How Many Gun Shops That You Know Of...

J

Joe_Pike

New member
...have gone out of business due to periods of panic? I thought November 2008 was bad, but this beats it by a long shot. Most manufactures of firearms are now back ordered for 12+ months and I imagine ammo suppliers are right there with them. This can't be good for small shops. They buy inventory in relatively small quantities and if it isn't available they will not be able to replace it any time soon. There was no way for them to foresee the future and stock up on desirable products, so, I wonder how they will be able to stay in business over the next few months. Retailers like Bass Pro sell a lot of different products, so they are not as reliant on firearms as some. One of my favorite shops is very small and I worry that they may have to close if there is nothing to sell.
 
Too soon to panic. Small shops have the advantage of being able to provide personal service. New gun sales are not the only revenue stream for local gun shops. We don't know what the next few years will bring in regards to gun control laws. That is the concern.
 
It depends on the business plan of the LGS, most owners I've known over time make it a point to not rely on firearms sales as their primary form of profit. The sales are just too finicky. Instead they choose to rely on other products in the store, reloading components, clothing, services provided, etc. High ticket items like firearms tend to be a slim profit margin item, hopefully they learned lessons from 2008 and are planned around it.
 
Well, this shop has been in business quite some time, but there main line of business is firearms. They do pawn items, but again, they mostly pawn firearms. It is a tiny place with not much overhead, so, who knows what will happen.

I do remember someone posting four years ago about a gun shop(s) that went out of business becuase they couldn't get orders delivered after the election.
 
There's a good chance that some of the newer and smaller dealers will go under.

The big question is this: how long can you go without cash flow? At the moment, everything (and I mean everything) is allocated. Dealers are looking at a possible two months' worth of drought on product.

Even then, the available product will be snapped up by Bud's, CTD, Cabela's and the like, leaving local dealers to grovel for crumbs. Prices are going to go up. They have to.

Assuming supply is a bit better in March, you'll have another bout of hoarding every time someone opens their mouth about gun control on the news. It's going to be a long year, and some dealers won't make it through.
 
The only LGS's to go out of business that I know of went out due to either poor location (an otherwise deserted indoor shopping mall) or ATF records violations and a zoning board issue. In the same amount of time, several more small shops and ranges have opened up and/or expanded.
 
Around here, gunshops only seem to close when they are a one-man operation, and that one man dies. Sometimes not even then.

We have one gunshop where one of the owners sold a gun to a nutcase with no background check, the nutcase killed a cop with it, the gunshop guy was murdered while in federal custody awaiting trial... And the shop is still there, apparently doing fine.
 
I wasn't into shooting in 2008.
So all this panic buying and ammo shortage has a precedent?
What caused it? How long did it last?
 
I wasn't into shooting in 2008.
So all this panic buying and ammo shortage has a precedent?
What caused it? How long did it last?
Click to expand...

The election of BHO. Everyone thought the new administration would go after guns with new legislation. It was pretty rough in 2009, .380acp was non-existent, and if it was you could pay 75 cents a round. 2010 and 2011 were better, and 2012 was the year everyone should've bought what they wanted while they still could, as prices and inventories leveled off and were pretty good for a while.
 
Im pretty new shooter as i just turned 21 last year and started getting into C&R guns. I have 7 guns (mosin, tok, makarov, 8mm mauser, sks, and a nagant)

I also have a low spending budget for ammo. and this panic sucks i cant find any 8mm, 7.62x39, 9x18, or 7.62x25 anywhere how long will it take for things to even out so i can start shooting again :confused:
 
Keep an eye on Aim Surplus for a lot of imported surplus ammo. They seem to get supplied fairly regularly. Or, at least they did. Seems to be a new world now, though.
 
Thanks for the answer, spanishjames.
But why did Obama's inaugural election incite a spree of panic buying? Is he adamantly anti-gun?

Regarding the current ammo shortage- I have about 1000-2000 rounds each of 7.62x39, 40SW, and 22LR. Would I be wise to reduce my range time, and shoot less, until this mania regresses? Do you think these inflated ammo prices will continue? And if so, for how long?
 
So far the LGSs here are thriving. Not everything is allocated. I see ARs are, and some pistols. So now I am stocking up on levers and single action wheel guns. When one thing drys up folks usually buy another.

Since November these local shops are crowded every day. One in particular, there isn't more than fifteen minutes that there isn't someone there. I have a bud who lives across the road. And this is in a town with about 2k population.
 
But why did Obama's inaugural election incite a spree of panic buying? Is he adamantly anti-gun?
Click to expand...

Does a bear #2 in the woods?

Two questions:

1: Where was BHO a Senator?
2: What is the only State without a provision for CCW (Despite having it's hand slapped by the Supreme Court in McDonald v. Chicago)?

Hint: the answer is the same.


Russian surplus of what?
Click to expand...

Bears. Lots of 'em! ;)

Surplus .mil ammo, silly.
 
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Smart gun store owners know that "banned weapon" scares take place from time to time. They would have purchased lots of assembled AK's, AR's parts, ammo and magazines when they are readily available, and save them for a rainy day. If they did this right, they are making a killing right now. And if everything gets banned, they will have enough money to retire on or start a new business.
 
I know of a great Local Gunshop that I bought two firearms from and was very likely to buy more but they went out of business. Them going out of business really drove me to purchase firearms off of the Internet which really saved me alot of money. Hated to see them go out of business outside the town of Greenville,NC. Other gunshops in the area act as if they are doing the customer a favor by serving them and I refuse to spend my money in them and I had quite a bit to spend with them but they will never know it because I am not a flashy type person and I prefer to keep it that way.
 
Manufacturers being back ordered for 12+ months only means that the manufacturing facilities are going at full blast not that the pipeline is closed down. A small gun store depends on a distributor and what the LGS gets will be based on that relationship.
 
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