How Many Gun Shops That You Know Of...

[Joe_Pike]

Well, here we are over three months later. Today I stopped by the shop I mentioned in the first post and he told me he's on the ropes and may have to close the doors. No guns or ammo available for him to buy, and a lot of people have stopped buying the guns he can get if they can't buy ammo to shoot. That really sucks because in the past he's been the shop that comes up with some of the most diverse stock of used guns in the area.

[Tom Servo]

That's weird, because stock is starting to come back in my neck of the woods. Backorders are starting to get filled, though we're still a ways from being able to order specific things.

Ammo is better, but still inconsistent. Though I've not seen it, I've heard there are some reloading components out there. Colt, Bushmaster, Smith, and Daniel Defense are shipping Stoner Poodle Shooters. Pistols are thin, but Ruger and Springfield are shipping.

It was a tough 3 months, sure. If somebody was in the business of just selling guns, they were in for a tough row. Then again, if they were in the business of just selling guns at any time, they weren't doing it right.

[ClydeFrog]

I checked a decent offer on a rare S&W J frame(no lawyer lock) on a well known website.
The FFL holder/gun shop wanted more than S&W's 2013 MSRP.

The revolver was NIB but I can't recall the prices ever being above the factory MSRP & I've been around firearms since the 1970s/1980s.

ClydeFrog

[BrassAndLead]

Alot of shops around here are selling accessories, ammo and even CCW classes to compliment the gun sales. I hope none of them go under. I like having a variety of places to shop around.

[22-rimfire]

Supply seems to be starting to come back for both guns and ammo including high demand ARs. I was at Sportsmen Warehouse and they had two ARs (223's) on the shelf for sale at regular prices. They seem to be getting stuff from Ruger as well. But handgun inventory is "thin".

I hate to see the small shops go out of business. Guns are just part of their sales, but when there is no guns, many customers stop coming into a shop.

[444]

"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? "


This has happened a number of times in the last 20 years. It's nothing new.
Both times Obama got elected, we had a huge run on guns. Every time it looks like new legislation concerning guns looks like it has a real chance of succeeding, it happens. As was mentioned, when the last "Assult Weapons Ban" ended............................

Not to be the bearer of bad news, but the buying continues after the danger has passed to prepare for the next drought. When people stock up on what appears to be a massive amount of ammo, people think it is ridiculous; until the next panic, then they are the only ones still shooting because they prepared for it.

If you are "into" this kind of stuff, it pays dividends to stock high and deep. Also guns and ammo just keep going dramatically up in price.

[Alabama Shooter]

Our LGS owner was in Jamaica on vacation when I stopped in. His daughter did not have time to chat. The line at the register and all...

[ClydeFrog]

If you are ever in the White Plains area of New York, roll by Blue Line Tactical.
It has all the cop shop goodies & a few firearms but the cool decor is worth seeing;
A full size SWAT cop dummy doing a rappel down the ceiling.
That was impressive.

www.bluelinetactical.com

[Mike Irwin]

None.

[captainrock39]

In a 7 mile radius I have 6 gun shops one LGS rest are smaller and 1 that is being built but it also has a range inside the store. They are all making a good go of it. Have noticed smaller shops have more ammo than LGS.So hopefully its getting better

[Gaerek]

The shop I go usually go to has been having some difficulty. I think they also had to lay off a couple workers. They had the added problems of being in the national news (for selling an AR to Mark Kelley, then withdrawing the sale...). But they've had ARs on the shelf regularly for almost two months, the guns they do get, get snapped up almost as they're put on the shelf. And they get enough ammo that you can find what you want with some amount of regularity.

Most shops shouldn't need to close. Some creativity on the part of the owners can keep things going. It might be tough, and it might be hard, financially, for a while, but there's a lot a LGS can do to stay in business, even in these hard times.

[deepcreek]

I remember a couple of "panic buying" times same old song and dance "this is the last..." "buy any you can find.." blablabla

I try to buy bulk ammo when things are normal and ignore all the hype. This one caught me off guard but I have still been able to get enough ammo at regular prices to keep shooting.

I think any business has to diversify a little of they will die when conditions change for a bit. Most of the smaller shops have guns around here and most of the big ones are cleaned out, none of them have any ammo except a few of the price gougers have over priced stuff sitting around.

It will be interesting to see how many people will be listing ammo on armslist in 6mo when they are broke and only have a pile of horded ammo they don't even shoot.

[kilimanjaro]

The small shops here are doing fine, but one large Wholesale Sports box store has closed it's doors.

The shops that didn't let the panic buyers grab up all their stock in a few days are doing much better than the ones that let it all go at once.

[Closing The Gap]

The small shops in my area have been slowly filling their shelves with guns over the last few weeks. One in particular went from what looked like the aftermath of a looting spree just a month ago to having %75 full displays. As for ammo I'm seeing more and more with each passing day. There seems to be a flood of Federal ammo happening. I'm seeing it in larger/cheaper numbers online and locally.

[Tom Servo]

If you are "into" this kind of stuff, it pays dividends to stock high and deep.

It depends. Who'd have predicted the industry would run out of .22 LR? I keep an inventory of ammo at home, but I'd never seen the reason to stockpile .22, because...well, who's gonna hoard that in a crisis?

Yep. It's like the run on .380 Auto following the 2008 election. Some stuff just blind-sides everybody.

[Dalek]

Hmmmm...

A few went under before the Ombongo, mostly due to the locals seeing to refuse to admit that things cost money.

Of late, the few that are left are hanging in there.

[Skans]

Gun shops go out of business because they went into business with no plan on how to competitively conduct and grow their business.

You need good business experience, lots of money; lots of product; ability to obtain financing; vision on how to grow your business; and a keen awareness of your local and internet competition.

Local shops that I've observed make it through difficult times have: 1) busy ranges and rentals; 2) offer something else like paintball and airsoft games; 3) work the gun shows on a large scale and professionally; 4) have a sporting clays range in their "back yard"; have large inventories.

I'm sure there are other factors like offering training and classes, etc. But, whatever it is, they aren't just some guy with a big gun collection who thinks he can turn his hobby into a business.

[Alabama Shooter]

I'd never seen the reason to stockpile .22, because...well, who's gonna hoard that in a crisis?

Australians?

[Joe_Pike]

Gun shops go out of business because they went into business with no plan on how to competitively conduct and grow their business.

You need good business experience, lots of money; lots of product; ability to obtain financing; vision on how to grow your business; and a keen awareness of your local and internet competition.

Local shops that I've observed make it through difficult times have: 1) busy ranges and rentals; 2) offer something else like paintball and airsoft games; 3) work the gun shows on a large scale and professionally; 4) have a sporting clays range in their "back yard"; have large inventories.

I'm sure there are other factors like offering training and classes, etc. But, whatever it is, they aren't just some guy with a big gun collection who thinks he can turn his hobby into a business.

That's strange because the shop I'm referring to has been in business in this spot for many years and has never had a problem. It's not like every gun shop in my area can have ranges and sporting clay areas. In fact, that is not even possible for 95% due to location. If you have a bunch of shops with those to offer, then you are one lucky son-of-a-gun.