While I don’t expect or hope to ever need it, as an American, I would like to be prepared to resist as much as necessary if needed. It’s looking like it might be needed at some point here.
I’m looking to get a rifle or two for that specific purpose just in case. Can anyone recommend specific brands/models and/or features I should be looking for? I’m disabled in a way that limits my ability to hold anything heavy, so lighter weight is good. I have a revolver, but that’s probably not the best for standing up against a repressive regime.
I plan to train with whatever I get, of course. Thanks in advance.
Edit: There way too much information here for me to reply to it all individually, but I would like to say thank you to everyone for your very helpful responses.
If the range is not vigorously enforcing safety, you don’t want to be there regardless of politics. This is one of the reasons I mentioned RangeUSA. Both of the stores I’ve been to, there’s a range safety officer on the back line all the time, and they take their shit seriously. I was transferring loose rounds into an empty package “caddy” outside of the lane, and a guy stopped almost immediately to check that I wasn’t loading magazines. Another guy gave me shooting advice because he’d been watching what I was doing. And I’ve seen all sorts of people in there every time I’ve gone, both customers and employees.
Just like anywhere else, you’re not going to know unless you go in, or if you’re able to talk to people who already have. Google reviews can be helpful; I know there’s a couple of places in my area that I’m avoiding on that basis. Of course, you will probably have more luck finding a “clean, well-lighted place” in a populated area than in a rural one, but again, that goes for everything, not just shooting ranges.
Well, my experience is mostly with rural gun clubs, so range officers just aren’t a thing except during scheduled events. At that point, it’s basically incumbent on the club members to police themselves. I’ve seen that work well and I’ve seen it work very poorly. Actually, come to think of it, the specific range I mentioned used to be great. The facility is still excellent, but the old timers that made it that way have passed and the current crowd seem to view firearms as a talisman for manhood.
But the point I was trying to make is that Step 1 should probably be to reach out in your community, check reviews, etc, not to walk blindly into a potentially hostile situation. If you have a good range available, then sure, it’s a great resource.
I have been reaching out. Apparently so have many others, and there is not room for all of us newbies right now.
I can imagine, especially depending on what part of the country you’re in. There is mostly pretty good advice in this thread. Beyond what’s already been said, all I can say is keep your eyes open, trust the “vibes” of a situation and be safe.