How will the recession affect gun purchases?
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DKA
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It is for sure that the economy has slowed, but not in a recession. The Liberals and Main Stream Media are screaming recession everyday and if the people listen, there probably will be a recession before it is over. The last gun show that I attended last month, there were so many people there that you could not walk down
an isle with people running into you and most of them carrying bags or guns or both. I am wanting to buy a 44 Magnum and thought some of the ones yelling would have to sell theirs, because of the bad economy, but it has not happened yet.
an isle with people running into you and most of them carrying bags or guns or both. I am wanting to buy a 44 Magnum and thought some of the ones yelling would have to sell theirs, because of the bad economy, but it has not happened yet.
K3
Member
The local gunshop I frequent is selling like crazy. He can't keep WASRs and ARs in stock for very long. He's always got several on the shelf, but I know he's turning over his inventory pretty fast. Milsurps are moving pretty well too.
As for me, I'm mostly rounding out my reloading stuff. I've got plenty of brass, powder, and primers, but I'm always coming up with the odd tool that I want.
Same goes with accessories. I've bought a few sets of Williams irons, a scope here and there, slings, etc.
IOW, I'm proceeding as normal and not letting the media fearmongering bother me. In fact, I just took a position closer to home that pays more. $5500 a year salary bump AND $250-$300 per month in fuel savings.
As for me, I'm mostly rounding out my reloading stuff. I've got plenty of brass, powder, and primers, but I'm always coming up with the odd tool that I want.
Same goes with accessories. I've bought a few sets of Williams irons, a scope here and there, slings, etc.
IOW, I'm proceeding as normal and not letting the media fearmongering bother me. In fact, I just took a position closer to home that pays more. $5500 a year salary bump AND $250-$300 per month in fuel savings.
R.W.Dale
Member
PFFT! If you can't make it on half that it's YOUR fault.
I don't make even 50k and I have more money to blow on guns than EVER even with the wife quitting her job. No pay raises, no lotter wins, no inheritance. All I did was sell a car I owed on and use my tax refunds to pay off almost ALL of my debt excluding the mortgage.
I'm what Dave Ramsey calls "recession proof" at only 30 yrs old...... Which reminds me I need to get off the computer and finish the tune up on my $750 van so I can go to the range later and shoot my $1000+ 7.62x39mm benchrest rig
R.W.Dale
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WOW! that didn't take long. Welcome to THR!
BammaYankee
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One silver lining is (I hope) that the cost of things will encourage folks to slow down and think more about the rounds they shoot. I think it's a shame that our country's proud tradition of marksmanship has declined to such a state that 'minute of backstop' has sadly become increasingly acceptable to many.
Sans Authoritas
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Aye. It really is past time for people to reprioritize what they're spending their money on, in every area of their lives.
Despite the current price of ammo unpleasant, practice with .22 LR has always been a good investment.
-Sans Authoritas
Despite the current price of ammo unpleasant, practice with .22 LR has always been a good investment.
-Sans Authoritas
JohnBT
Member
I remember being poor(er) and budgeting a year at a time for insurance, taxes, tires, heat and the like. Not no mo'.
This is year 2 of me having a lot more money than time (or energy some days.) Of course, I paid my home off 10 years ago and now I can pretty much buy what I want and bank the rest.
OTOH, I looked at a new nickeled Colt SAA Friday while I was over in the Valley visiting my parents. They take my checks and the gun was only $1500-something, but I realized that I've barely shot the last gun I bought due to a lack of time.
John
This is year 2 of me having a lot more money than time (or energy some days.) Of course, I paid my home off 10 years ago and now I can pretty much buy what I want and bank the rest.
OTOH, I looked at a new nickeled Colt SAA Friday while I was over in the Valley visiting my parents. They take my checks and the gun was only $1500-something, but I realized that I've barely shot the last gun I bought due to a lack of time.
John
The economy right now is probably in some serious trouble.
Yesterday I went out to get some kerosene, and the price per gallon had jumped up to $13.50
And just last month it had been 9 dollars a gallon.
I switched from electric lighting to kerosene to cut down on bills, but right now, it seems like the cost of kerosene is catching up with electric rates.
Yesterday I went out to get some kerosene, and the price per gallon had jumped up to $13.50
And just last month it had been 9 dollars a gallon.I switched from electric lighting to kerosene to cut down on bills, but right now, it seems like the cost of kerosene is catching up with electric rates.
R.W.Dale
Member
I'm pretty sure that happened in the 1920's.
Ohio Gun Guy
Member
Ever since WW2 our economy has been an oil / transportation reliant economy. We didn't do anything about that for 60+ years except try every trick in the book with our foreign policy to secure oil, and it didn't work very well. Now the world knows we MUST buy, and we have not done anything to help ourselves (Drill or refign). So here we sit. If gas was 20.00 per gallon tommorrow, you and I would have the choice of staying home and not getting a paycheck, or forking over 20.00 per gallon. We really need to do something about this! We have had 60+ years! 
(Either secure our own oil, or use something else.)
And that is true for ever produt and service we use also! :banghead:
Oh yeah. The last 2 times I have been in the local gun shop, they have been slammed. I actuall asked and they said much the same as several posts above.... "It usually picks up around major elections. But this year it is especailly buisy and its not letting up like in years prior." Again, its the AKs, ARs, pistols, etc.
(Either secure our own oil, or use something else.) And that is true for ever produt and service we use also! :banghead:
Oh yeah. The last 2 times I have been in the local gun shop, they have been slammed. I actuall asked and they said much the same as several posts above.... "It usually picks up around major elections. But this year it is especailly buisy and its not letting up like in years prior." Again, its the AKs, ARs, pistols, etc.
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It bears repeating, a recession is when your neighbor loses his job a depression is when you lose yours. The cost of everything is going up so sure as heck people will change their buying habits as to what they want the most.
Food and fuel are really going to hit people hard and as property values go down taxes will rise to cover government needs. Intrest rates will rise and that $800 dollar gun will end up costing you $1100 by the time you get it paid for.
The price of guns will keep going up till people quit buying them. So will ammo
Then they will just quit making them and sell the commodities used to make them to China. Keep buying Chinese goods so they can get our commodities.:banghead:
jj
The cost of everything is going up so sure as heck people will change their buying habits as to what they want the most.Food and fuel are really going to hit people hard and as property values go down taxes will rise to cover government needs. Intrest rates will rise and that $800 dollar gun will end up costing you $1100 by the time you get it paid for.
The price of guns will keep going up till people quit buying them. So will ammo
Then they will just quit making them and sell the commodities used to make them to China. Keep buying Chinese goods so they can get our commodities.:banghead:jj
I was just discussing this with our local shop owner and he told me that business has been great the last 6 quaters. People are nervious about the up coming election and about recent home invasions. Their pistol classes are full every weekend. He did say that he is waioting for the "bubble" to shrink a bit, but does not think it will happen for another year or so. I know I'm buying what I can.
JohnBT
Member
"If gas was 20.00 per gallon tommorrow, you and I would have the choice of staying home and not getting a paycheck, or forking over 20.00 per gallon."
I'd just keep walking. I've been talking about moving out to the ever expanding 'burbs, or to the country, since I bought my house in the city in 1980. I never did because I'm only 6 blocks from the office.
John
I'd just keep walking. I've been talking about moving out to the ever expanding 'burbs, or to the country, since I bought my house in the city in 1980. I never did because I'm only 6 blocks from the office.
John
I sold my sporting goods business but still give advise when asked my the new owners, their not seeing any down turn as a matter of fact sales are the same or a little better then last year, I think the rate of sales may be regional more then because of the economy.
MagnumDweeb
Member
Myself personally, of course. I go to a casino about an hour away if I follow the speed limit (but what V8 engine was ever built to go only seventy on the highway) and it's my primary method of purchasing firearms, actually it has become my only method. In the last eight months I picked up an $2,830 after gas (I always fill my gas tank to the full before I leave) and food for the casion trip (dinner and early breakfast). With the exception of the Super Bowl which I think was technically before the 'recession' and my winnings that I used to buy a Heritage Rough Rider .22lr and few thousand rounds of ammo (9mm, .22lr 550 economy packs at 16 bucks a piece, .357 Magnum, and .44 Magnum) I put the whole sum in the bank. Now granted it was in part me not being able to bring myself to buy another gun before I got a reloading setup(the house I live at where rent for masterbedroom is dirt cheap and the homeowner pays me to keep the place clean and fix it up) which I can't have at my current residence and in part because I'm in law school and when you are looking at after scholarship paying twenty grand a year for the difference in tuition and living expenses, it's hard to make a buy. Plus I already own a Ruger SBH .44 Magnum, Rossi snubby .357 Interarms production, Arcus 9mm 94C, Ruger P90, and now Heritage Rough Rider .22lr/.22mag. Plus a shotgun and Yugo Mauser so I was trying to bring myself to part with one of my handguns and quite bring myself to do that yet so I keep putting money in the bank everytime my winnings reach about 700-800. This last week I walked out after food and gas with $249.
I wil say having been to the gunshow just this last weekened there was a lot of people looking to sell used guns privately and very few people looking to buy. My buddy who works at the local overpriced gunshop was there and I when I stoped by Sunday an hour before closing he had to ward off a few collleagues from me who were desperate to make a sale. This time last year he told me, they sold about seventy percent less new guns this year, luckily they had a bunch of police trade-ins in .357 Magnum and 9mm that he had managed to make a decent commission for himself given that he's a big time .357 Magnum fan like myself and could truly 'sell' the gun and caliber itself to the first time interested buyers. Still the used gun sales was down about 50%.
Now that's not to say all gun stores aren't selling well, one local shop where I buy ammo that's prices and quality of ammo is competitive with Wal-mart (and they sometimes cut me a deal on bulk buys because they know I go to them almost exclusively for ammo) has been doing alright considering they sell guns of lesser known brands that the over-priced shops won't like firestorm, Armscor (Rock Island), FEG productions, Cobra, Skyy, and Taurus productions I haven't found elsewhere. Now granted I live in Casselberry not too far from Orlando meaning we have large populations of liberal yankees and northerners who have no desire to own guns but if you go to Eustis here in Florida, guns sales are through the roof because the IPSA range I patronise has gotten wise and kept it's gun prices as low as possible prefering volume over price plus special sales means like putting red dots on price tags which gives the buyer a 100 dollar gift card good for ammo, cleaning supplies, and holstesr, etc. just not the firearm itself.
I feel (and slightly hope) a gun bubble is coming as people who already own guns hold off on new purchases as other things become more important (savings, mortgage payments, gas, and groceries) and new comers are hopefully smart enough to bargain shop as I point people in the directions of pawn shops (where there are some pretty great deals like Ruger P89s going for 300 and 629s going for 450 [If I didn't want the .460 Magnum I'd get one] and Taurus productions going for between 300-350) but if there is a bubble it may well be far off as the bad things coming down the pipe.
I wil say having been to the gunshow just this last weekened there was a lot of people looking to sell used guns privately and very few people looking to buy. My buddy who works at the local overpriced gunshop was there and I when I stoped by Sunday an hour before closing he had to ward off a few collleagues from me who were desperate to make a sale. This time last year he told me, they sold about seventy percent less new guns this year, luckily they had a bunch of police trade-ins in .357 Magnum and 9mm that he had managed to make a decent commission for himself given that he's a big time .357 Magnum fan like myself and could truly 'sell' the gun and caliber itself to the first time interested buyers. Still the used gun sales was down about 50%.
Now that's not to say all gun stores aren't selling well, one local shop where I buy ammo that's prices and quality of ammo is competitive with Wal-mart (and they sometimes cut me a deal on bulk buys because they know I go to them almost exclusively for ammo) has been doing alright considering they sell guns of lesser known brands that the over-priced shops won't like firestorm, Armscor (Rock Island), FEG productions, Cobra, Skyy, and Taurus productions I haven't found elsewhere. Now granted I live in Casselberry not too far from Orlando meaning we have large populations of liberal yankees and northerners who have no desire to own guns but if you go to Eustis here in Florida, guns sales are through the roof because the IPSA range I patronise has gotten wise and kept it's gun prices as low as possible prefering volume over price plus special sales means like putting red dots on price tags which gives the buyer a 100 dollar gift card good for ammo, cleaning supplies, and holstesr, etc. just not the firearm itself.
I feel (and slightly hope) a gun bubble is coming as people who already own guns hold off on new purchases as other things become more important (savings, mortgage payments, gas, and groceries) and new comers are hopefully smart enough to bargain shop as I point people in the directions of pawn shops (where there are some pretty great deals like Ruger P89s going for 300 and 629s going for 450 [If I didn't want the .460 Magnum I'd get one] and Taurus productions going for between 300-350) but if there is a bubble it may well be far off as the bad things coming down the pipe.
RockyMtnTactical
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Bad times usually mean more crime and therefore more need for guns...
Ala Dan
Member in memoriam
I don't think the recession figures will peak until after the Nov. 4th
Presidential election; then things may change drastically~! For
the good, that is. You see, if the democratic nominee where
to accidentally get elected; I think there will be a mad rush, with
consumers purchasing more firearms- certainly not less~!
That is why my signature line reads the way it does, cuz the N.R.A.
is the best 2nd amendment fight going.
Presidential election; then things may change drastically~!
Forthe good, that is.
You see, if the democratic nominee whereto accidentally get elected; I think there will be a mad rush, with
consumers purchasing more firearms- certainly not less~!
That is why my signature line reads the way it does, cuz the N.R.A.
is the best 2nd amendment fight going.
Green Lantern
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- Aug 16, 2006
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- 1,665
Unless all-out war breaks out in my locale, I think it's safe to say I have all the guns I *need.*
The guns I *want,* THAT'S a different story. But I'm not even THINKING about buying another one until I've totally wiped out my credit card debt, have my car payment down to under $x,xxx (not sure yet), AND have $x,xxx (again, not sure how much exactly) put aside in savings.
Now, don't pity me too bad - I've done the math, and unless something goes wrong I should have those goals met by no later than this time next year. I'm shooting for early 2009, optimistically...
I REALLY didn't need to buy a Garand when I did...but it's not like they'll be around forever. And as a reassurance that I was right to go for it, ammo went up RIGHT after I got mine!
With the economy shaky, I expect ALL "fun" spending to drop a good deal - but moreso with more expensive items like guns.
Then again, this may be offset A BIT by first-time gun-owners seeing the possibility of "hard times" ahead and a NEED for self-defense...
The guns I *want,* THAT'S a different story. But I'm not even THINKING about buying another one until I've totally wiped out my credit card debt, have my car payment down to under $x,xxx (not sure yet), AND have $x,xxx (again, not sure how much exactly) put aside in savings.
Now, don't pity me too bad - I've done the math, and unless something goes wrong I should have those goals met by no later than this time next year. I'm shooting for early 2009, optimistically...
I REALLY didn't need to buy a Garand when I did...but it's not like they'll be around forever. And as a reassurance that I was right to go for it, ammo went up RIGHT after I got mine!
With the economy shaky, I expect ALL "fun" spending to drop a good deal - but moreso with more expensive items like guns.
Then again, this may be offset A BIT by first-time gun-owners seeing the possibility of "hard times" ahead and a NEED for self-defense...
JohnBT
Member
"How will the recession affect gun purchases?"
It could get expensive for me if prices drop any. I'm a sucker for a sale.
I stopped by the area's largest gun store yesterday to look at Colt and USFA SAA's and they had Beretta autoloaders marked down $75 or $100. Might be a good time for me to get one - maybe a Parallel Target or whatever the name is.
They had a 5.5" Colt in .38 Sp. I liked, but I'm still pondering the choices.
John
It could get expensive for me if prices drop any. I'm a sucker for a sale.
I stopped by the area's largest gun store yesterday to look at Colt and USFA SAA's and they had Beretta autoloaders marked down $75 or $100. Might be a good time for me to get one - maybe a Parallel Target or whatever the name is.
They had a 5.5" Colt in .38 Sp. I liked, but I'm still pondering the choices.
John
Yeah, all the "fun" spending is seriously reined in for everybody except the super rich.
I will admit a lot of my firearms expenses fall into the "fun" category. I reason that my firearms will always hold value. So it is kind of like money in the bank.
I think we are on parity with the rest of the developed nations for the cost of gasoline. Might as well get used to it.
I will admit a lot of my firearms expenses fall into the "fun" category. I reason that my firearms will always hold value. So it is kind of like money in the bank.
I think we are on parity with the rest of the developed nations for the cost of gasoline. Might as well get used to it.
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