My local gun store is swamped with customers all the time now

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Looking at all these responses...I've been generally just shooting what I reload only. I've a good stock of supplies for reloading so not too worried...but its funny after the second or third round and realize I forgot to put my brass catcher on my AR or something lol
 
I'm selling guns through my small LGS; he has my G19 on consignment now. Only open Saturday and Sunday he has been selling a bunch of mine lately allowing my gun fund to grow once again (recently bought a Beretta DT-11). He takes 10% and does all the work. His inventory comes in and goes out fast. He can't keep Glocks in stock at all. He has had to drop down to .22lr for training classes as even he (a current LEO) can't get ammo in 9, 40 or 45 for his store.
 
jmr40 said:
The bigger store still has a pretty good selection on the wall and behind the glass. Albeit at higher prices. About the only thing I've bought from the bigger store in a few years are reloading supplies which the small store doesn't carry. The smaller store that has gotten most of my business the last few years is dead. Customers come in, but there is nothing much to buy. I have had them order guns for me and had them in 2 days in the past. Now their suppliers are out of stock on everything. They have the same problem at the bigger store getting new stock, but they had a huge inventory in stock before things got crazy.
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Seems to me like a lot of companies, not just firearms related, are using this time to do inventory reduction.
 
buck460XVR said:
Coupla things.
Few months down the road, they will need to haggle again and will need to be supported as folks tend to go to discount and online stores again.
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It's going to be a lot longer then a couple months down the road. With the upcoming election coming into view this run will continue through that election cycle. If Trump wins we'll most likely see things start to simmer down. If Biden wins though the buying frenzy will continue and increase. Same as when Obama won the election. Obama was called the best gun salesman during his first year of office for no reason.
 
I'm staying in Montana presently to escape Kansas heat so have had a chance to see gun stores in both states. The same thing is happening in both. Pistols, ARs, and ammo are selling quickly. Many shelves are bare. Was in a shop in the gun section of a downtown Bozeman store yesterday. Customers were sharing tips on where to buy ammo and urging others to get there quickly before they sell out. Went to a really great LGS that specializes in ARs and other tactical gear. The proprietor said he has problems keeping guns in stock. Was tempted to buy a ZEV 9mm pistol that takes weeks to get if ordered directly. If I go back to look again, I'm betting it will be gone. No negation on MSRP prices, but with no sales tax, it's a deal. Kansas has close to the highest sales tax in the country, 8%-10% depending on location. Gun prices on long gun collectibles is down.
 
I bought a Dan Wesson Vigil yesterday. The first LGS I called doesn't answer their phone, and their voicemail message tells you that and to not leave a message as they're too busy to return calls. They ask you to e-mail them, which I did. They got back to me an hour or so later, couldn't find any through their distributors but did take the time to search Gunbroker for me and recommended one. They're good people. The second LGS I tried had one listed on their website, but their website wouldn't let me order it due to a malfunction. When I called to ask them to hold it for me, offering a deposit they told me they were too busy and to come in, but the line was out the door. The third LGS I tried had them on sale and I was able to order it online. They told me not to bother coming in to fill out the 4473 due to the crowd in their store, and to come in another day. This is the norm around here for now.
 
Pretty much all manufacturing is considered essential and exempt from COVID shut downs. Complying with safety guidelines and distancing employees is or isn't a problem depending on the nature of your operations.

What IS the problem is the Feds meddling with the $600 kicker on "no questions asked" unemployment benefits. At the normal rate of 60% of your pay, plus the $600 kicker, you have to be making over ~$90K/year before you're not better off financially by working.

My employer has been open since March. Our biggest problem is that we can't hire anybody.... even raising the starting rate for unskilled labor to $15/hr, we can't hire anyone. They make more money sitting on the couch collecting.
 
lionking said:
Listening to the people as I browsed many are first time gun owners. The gun store is getting some new inventory but it sells as fast as it comes in. I spotted a new Kel-tec PMR-30 .22 magnum they just got, which I had been wanting one. As usually since they know me I tried to haggle some on the price (hey gotta try) but new rules are no discounting guns. The daughter told me they are struggling to keep inventory and when no guns are able to be sold it makes it harder to keep employees.

So I pondered that a minute, made sense to me, bought the PMR-30 a bit higher than what they normally go (or did go for) which was $400 new around here before everything went crazy. Besides fact is it is true manufactures are struggling to supply stores, and don't think this situation is changing soon.
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Getting new guns in has been a challenge and used ones are just not coming in the door anymore. We used to have two showcases full of guns, now have only 7 guns in one half of a showcase.

Also for all I know manufactures might have raised prices also it may not just be the sellers that did.
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They are. We have always set our prices by markup. A percentage over cost, so things sometimes wobbled in price as times went by. If we got a deal from a distributor we passed it along. I got a bunch of Rem JHP 9mm in and we were selling 50 round boxes for $14.95 a box.

So yeah, business might be booming, we are all glad that guns are selling and new shooters are getting in the game, but in the long term makes sense that when stores can't resupply, sales actually drops on the flip side.
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I'm happy to see new shooters realizing 1 that they need a gun and 2 it ain't as easy as the media led them to believe. Many of them are from NY, NJ, etc.

So yesterday glad I supported my local store, AGAIN lol.
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Good man.
 
SSN Vet said:
Pretty much all manufacturing is considered essential and exempt from COVID shut downs. Complying with safety guidelines and distancing employees is or isn't a problem depending on the nature of your operations.

What IS the problem is the Feds meddling with the $600 kicker on "no questions asked" unemployment benefits. At the normal rate of 60% of your pay, plus the $600 kicker, you have to be making over ~$90K/year before you're not better off financially by working.

My employer has been open since March. Our biggest problem is that we can't hire anybody.... even raising the starting rate for unskilled labor to $15/hr, we can't hire anyone. They make more money sitting on the couch collecting.
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However, if an individual is offered a job they are qualified for and they refuse, if the job environment is safe and they have no reason to refuse....they very well may lose all their benefits.
 
FFGColorado said:
However, if an individual is offered a job they are qualified for and they refuse, if the job environment is safe and they have no reason to refuse....they very well may lose all their benefits.
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Oh, I understand that that's the way it's supposed to be. But I can assure you that that's not the way it is.

Our HR guy is in touch with the employment security peeps weekly. They are so overwhelmed that no attempt at verification is being done at all. It's virtually "no questions asked" approval for everyone. They're even being scammed by inmates in prison who are filing for and receiving benefits.

How do you think the Antifa dopes in Portland can survive to protest 60 days in a row? Yup... suckers like us are paying them via. the COVID bailout and enhanced unemployment benefits.
 
Lol, I went to my LGS the other day to use the range. Place was bare of ammo, except for some that was sky high. They had one box of 9mm range ammo left and price was $50.00. The had a big sign that said buy a gun and get a FREE box of ammo. Great Deal! Problem is nothing but high end guns and those marked about $150 above normal pricing. The range was a mess. The people that were shooting were obviously all Newbies that cannot even read. Fingers on trigger all the time, and I swear to you, every both with a shooter had the target 4-5' out and none close to the 7 yard safety red line. The guy next to me had a new AR and even his target was was about what seemed like 3 yds out and LOL, HIS SHOTS WERE ALL OVER THE PLACE.
Most of the staff that have been there for years are gone and replaced. I packed up my gear and went and told the KID who was doing range Monitoring (I will not call him a range Master) before leaving to please have them at least move the targets out to the safety line. He just gave me a glazed look and did nothing.
 
Ernie Bass said:
Lol, I went to my LGS the other day to use the range. Place was bare of ammo, except for some that was sky high. They had one box of 9mm range ammo left and price was $50.00. The had a big sign that said buy a gun and get a FREE box of ammo. Great Deal! Problem is nothing but high end guns and those marked about $150 above normal pricing. The range was a mess. The people that were shooting were obviously all Newbies that cannot even read. Fingers on trigger all the time, and I swear to you, every both with a shooter had the target 4-5' out and none close to the 7 yard safety red line. The guy next to me had a new AR and even his target was was about what seemed like 3 yds out and LOL, HIS SHOTS WERE ALL OVER THE PLACE.
Most of the staff that have been there for years are gone and replaced. I packed up my gear and went and told the KID who was doing range Monitoring (I will not call him a range Master) before leaving to please have them at least move the targets out to the safety line. He just gave me a glazed look and did nothing.
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Regarding your comment: Most of the staff that have been there for years are gone and replaced.

I have noticed the same thing at the range I am a member of. I haven't asked anyone there about it, but I keep wondering why that is?

CH
 
George P said:
Cheaper labor most likely
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Why spend your life working in a Guns and ammo store when there is no guns and ammo? I did meet one of old staff members and he told me they all left for other jobs and said he took a job as a Security Guard. Seems like a smart move and good timing.
 
Gun stores typically don’t pay very well either
 
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