Buying ammo before the firearm?

[TAW122]

So the last few days, I have been to my local Walmart (I believe my city has a few Supercenters) and just browsed through the firearms section. There is no shotguns, let alone the particular one I want to get (e.g. Mossberg Maverick 88), but plenty of rifles, which are outside of the budget. However, I've been looking to get ammo before I get a firearm, but the weird thing is that the ammo is usually locked behind the gun counter and clerk. I suppose if I had to interact with them, maybe I could ask something like:

"May I get x boxes of y ammo?" or "Hi, I would like buy x boxes of y ammo?"

I'll look at buying at least one box (contains like 10-25 cartridges) maybe two so it doesn't look suspicious.

The other question is if I am asked, what gun do I own, should I lie and say oh, I own a Maverick/(insert shotgun name) here, or should I say I am getting this (12 gauge 2.75in ammo) because I'm looking at getting a shotgun for target shooting?

Also, if not Walmart, which other stores would I be able to purchase ammo before purchasing a firearm? I am looking to avoid the store in which I will be buying the actual firearm just in case I come off odd while buying ammo since I don't want to risk being blacklisted or remembered by the store employees.

Let me know any tips on how what I should say or how to respond if different situations come up as Aspergers really does hinder me in social situations as well as human interactions. To me the social interaction is the hardest part, but for others, it may be other parts of the ctb process (survival instinct, the attempt itself, etc.).

Just fyi, I'm getting ammo before the firearm since it's easier for me to store it away in my bedroom without arousing suspicion.

I'll also let you guys know how things goes (interaction and transaction).

 

[Kyrok]

Ask for a box of 00 buckshot for 12 gauge. You can also buy ammo online.
If you go to a store, say it is for your first home defense shotgun... the maverick 88.

 

[TiredHorse]

Also, if not Walmart, which other stores would I be able to purchase ammo before purchasing a firearm? I am looking to avoid the store in which I will be buying the actual firearm just in case I come off odd while buying ammo since I don't want to risk being blacklisted or remembered by the store employees.

I bought my Mossberg 500 at Big 5 Sporting Goods, on one of their monthly sales (almost 20 years ago). They also sell ammo for a decent price. If you have a Cabella's nearby, the one here doesn't have the ammo behind the counter, just stacks of it on the shelf.

If you know the ammo you're buying, and just ask, "may I have a box of 12ga #6?", they pretty much never ask why --the purpose is pretty self-explanatory: to go shooting. I've never been asked what gun it'll be used in, but there's no reason you can't give an honest answer if they ask.

If you only buy one box, and they ask, "only one?", you can use any number of excuses. You can grin, shrug casually, and reply, "herself wants to see what a 12ga is like." (Sorry; gun culture is disappointingly sexist.) Or reply, "Just out for a bit of overdue practice. No good having a gun if you can't hit what you're aiming at." Or even, "I'm a newbie. I'm just learning the gun. One box at a time is all my shoulder can take." I've never had anyone question why I'm buying a given quantity.

For that matter, if you want to play dumb, it's for your sister's/dad's/brother's birthday. You just know that they want 12ga, 2-3/4".

Expect them to check your ID for legal age.

 

[TAW122]

Well success! I managed to obtain ammo for the shotgun! So I went to another Walmart (different from the one I normally shop at) within my city and this one just happen to have ammo that is shelved. I looked through the different types of ammo and found one that I wanted to buy. The clerk/employee at the gun counter was pretty nice and all he said was "hmm, 12 gauge." and also just wanted to check ID (which was smooth and hassle free), then I paid and he said have a good day, and that was it. I was gleefully happy and walked out with a box of 25 rounds of 12 gauge, 2 3/4 inch, 1550 velocity, #4 shot cartridges for a 12 gauge shotgun. It is made by Winchester, which I believe is a name brand.

I have pictures of it here:


Conveniently, I also had some food and groceries so I was able to hide my bag of ammo and sneak it into my bedroom without question or suspicion.

With that out of the way, all I need to buy is the firearm itself, which will require an actual background check and filling out of a Form 4473 (Firearms Transaction Record), but I will wait until everyone is out of the home before I do that (don't want them to know that I have or obtain a firearm under the roof). I do have a question about the ammo though, will it be compatible with a Mossberg Maverick 88 Security 12 Gauge Pump Action, or did I need a different shotgun/ammo? @Threads @TiredHorse

 

[TiredHorse]

Sounds like that went about as smoothly as anyone could ask. Check one detail off the list!

As far as I know that ammo will work with pretty much any 12ga. (Good choice on the #4 shot, too.)

I will express some confusion why you're being so specific about the make and model of shotgun. It seems to me to be a pretty fancy purchase for what will in the end be a one-shot job. As I advised another fellow here, you could probably pick up an old single-shot Iver Johnson for $150 at a used gun store, saw off the barrel and the stock to make the gun easier to manage (it doesn't need to win a beauty contest), and get the job done just as well. It isn't like you need the pump action: you only need it to fire once.

(Be aware that chopping the barrel to less than 18.5" will instantly make you a felon --but if you're planning to soon be dead, that might not be a serious concern.)

 

[TAW122]

Sounds like that went about as smoothly as anyone could ask. Check one detail off the list!

As far as I know that ammo will work with pretty much any 12ga. (Good choice on the #4 shot, too.)

I will express some confusion why you're being so specific about the make and model of shotgun. It seems to me to be a pretty fancy purchase for what will in the end be a one-shot job. As I advised another fellow here, you could probably pick up an old single-shot Iver Johnson for $150 at a used gun store, saw off the barrel and the stock to make the gun easier to manage (it doesn't need to win a beauty contest), and get the job done just as well. It isn't like you need the pump action: you only need it to fire once.

(Be aware that chopping the barrel to less than 18.5" will instantly make you a felon --but if you're planning to soon be dead, that might not be a serious concern.)

Oh, I've seen and heard of instances of a gun failing or being damaged and not being able to perform effectively, thus I worry about the specific shotgun. Also, yeah I'm no expert in guns so I don't know all the nuances and want to ensure that things are as close to 100% as I can for success. I think I'll lay off on the gun videos on youtube about misfires, malfunctions, and what not; since that seems to make me less confident than what I need.

Sorry to worry a bit too much. My next step would be to obtain the 12 gauge shotgun. I've looked into a local sports store and according to their website, it looks like they have the gun of my choice which means when the time is right, I will just go there to get through the background check (which I'm sure 99.9% I will pass) and then get said firearm and take it home. There is a Dick's sporting goods store around my city as well as a Academy Sports, but no Cabelas. Also, if carrying the firearm (which I assume is in a box upon purchase) to my vehicle and then from the vehicle to the house, is it considered concealed when it isn't assembled but in a box and in the trunk? I would think there would be exemptions or exceptions to concealed law when the gun is inaccessible, unassembled, and unloaded? I tried to find NC law on it but couldn't.

 

[TiredHorse]

Misfires or jams on a new gun are extremely rare. That's not to say they don't happen, but the odds are microscopic. Older, used guns are less certain, but on something like a single-shot shotgun the mechanism is so idiot simple, compared to a new type of action (pump, semi-auto), that it's a good bet you wouldn't have any trouble.

Semi-auto guns --pistols or long guns-- are far and away the most prone to mechanical failure. The good news is that the first round generally goes off, no problem. It's the subsequent shots where things can go wrong. And for ctb, all you need is that first shot.

But yeah, lay off the YouTube videos of jams, and stop worrying yourself.

As for getting it home, the common rule of the land for transporting a firearm is to keep it unloaded, and to keep ammo and gun separate, and to keep the gun someplace where it's inaccessible to people riding in the vehicle. In other words, keep it in the trunk. If it's a new gun, in the box, unloaded, in the trunk, I can't see anyone giving you any hassle. And I can't see anyone giving you a hard time carrying a new, boxed gun to your car from the store, either.

Just don't point the box at anyone threateningly! (That was a joke.)

 

[GeorgeEastman]

I used to stare at 30-30 bullets and hold them up in the air like I was worshiping them. This was back when I was still living at home. The old man had that 30-30 rifle I was going to blow my head off with. Even told him I would and he kept it where I could get it.

He knew I was too sissy, I guess.

More proof that my family wanted and expected my suicide, and I failed to deliver.

 

[johnny]

Just curious...where do you plan to actually do it?

 

[TAW122]

Just curious...where do you plan to actually do it?

I plan to ctb in a secluded location, such as woods, forest, somewhere away from humans. I've actually heard of people who ctb'ed in a car, but parked away in a secluded area. If I go, it's likely at night under the cover of darkness.

 

[TiredHorse]

Part of why I'm reluctant to use a gun is because it'd be easier to do it outside, but I don't want the coyotes chewing up my corpse. That'd be pretty upsetting for my family. If I use a gun, I'll probably do it in the shower to contain the mess.

 

[MAIO]

So the last few days, I have been to my local Walmart (I believe my city has a few Supercenters) and just browsed through the firearms section. There is no shotguns, let alone the particular one I want to get (e.g. Mossberg Maverick 88), but plenty of rifles, which are outside of the budget. However, I've been looking to get ammo before I get a firearm, but the weird thing is that the ammo is usually locked behind the gun counter and clerk. I suppose if I had to interact with them, maybe I could ask something like:

"May I get x boxes of y ammo?" or "Hi, I would like buy x boxes of y ammo?"

I'll look at buying at least one box (contains like 10-25 cartridges) maybe two so it doesn't look suspicious.

The other question is if I am asked, what gun do I own, should I lie and say oh, I own a Maverick/(insert shotgun name) here, or should I say I am getting this (12 gauge 2.75in ammo) because I'm looking at getting a shotgun for target shooting?

Also, if not Walmart, which other stores would I be able to purchase ammo before purchasing a firearm? I am looking to avoid the store in which I will be buying the actual firearm just in case I come off odd while buying ammo since I don't want to risk being blacklisted or remembered by the store employees.

Let me know any tips on how what I should say or how to respond if different situations come up as Aspergers really does hinder me in social situations as well as human interactions. To me the social interaction is the hardest part, but for others, it may be other parts of the ctb process (survival instinct, the attempt itself, etc.).

Just fyi, I'm getting ammo before the firearm since it's easier for me to store it away in my bedroom without arousing suspicion.

I'll also let you guys know how things goes (interaction and transaction).

They want to sell you the gun. You can say anything other than I am using this gun to harm myself or someone else and you will be fine.

 

[TAW122]

Part of why I'm reluctant to use a gun is because it'd be easier to do it outside, but I don't want the coyotes chewing up my corpse. That'd be pretty upsetting for my family. If I use a gun, I'll probably do it in the shower to contain the mess.

Ah I see, I respect your decision for wanting to have an proper corpse. I don't really mind about my corpse as long as I'm dead as painlessly as possible. I might even have a note saying that I don't want a funeral and just to cremated my body and move on with life. I have a strong sense of self-deprecation and self-hate, but that is explained in another thread, and this post.

 

[Kyrok]

#4 shot? I've read 00 is better for suicide. More certain penetration through skull.

 

[TAW122]

#4 shot? I've read 00 is better for suicide. More certain penetration through skull.

It is, but #4 shot is still sufficient since I would be shooting through the roof of my mouth, which is mostly flesh instead of bone. Also, the main target is the area around the brainstem (fancy name - Medulla Oblongata) and the brainstem itself. If the brainstem is destroyed then it's pretty much a guaranteed death as the brainstem controls breathing and heart pumping blood through the body.

 

[TiredHorse]

#4 shot? I've read 00 is better for suicide. More certain penetration through skull.

At the range we're talking about, with a 12ga, a blank round with a heavy wad would do the job.

Gun-nuts (and I'm one of them) have a knee-jerk reaction for BIGGER IS BETTER!! when it comes to things like calibers and ammunition. Quieting those jerking knees and looking at the situation critically can be important. That's not to say one should be casual about such choices, but to worry that #4 shot from a 12ga would have trouble penetrating 1/4" of bone (a guess) at a range of 1/4" (pessimistically) might be unwarranted.

 

[johnny]

I plan to ctb in a secluded location, such as woods, forest, somewhere away from humans. I've actually heard of people who ctb'ed in a car, but parked away in a secluded area. If I go, it's likely at night under the cover of darkness.

Are you worried about not being found for a large period of time? I'd like to do it in the woods but my only concern is that my family would live in a state of panic for the weeks or months until I was found.

 

[TAW122]

Are you worried about not being found for a large period of time? I'd like to do it in the woods but my only concern is that my family would live in a state of panic for the weeks or months until I was found.

Not really, I'm not that close with family anymore and I could sense that if I wasn't related by blood/kin then they would have cut me out of their lives. Also, my ultimate priority (when the time comes) is to die as quickly and successfully as possible. In addition to that, I will have a note with instructions on what to do after my death, which includes notifying my family.

Depending on the woods, isn't always secluded for a long period of time so I'm sure my body would be found quickly. Furthermore, I could be in an urban secluded area and ctb in my car and still be found relatively quickly.

 

[Kyrok]

At the range we're talking about, with a 12ga, a blank round with a heavy wad would do the job.

Gun-nuts (and I'm one of them) have a knee-jerk reaction for BIGGER IS BETTER!! when it comes to things like calibers and ammunition. Quieting those jerking knees and looking at the situation critically can be important. That's not to say one should be casual about such choices, but to worry that #4 shot from a 12ga would have trouble penetrating 1/4" of bone (a guess) at a range of 1/4" (pessimistically) might be unwarranted.

You may be right, but I do recall a story about a failed suicide with birdshot. Google "suicide and birdshot"

 

[Retched]

I went and talked to a local gun dealer today. He was very informative and interesting to talk to. I don't have the proper papers to get one, but it was interesting to hold some guns and talk about them. He said for my purposes (home security) my choices would be fine. I guess now I just see about the paperwork. A little worried b/c of a previous suicide attempt that landed me in the hospital (self admitted though, how they got me to sign those papers, I don't know.) But I was never adjudicated so not sure if that is what they look for or not.

 

[TAW122]

If you aren't adjudicated, then I believe you can safely answer no on question 11.f. I am not a lawyer btw so do take this with a grain of salt. Also, which state are you in?

 

[TiredHorse]

You may be right, but I do recall a story about a failed suicide with birdshot. Google "suicide and birdshot"

I couldn't find it, but I have no doubt it's there.

The big question for me would be about where he was aiming. If he put the gun under his chin, he could have used a slug and survived, just blown his face off; the frontal lobe is largely incidental to physical survival. On the other hand, people have shot themselves in their ear with a .22 and died because they got the right angle to hit the all-important brainstem.

Much more depends on what you hit than on what you hit it with.

 

[Kyrok]

Yes, aiming at the brainstem is essential.

 

[Retched]

If you aren't adjudicated, then I believe you can safely answer no on question 11.f. I am not a lawyer btw so do take this with a grain of salt. Also, which state are you in?

I'm in one with loose gun laws. All I have to do is go fill the form out in person at the state patrol's office. But yeah, not sure about Q 11.f. I've read it several times. Still haven't decided if I am going to go this route or not.

 

[TAW122]

I'm in one with loose gun laws. All I have to do is go fill the form out in person at the state patrol's office. But yeah, not sure about Q 11.f. I've read it several times. Still haven't decided if I am going to go this route or not.

Question 11.f just asks if you have been adjudicated mentally defective or have been committed to an mental institution. So in other words, if you went to the hospital voluntarily and haven't been committed there via a court order, then you can answer no to that question.

 

[Retched]

Question 11.f just asks if you have been adjudicated mentally defective or have been committed to an mental institution. So in other words, if you went to the hospital voluntarily and haven't been committed there via a court order, then you can answer no to that question.

Yeah, that is what I figured. And I will answer no. I can't see me not getting a permit to purchase. It's only 5 bucks and about three days to get the permit via mail. And that's it.