A local Missouri Walmart (to my surprise) had on its stand a 16" M4-type rifle with 30-rnd magazine, removable carry handle and telescoping stock! Other gun forum guys around the country threaded seeing them last Friday. These Walmart AR's are said to be the Bushmaster brand, with prices ranging around $800 to $900ish. (State laws varying in their sale, of course.)
Walmart goes AR.
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Technosavant
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Interesting. I'll have to see if they pick them up around here.
I wouldn't be surprised if the Freedom Group (the conglomeration of Remington, Bushmaster, DPMS, and Marlin, with a few others) is using their Remington connection to Walmart to try to move some product from other brands through that retail channel. I don't know that I'd buy an AR from Walmart (I tend to build mine), but nice that they're being sold there.
I wouldn't be surprised if the Freedom Group (the conglomeration of Remington, Bushmaster, DPMS, and Marlin, with a few others) is using their Remington connection to Walmart to try to move some product from other brands through that retail channel. I don't know that I'd buy an AR from Walmart (I tend to build mine), but nice that they're being sold there.
zombieslayer
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Id buy a WallyWorld Bushmaster on impulse. So I hope not to see one at the local store...
Thats where my last Mini 14 came from
Thats where my last Mini 14 came from
tWO Schools of thought-
I am cool with Walmart, generally their products like health and beauty aides, food stuffs, and ammos, are plentiful and cheaply priced - which I like.
And I like Bushmaster, screw what other people say, it's good enough for me. So I'd probably like a Walmart Bushmaster, maybe it'd be really good deal. Especially if it was a $1,000 Walmart Bushmaster ACR!
BUT-
Some people also claim that Walmart gets the bottom of the barrel in firearms- like their Remington 700s are the throw-away-models and their 10/22's are the cheapest etc. - I have had people SWEAR online they abnsolutely KNWO for for a fact Walmart gets lower quality stuff in the same lines/brands ... So who knows.
I am cool with Walmart, generally their products like health and beauty aides, food stuffs, and ammos, are plentiful and cheaply priced - which I like.
And I like Bushmaster, screw what other people say, it's good enough for me. So I'd probably like a Walmart Bushmaster, maybe it'd be really good deal. Especially if it was a $1,000 Walmart Bushmaster ACR!
BUT-
Some people also claim that Walmart gets the bottom of the barrel in firearms- like their Remington 700s are the throw-away-models and their 10/22's are the cheapest etc. - I have had people SWEAR online they abnsolutely KNWO for for a fact Walmart gets lower quality stuff in the same lines/brands ... So who knows.
Technosavant
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The folks claiming Walmart gets "seconds" are the same ones selling guns for more money. Sure, I understand their frustration, but if your local shop had the same kind of volume, they'd get the same kind of deals. It's ludicrous to think that anybody would deliberately and knowingly sell quality impaired guns... first, you're cheapening your brand (may as well not sell there at all, second, it's a warranty claim waiting to happen, and third, if somebody actually does get hurt, the lawsuit will be absolutely EPIC. I've not read of Walmart-purchased guns having a higher rate of issues than the same model through any other channel.
It's hard to say if these ARs are a special run for Walmart (not unknown), a stocking of an existing model, or if they just make Walmart a deal they couldn't refuse for some ARs that have been collecting dust in the warehouse.
I saw one in my Walmart today. It surprised me to see one in their case but then I saw it was priced between 8-900. From what I've seen that is cheap for a rifle in that platform.
To those who think Walmart buys inferior products on the cheap, I can only say the Federal Blue Box .243 Wins I bought for 14.79 plus tax today shoot just like the the same ammo my local gun store wants $16-17 for.
My Walmart is in Washington, MO they don't have a very "gun friendly" manager but today they were loaded on pistol, rifle, and shotgun ammo. Maybe we got a new manager
FWIW, the Remington 770 I bought at Walmart a few years ago worked perfectly. I know that model has gotten a lot of bad reviews but mine would shoot 1" at 100 with Federal ammo that it preferred. IMHO Walmart is all about buying low because of the volume they are able to sell.
To those who think Walmart buys inferior products on the cheap, I can only say the Federal Blue Box .243 Wins I bought for 14.79 plus tax today shoot just like the the same ammo my local gun store wants $16-17 for.
My Walmart is in Washington, MO they don't have a very "gun friendly" manager but today they were loaded on pistol, rifle, and shotgun ammo. Maybe we got a new manager
FWIW, the Remington 770 I bought at Walmart a few years ago worked perfectly. I know that model has gotten a lot of bad reviews but mine would shoot 1" at 100 with Federal ammo that it preferred. IMHO Walmart is all about buying low because of the volume they are able to sell.
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I'm not a big fan of Wallyworld, but this is pure BS. No gunmaker in its right mind would risk the liability of intentionally selling substandard product to one retailer versus another.
That's not to say Walmart doesn't sell products with different feature sets (usually toward the base model end of the spectrum).
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all there really is to say about this issue is that walmart saw an opportunity to get into another market that they had no presence in.
A lot of years ago, they were crucified for ignoring gun sales laws. That led to them dumping handguns at all locations. I'm sure that for years they have chafed at not being able to make $1,000 unit sales out of the sporting goods department, and now, since the black rifle is so popular, mostly legal and acceptable to the public, and so forth, they are testing the waters. I suppose that they are a higher profit item than an equivalent television. If they can find a product that takes up less than a half square foot of space, turns over once a month, and makes several hundred dollars in profit, That right there is the holy grail.
For example, a case full of 1-200 dollar watches takes up a lot of space, and requires a full time employee at the counter, and very rarely will a store make the sort of money on watches that walmart does on firearms.
I really wonder if they will get back into the handgun business someday, or if they are still gunshy about letting minimum wage dolts process the sales?
A lot of years ago, they were crucified for ignoring gun sales laws. That led to them dumping handguns at all locations. I'm sure that for years they have chafed at not being able to make $1,000 unit sales out of the sporting goods department, and now, since the black rifle is so popular, mostly legal and acceptable to the public, and so forth, they are testing the waters. I suppose that they are a higher profit item than an equivalent television. If they can find a product that takes up less than a half square foot of space, turns over once a month, and makes several hundred dollars in profit, That right there is the holy grail.
For example, a case full of 1-200 dollar watches takes up a lot of space, and requires a full time employee at the counter, and very rarely will a store make the sort of money on watches that walmart does on firearms.
I really wonder if they will get back into the handgun business someday, or if they are still gunshy about letting minimum wage dolts process the sales?
sailskidrive
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There is a book titled "The Walmart Effect" which is an unbiased attempt to explain the companys business model. Essentially it explains how the chain has greatly increased the purchasing power of the lower middle class while at the same time pressuring manufacturers to consistently lower the costs of their products over time. This has resulted in lower quality products often imported from regions of the world not subjected to the same evironmental or labor regulations that our domestic manufacturers must comply.
I personally would never buy a firearm from Wally World as I don't want to see the few remaining quality gun manufacturers subjected to their business model.
As a positive note, at least black rifles are no longer such a social pariah that they can be sold in plain view of the kiddies.
I personally would never buy a firearm from Wally World as I don't want to see the few remaining quality gun manufacturers subjected to their business model.
As a positive note, at least black rifles are no longer such a social pariah that they can be sold in plain view of the kiddies.
I thought the Walmart models were different than rifles sold outside Walmart, for instance the gold trigger on the Marlin 30/30.
Why wouldn't there be cost savings in the metal finishes or wood grains or anything else if they demand a certian pricing?
I didn't catch an accusation of anything as seconds, just a slightly lower cost product produced for Walmarts pricing. Wouldn't deter me from buying a gun there.
Other things might.
Achilles11B
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Saw one today at a Missouri Wal-Mart. If they are carrying Bushmasters rifles, would they also be able to order Bushmaster lower receivers?
Actually part of that is true. When I purchased my last TV I did some research on different models and looked at almost all of the big box stores to see who had the better price. I ended up settling on a 20" Samsung flatscreen, and both the local Walmart and Best Buy had them in stock. Walmart was cheaper, however upon closer inspection I noticed that the TV at Walmart had a different SKU number. Turns out that there where two versions of the television, and the version that Walmart carried lacked several features of the version Best Buy was carrying.
I wouldn't say that Walmart's stock is made up of quality control rejects, but their stuff is cheaper for a reason. Personally I've all but completely sworn off Walmart. The stores in my area are absolutely terrible. They never have anything in stock and God help you if you want to buy a box of ammo. Last 3 attempts resulted in 30+ minute wait times for the person with the key to show up. The small amount you save is just not worth the hassle.
Everything in walmart in on consignment, they only pay for what they sell, they DO NOT BUY anything. The sports dept has a firearm catalog with over 300 pages with nothing but firearms and they can order you anything in it for you that you want. If walmart gets in the AR business then they will be the largest seller of the AR's in the US. The substandard remarks are BS. Walmart gets bad press from business’s because they have put thousands of retailers out of business.
wal mart has done more to change the world than any other forces other than antibiotics, and the cold war.
No, I really don't believe that the rem 870 that walmart sells is the same production model as the ones sold at cabelas. At one time, I actually saw a 40 xb br at a local general store, not a walmart. At one time, I actually was drooling over a colt sauer bolt 25-06 at a walmart. Things have changes so much in those 35 years. This book, the walmart effect, sounds interesting. The things that walmart is and does are wide ranging, and such a complicated story that there could be a dozen university classes at the 4.00 range based on their operations. It could never be summarized by a few shots like "walmartsucks."
I don't like them, I simply, plain loathe them with the visceral hatred other people reserve for liberals, or the raiders. It's based on nearly 50 years experience of watching the borg assimilate the entire US economy into a single basket, and seeing the entire world of products walmartized. Given the opportunity, I'd go back in time, and stop it in its tracks. I think we all would be living a slightly lower standard of living, because we couldn't buy little mermaid pajamas for our children for $5, but I think that the whole world would be a happier place without it. There would be a whole lot more reloaders, and gun safes wouldn't be so full, but every collector would have better guns, and value them a whole lot more.
No, I really don't believe that the rem 870 that walmart sells is the same production model as the ones sold at cabelas. At one time, I actually saw a 40 xb br at a local general store, not a walmart. At one time, I actually was drooling over a colt sauer bolt 25-06 at a walmart. Things have changes so much in those 35 years. This book, the walmart effect, sounds interesting. The things that walmart is and does are wide ranging, and such a complicated story that there could be a dozen university classes at the 4.00 range based on their operations. It could never be summarized by a few shots like "walmartsucks."
I don't like them, I simply, plain loathe them with the visceral hatred other people reserve for liberals, or the raiders. It's based on nearly 50 years experience of watching the borg assimilate the entire US economy into a single basket, and seeing the entire world of products walmartized. Given the opportunity, I'd go back in time, and stop it in its tracks. I think we all would be living a slightly lower standard of living, because we couldn't buy little mermaid pajamas for our children for $5, but I think that the whole world would be a happier place without it. There would be a whole lot more reloaders, and gun safes wouldn't be so full, but every collector would have better guns, and value them a whole lot more.
I'm not getting into that whole Walmart debate nor the quality question of guns they sell. AR's are growing in popularity as you see more and more of them in the firing line, despite the emotional hooplahs Walmart may get for selling them. These are not Class III weapons nor do they have select-fire features. They are still semi-auto rifles despite the night scopes, optics, lights, lasers, and smoke grenade launchers (chuckling) you may add on them.
meanmachine1961
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I live in the northwest corner of Alabama and our local Walmart got a Bushmaster AR in this past Friday. Just under $900 retail.
madcratebuilder
New member
THIS! NO gun maker is going to sell a substandard or a second product, the lawyers would eat them alive.
It was not "lower quality" it was a "different model" with different features that cost less. This has been a business practice for ever. Sears has always sold items for a lower price then the "brand" name of the item because it lacked certain features.
okiewita40
New member
I am not a huge wal-mart fan at all. I however have some experiance with them.
Back when sam walton was still alive and kicking. wal-mart was a made in the USA store. I knew the man personally. His wife and kids have turned it into what it is now since his death.
Secondly wal-mart does not sell things on consignment. I have had several friends that were buyers for wal-mart.
I have bought guns and ammo from LGS, pawn shops and wal-mart. All of them worked as intended.
I was told once that the reason for some wal-mart stores to sell firearms and other not too is dependent on how rural of an area it is in. the more rural the better the chance it ihas of selling firearms.
Glad to know some of them are selling AR rifles now.
Back when sam walton was still alive and kicking. wal-mart was a made in the USA store. I knew the man personally. His wife and kids have turned it into what it is now since his death.
Secondly wal-mart does not sell things on consignment. I have had several friends that were buyers for wal-mart.
I have bought guns and ammo from LGS, pawn shops and wal-mart. All of them worked as intended.
I was told once that the reason for some wal-mart stores to sell firearms and other not too is dependent on how rural of an area it is in. the more rural the better the chance it ihas of selling firearms.
Glad to know some of them are selling AR rifles now.
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