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Old December 3, 2017, 06:19 PM   #1
JeepHammer
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"Trump Slump" and reloading...

The slow down in firearms sales is being called the 'Trump Slump' and the dealers stocked up in anticipation of Clinton getting elected.
The prices of that excess inventory went down considerably around Thanksgiving, as some of you noticed and took up some of the deals offered.

I haven't seen any change in the brass business, with the exception of the past week after the news started reporting on the North Korea rocket that *Might* reach the US main land.
I got three HUGE orders this week, which is good because I've been sitting on about two million processed brass (has some time off so I just processed about everything setting here).

I didn't lower prices, I didn't make 'deals', I simply took the orders & payment, spent the weekend getting everything boxed up ready for pickup on Monday.
All three big customers expressed concern about the North Korean, and I didn't talk them out of it, if they want stock, might as well be me to sell it!

This has been the first week since the government contract shortages broke loose my local gunshop didn't have any 8 pound jugs of powder in stock, precious few primers on the shelf, and completely out of .224 Hornady 55 grain FMJ which they stock in bulk...
Said there had been a run on .223 reloading supplies this week.

Is anyone else seeing or hearing any of this, or is it the locals here sliding off the deep end again?
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Old December 3, 2017, 06:36 PM   #2
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Not so far. Just bought additional brass before the NOKO news. Pickup powder today. Looking for primers on sale on-line with free haz mat or locally. Looking later this week to see what's on the shelf.


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Old December 3, 2017, 07:19 PM   #3
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It has to be a good sign that there were a record number of background check submittals on Black Friday. I suspect that has more to do with people choosing not to be easy prey.
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Old December 3, 2017, 07:55 PM   #4
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I remember after last years election, most gun sellers were happy Clinton didn't win. One guy I talked to said he didn't even care if he sold less for awhile, just happy to see Trump start trying to drain the cesspool.

I'm sure many would like to sell more. It's time to buy if one needs or wants something.
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Old December 3, 2017, 08:37 PM   #5
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Got back feom the Tulsa gun show

10k sp primers
1k sr primers
3k 55 gr. Fmj boat tails at 20.00 per 500
16 lbs of AR Comp
8 lbs of tac
8 lbs of 4198
8 lbs of titegroup

It was a goods show
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Old December 3, 2017, 09:04 PM   #6
JeepHammer
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This wasn't a political discussion, it's about what happened, history so far.
Black Friday was a boom, a one day record, that's fact.
It's also fact that one day doesn't make up for a year long slump.

I was wondering if anyone else had seen an uptick in buying reloading supplies?
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Old December 3, 2017, 09:09 PM   #7
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I stopped into my nearby Cabelas last Monday to get some boolits for my new .45-70... the reloading shelves looked pretty full to me, but I wasn't looking at any specific caliber. They were still out of IMR/H4250, thanks to the 6.5mm crowd. There was plenty of 5.56mm loaded ammos on the shelf, too.
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Old December 3, 2017, 09:24 PM   #8
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Quote:
I was wondering if anyone else had seen an uptick in buying reloading supplies?
Nope.
Just the usual, mild, seasonal increase as reloaders squeeze some extra purchases in while money is flowing for Christmas; and significant others finally concede to someone getting a press or kit and trying the hobby ... as a Christmas present.
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Old December 3, 2017, 11:04 PM   #9
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Jobless rate at 17 year low and consumer confidence at a 13 year high might be the reason also .

Plenty of AR's, powder and primers on the shelf but you can't find a Amazon Echo anywhere
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Old December 4, 2017, 06:00 AM   #10
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I managed to find a can of 2400 about a month or so back but it's unobtainum again... So much for the slump..

Tony
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Old December 4, 2017, 09:22 AM   #11
jmorris
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The slow down in firearms sales is being called the 'Trump Slump' and the dealers stocked up in anticipation of Clinton getting elected.
I thought it was national headlines, the record setting sales numbers that cam out just 10 days ago.
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Old December 4, 2017, 09:29 AM   #12
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I managed to find a can of 2400 about a month or so back but it's unobtainum again... So much for the slump..
Every time I see statements like this I check Reloading Unlimited and find the powder in stock. I always expect that the person reloads only with local supplies using pocket money, ignores supplies at prices they don't like, or is not ordering enough at a time to justify shipping and HAZMAT. The price per round for powder is not much, so one can make too much of pricing unless doing the math.
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Old December 4, 2017, 09:58 AM   #13
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Every time I see statements like this I check Reloading Unlimited and find the powder in stock. I always expect that the person reloads only with local supplies using pocket money, ignores supplies at prices they don't like, or is not ordering enough at a time to justify shipping and HAZMAT. The price per round for powder is not much, so one can make too much of pricing unless doing the math.
That really depends on the end-users needs, doesn't it? I buy rifle powder in 8# cans because I wipe through a pound of IMR4895 in 170 rounds, or thereabouts. I have a can of W296... I don't load very many rounds with W296 so buying in bulk wouldn't make any sense. Collectively, yes... I recently ordered something like 20# of various powders, but only because I had let my store get down too low, due to unavailability and other factors, but I don't like to do that because as soon as tomorrow, another event can occur and the availability might dry up... again.
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Old December 4, 2017, 10:48 AM   #14
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Its a bit hard to have a Trump Slump tittle and then no politics get interjected.

I can't say that Cabellas was other than normal.

They had a can of the powder I wanted (small use for one family hunting gun that I don't use but needs reloads for accuracy)

Cabellas has been pretty poor on 8 lb jugs.

I buy 8 lb just now, price goes down, I shoot a fair amount and just in case they decide Hillary won after all (not just the vote - grin) I want to be able to keep shooting.
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Old December 4, 2017, 12:46 PM   #15
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I had no idea we were in a "slump" for firearms sales. I believe many arms were "panic purchased" prior the the election and the market has just slowed down from a lack of demand, especially those Evil Black Rifles...
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Old December 4, 2017, 01:47 PM   #16
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I had no idea we were in a "slump" for firearms sales. I believe many arms were "panic purchased" prior the the election and the market has just slowed down from a lack of demand, especially those Evil Black Rifles...
Actually, this slump has been about 10 years in the making. About 2 years ago the firearms supply finally met demand, unfortunately, at that point, demand was on the downswing. It bumped a little running up to the election last year, but I've talked with my FFL about it, and his business is down probably 60%, according to him.


Reloading supplies are almost the same, different in that they are consumables, and there will always be a demand for them.
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Old December 4, 2017, 02:21 PM   #17
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Locally on Long Island, NY, I have not seen a slowdown or "run".
Same applies on line.
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Old December 4, 2017, 02:53 PM   #18
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It seems there are a few who panic, if the rush does not lead to the rest of the herd following then the cowboys have peaceful night.
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Old December 4, 2017, 03:16 PM   #19
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No, In my area, I am not seeing an increase in sales of reloading supplies...everything is readily available. ( thankfully ...no signs of hoarding..).

(Not local ...but I just bought 3 cases of bullets from Montana Gold ...in the two calibers I shoot the most, ordered last Thursday - received today in Northwest ... great service ! ). Shipped the same day I ordered them...

Last edited by BigJimP; December 4, 2017 at 06:11 PM.
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Old December 4, 2017, 05:30 PM   #20
egd
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Maybe I'm just dense, but I don't get the North Korea reference. What does a "possible" missile attack have to do with people buying reloading supplies? Do they think they are going to be called on to go fight in Korea or defend our shores here? Really....
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Old December 4, 2017, 06:10 PM   #21
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People can be irrational...and think chaos will ensue if there is an attack on the US...and they may have to defend themselves in some ridiculous breakdown of civil order.../ so they "hoard" reloading supplies and ammo in general...

( their Tin Foil hats are just on way too tight ).. !!
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Old December 4, 2017, 06:21 PM   #22
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I rarely have the money for 8 or 16 pounds of powder at a time and I refuse to pay hasmat fees for only a pound or two. Awhile back the were talking about dropping the hasmat restrictions on powder and if that happens I, I'd order powder online. I still have notification alerts in at all the usual places I order gun stuff on line but have yet to see any results from that.

Anyway I'm good for now. I had a half a pound on hand when I bought the new can and I haven't loaded any .44 mag loads since before that. If I had a close by place to shoot, I suppose I'd burn more powder...

Tony
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Old December 4, 2017, 08:03 PM   #23
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Maybe I'm just dense, but I don't get the North Korea reference. What does a "possible" missile attack have to do with people buying reloading supplies? Do they think they are going to be called on to go fight in Korea or defend our shores here? Really....
Irrationality, by definition, cannot be understood by rational explanation.

But here in Mississippi, absolutely no change, no concern, no
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Old December 4, 2017, 08:46 PM   #24
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Personally, I don't want the business to continue the way that it was during the Obama years.

Nice to see things on the shelf.
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Old December 4, 2017, 10:23 PM   #25
egd
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Yeah Big Jim, I agree!
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