Have gun people stopped buying?

I bought a TX22 in Nov and I had been planning to make another purchase or 2 by now. However I had a broken water pipe and need to re pipe my house, so new guns on are hold for a bit

I’m not looking at guns or ammo.

I had to buy a car. That is a pretty bleak picture these days. I always drive junkers so at least it didn’t totally destroy my bankroll. Still, it was hard to find the right thing at a reasonable cost and a good chunk of change is now gone. At least I wasn’t looking for something 2012 and newer. They are getting insane money for those right now. (And your getting a worse car….)

I am not really wanting anything right now either other than accessories or maybe optics.

I am unable to afford to feed them so wrapping my head around an acceptable ammo price is not in line. Replacing ammo at 2.5X has me thinking "there goes $.66!" for 9mm or $1 for .357 mag, etc. Unwilling to spend $ that way. I'm over buying just for the sake of ownership, being able to enjoy through use is the fun-rewarding part.

If a windfall of $ came my way I may think differently.

Guns have been on shelves for a while. I can buy 9mm, 223, 22LR, and 308 by the truckload. But most anything else is hard to find.

Some of us are just tired of looking. Especially when there wasn't much to look at and what there was cost more. On a work trip last week, I did go to the PX at Fort Mead. Just glanced at the pistol display case and it was fairly well stocked. Can't buy one at that PX anyhow.

Steve S. said:

I went into a grocery store this evening; shelves were stocked but it was like a ghost town! I guess that I should concluded that no one is eating anymore and it is the government’s fault and don’t forget about those damn Chinese and Russians! Everyone might need to re-read what they just concluded by one guy’s visit to one sporting goods store - I am scratching my head - huh, say what?????

Click to expand...

Maybe... just maybe our conclusions aren't based on one guy's visit to a gun store. Let me guess... you think everything is just fine huh? lol

You wouldn't be forgetting about those Chinese or Russians if you lived in the areas that had gas stations empty for days because of Russian hackers. You can't even call these attacks dry runs... they actually did what they set out to do. And for a week people were spazzing out forming lines at gas stations just like the lines in Baghdad in 03. People were calling out from work cause they couldn't fill up and not to mention doctor's appointments that were canceled. I was sitting in the waiting rooms during this time witnessing it. I'm one of those idiots that have a lot of gas on my land to run generators and fill up my car if I have to. I guess we'll see how it goes... Russia's timeline is dictated by the winter... we'll just see how Biden takes care of this problem. He's done such a good job so far... or is that an irrational conclusion as well? Maybe Biden is doing a great job and I'm just not smart enough to see it. lol

I started my "gun life" late , about 13-14 years ago (I'm now 70 ...)

One thing is certain - this was all a lot more fun when I got in than it is now!

wiscoaster said:

I think you're making something out of nothing. January is always a slow month. I'm not buying anything because I'm still paying off what I bought in November and December. Things will pick up.

Click to expand...

Yup and a lot of folks just got their X-Mas present buying spree CC statements....

dh1633pm said:

Some of us are just tired of looking. Especially when there wasn't much to look at and what there was cost more. On a work trip last week, I did go to the PX at Fort Mead. Just glanced at the pistol display case and it was fairly well stocked. Can't buy one at that PX anyhow.

Click to expand...

Our PX is also full, both handguns and long-guns.

I hope so, the prices stopped a lot of us for more than a year now. We have been waiting for the prices to go back down.

Full shelf’s and display’s are the first step in the process of our return, lower prices will get us purchasing again.

I notice at gun shows I keep seeing the same exact guns on vendors tables, over and over, show to show.

I’ve always wanted a ruger 10/22 I went to look for one and they wanted 300 bucks for a plain Jane blued and wood model. They used to be 150. I’m done. Heck I saw sks for 800.

If I see something I want at a price I feel is fair? I will buy it. Problem is I am not seeing anything that interest me right now. Lots of AR's and Glocks out there. But I am good in that department.

Price wise I expect all prices to stay higher then we think they should be. Its a side affect of the Gov printing off all that situlas money. Now I do think that there might be some used guns hitting the market when folks do there taxes and get a surprise that that free money was not all that free.

Just my .03 (inflation) on it
WB

Longtime "gun people" may have reached a point of saturation. In economics, this is called a "marginal propensity to consume." If we already have lots of guns, buying more becomes increasingly price-sensitive.

However, this doesn't apply to first-time buyers. There are plenty of people who never considered gun ownership before, but are now arming up because of social conditions. Such people might be willing to pay more than the "old hands" might.

When i bought my Rossi the other day. I was there before he opened. With in 10 mins after he opened the door. A dozen customers came in. So no slow down in my area. My NICS check 45 mins. So getting there early helped with that. When i bought my Charter the NICS check took 3 hrs.

Could the new net sales taxes , net sellers "fees" plus big jump in shipping costs be the problem?

It's the natural cycle of slowing down after the holiday season. Politics seems to be cooling down, and the surge of first time gun buyers has eased off. A lot of us heavy consumers of the shooting sports reload and components are unavailable or still very high. A bottle of 3031 is fifty bucks at the local store, more than double a year ago. Once the supply catches back up and prices drop to reasonable levels including our current inflation, many of us will start stacking deep again.

I'm fortunate enough to have been stocked up on ammo and components since the past scares, as I'm sure many here are. That gives me zero incentive to buy any ammo, let alone at 2-3 times the "normal" price.

As far as guns, I have what I need. Have to be a great price or something fantastic to make me buy another one.

As we all know, hunting is way down, and I believe the average gun owner age is getting higher. Too many fantasy shooting games to do the actual thing for many of our younger folks.

Unless there are any more "scares", I wouldn't be surprised if gun sales decline dramatically.

CoalCrackerAl said:

When i bought my Rossi the other day. I was there before he opened. With in 10 mins after he opened the door. A dozen customers came in. So no slow down in my area. My NICS check 45 mins. So getting there early helped with that. When i bought my Charter the NICS check took 3 hrs.

Click to expand...

NICS check must be hit and miss. I received a Bergara 6.5 CM a week ago, my local FFL had the paper work done in 15 minutes, mid afternoon. I just ordered a case of ammo (same lot #) so even 6.5 Creedmoor is available, at match ammo prices.

I do hope people are buying, as I'm planning to thin my herd and cull some safe queens. I intend to sell only to to my local club, primarily for peace of mind on many levels.

I'm far less motivated towards pistols and need to spend more range time with those I already have.

While i was waiting. Others NICS went fast. I asked Zach whats up with that? He said Jrs and common names take longer. Im a Jr and my 1st name is Allen.

I hear NICs is running days here and some into weeks. Seen some walk out of stores and shows when told. Wheres the Instant?
National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS)

I bought one, maybe two guns last year and traded for a couple as well. I traded one gun this month, and if I hadn't been looking for a fair priced Model 12 I wouldn't have even thought about making the trade. My collection is basically complete at this point, so essentially I'm done. If I could find a reasonable deal on some shotgun shells I might consider that, but otherwise I don't intend to spend very much money on guns unless it's to repair/restore them.

If I'm honest, it's not just the buying/trading aspect that's slowed down for me; it's the entire hobby. Normally, my friends and I have been squirrel hunting at least 6 or 8 times. I've been out twice all season. Just no real interest this year. In normal times, my brother and I would have shot skeet at least twice a month; last year we shot twice. We have ammo, but hate to use it up since it's so hard to come by. By this time, I'd have shot at least 10 bricks of 22 since last January; I think I've shot a grand total of 600 22lr rounds this year. Again, no desire to expend ammo I can't replace. Heck, I don't even reload like I did even though I have plenty of supplies to do so; no sense in using it until I need it I guess. I've spent a lot more time working on the farm this fall/winter than hunting, which is unusual for me. But, the only expenses I have right now are fuel and miscellaneous small parts, much cheaper than buying guns and ammo. Saving money, coupled with the inflated prices and traders unwilling to make deals, really soured me on todays gun market.

This world we live in reminds me of the stories my grandad used to tell about the Depression. And the older I get the more I realize how right he was about some of the things he said. Times is hard, boys; and they're apt to get harder.

Mac

The members of this forum could greatly reduce their frustration with our government if they began to view it in reality - it is not a noble organization that serves our needs - it is a business, people enter the government to make money - the cost and scarcity of our hobby/ shooting needs are just a byproduct of that business operation. Thus the Framers genius of the Second Amendment; all roads in government lead to self-serving - you are taxed as a %, now ask yourself what does inflation do for our government.

My assessment of the ammo on shelves is that we are still seeing a linear improvement since about last august or so. Most calibers are now readily available on the shelf, which is far better than we were 6 months ago. Prices remain elevated, but that is not surprising given inflation etc.
I suspect most of this improvement is driven by a gradual satiation of demand of buyers such that they demand no additional units at the current price. Production has probabally increased some, but not enough to have made up most of that difference.
That said, I am sure sales are still strong and with no one having issues moving inventory there is little reason for a price cut now.
The high prices are actually good in that they have successfully rationed the ammo leading us to general availability again.

The gun market, which is highly dependent on the ammo supply, might have cooled off some. Most buyers are adverse to adding firearms to the collection without the ability so shoot them for want of ammo. At the peak of this madness I actually bought ammo FIRST for a caliber I did not own yet, before buying the gun.

12Pump said:

... Sure, plenty of inventory to buy, but the prices were so high that I guess people no longer see anything as worthwhile. ...

Click to expand...

I still look sometimes, but I will not pay high prices listed.

Like many here do, I think, most new ammo sale emails get nuked without even being opened. The @SUBJs may scream DEALS! but I know that they would just be a waste of my time.

I still periodically come across what I consider to be a good price for a firearm that I may be interested in buying. Three times in the past year, that has resulted in a firearm purchase (all inexpensive NIB handguns, btw).

I figure that it will be at least a year before I come across any ammo prices that I feel to be worth consideration.

<shrug> I have plenty on-hand (both guns & ammo) as well as a healthy cache of reloading supplies, so ...

AlexanderA said:

In economics, this is called a "marginal propensity to consume." If we already have lots of guns, buying more becomes increasingly price-sensitive.

Click to expand...

Orrrrr what's new under the sun? I have everything covered 10 fold. Only 1 gun has me intrigued recently.