COVID-19 turned 2020 around in a hurry, and gun sales increased drastically. In a matter of days, ammo went from being a plentiful resource to a treasured commodity. Shelves were cleared out, and new gun owners wanted to know what gun they should buy. With that said, there’s no clear choice anymore. In 2020 ammo has become king, and here’s your guide to buying a gun during a scare.
Buy, Adapt, Survive – Buying and Feeding a Gun during COVID-19
On Saturday I headed up to Park City Gun Club (PCGC) located just outside Park City, Utah. Like many gun stores in America, they were packed. Still, that’s no reason to panic, the gun counter isn’t where you should go first. No, you’re looking for ammo.
A gun is worthless without ammo, and luckily they still had a good supply in stock. Among the choices were 40 S&W, 38 Special, and some intermediate rifle calibers. So from this let us say you picked a 40 S&W. Caliber arguments aside, this is a great choice and you could pick up a case of ammo to support your new handgun.
Next, you need to check magazines. Here at PCGC they still had a great selection of Glock magazines in stock, so why not pick up a Glock 22. It’s a great handgun, and here’s why.
What To Do With a Glock 22?
A Glock 22 is a full-size double-stack handgun chambered in 40 Smith & Wesson. These are great guns as they were, and are carried by many law enforcement agencies to this day. With that said, the Glock 22 doesn’t limit you to just 40 S&W.
For years companies like EFK Fire Dragon and Lone Wolf have been making aftermarket caliber conversion kits for the Glock 22 and many other Glock variants. These come in a wide variety of calibers, so we’ll cover just a few of the basics.
Easiest to convert the Glock 22 into is 357 SIG. 357 SIG uses the same magazines as a factory Glock 22, so you only need to swap out the barrel, and now you have a gun that can support two different calibers.
But what about 9mm? People have told you it’s great, and it is, but only when it’s in stock. Don’t worry you’ll only need two different parts to convert your Glock over to 9mm. First, you’ll need a full-size double-stack OEM 9mm Glock magazine(s). This will fit in your Glock 22 with no modifications required.
Second is a 40-9 conversion barrel like the one found here. This can be shipped right to your door and installs with no modifications to the gun needed. Now you have three calibers that your Glock can shoot.
Note: I was skeptical about the reliability of a 40-9 Glock conversion. Turns out, Dead Air Silencers has been using one for years as a demo gun at range days. It works with the factory spring and no modifications.
There’s No Right Answer
When purchasing a handgun during a panic there’s no right choice. The gun that may fit you best may not have ammo available. The key is to buy a gun that you can afford, with ammo that you can find. A Glock 22 is a great choice, but it’s not the only choice. Don’t be afraid to ask store owners what ammo they have for the guns their selling, and pick up some defensive ammo if you can.
With that said, if this is your first firearms purchase make sure you read all safety instructions and welcome to the community.
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