Is the gun market down currently?

[WiTom]

Wait until these new and improved electric bills come in from this cold spell, so much money coming in to so much money going out means you have to quit buying certain things. Still alot of money floating out there, but less for the general masses to split up, but for me, the lack of cheaper primers make up my mind, on certain guns, as I like to reload for most everything I shoot. I haven't ran out of anything but I also don't want to, as I under estimated the lack of primers for life, and that affects what I shoot,and new buying.

 

[jmorris]

I haven't ran out of anything but I also don't want to, as I under estimated the lack of primers for life, and that affects what I shoot,and new buying.

That sums me up too but I have been around long enough to see all of the feasts and high prices turn into famine and good deals. It’s a cycle, I don’t like to see any firearm related business go through hard times because that reduces choices; however, they have to be scared enough to offer their products at reasonable prices or I won’t buy anything from them.

The firearm and related supplies market was hotter than even Obama part II and Sandyhook made them or Clinton’s AWB. If the pool of firearms MFG’s is too large and you have created too much overhead in great times to sustain your company during the lean years, maybe you should start thinking about diversification.

 

[kimberkid]

<SNIP>
As for guns themselves, I'm not really on the market, so I'm not paying attention.

This would be me too … I’m in my mid 60’s, been in the shooting sports since I was 10 so, although my interests have changed several times, occasionally something will come along but I’ve got about everything I want. I roll my own and have seen droughts and our market fluctuate many times, so I started stocking up on 22LR’s and components years ago on the calibers that are important to me.

 

[Hooda Thunkit]

This would be me too … I’m in my mid 60’s, been in the shooting sports since I was 10 so, although my interests have changed several times, occasionally something will come along but I’ve got about everything I want. I roll my own and have seen droughts and our market fluctuate many times, so I started stocking up on 22LR’s and components years ago on the calibers that are important to me.

This sounds like my biography. loading my own for 35+ years, casting for a decade.

Occasionally I'll fall across an unusual piece that I've gotta have, but it better be something really neat for me to buy it. I just don't need to tool up for yet another cartridge that won't do anything that 3 of the ones I have now will do.

Right now a single-shot in 38-55, or even 25-20 would catch my attention, but other than that....

 

[Archie]

I must confess, I'm in the same mode as Hooda Thunkit, not (in the market) looking for new guns. My interest is in older items. They may have calmed down a bit with inflation and the value of a dollar, but not like the shiny new gun market. That seems to have quieted down a bit. Loaded handgun ammunition seems to be falling, not to pre-panic levels, but down from the 'high panic' era.

Still waiting for smokeless powder and primers to calm down - or just be available. Eh; everything cycles.

 

[Bfh_auto]

Don't be fooled. Gas prices going from $4 to $3.65 is still double than just 3 years ago

I agree. Also try buying milk and eggs. They're 2-3 times higher than before.
To stay gun related. Chemicals to make powder and primers is up. Labor pool has shrunk. So price is high compared to before without calculating for demand.

 

[Ignition Override]

Some semi-auto centerfire rifle ( Buy Now ) prices on GB never went up much, possibly because of the ban on Russian ammo.

The Zastava ZPAP (frequent price drop to $900-$950: “Bud’s”), PTR-91 and Czechpoint Vz-58 are not much above 2019 prices.

Also, the very popular Polish WBP Fox AKM, imported in waves.

 

[huntsman]

As the good ship USA flounders and sinks the crew and passengers will jettison the wants for needs.

do you really need a half dozen handguns? This epiphany will be reached in mass then you’ll see the glut, and true values.

 

[Taurus 617 CCW]

Yes things have slowed down considerably, as predicted by historical panic buys. If history repeats itself this slump will continue until mid 2024. Then buying will increase due to uncertainty of election results. Unfortunately the firearms industry is extremely volatile and cyclical. On the manufacturing side some companies have backed out of signed purchase orders or ghosted the shops that make their parts. This doesn't help the industry at all concerning stability. I work in this industry and have inside knowledge. What I have not seen catch up to pre-cerveza bug levels is primers. They are available but not regularly on store shelves or in varieties commonly used such as large rifle/large rifle magnum primers.

 

[InTheSwamp]

I've started to notice that guns and ammo that would have flown off the shelves a year ago are sitting for weeks or months on end. Items on GunBroker aren't selling and guns that were bought during the panic by people uninterested in firearms are showing up for sale with increased frequency. Are we seeing a downturn in the market? Do you think prices will go back down to pre 2020 levels?

Every market is down, - perhaps, speculation is the exception -, and there's only so much a gun lover would spend. We all have bills to pay, gas to buy and lots of uncertainty to throw around. We need to eat before we shoot.

 

[Styx]

It's a fact that firearm sales are way down via the stock market for publicly traded firearm manufacturers. They all have admitted as much. During the pandemic, people were worried about their safety, had their electric, gas, and rent paid for by the government, and everyone was given thousands of dollars total I'm free money. People were even allowed to take from their 401k without any red tape or early withdrawal penalties. That ship had sailed, and the roosters have come home to roost. Even I am way worst off than I was a year ago l, and I have stop buying anything firearm relay.

 

[TTv2]

More people have guns than want guns.
I don't think prices will go down much.
It's a lot easier to find excuses to raise prices than it is to find excuses to lower.

The costs of manufacturing have gone up thanks to higher energy costs and inflation, thus the need to keep up with wages, but businesses need to have customers to stay in business and if the customers are saying they can't spend X amount of dollars on Product, then the asking price for the Product must go down and businesses have to find ways to cut costs.

Which means be prepared for a major decline in already diminishing quality, that or we're all going to start seeing the lowest priced firearms that companies make flood the shelves as that's all most will be able to buy as companies can't be making higher priced guns that people aren't buy and can't turn a profit on.

If Ruger can make a profit on the Wrangler and Security 9 and LCP II, then that's what they'll produce most of. If Kel Tec can sell the P17 and P15, but not the P50, then don't expect to see P50's getting made until the market turns.

So, prices can come down, especially on new production guns because there are plenty of them out there on the used market and unlike cars, guns are not necessities, at least not new ones.

With how many were sold the past few years, we may see a heck of a crash in the firearm market. The benefit that may come of that is more companies producing budget lines like Ruger did with the Wrangler. We may see a Super Wrangler that's the size of the Blackhawk, but chambered for .32 Mag and .38 Special and it costs $250. Might start seeing companies start making higher quality Ring of Fire clones just to generate sales.

I have no doubts we're going to start hearing of lay offs from the industry on the production side of things. 2nd and 3rd shifts are always the first to go.

 

[TTv2]

Every market is down, - perhaps, speculation is the exception -, and there's only so much a gun lover would spend. We all have bills to pay, gas to buy and lots of uncertainty to throw around. We need to eat before we shoot.

I've toned it down the past few years, but that was largely because of the lack of availability. Most of my shooting is based around reloading and I wasn't willing to spend the $35 for a box of ammo to go shoot. Primers have been MIA for nearly 3 yrs now and my preferred powders also have been scarce, as well as guns, so for me I've been in a holding pattern since COVID.

I have bought a few guns since 2020, but it was much less than in years past. That said, if all the guns on my list became available tomorrow and stayed available for the next few months, I'd buy all of them because I've been waiting so long to buy them.

Until those guns and reloading supplies get back in stock, I'm only shooting the cheap, common calibers I don't reload for (.22, 9mm) when I do go shooting, but this past year I've gotten back into video games as I have about a backlog of about 50 games I've bought (on sale) that I have been itching to play. Cheap entertainment that doesn't require me to step out into Arctic temperatures to enjoy.

 

[Remington1911]

First off I don't think we are in a recession, I think it is a full on depression.

Second I was one to always buy guns, now the money is going to other things. I was never a "prepper" and saw those folk as half a bubble off plumb.....but, do you know how long canned ham lasts.....long time. I have discovered that I really like oil lamps. And I am cutting more firewood then ever before, and thinking a log splitter might be a good idea. As well as setting up a solar and wind power deal. If/when they start with these rolling blackouts I will have other options past my propane gen.

That is where my new gun money is going. I am still buying components however when I can find them, and reloading like never before. While I think "zombies" are something that is not going to happen in my life time, I don't rule it out. 200 rifle rounds this past weekend after Christmas.

 

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

I have money for guns but there's nothing out there I really want---still haven't seen a Ruger/Marlin out in the wild or even the new .308 semi-auto rifle.

Got back into archery and have been spending time with that also.

 

[Jimbo80]

All of the deals I struck this year on old pocket pistols cost me less than they would have pre Covid. I expect the retail market to come down quite a bit more.

 

[theotherwaldo]

My gun market is down.
Then again, I'm into milsurps, classics and antiques.
Within my sizable weapons archive there are only two that I purchased new: a '58 Remington clone from the early 1970s and a Hi-Point carbine.
Most new guns are boring - and lose too much value too quickly... .

 

[hso]

Are we seeing a downturn in the market?

More a return to normal than downturn.

 

[Will Munny]

I would not call this a downturn by any streach. For a long time shelf prices were below market clearing prices, hence no availability. Due to demand satiation and rising supply along with changes in retailing practice the shelf prices are now market clearing. But those prices are well above pre-covid levels. And we are dangerously close to a shift in power in Washington causing an all out run on everything again.

 

[Ignition Override]

This glut was clearly predicted in late 2020 when the “Appeasement/ Let’s Weaken America Riot$

(so the leaders could become millionaires)” finally stopped,

people began to realize that “Re-funding the Police for high-crime neighborhoods” was needed for the national spikes in Violent Crime (plus DAs soft on rape, murder) , and announcements about first distributions of Covid vaccines sank in.

So…how is this “2020 first-time gun owner” glut a surprise?

 

[Will Munny]

This glut was clearly predicted in late 2020 when the “Appeasement/ Let’s Weaken America (so the leaders could become millionaires)” Riots” finally stopped (most),

people began to realize that “Re-funding the Police for high-crime neighborhoods” was needed for the national spikes in Violent Crime (plus DAs soft on rape, murder) , and announcements about first distributions of Covid vaccines sank in.

So…how is this glut a surprise?

I don't see the end of riots as having predicted/caused any of this. The fact is, even when the riots stopped the people who had realized they needed a gun were planning on buying one reguardless because they had seen the writing on the wall. Nor is this a glut. What it is, if anything, is a return to market clearing shelf prices as opposed to ludicrously underpriced "ghost" prices for non-existant stock.
Also, bearing in mind how many firearms were purchased during the last few years the idea that some level of satiation has happened is not hard to believe.
The soft on crime approach continues, so that has nothing to do with current condions.

 

[Zendude]

Some items are down, others are up. 9mm ammo is down, 38 is still up. Taurus and Charter revolvers are down, but S&W j frames are up.

 

[Walkalong]

Wandered off topic and got political.