This will be one story to watch unfold.  Check it out:

The Michigan man who shot an elderly pro-life canvasser claimed that she was arguing with his wife at the time and that the shooting was an accident.
The incident unfolded on September 20 at a home near Lake Odessa in Michigan.
The 83-year-old volunteer for Right to Life said she was peacefully walking away from the home when she was shot in the back.
74-year-old Richard Harvey and his wife Sharon Harvey give a very different account. They told WOOD-TV that the woman got into an argument with Sharon Harvey about abortion and refused to leave their property when asked.

Richard Harvey claims that when he came and saw the woman arguing with his wife that he grabbed his .22-caliber rifle.
“It got louder and louder. My husband was in the barn and he heard it,” Sharon Harvey claimed.
“I’m in the barn. I hear a bunch of screaming going on,” Richard Harvey said.
The woman was talking to people in the neighborhood to persuade them to vote against Proposal 3, a motion to keep abortion legal in Michigan after the pivotal Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade.
Richard Harvey said that he shot a warning shot into a pine tree when he saw the elderly pro-life volunteer.
“She is still ranting and raving and she’s got this clipboard. She’s waving it around,” he claimed.
“I’m thinking she’s going to smack Sharon with it. So without thinking, I went to club it away with the rifle and my finger was still in the trigger guard. It went off and hit her,” he added.
The victim told investigators she was stunned by the gunshot that went through her shoulder. She said she got into her car and drove to the police in fear that she would be shot again.
Michigan State Police are still investigating the matter and the prosecutor for Ionia County told WOOD that their office would wait until the police report was completed before deciding whether to press charges.
A spokesperson for Right to Life of Michigan condemned the incident.
“No one should fear violence while peacefully exercising their constitutionally protected right to free speech,” said Ann Visser. “This 84-year old woman is hardly imposing, standing about 5-feet tall. The idea that shooting this woman is at all excusable is a dangerous claim for Americans across the country who engage in peaceful door-to-door canvassing.”
Harvey was asked if he thought he might face charges.
“It’s always possible,” he said. “I shot somebody. It was an accident.”

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Amongst the many things that preppers stockpile, ammunition is second to only food and water. While it might be possible to survive many short-term scenarios without the need to fire a shot, the longer the survival situation lasts, the more likely we are to need to use firearms, both for hunting and for defending home and family.
You can find plenty of articles out in the prepping-sphere that will tell you that you need to have 10,000 rounds of ammunition or that say you need 1,000 rounds for each caliber of firearm you own; but in reality, those are arbitrary numbers and there’s not a whole lot of thought that goes into them.
I have nothing against stockpiling plenty of ammo and I would hate to cut myself short; but I also recognize that there are practical limitations to what I could possibly use.
One of those practical limitations is the storage of that ammo. While ammo is fairly robust, in reality it begins to degrade the moment it leaves the factory. That process is slow and is measured in years, rather than the degradation of food, which can take days or weeks. But it is there nonetheless. Proper storage of ammo will help maintain its life, so that you can count on it when the time comes.

In the early days of World War II, much of the ammo that was issued for training and combat operations had been manufactured for use in World War I. Back then, the year of manufacture was included in the headstamp and savvy soldiers would check the headstamp for that date when they opened a new case of ammunition.
Considering that the ammo had been stored for more than two decades and had them been shipped overseas, there were some very real concerns about whether the rounds would fire. That’s a situation we don’t want to find ourselves in.
Properly stored, ammunition will last that two decades and even more. But there are many people who make simple mistakes in the storage of their ammo, which could lower the life expectancy of that ammo considerably. The dangerous part is that the loss of life may not even be visible.

1. Storing it All Together

Maybe this is a minor point to you, but you should never store all of one type of supplies together. Having it all in the same place means that it is all subject to the same potential problems, including theft.
At least some of your ammo should be well-hidden enough that home invaders can’t find it, especially during a post-disaster time.

2. Wrong Storage Containers

The storage containers you choose are the single most important part of how you store your ammo. Never store your ammo in the boxes you buy it in, unless that happens to be good ammo cans.
While military-grade ammo cans are metal, there are some decent plastic ones out there too. The main thing, is that the cans need a good rubber seal to keep moisture out.

3. Storing it in too Much Heat

The idea of ammo cooking off in too much heat isn’t really much of an issue. While it can cook off in an actual fire, the amount of pressure that needs to build up inside the cartridge case is so low, that the bullet will be pushed out at a very low velocity.
Nevertheless, temperature is still an issue, as any temperature over 150°F will cause gunpowder to degrade. Storing ammunition in the attic or the trunk of a car is not a good idea.

4. Storing it in too Much Humidity

Humidity is the biggest danger for ammunition, as it can cause corrosion, as well as seeping into the rounds, making the powder damp. Damp powder doesn’t burn. Theoretically, ammo cans with a rubber seal and using silica desiccant should help alleviate that problem; but why take a chance? Better to keep the ammo cans in a dry part of the home.
If you’re going to keep your ammo in the basement, keep it as high as possible, as that will help protect the ammo from moisture if your basement floods. While the ammo cans should protect it, you don’t want to take any chances.

5. Exposure to Ultraviolet Light

It’s doubtful that ultraviolet (UV) light will do much to damage the actual rounds of ammunition, even though UV is destructive to most things. One of those things is plastics.
If you are using plastic ammo cans, you definitely want to keep them out of direct sunlight, as that can break down the plastic, making it weak. A handle could come off, the latch break, or the can itself could crack because of being weakened like that.

6. Not Using Silica Desiccant

Most people don’t think of it, but it’s a good idea to put a packet of silica desiccant or two inside ammo cans, to absorb any moisture that happens to get inside or that is inside when you first seal the cans. You can save these from pill bottles and packaging of items you buy, saving the money of having to buy them.

7. Failure to Organize

Some people just throw their ammo together in ammo cans and call it good. But if you are even in a situation where you need a particular caliber of ammo quickly. You’ll want to be able to find it quickly. For that, it’s best to store each caliber in its own ammo can, labeling the can, so that you know the contents.

8. Storing Near Household Chemicals

Household chemicals, of the type we keep under the sink, can evaporate, leaking out of their containers. When this happens the gases can get into some pretty tight places, like inside a cartridge case, through the crimp.
While the chance is slight, it is still there and if it does, some of those chemicals don’t mix well with gunpowder. They can either reduce its effectiveness or can cause a chemical reaction. Either way, it’s not something to be desired.

9. Opening the Cans too Often

With moisture being the biggest concern we need to watch our for, opening ammo cans on a regular basis is something to be avoided. Granted, there are times when it is necessary to open them, such as to get ammo out to go to the range or to add more ammo to the can.
But there really is no reason to open an ammo can, just to make sure the ammo is still there, unless you have a suspicion that a family member is stealing your ammo.

10. Failure to Shellac Primers

Military-grade ammo comes with the primers shellacked over, as a protection against moisture. But civilian ammo doesn’t have this extra step. That’s not an issue in most cases, as none of us are likely to be island hopping, fighting enemies, like the Marines did during World War II.
However, if you carry concealed, your gun and ammo are right up against your body, all day long. If you perspire, they are exposed to that perspiration, which can cause corrosion and even leak into the cartridge, making the primer and powder damp. Shellacking over the primers could help protect them in this case.
If you’re going to shellac your primers, don’t overdo it. Use a small artists paint brush, so that you can apply a thin line of shellack around the primer, where the primer comes into contact with the cartridge case. That’s all that’s needed, to seal the rounds and keep your rounds dry.

Self defense is important because it’s your legal right and your life or someone else’s could depend on it. In a moment of crisis, if you or someone you care about is attacked, knowing where you stand legally— and being prepared to defend yourself or others— could make a world of difference in the outcome of many people’s lives.
That way you can make a threat forward contingency plan to use a legally owned firearm that no jurisdiction you’re in will be unhappy about you having for any reason, to defend yourself or others.
With proper knowledge, practice, and preparation, you will rest assured that you can defend yourself, your loved ones, your property, or innocent bystanders from a violent attack.

Most importantly, if you find yourself in such an unfortunate situation, you want to know the extent to which the law supports you. Using a firearm increases your chances of surviving a violent assault, and decreases your chances of sustaining an injury from it over using another means of self defense or not trying to defend yourself.
The worst scenario is you legitimately and responsibly use a firearm to defend yourself or others in fear for your life from a violent attack, and end up in trouble with your state or city.
Even though you used it for your self defense from a violent aggressor, you face legal charges for using the firearm or even just owning it in violation of state or local statutes (such as prohibitions or without a permit).
That’s an advantage of living in one of the best states for self defense.
You and your family can feel and be more secure to defend yourself if you need to.
The best states for self defense also tend to have lower rates of violent crime than states with more restrictive gun laws and judges with court systems and jurisprudence that are more hostile to self defense victims who use a firearm to defend themselves.
According to a Rand Corporation Gun Policy in America brief, one of the earliest studies (1997) into the effect of shall-issue laws on violent crime found that, “states implementing shall-issue laws saw significant decreases in rates of violent crime, murder, and assault.” Requiring state agencies to issue gun permits apparently resulted as a deterrent to violent crime. (source)
The brief says follow up studies concluded the findings did not prove cause and effect between the more self-defense friendly gun laws and lower crime, just a correlation. But it’s a strong correlation and an obvious one to draw. And correlations are what regulators go off of with cancer and tobacco to require tobacco companies to label packages with warnings.
As time has gone on, gun laws in the United States have become less restrictive over the last generation.
Recent courts have been strong adherents to strict constructionism and interestingly, pro-Second Amendment judicial activism when making rulings on firearms and self defense cases.
While gun ownership increased as a result, violent crime rates went down. In fact, according to FBI federal and federalized crime data from state agencies, violent crime in the United States decreased by 49% from 1993 to 2019. There was an enormous 68% decline in aggravated assault. All of this happened as the U.S. courts beefed up the Second Amendment. (source)
In the event that you are attacked in a place you legally have a right to be, in 38 states you have no duty to retreat, and can stand your ground to defend yourself from your attacker.
In 30 of these states this policy is in effect by law, with statutes reading, “that there is no duty to retreat from an attacker in any place in which one is lawfully present.”
The other eight states have stand your ground laws in effect through case law or jury instructions in self defense cases. Washington D.C. and Wisconsin follow a “middle ground” approach with jury discretion.
Alaska does not require permits, registration, background checks, finger printing, or waiting periods for purchasing firearms. The Last Frontier also allows open handgun carry without a license. So Alaska is a Constitutional Carry state. The state also preempts local laws that restrict any resident’s gun rights.

The state is number one for self defense because Alaska lets residents prep to defend against militia grade assaults. However, It’s illegal to own a machine gun in Alaska unless you can show it is legally registered in compliance with federal laws. Residents also have no barrel length requirements for shotguns or rifles.
Arizona allows concealed carry of firearms with no permit, no gun registration, and no gun owner’s license.  The Copper State has no registry requirements and no restrictions on NFA-listed firearms.
There are also no magazine capacity restrictions in the state. Arizona has a Castle Law and Stand Your Ground law with no duty to retreat.
Wyoming is another no permit state for concealed carry of handguns. Firearms do not have to be registered in the Equality State. Neither does Wyoming require a gun owner’s license or open carry permit. Wyoming is a Constitutional Carry state.  The state government preempts local gun laws that are more restrictive of residents.

With no NFA regulations or magazine restrictions, Wyoming is a paradise for prepper privacy. No stand your ground law, but stand your ground principles prevail in Wyoming in self defense cases where they apply.
Oklahoma is an open carry and concealed carry state without permits, licenses, or registration requirements. The Sooner State also preempts local restrictions. Oklahoma doesn’t ban high-capacity magazines or automatic weapons.
Oklahoma upholds Castle Doctrine and Stand Your Ground law. Its self defense laws specifically protect the use of deadly force against a violent attacker there even in the workplace or personal vehicle. So the state’s law backs up preppers who find themselves in a desperate situation, but prepared to survive it safely.
Kentucky allows concealed and open handgun carry, but only open carry of long guns. There are no permit, license, or registry requirements.
Kentucky has no magazine capacity or NFA weapons restrictions. The commonwealth has a Castle Doctrine with no duty to retreat.
Its Stand Your Ground law passed in 2006. The law protects the use of deadly force for self defense in the vehicle and anywhere the resident has the right to be.
Kansas has no gun permit, firearm registration, or gun owner’s license. The Sunflower State permits concealed and open carry of handguns for self defense. The state government does not allow local municipalities to restrict gun ownership or use.

Kansas does not have a magazine capacity limit or NFA weapons restrictions. The state has Castle and Stand Your Ground laws with no duty to retreat. Deadly force may be used if believed necessary for self defense.
Missouri does not license or register firearms, and has no gun permits. It allows open and concealed carry of handguns.
The state preempts local gun ordinances to protect gun owners’ second amendment rights for handguns and long guns.
The Show Me state has no restrictions on magazines, and no bans on NFA weapons. The state has Castle and Stand Your Ground laws with no duty to retreat in your home or vehicle.
There are no gun permits, licenses, or registrations in South Dakota. Handguns can be carried open or concealed. The state preempts local gun rules. South Dakota does not restrict NFA weapons or magazine capacity.
The Mt. Rushmore State has no Stand Your Ground law, but is a stand your ground state in the courts. It has a Castle Law with no duty to retreat anywhere you have the right to be.
West Virginia requires no gun permits, registrations, or licenses. It preempts local restrictions. The Mountain State allows open and concealed carry of handguns.
West Virginia has no bans on magazine capacity, but requires a license to own automatic weapons.
The state has a Castle law and Stand Your Ground law that allow deadly force for self-defense and to prevent trespassers.
Tennessee has no permits, registrations, or licenses for firearms. It preempts local restrictions. The state allows open and concealed carry of handguns. The Volunteer State has no bans on NFA weapons or magazine capacity. Tennessee has Castle and Stand Your Ground laws when there is a reasonable belief in the immediate threat of death or serious injury. There’s no duty to retreat where ever you have the right to be.

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