Why did the people in the movie not get guns to remedy the situation?

This question (guns) was brought up in original reviews of The Birds, and pretty much answered as above.

Perhaps we should have seen a scene with some of the more hardy folks in Bodega Bay pulling out rifles and shotguns and trying...but the story is constructed only around the first few attacks of the birds.

Remember that at the Tides restaurant and bar, the patrons and staff don't really even BELIEVE that birds are attacking(the birthday party and the school). The amusingly convenient "Bird Expert Lady" mocks Tippi's claims.

So when the birds DO attack, everybody is taken by surprise and nobody has guns with them.

The story then moves to the Brenner home for the final siege...no guns are shown, but that group doesn't look ready to shoot away.

The "Bird Expert Lady" DOES point out that if all the birds in the world DID attack -- "We wouldn't have a chance." She gets it. Guns, artillery, bombs...what could stop creatures flying in by the thousands not only to injure and kill humans, but to destroy power lines(they cut the power in the Brenner house) water supplies...etc. The Big Weapon of choice -- the nuclear bomb -- couldn't get 'em all, either.