ShootingStarr: When ‘want’ becomes ‘need.’ Or, is this what a zombie apocalypse would feel like?

The search for my new concealed carry gun started about a year ago. I wanted a new gun. I also wanted to take my time and find the right one for me. Why? I didn’t want to rush into a decision. OK, I’m indecisive. And because I have a unique situation when it comes to finding a semi-auto handgun that will work for me. My wrist and thumb bone are fused together, and I have pins in all the tendons of my non-dominant hand. Therefore, I can’t properly work the slide on all semi-autos.

And before you flood the comments section saying I’m not doing it correctly – I am.  I’ve tried every method of racking that’s out there. I’ve done push/pull, pivoting from the hip and everything in between. A few industry professionals have even coached me; my hand simply doesn’t have enough strength in it.

My list of options is short. Through my search, I’ve found a few guns that are manageable, including this list: Glock 19 or 26 and Walther PPQ. Finding a balance between something that is small enough to be concealed and also easy enough to rack has definitely been tough. It seems that sub-compact guns are harder to rack, possibly due to spring retention.

I shot the Walther PPQ M2 as part of my “research” during Media Day at SHOT Show 2013. Photo courtesy of Jason Baird

Lately, my search has become frantic. I feel like I’m running out of time. My “want” has now turned into “need.” I now feel as if need another handgun, or five.

I’m worried.

I’ve been trying to keep a level head about the current state of our country, but I’m worried. I’m trying not to feed into the panic and paranoid mentality, but I’M WORRIED.

My feelings of worry started when the very unfortunate school shooting happened in Newtown, Conn., and have steadily progressed from that time forward. The recent news of the Colorado House Judiciary Committee voting in favor of more stringent magazine capacity restrictions may have set me over the edge. I can’t help but think that restrictions have the potential to turn into bans.

I believe that others are also feeling the same worry I am. And they are trying to buy up any and all guns and ammo they can get their hands on, but both are becoming increasingly harder to find and purchase. WON editor Barbara Baird wonders if it’s due to simple demand, corporate greed or government conspiracy in her recent Realtree Blog post. Personally, I think it can be equated to low supply, high demand.

While it may seem that the current state of things is great for gun/ammo manufacturers — think record gun sales and increased product output — they may not realize that it’s hurting many small companies.

My Twitter friend, Fred Mastison, president of Force Options, tweeted today inquiring if the ammo shortage has affected others’ abilities to take part in firearms training/classes. The answer? A resounding “yes.” Fred also informed me that most of his constant ammo sources have dried up and he is now scrounging to find ammo for his training classes.

Ammo shortage = less people shooting = less training classes = empty pocket books

See where I’m going with this?

It seems that smaller gun shops are last on the list to receive any inventory, and because of this, limiting ammo purchases is also becoming the new normal. A sign proclaiming a four-box limit has been prominently placed at my local gun store. Luckily, .38 ammo doesn’t seem to be in as high of demand, so they had some in stock when I went looking yesterday. You can bet your hind end that I bought four boxes.

I shot my uncle’s Glock 19 on a rainy day this fall. Here, I receive instruction on tactical reloading while on the move. Photo by Dwaine Starr

I haven’t been quite as lucky in my gun search, as of late. It seems like there aren’t any guns available. My gun store has fewer than a dozen handguns behind the counter, and they don’t know when they are getting any more. I’ve considered paying two to three times the retail value on websites like gunbroker.com, but I just can’t bring myself to be swindled. I’ve tried to pull favors from industry professionals; my name is on lists (hopefully the good kind of list, not the government watch kind of list.) I’ve gone direct to the manufacturers that I know. I’ve called and texted every FFL holder that I know, and I’ve scoured every local gun shop within a 300-mile radius. Nothing.

Today, a friend alerted me that a Glock 19 was coming in to a gun shop in his hometown. I called the owner of the store (credit card in hand) and was informed that he wouldn’t sell it to me because I was out of state. Due to the high demand, he wanted to let one of his regular customers buy it. What. The. HECK.

I should have been better prepared, and now, I’m worried.

I wonder if this is what a zombie apocalypse would feel like? Demand is high and supply is low. Every man … er, woman for herself.