The year 2020 has certainly accentuated one fact – normal life can be very suddenly and significantly disrupted. With little warning, we went from ordinary, relatively uneventful daily routines to unprecedented lockdowns in the face of a global pandemic. Everyday activities such as shopping, going to the movies, getting a haircut or taking the family out to eat either ceased entirely or became rather complicated. Social distancing, face masks, curbside pickups, directional arrows on floors and Zoom meetings became a part of our lexicon. 

We all remember the initial mad dash for toiletries and other essentials, leaving store shelves empty within hours and catching many completely by surprise. This exposed a worrisome fragility in the supply chain, as the system was unprepared and unable to mitigate such sudden and widespread panic-buying. Taking a sucker punch to the gut, the economy also began to falter with a sharp spike in unemployment resulting from business closures, and the collateral damage to people’s livelihood began to take hold. But the perfect storm was not yet done fomenting.

Introducing an unstable element to an already critical situation, social unrest ignited throughout the country as certain events precipitated the rupture of existing tensions into all-out mayhem. Riots, looting and unchecked criminal activity now present a secondary threat along with the still persistent COVID contagion. Faced with a distressing new predicament, people immediately sought to bolster their capacity to defend themselves and their loved ones. Much like toilet paper before, guns and ammo have now vanished off store shelves.

Reasonable or Excessive?
Until retailers grasped the gravity of the situation and imposed buying limits on certain products, you’d see people fill their shopping carts to capacity, leaving little to nothing for other folks that didn’t make it in time or didn’t have the resources to suddenly buy $200 of hand sanitizer. Likewise, buying ten new firearms and several thousand rounds of ammunition does not make one instantly safer. If you don’t know how to play, purchasing an instrument doesn’t make you a musician.

How can Metro Pawn & Gun help?
We endorse a reasonable level of preparation, as current events are definitely concerning. We offer a solid inventory of firearms and ammunition, when and if we can get it. Whether firearms, non-perishable food or medical supplies, having a well-rounded supply is essential. But hoarding doesn’t really translate into preparedness. If anything, it makes you more of a target for those who would seek to relieve you of your cache. Networking with like-minded people in your community, who are also reasonably prepared, provides a stronger and more effective safety net against uncertainty and chaos.

As always, check our site for the most current information.