Gun Sales Skyrocketing?

[rugerman07]

What have you been hearing about current gun sales? Are sales up, are they skyrocketing? Are you having any problems in locating a certain gun you want? One thing I do know is I don't see as many SKS's and Moison Nagant's in gun shops and gun shows than I did last year. What do you think?

 

[mbopp]

I shoot with a guy who works at a gun shop. He says AR's are selling as soon as they come off the truck.

 

[M2 Carbine]

The last several gun shows have been packed.

I took a couple new lady shooters to the show to buy a couple guns. After they picked out what they wanted the salesman told them it would be an hour before they could do the paperwork because the dealer was so busy. The dealer had five people just doing the paperwork.

I could stay busy just teaching new people to shoot.

Blame it on what you want but people think it's going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

 

[Bentley4700]

My LGS is selling out of AR's and handguns. I think it's a combination of an election year, tax refunds and the 2012 "end of the world" BS. Plus, guns are fun.

 

[Statureman]

Good point Bentley4700. I remember the ammo shortage in 09. Tough stuff.

 

[SilentStalker]

All I can say is, I wish I was one of these gun manufacturers or ammo manufacturers or hell even a dealer. I am sure they are making a ton-o-money. I walked into a local store a couple of weeks ago to buy some grips and I bet there was over 120 people there, at least. They would not even help me because they were too busy selling over priced AR's to a bunch of people that have probably never owned or fired a weapon before but they had money so you know. I was like remember the little guys that keep you in business as well LOL. However, the help was terrible anyways as their sales guys had no clue what they were talking about.

 

[cyclopsshooter]

It is so freaking busy we are looking to hire a new employee

 

[writerinmo]

I'm pretty sure they are up, just because I finally got a tax refund that didn't have to go to bills, so I ran out and bought me three new guns!

 

[mortablunt]

The AR-15 is the thing now because it is an election year, and the media is pumping out all the Obama gun ban paranoia it can to boost sales. Handguns are the second major thing flying off the shells, particularly polymer 9mm pistols which are easy to conceal. At least it's a somewhat lower price year for milsurps and bolt actions, and that Russian 7.62x54R ammunition is still really nice and cheap. I might not be able to resist adding a Mosin-Nagant to my collection...

 

[SilentStalker]

3 new guns LOL? Geez what kind of job do you have to get that kind of a refund LOL? What did you get? Pics?

 

[doc2rn]

Ruger's annual profit margin was up 500%, last yr it was up 300%. Hope that gives ya an idea!

 

[Fishslayer]

My LGS is selling out of AR's and handguns. I think it's a combination of an election year, tax refunds and the 2012 "end of the world" BS. Plus, guns are fun.

Yup. In addition to the ladies getting in on it, I think a lot of the '08 o'bama first gun panic buyers have discovered just that. Guns & shooting are fun.

I'm sure that most of the first timers are happy with the single Glock nine in the sock drawer but also a good percentage have moved on to "accumulating."

Back in the '80s when the Rich Urban Biker (RUB) thing was getting going everybody thought we would soon have a flood of low mile Evo Harleys on the market when the RUBs got bored & moved on to their next toys.
Never happened.

 

[Bubbles]

People are spending their tax refunds on guns and ammo. I expect it to slack off a bit over the summer, then increase again coming up to the election.

 

[Ignition Override]

If gasoline reaches about $4.50-$5.00/gal. this summer, either people will drive less, or there will be fewer gun sales.

 

[mgkdrgn]

I don't know about "skyrocketing" ... but so far Feb has been pretty good!

 

[PapaG]

Last three months have been the best in a long while. Lots of stuff we can't get including many Glocks and some of the cheaper revolvers.
Kimber Solos still are as scarce as hen's teeth in our area.

 

[16in50calNavalRifle]

Was in one LGS today and asked about business. They said it's been picking up - but also, to confirm what has been said above, it's not all first-time buyers. The expansion of gun ownership that spiked in the last few years seems to be paying off in additional purchases and a lot more recreational shooters. A welcome development foreseen and hoped for by some of the savvy veteran commenters on this site.

 

[Tubby513]

My gun shop has said they can barely keep some of the stuff in stock. They get a shipment in and it's either already spoken for, or sold out instantly. When I bought my M&P 9mm, I had to wait for a few days for it to come in.

 

[Onward Allusion]

Local gun shops have been packed. Ranges have been packed. So, I guess sales are up. However, I've also observed the online used market is saturated with low-priced little-used pieces. Probably from the economic downturn. I have to admit though, deals are not as prevalent as they were in 2010 - 2011.

 

[Ala Dan]

The "evil black rifles" are once again picking up the pace~! Look for prices to
increase on these, in the near future~!

 

[Cosmoline]

Word from the local shops is the sales have been DOWN all of last year. I think the AK market is probably a bit over-saturated at the moment though so I don't know how much you can extrapolate from that.

 

[Black Butte]

The reason guns are flying off the shelves like Wonka Bars is that people are afraid of future restrictions imposed by this anti-Second-Amendment administration. For example, the UN is due to have its Arms Trade Treaty completed this summer, and Obama has made it perfectly clear that he fully supports curtailing Americans' firearm freedoms.

 

[Skyshot]

Obama is one of the best firearms salesman the industry ever had.

 

[sawdeanz]

This is not good news for me, i'm just trying to get into the sport but only because I've finally come of age after a long wait, not because I'm some paranoid doomsdayer.

 

[StrutStopper]

Obama is one of the best firearms salesman the industry ever had.

Absolutely. My neighbor owns a LGS. I was speaking with his wife a while back and she said that buisness went crazy just before the last election. Since Mr. O has announced he is confident he will be in office for another 5 years, I'm not surprised that the shop always seems crowded. Myself? I'm planning to buy a 1911 as soon as I get a decent deal on the right gun. No reason other than it's next on my list.