Fears of post-Katrina disorder spark gun-buying spree - Yahoo! News
"We could hardly keep up. We would sell out of everything," said Morgan, owner of Precision Firearms and Indoor Range in the Louisiana state capital of Baton Rouge.
He estimated that his sales are 10 times what they were before Hurricane Katrina slammed into the US Gulf of Mexico coast August 29.
The storm caused catastrophic flooding and devastation in the states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, displacing more than a million people and leaving the city of New Orleans swamped and emptied of its people.
Many of those displaced have settled in Baton Rouge, nearly doubling the city's normal population of 228,000.
The storm's aftermath also brought a wave of crime and violence, with reports of armed gangs patrolling New Orleans with looted weapons, stealing whatever they wanted. There were reports that people seeking shelter in the city's Superdome sports stadium were raped and murdered, and rescue workers were fired on several times.
State and US authorities said a massive influx of police from all across the United States, along with 50,000 National Guard troops, has restored order to New Orleans and other hurricane-ravaged areas.
But residents remain jittery.
New Orleans has always been a dangerous city because of crime, "and people know that and that's why these people want guns," Morgan said. There's also "the fear of the bad element getting permanently displaced here," he said.
Among the popular sellers at his store is the Colt AR-15, a 900-dollar semiautomatic copy of the US military's M-16 rifle.
The AR-15 wouldn't be my personal choice for home security, but it's better than harsh words. This weapon became popular when the chairborne commandos discovered it's perfect blend of hollywood-tactical and physical resemblance to the M16, two bad reasons to select any rifle for personal defense. Great for varmint hunting, but terribly overpriced.
A good12 gauge shotgun can be purchased at any local Wal-Mart for around $250, and I'd use #2 buck as a defensive shell. For those with a handgun in mind, any Ruger revolver chambered for the powerful .357 round is a good idea, and one can also fire the .38 Special round from the same gun. .357 for those who can master the recoil, .38 Special for those who are recoil sensitive. If an automatic is the handgun of choice, any used or new Glock is a smart purchase. 9mm for the recoil shy, .40 caliber or .45 caliber versions for those with stouter wrists. Modern defensive ammunitions from brand-name manufacturers are easily purchased in most cities, with Speer Gold Dots and Winchester T-Series bullets leading the pack. It's hard to go wrong with any modern bullet as long as it works in your weapon and you can accurately place the rounds where you want them to go.
Bravo to the smart people of Baton Rouge. Anyone wanting advice on personal firearms to be used for defensive purposes can email me anytime and I'll be happy to answer.
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