Rarely mentioned in these discussions, and notable in its absence, is the need to be proficient with these weapons. I’ve made this point at the range many times for people who ridicule my propensity to not ride the latest trend of overpriced firearms or gadgets; the weapons I like, I can shoot well in a variety of situations, to include fire and maneuver. I know too many people, many who should know better, who think their armory of high end guns will keep them safe, but they never have time to train, and the few times they do shoot they shoot from a bench rest at short range.
Good luck trying to take a firearm by force in Texas.
Good point, the “big” facilities such as Gunsite and Thunder Ranch are not the only options - people should do some research and avail themselves of any training offered in their area. New shooters should begin with one of the Appleseed events and move up from there.