take guns from private citizens; but the possibility is not beyond most agencies given the right situation.

What can you do to prepare for a gun grab?

Yesterday on OUR FACEBOOK PAGE (Please Like Us, if you are so inclined), I was asked:

I have a question. So a lot of stuff going on in the world right now. If SHTF and cops or the guard come for our guns what do we do?? Run? Fighting them would be stupid. What do we do?

Maybe the guy who asked knew I was of the few people so entrenched in the law enforcement community/military community and the gun rights activism arena, that he realized he could get a pretty well thought out answer from me; maybe he knows something more than I do, or has a good reason for concern in his geographical location.  Maybe he’s just a good advocate for preparedness. Either way, I’m glad he asked.

In fact, I always thought I knew what I would do in this case, but a recent move to a more suburban area, combined with a small child at home, and a lot more to protect, without a good infrastructure in my area, and his question had me reeling and consulting with my girlfriend to try and figure out our plan for such a situation.

SO here are some good bits of information to help you get a basic handle on your own concerns and make a good plan for you and your family.

PLEASE FORGIVE THE AWKWARD NUMBERING-It should be self explanatory regardless of the crappy numbering.

1. Establish a good infrastructure of like-minded individuals in your immediate area so in the event of a major occurrence, you can at least rely on good input and help in a major event. A good place to look would be advocate groups (California has Calguns.net), local internet forums, gun clubs, deer plot groups, shooting ranges and NRA/RTKABA (Right to Keep and Bear Arms) chapters, and gun stores
   1. If you are intensely private, work within your own group to establish some sort of protocol and plan for times of major concern (like an imminent gun grab)

i.      Neighbors can be helpful, but also a hindrance, unless you have close friends, family or VERY like-minded AND equivalently-prepared people in your neighborhood, try to avoid talking too much about events like this, or understand you lose the upper hand with each bit of information you divulge

1. Have a cache. Having access to a good amount of ammunition and a couple of guns in places close by to your expected location, but not in an obvious location can be the only thing that prevents a death or sexual assault or a bad scenario from a looter, sociopath law enforcement officer or an overzealous neighbor.  It’s better to give up your AR-15 if you know you can take it back in 25 minutes while the guy who took it is preoccupied with the 1911 you have hidden.
   1. A cache could be a hidden crawl space under the closet carpet; a soffit built into your TV room, with a small gun safe dry walled in, or a buried box in the backyard.  A small handgun and a couple boxes of ammo inside of your screwed down electrical switchboard in your garage could be all you need to make a stand after a gun grab.

i.      Pick your moment, know your audience, and be sure that your actions are neither too dangerous nor too frivolous before you act to preserve your safety and your chances.

1. Know the law, but exercise reason.  DO not test the emotion or willpower of a person crazy enough to take guns from a loving gun owner.  Chances are he is equally as capable as you.
2. Make friends in law enforcement, but don’t be too forthright with your collection’s details.  Don’t bring your Serbu shorty and your SAW to the range when you are shooting with law enforcement friends, but definitely get the guys cell number in case you need advanced warning of a gun grab or some forceful action.
3. Have a hiding spot for you and your guns.  An inconspicuous safe room is ideal, but don’t bring excess attention to your situation: some caches are too interesting to rogue law enforcement for them to pass up easily on.
4. Understand your surroundings and be prepared to safely defend your position and family, regardless of what happens.
5. Have plenty of ammunition, but keep it separate from all of your guns.
6. Take excellent notes, get pictures where applicable, and get insurance in a bulk package, where serial numbers aren’t important.
   1. Often times in a small scale gun grab, guns just disappear; in a big gun grab, likely some clause would kick in, where it would qualify your gun to have been taken “legally”.  The more documentation you have, and the more generic the circumstances of the “theft” of your firearms, the easier it will be to eventually get replacements.

i.      Never take replacements over immediate security: ALWAYS have plans for self-defense and protection of your family-worry about the other details later.

1. Set a list of boundaries.  Shooting a police officer in the face at your door before he asks for your guns or presents a threat to you or your family is probably not a defensible use of force in any setting. Know what you will do and what the triggers are for such an event.
2. Be careful of where and how you show off your hardware; don’t be afraid to utilize a secondary location for storage of the big guns.  Remember, self-preservation in a gun grab is the utmost importance.
3. Have a good security system set up.
   1. I’m not talking about ADP here; I mean cameras, door jamb reinforcements, window films where applicable and storm doors where applicable.  Sure, you can’t afford 150k in security upgrades in most cases, but a couple hundred dollars goes a long way, when law enforcement knows they aren’t behaving in an ethical or lawful way.  25 slams with a door ram and no entry might make the group move along.  You can ensure protection like that on two outdoor entryways for less than $1500
   2. Understand the mindset of the people you are working with.  Young guys with no experience who have mall ninja setups on their shotguns might be more inclined to try to illegally take your guns and rape your wife, because they don’t know better and want to make a name for themselves. Older grey haired cops with revolvers might be willing to negotiate depending on how you handle yourself.
   3. Did I mention to take good mental and physical notes? DO it.  The more you remember, the better it will play out for you in the future after a gun grab.
   4. Train in your plan.
      1. Don’t get all Waco, Texas/Branch Davidian on me, but know what will happen if tanks roll onto your front lawn.  Chances are: you’ll have some catalyst you didn’t expect and the scenario will require more thought than action.
      2. Work with people online to get better ideas for your plan, ask questions but don’t be that weird guy who puts too much information out there.
      3. Consider using your least valuable (yet still reliable) firearms in the immediate threat of a gun grab.
         1. Find a secure location for the other guns and have a hidden cache within reaching distance under the cover or your home/night.
         2. Carry only a minimal amount of ammunition in immediate sight.

You cannot plan for major concerns without using an integrated approach and without planning for all the conceivable contingencies.

The Psychology of a Gun Grab

Likely, a widespread gun grab is only conceivable in areas where there are heavy record keeping of firearms (Chicago, D.C., NYC) or the event of a major catastrophe where there will be a major military/LE/National Guard influence, as well as low resources.

It’s entirely possible that the most likely scenario for a gun grab would be another 9/11 or Katrina, and checkpoints, etc., where normal citizens would need resources or safe haven.

It is therefore important that you can be self-sufficient for a couple of weeks to be in the best position to avoid a checkpoint style gun grab.  The more self-sufficient you are and the better your resources and defensive position/tactics/scenario: the better.

Remember that LE/Mil/NGuard work in groups, are well trained and have superior firepower or intel than you likely will have.  Remember that they are doing it for pay or for a sense of duty-either can be a powerful motivator. Utilize judgment in any gun grab scenario. Remember your top priority is your continued safety and security-not being right or keeping your granddad’s 1892 Winchester. Do what you must to get yourself into the optimum defensive position.

Remember that grabbing your guns is not worth their lives to them.  The proper usage of words and the proper positioning will put you in good stead, but don’t overdo it or get cocky, regardless of what you have/know/are capable of.

Intelligence is your greatest ally.  The more you know and the less they know the better.

You can rely on simple explanations like “rioters/looters already took all my guns except this one officer-at least let me be able to protect my family” to perhaps gain control of the situation.  The less evil, black and mall-ninja-like your Mossberg 500 or AR-15 is, the easier you’ll be able to convince local sheriff Joe that you aren’t a threat.

Consider a bug out location, and advanced group being placed there like your brother’s family, to move to in case of the gun grab hitting your area.

If you have to let them search or question you, stay calm, minimize their contact with family members, and have well versed answers that all members of your group can agree to and portray.  Act like less of a threat unless they are coming hard and fast, in which case utilize your most accurate and tactical shooting abilities and be swift and deadly against those who threaten to hurt you and your family.

Lie, cheat, steal and misrepresent whatever is necessary to maintain your comfortable and safe position: trust me, in a gun grab, the “agencies and officials” will do the same.

Perception is reality. Reality is safety-PREPARE.

A gun grab is a disturbing scenario, and this topic is always up for revision, improvement and additional collaboration-Let us know what you would recommend to your fellow law abiding citizens in the case that they are faced with a gun grab.