Just curious as to how things are going in other parts of the world. At the moment, the city where I live has only three confirmed cases. (Notwithstanding the people in quarantine on military bases, who have disembarked from cruise ships or out of country plane flights.) We definitely have the crazies emptying out the grocery stores.
Nothing bad here, Stores seem to be stocked well, people taking sensible precautions.
I live only a couple of miles away from THE German Corona hotspot (Heinsberg county), strange situation indeed. Gets worse everyday. I get the impression that several people are starting to lose it. No more flour, pasta, cans and - of course - toilet papers in stores…
It has gotten like that here in Wisconsin as well, went to the store yesterday, and it was early, so stocking had not been completed, but very little in paper products, even window cleaners was short supply. I kept my gloves on, and stayed several feet from other people, it wasn’t crowded. Yes, no TP there at the time. All the Store Chains are hiring as many helpers as they can just to keep the shelves stocked. There is a lot of meat, and vegetables, Bread, milk was okay too, Tones of Chips, Chocolate, and snacks of all kinds. This is just panicky people who watched too many outbreak movies… Stores have all restricted purchasing of paper stuff, and some commodities to avoid problems. The poor Truckers are really stretched, here in the States most everything moves by Truck outside of very long distance high volume transport, that requires a Train.
Our stores are working on replacements, but same here. Pasta, dry beans, dry rice, bread, TOILET PAPER, fresh cut meat, etc. all gone off the shelves. Good thing I like sardines and some canned meat, those haven’t been touched yet. :mrgreen:
What’s not helping, yet for the best, is schools being closed for a few more weeks. Possibly the rest of the school year. Our food budget just took a big leap.
It’s similar where the first cases are in the Buffalo-Niagara Falls area. The main vector is people coming from New York City or coming back from Italy (an Amtrak train seems to have been a petri dish). It went from just a few to looming fatalities of people with compromised immune systems. Because of our proximity to NYC, we are also mandated to follow the precautions of the governors office, including all restaurants, bars 
, bowling alleys, casinos, and malls are now closed, although they can still deliver or sell takeout (including alcohol). But that doesn’t help the unfortunate people working in the hospitality industry. Also, nonessential businesses must cut down to 50% of their staff onsite…
Sent a dumb kid (mid-20’s) home today because he works(ed) out in a gym where someone had tested positive for COVID-19…
We’ve had our first few non-travel related cases pop up in the last couple days. So now all restaurants, gyms, etc are closed here also.
Our State’s governor requested that all restaurants, and Bars, etc. close their facilities except for take out, deliveries ans such. Everything is still open, just can’t be inside past ordering. Even the fast food places are delivering now. They also ask that all the older folks (like me) and those with medical conditions refrain from being around other people, and stay in as much as can be managed. Paper goods will return to shelves soon enough, though I think it would be good if everyone had to take a Valium or something to chill out.
This entire thing reminds me of the stories my Mother told me about the time of Polio in her childhood, when everything public was closed, not just Bars, Restaurants, theaters. All the Beaches here, Wisconsin has loads of Glacial lakes, not to mention Lake Michigan, Beaches are everywhere. Parks, any public space was closed. People were told to remain in their yards, and not to let kids play with their neighbor friends. placing cloths with disinfectants applied to them like screens over windows was also urged. The present situation is not as complex as those times, but might end up going there. so far, I’m doing fine, no one I know has gotten sick.
Similar down here.
Matter of opinion whether shortages are due to fu**wits panic buying or, in my view, more due to mixed messages coming from medical and government officials who started this a couple of weeks ago and continued as recently as today with advice to buy up for at least two weeks of isolation, while our national health boss says no to contradict my state’s chief medical officer.
Same with our Prime Minister and his contradictory Health Minister today.
If the people in control here were running D Day, they’d have landing ships reversing into Portsmouth in accordance with their orders, and wondering why the ships weren’t in Normandy and blaming the people following their orders for not being in Normandy.
Thanks to my normal stocking up previously for extraordinary usage in my Airbnb place, I do, however, have enough toilet paper to last us well into this year. Possibly because we use toilet paper at about a tenth of the rate of the average Airbnb guest, who won’t be coming thanks to closing our borders and general massive decline in international travel, and that was before people started raiding public toilets for toilet paper.
Anyway, that wasn’t why I made a rare visit to the forum, which will become apparent from my separate post for TG’s firearms advice.
Seems I can’t start a new thread, but can remain logged in to this thread.
So I apologise for hijacking this thread to get TG’s opinion on what was to be a separate thread.
TG may recall history which, as things have got predictably worse, now make it desirable that my wife and I have an effective home defence (alright, defense) gun.
I’d prefer a 12ga but the recoil is more than my wife can handle, and will probably stop her getting off a second shot if required. This was amply demonstrated a couple of months ago when I was instructing her on how to use our bushfire pump and she couldn’t even pull the starter rope on a compression, never mind yank the engine off compression. Getting old is a major pain in the arse.
Bearing in mind that semi-automatics are banned where I live, and that I still prefer the military first and any subsequent rounds into the centre of the body mass as the most effective way to stop an attacker, on trawling the internet I’m rather fond of the Rossi / Taurus Circuit Judge .410 / .45 loaded with .410 heavy shot. https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2012/5/22/the-rossi-circuit-judge/
The recoil should be bearable for my wife in the life-threatening situation where she needs to use it, while the revolver action allows an effective semi-auto action by just pulling the trigger for a few more possibly poorly aimed shots which should end the event.
Reviews suggest that the Rossi/Taurus ain’t the best produced gun ever made, but we only need it to be reliable for no more than the first cylinder of 5 .410 shots. Unlike bolt, pump, lever and straight pull actions where my wife might not use the action hard enough to move to the next round, the revolver action just requires her to keep pulling the trigger, as long as the cylinder advance mechanism keeps working.
We’re talking a range of at most 5 metres / yards when she’s retreated to the legal last resort, so spread of shot ain’t gonna be an issue. Stopping power is what matters. At that range with a hit in the centre of the body mass where you’re guaranteed to hit at least one and probably more major organs which discourage further attack, I don’t think it matters all that much whether it’s a .410, 20 ga or 12ga.
TG’s opinion welcomed, or anyone else who has used this gun. Or shot someone with these guns.
Hello my Grand old friend, I have wondered where you’d got to. Pleased to find you well. 
The Circuit Judge, just referred to as the Judge hereabouts is a perfectly good defense arm. S&W also makes a similar model but I’m sure the price is higher. There is ammunition specifically loaded for the Judge, each round having multiple projectiles. The one I use in My american Derringer of the same chambering fires 3 ea. 000 buckshot So look over the different ammo offering to find what suits you best. I would trust the Rossi taurus guns for this work without a hesitation. I would of course, take it out so you could both learn to use it, and give it a break in. You may decide that the venerable .45 long Colt will be good, as recoil is mild, and the heavy bullet will serve the purpose. So try different ammo, and see which serves you both well. As you say, you’ll need it only once hopefully, so keep that in your mind as well when choosing ammo. It’s a good choice for defense, and very popular for just that use. You might be able to rent one at a range, and try it to make sure it’s what you want, but I’ve never heard any complaint from those I know who have them. A good utilitarian Firearm. Whether you buy the long gun version or the pistol version. I fired the long gun version some years back, and it was wholly controllable, and easy on recoil. A woman could handle it just fine.
Thanks, TG, my grand old friend.
I’m glad that your and others’ experience supported this handy gun, which somehow manages to fly under the radar on our bans on semi-autos.
I like it because, for home defence purposes:
- The trigger action, whether rotating the cylinder and firing by the trigger finger or rotating the cylinder and cocking the hammer separately, doesn’t require taking the eye and aim off the target, unlike all other cocking actions which waste critical moments at short range in desperate situations.
- Point and shoot as fast as you can and you’ve put 5 rounds into the target in about as many seconds.
- Revolvers are simple and reliable mechanical actions and generally much more reliable than semi-autos, which are always at risk of a jam.
- Bolt, pump, lever and straight pull actions are at high risk of a jam when not fully operated in a panic to get the next round into the breech.
Thanks also for your advice on ammo. I reckon any .410 cartridge with 3 to 5 pellets is going to do more damage than a single slug from anything between a .22 and .45.
I need to get my hands on a Judge before deciding on ammo, buy my impression is that it’s probably chambered better for .410 than .45, in which case I’d stay with .410. Although i could do alternate 3 x .410 / 2 x .45 loads, or vice versa.
I confess to an unusual attachment to .410. Many moons ago as a kid and youngish adult I had a Savage .22 Magnum / .410 over and under. Brilliant gun, which in the US you’d probably call a varmint gun. Keep it set on .410 and it’d do for snap shooting at short range or snake killing, or just flick the switch to the .22 Magnum for longer range aimed work.
You will love the Circuit Judge, the action is smooth, works every time. I very much enjoyed firing the one I did those years back, even with .410 it should not be trouble for the Mrs. to use. There are several different .410 lods of the special purpose types, meant just for pistols, and long guns chambered in .45 / .410 should not be difficult to get hold of some.
Ir do remember The Savage Combination guns, everything from .22 LR / .410, to 30-30 winchester / 12 Ga. These are very utilitarian, and favored by farmers, and Ranchers as "walkin’ around guns, and for keeping behind the kitchen door if foxes, or other varmints came to call on the Hen House. Don’t know if they are still made, but they were very popular in the Day. Keep us posted on how you get along buying one. Below are two pistols I keep, the lower one is .44 special, for general carry, the upper is for dangerous game such as Funnel Webs, or Jack Jumpers. 
TG.
Thanks again, old friend.
I recognise the bottom gun in your picture, but not the top one. Is the top one a hand held version of the 105mm howitzer? 
Back to the original topic on how the world is coping with coronavirus and related issues, given the appalling conduct of many people in many countries, not least my own, on trivial issues like panic buying toilet paper, I don’t think it’s going too far to predict massive social disintegration and even severe violence if things get really bad with a huge proportion of the population infected. For example, what happens when hospitals and related services can’t cope with demand and infections result in not enough people to provide food along the whole chain from farm to transport to shops? Who might not inflict serious violence on others or kill to save themselves or their families to get scarce food? And more so when the criminal thugs start to oppress the rest of us to get what they want and deprive us of the necessaries of life?
If this worst happens, this could be a good time to be:
- Well concealed;or
- Well armed, or,
- if you’re of the hippie inclination that all mankind is inherently good and kind, a perfect time to sing Kumbaya and make everything just peachy again. :rolleyes:
The beast at top in the picture is a S&W .460 V and can easily I hope, deal out a Funnel Web . I bought it pretty much because it was so large, I have large hands, so can handle it well enough. I chose that caliber, over the .50 S&W Mag. because one can use a variety of less thunderous ammunition in it. My favorite for it is the Venerable .45 Long Colt, it can also digest .454 Casull, .45 auto-rim (just a .45 acp with a Rimmed case so it can more easily be fired in the Army .45 revolver, no need for moon clips. It’s a bit weighty, but that helps me keep fit. (somewhat)
As for the decline of civility in a Crisis, already here in the States, thieves have been raiding Transport trucks parked at truck stops, and way side rest stops, chopping the locks off, and seeing if there is anything inside worth stealing. It’s not a wide spread problem, just a few localized incidents. My thought is that long term public shaming of those who buy up everything, and then sell at 300% markups on Ebay etc. as well as loss of the Ill Gotten Gains. (Unjust enrichment in the local legal code) For the Crims, well a long term of penitent Prison time at labor beneficial to those they sought to victimize is a good beginning.
Remarkably, the demeanor of the people hereabouts is relaxed, and not at all rude, or uncivil. Everyone waits their turn, buys only what they need, so far, so good. In a few weeks this will pass by hopefully, and we can all get back to work, and living. I’m not expecting anything that would cause a Mad Maxian sort of society, but sale of firearms, and munitions has greatly increased in many parts of the U.S. The good part of that is that they are also seeking training in the use of what they are buying, so no ignorant use will result. So far, everyone is polite, and plain decent to each other. Makes me happy. Hoping that doesn’t change. (though I never discount the human ability to turn off it’s Higher Cortex in the face of true danger.) As the saying goes: “When in trouble, or in doubt, run in circles, scream, and shout” Keep well my good friend RS* be safe, and smile.
The beast at top in the picture is a S&W .460 V and can easily I hope, deal out a Funnel Web . I bought it pretty much because it was so large, I have large hands, so can handle it well enough. I chose that caliber, over the .50 S&W Mag. because one can use a variety of less thunderous ammunition in it. My favorite for it is the Venerable .45 Long Colt, it can also digest .454 Casull, .45 auto-rim (just a .45 acp with a Rimmed case so it can more easily be fired in the Army .45 revolver, no need for moon clips. It’s a bit weighty, but that helps me keep fit. (somewhat)
As for the decline of civility in a Crisis, already here in the States, thieves have been raiding Transport trucks parked at truck stops, and way side rest stops, chopping the locks off, and seeing if there is anything inside worth stealing. It’s not a wide spread problem, just a few localized incidents. My thought is that long term public shaming of those who buy up everything, and then sell at 300% markups on Ebay etc. as well as loss of the Ill Gotten Gains. (Unjust enrichment in the local legal code) For the Crims, well a long term of penitent Prison time at labor beneficial to those they sought to victimize is a good beginning.
Remarkably, the demeanor of the people hereabouts is relaxed, and not at all rude, or uncivil. Everyone waits their turn, buys only what they need, so far, so good. In a few weeks this will pass by hopefully, and we can all get back to work, and living. I’m not expecting anything that would cause a Mad Maxian sort of society, but sale of firearms, and munitions has greatly increased in many parts of the U.S. The good part of that is that they are also seeking training in the use of what they are buying, so no ignorant use will result. So far, everyone is polite, and plain decent to each other. Makes me happy. Hoping that doesn’t change. (though I never discount the human ability to turn off it’s Higher Cortex in the face of true danger. As the saying goes: “When in trouble, or in doubt, run in circles, scream, and shout” Keep well my good friend RS* be safe, and smile.
I believe that local and State Police here are already effectively guarding the local truck stops. I’m sure, but I think truck stop restaurants and facilities are open and have a bit more leeway than other bar/pub/grille/restaurants here. They had a news package yesterday on a local major truck stop off the I90 that still had shower and locker-room facilities for truckers and of course they can still get take out food as well as beer and even liquor.
As far as the firearms discussion, I have been thinking of getting a shotgun (12 gauge) for sometime. But I now am looking at semi-auto carbines firing 9mm or .45ACP as they are NY legal with smaller magazines but are effectively semi-auto SMG’s ideal for home defense that will not over-penetrate and do much damage to walls and nearly civilians. I’ll be getting my pistol permit as well…
Here’s a Ruger one that looks like a burg gun! 
The Pistol caliber Carbines are becoming very popular now, and there are many on the market. Even something that you can snap a Glock into that will let it handle like a Burp Gun. That Ruger looks like a good choice, get lots of magazines.