Gun show and gun store observations.

[cbrgator]

What I am finding odd is that no AK's are to be had for reasonable prices, but AR's are still out there and the prices are remaining sane or dropping for them, even as the AK prices are getting stupid.
I have been trying to trade an AR for an AK with no luck.

I'd say it's their notoriety. People who don't know as much about guns as we do are immediately drawn to them, simply because its an AK.

I wonder how these AK-47s and ammo are going to come back to bite us...

That's no mystery. We'll train them. They'll do what we trained them to do. Then they'll turn on us. Then they'll do what we trained them to do... to us. Again...

 

[Maxx409]

Can't stand the Guvment buying weapons to kill America's sons and daughters! It's not the policy makers or their kids dodging the bullets though, so I guess it's okay. :banghead:

I'd say it's their notoriety. People who don't know as much about guns as we do are immediately drawn to them, simply because its an AK.

I'm a panic buyer. I bought 2 AK's about 2 months ago, and my wife and I LOVE em. Never owned a rifle before, and didn't even know about the AWB of the Clinton fiasco. I'm sure we spent "too much" for them, but I really don't mind. Someone here much wiser than me said on another thread. "If YOU feel you got a good deal, it doesn't matter what others think."

I'm 40 years old and until 2 months ago, was Scared of guns. Did some research. Seems a pretty common consensus that they are easy to maintain, easy to clean and can take a LOT of abuse before giving up the ghost. Not a bad learner rifle if you ask me.

The "pop" they make when I squeeze the trigger is BLISS. Sure they're not as accurate as the AR. Neither am I. And the smile on my wife's face when she empties a magazine makes me wish we had got them sooner. I don't know much about guns, but man, we are having a blast learning. Hope the prices come down though. Our gun fever is just starting to ramp up.

On a side note: just got a Marlin .22lr to work on our accuracy and rifle skills.

 

[Waibaddayu]

The "panic buying" bubble has definitely motivated individuals into exercising their God given right to keep and bear arms for the first time in their lives as expressed by Maxx409. And once they actually put some lead downrange, their transformation begins. They become "Gun Nuts"! Hopefully, they settle into being "Bitter Gun Owners", and show it at the voting polls!

 

[Yozho]

In the '80s, our gov supplied arms and training to Afghani militants who were fighting the Russians.

Yup. And it worked.

Say the Soviets had a cake walk in 1979. Conventional wisdom said they had their eyes on the Persian Gulf.

So a post-Shah Iran would have been a cake walk after Afghanistan. Then their terrorist buddies in Iraq and Syria would have extended the hand of friendship, along with bases and more ports.

An emboldened Soviet Union fresh from military victories in the Middle East may not have been so compliant when it came to giving up control of the Warsaw Pact in the late 80s and early 90s. It may have even done something to prevent or delay the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Osama bin Laden may have stabbed us in the back but it would have been a very different world had we not supplied them with weapons.

 

[Doc_Jude]

get your non-military caliber pistols, 12 gauges, & good ol' American .30 cal bolt guns, people!

 

[JWarren]

The "panic buying" bubble has definitely motivated individuals into exercising their God given right to keep and bear arms for the first time in their lives as expressed by Maxx409.

I do believe that this panic-buying craze is helping us, even if it is a pain.

The word is in the press of how many people are buying guns. That sends a message to DC. Of course, Obama tries to believe it is the same gunowners just buying more. That's the spin he's tried to use. However, examination will prove otherwise.

In addition, now we are getting more passive RKBA supporters actively into the game.

In public relations, we learned about "active" and "passive" publics. The key to a good PR campaign is to somehow get those that passively support you to become an "Activated" public.

Nothing demonstrates activation more than a person forking out $1,000 for a new AR. And once a person is financially affected by an issue, their activation level is GREATLY increased and it is sustainable over long periods of times.

The gunowner and RKBA community has swelled in the last several months. I tend to see that this may well be a turning point for our cause. I believe that we will have -- or already have-- the power to stop the anti-gun advocates.

The 1994 AWB taught us all a lesson. I STILL hear people-- like me-- who lived through that one saying "Never Again." Many of those that say that were silent the first time around.

Now we have Heller-- a tool that has ENDED the entire "Collectivism" discussion AND named Self Defense as a Legitimate and Legal use of the RKBA-- thereby ENDING the "Sporting" definition.

Top that off with hundreds of thousands (perhaps millions) of newly activated RKBA supporters.


We are in a position where we haven't been since I have been alive.

Sure, there are worries. Nothing is certain.

Before a battle, there will always be worry. Before a battle, things will always be uncertain.

But unlike 1994, we come into this battle with tools that we simply did NOT have back then.


I haven't even spoken of the internet. The internet firearms community was practically non-existent in 1994. We did not have such a means of rapid communication and the ability to activate so quickly. The Zumbo affair demonstrated this power.


No, our tools are strong. We are strong. We face strong opposition, but I believe that we are will prevail.


Our pain dealing with backorders means that one more person joins us.


-- John

 

[Tirod]

I'm glad to see so much about "panic buying." It's the real cause of price inflation - not greedy speculators jacking up prices to keep their shelves full.

If their shelves are full, it's directly because the panic buyers won't pay that much - somebody must be selling for less, and getting the business.

We all see it lots of places, gun shows, flea markets, auto classifieds. Want a '60's muscle car with original big block and a decent restoration, or even original with less than 50k miles? It's not the seller forcing cash out of the twisted arms of helpless car nuts. They arrive with bushel baskets and beg the seller to take their money.

Same with the gun shows - someone buys an LCP and then posts they paid $330?!? Ok, it's their business. I paid $260 by being patient. Waiting 6 weeks saved me over $10 a week. I would have waited another 26 weeks to get one free - wouldn't you? Maybe not . . .

Panic buying is one thing, having the latest toy to brag on at the range is another, especially when there is an impression of rarity. For my money, I'd rather wait and spend less for a better alternative - not go along with the crowd - and have more to show for it when all is said and done.

 

[Prion]

I agree that the panic is receeding a bit. Once it starts to ebb it will lose steam and fall off quickly. People who are panic buyers are pretty fickle. I think people enjoy being in the panic mode, makes them feel important, they 'need' to buy now. A want because an all important need. It's like natural disasters, some people can't wait for them because they feel special, important and empowered in their otherwise boring, mundane lives. Just wait a while, things will return to normal and the crisis addicts will get bored and move onto the next 'emergency'.

 

[Duke of Doubt]

For the record, we did not supply Osama, nor was he a particularly active or effective mujahedin leader. He self-financed (he's a construction heir) the acquisition of weapons, ammunition and followers. His force was ill-trained and considered useless by Rabbani and other mujahedin. Other leaders liked his money, so they let him tag along. Whenever he proposed some sort of military action it would be a mass suicide attack. The others would politely decline his assistance, and then have a good laugh at his expense over the hash pipe once he was out of the yurt.