Some shopping observations

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Glenn E. Meyer

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I've been stopping by local sporting goods stores and also Bass Pro. Not to be in a panic but looking for bargains on other stuff (like socks) as I have the time off.

At the gun counters, I've noticed:

1. The EBRs are gone. Bolt guns are there and interestingly, tactical type shotguns.

2. Handguns are low but some Springfields and Berettas around around.

3. NO mags except some 5 round AR mags.

4. Ammo - 9s, 45s and 22 LR are gone. Same with 223. Interesting, I've seen a good deal of 40 SW still in stock as is 38 SPL, 31 ACP and 380. Since these are common in SD - I thought they would be gone but not around here.

If you shoot 44 mag or 41 or 22 WMR - plenty around. Lots of 308.

So what else do you see in what remains as compared to what is gone?
 
I was in Adventure Outdoors today. They still had about a dozen ARs - Bushmasters and DPMS. They had all been marked up over $2,000. They had 1 used FAL (couldn't tell if it was a CAI or a homebuild) for $1,800, and 2 M1As for $4,000.

I talked to one of the counter clerks. He said that they had sold over 3,000 guns since the Newtown incident and they were sold out of 223/5.56. The still had lots and lots of handguns and combat style shotguns.

Curiously, they had sold out of their Mosin Nagants in the last two weeks.
 
Went to Wal-Mart today to fill some perscriptions for my aunt and decided to browse the gun counter to kill some time.

No rifles other than a hodge podge of lever, bolt, and tube fed .22s with the exception of some Ruger American rifles in .243.

The only shotguns were a couple of Remington Versa-Max waterfowl guns and 870 youth model 20 guage pumps.

Ammo pickings were slim, no 22LR, 9mm, .223, .308, or 7.62x39.

A few boxes of .45 and .38 Spl. Some 16 ga hunting loads and some light field loads, but no buckshot or slugs.

Did find some #5 Winchester turkley loads for six dollars a box. Score!

But other than that, nothing, looked sad.
 
At my local gun shop, reloading supplies of all sorts with the exception of some .338 Winchester magnum dies, have been sold out, or gone as soon as being restocked since the election.
 
suply and panic demand

Last Tuesday (a few days after Conn. events), I went to LGS to buy some 9mm. I go every few weeks.

  • all 9mm gone
  • all 223 gone
  • all ARs except 22 cal. gone

Normally, 3 to 5 customers in the small store. There were 15 or 20 trying to buy everything.

Went back next day, lots of lesser quality ammo flying off the shelves and still long guns left.

This past week end was a small gun show. My friend at work went 1 hour before opening to be in front of line. He was willing to pay an extra $200 for a colt AR. No ARs except a used up colt for $1500.

He guessed 4 times as many people than normal when he left empty handed. :confused:
 
My observations are the same. Most sporting goods stores and even Walmart are out of their usual EBR's and ammo.

I'm wondering when this whole frenzy will die down, or if it will at all...
 
Same story in my area. ARs, AKs and high capacity magazines are all gone. Slim pickings with ammo. More ARs, AKs and high capacity mags are ordered but you will pay higher than the MSRP on all of it. It seems there are lots of folks willing to pay premium prices. Several of the internet sites, I have purchased from in the past, used to sell steel AK 30 round mags for $19.95. Now those same sites, have those mags listed at $49.95 (and folks appear to be buying them at that price). I'm going to wait until the panic buying stops.
 
Are any of y'all observing any sort of a run on 15+rd double-stack semi-auto pistols in your area?

I've only made it to one store since the craze hit, and I also observed that the EBR's were all gone except for the .22LR lookalikes and the really pricey ($3,000+) models. However, sales of double-stack pistols- while certainly vigorous- didn't seem as crazed as in Dec 2008, and a quick search of GB didn't reveal any unusually inflated* prices on pistol stuff except for some large lots of used mags.

*Disregarding the usual inflated prices from a few sellers fishing for suckers. :rolleyes: I only paid attention to auctions that actually had bids.
 
At an LGS today and the local Academy Sports.

LGS, $1200 Romanian AK, they had plenty of handgun mags (no AR15 mags of course).

Academy, no ARs for over a week now. 223 all gone, 9mm about 95% gone, plenty of 40/45, plenty of all other rifle ammo. The most notable thing to me is how there is no 22LR to be had.

Are any of y'all observing any sort of a run on 15+rd double-stack semi-auto pistols in your area?
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I think the wild buying is focused on AR/AK types. Some of the handguns are getting swept up in the mix, but I think that is more from people wanting something for defense, not rushing to buy before it's "banned".
 
I've noticed virtually the same. Still can find some 40S&W, occasional 38spl, and pistols/bolt rifles/shotguns are in stock (mostly). 223, 22lr, 9mm, and mostly 7.62x39 are GONE.

Something that trips me out is... what's with the run on the 22 ammo? There's virtually no threat of a .22lr ban in any way shape or form. Maybe the fact that it's already cheap and easy to stock up on combined with a fear of an excise tax on it?
 
yesterday a local walmart had a few boxes of .40cal and .22LR left. no 9mm or .223 ammo. plenty of shotgun ammo.


the run on .22LR surprised me. maybe ammo shoppers wanted to leave with *something* they could use.
 
I'm still just trying to find .45.

The local Cabelas reported selling "THREE YEARS worth" of AR-15 magazines in 3 days.

I have no idea what three years worth is, numerically, but geez...
 
Stopped by Dunham's to check sale ammo while Christmas Shopping, the only .223 to be found was Z-Max.

Had literally case upon case of 7.62x39 though
 
Same in my state. We have the largest gun show in the state this weekend 29-30. Usually get dealers from surrounding ststes. After the 08 election, it was standing room only. It will be interesting to see if things are the same.
Half the state is snowed in however which might have an effect.
 
The little tiny "Wee-Mart" in Santa Rosa Beach had a feller amble up to the sporting goods counter with a blank check... When he left a manager was dragging a big ol' "L-cart" laden with $5,000+ worth of ONLY ammo... He left the birdshot and a few sizes of pistol ammo and all of the 50 count .22lr boxes...

Keep in mind that this store is MICRO sized compared to other walmart stores so it was surprising to me to learn it even had room in the ammo locker for 5K worth:eek:

Brent
 
Was just at the local Fleet farm.They have 1 rock river on rack(5.45)for 1050$ and most ammo(no 223 or 5.56) still on shelves.
 
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Went to the local Wal-Mart for groceries and wandered thru Sporting Goods while there. Ammo was pretty much gone, but was able to get some 158gr 357 Mag ammo. Was surprised to see that they had a S&W MP-15-22 and a Sig 522 rifle on display. The S&W was priced at $427 and the Sig at $499. Wandered over to the Academy for grins and they were attempting to re-stock ammo. Shoppers were in a feeding frenzy and was grabbing it out of the stock cart before store employees could get it on the shelf. I was surprised to see that they had 10 boxes of 38 Super and 10 boxes of 10mm Auto on the shelf. Prices were about $4.00 a box higher than usual prices I have seen. 50 round boxes of CCI Stinger 22 LR ammo seem to be about $2.00 a box higher at $5.99 a box.
 
The LGS sold all of their ARs by the 23rd. This was more than 500. He had to hire extra staff to keep up. He had also sold out of SKSs and was running out of AKs No ammo in common calibers.

The Big Gun Store in the City has sold more than 2000 AR's. He got ready before the election. I went by there on the 21st and they were breaking every fire code in the county with the number of people in the store. As I could not physically fit in the store I could not see how many AR's he had left. I did notice that the several 5' high pallets of ammo he had piled in the store before the election were greatly sold down. I noticed the owner sitting peacefully by the door checking receipts for people leaving as people crowded around the sales desk. There were 300+ people in the store in the middle of the work day on the 21st.

The LGS guy said it was the perfect storm of election, Christmas, shooting and tearful presidential addresses. Strangely he did not even look happy even though he was making a dump truck full of cash. It was almost like a crazed going out of business sale where everything had been marked up a little. He said AR's that he carries were now back ordered for 18 months (PSA, DPMS, Bushmaster) but he would get them in occasionally.

All of the Walmarts in North West Alabama that carry ARs are totally sold out and probably won't see any for a while.
 
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