Investing
In Liberty for Fun and Profit
by
Michael
Gaddy
by Michael Gaddy
At
this point in history, I believe the
opportunity presently exists for investing in
the tools of liberty in combination with the
ability to profit from the exchange. To any
discerning, educated mind, the ability to
purchase firearms and ammo could be rapidly
coming to an end.
FBI
records indicate the National Instant Criminal
Background Check System (NICS) experienced
over 900,000 more requests (Form 4473) to
purchase firearms in the last quarter of 2008
than the same period for 2007. This figure
does not reveal the number of private
purchases that occurred over the same period.
This
significant increase has created industry-wide
shortages in several different firearm model
offerings, predominantly in the so-called
"assault weapon" categories. A
friend who is employed by a sporting goods
chain in a large Southwestern US city, told me
a couple of days ago that his store received a
shipment of 10 Rock
River Arms AR-15, M4 firearms and they all
sold in less than an hour. The flashing
"Notice" sign at RRAʼs website
is indicative of the present demand for this
product.
I
have found the Rock River offering to be the
finest AR-15 platform available in this genre
of weapons. While I am not a fan of the .223
round for self-defense, the weapons platform
is an exceptional choice. Bushmaster, Stag
Arms and DPMS are also very well constructed
firearms in this category.
The
great advantage to the AR-15, M4 platform is
the ability to switch calibers by simply
switching upper receivers. My preference is
the offering in .458 SOCOM, although several
others are available.
AK-47s
in all models and styles have become
increasingly popular and have seen an increase
in price based on availability. My research
shows that several American companies now
producing AKʼs have actually stopped
taking orders for their products, simply being
unable to keep up with the demand. I believe
the 7.62x39 round to be much better suited for
defense against man-sized targets than the
.223 round. I know I will receive a large
number of emails from folks who disagree with
me on the above, but my past experience led me
to this choice. I do not seek to change
anyoneʼs mind that prefers the .223
round; Iʼll use my choice, you use yours.
A
Springfield M1-A in .308 caliber is my weapon
of choice in the so-called "assault
weapons" category. It combines the
dependability of operation inherent with the
M1 Garand coupled with the convenience of a
carbine version in the M1-A SOCOM. The .308 or
7.62X51 is a proven stopper on man-sized
targets. I paid $500.00 for my very first
M1-A; the same rifle now is almost $2000.00. I
can assure you, considering the present
political environment and demand by consumers;
the price of these fine firearms will
certainly see a substantial increase.
When
it comes to handguns, I am a 1911 guy, pure
and simple. There is a reason this weapons
platform has been around for almost 100 years;
it works. The .45ACP round is a very effective
round for putting a severe cramp on any
criminal desires one might encounter.
While
I routinely joke with my friends about their
"plastic pistols," in reality there
are several excellent brands out there that
are great choices, the Springfield XD being my
first choice. While we could argue on and on
about which caliber is best for personal
defense, individual preference will vary.
Choose the caliber you can handle best; 3 hits
on target with a .22 LR are better than 6
misses with a .44 Mag.
Wheelguns,
or revolvers as they are better known, have
seen a decline in popularity since the
introduction of the high capacity
semiautomatic pistol. I still consider the
revolver to be the best choice for the new
shooter owing to the simplicity of operation.
I have a passion for the old Smith and Wesson
blue steel revolvers in all calibers. Not as
popular now due to most all models being
produced in stainless steel, the older S&W
revolver was manufactured when American
craftsmen took pride in their work. My
collection of these revolvers increase in
value has far exceeded any 401K.
Let
us not forget what many consider the best
self-defense firearm available today: the
shotgun. It is really hard to argue with this
logic, the primary disadvantage being the size
of the weapon and the ability to bring it into
play in tight quarters. The old scattergun
brings a lot of firepower to the point of
attack. Buckshot, depending on the gauge of
the shotgun, throws out a significant number
of projectiles, .24 to .36 caliber for each
pull of the trigger. Many folks prefer the
pump-action shotgun for its dependability, but
my personal choice is the semi-auto. I prefer
to present as small a target as possible to an
adversary, and a pump action shotgun is
extremely difficult to operate in the prone
position.
Whatever
your choice might be, the purchase of a
firearm(s) and/or a significant amount of
ammunition in todayʼs political climate
is a wise investment. I do not believe we will
see a decline in demand or an increase in
availability of either in the near or distant
future. There will be a time, in the not so
distant future, when a firearm with ammo will
be worth much more than an ounce of gold. The
upside to having a firearm and ammo is the
firearm can be used to defend your gold
against confiscation or theft. It has happened
before you know.
It
is much better to have one and not need it,
than to need one and not have it. As an
investment, this product is worth much more
than the fiat money required for purchase and
it could possibly save your life, or the lives
of your loved ones.
February
2, 2009
Michael
Gaddy [send
him mail], an Army veteran of Vietnam,
Grenada, and Beirut, lives in the Four Corners
area of the American Southwest
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