Gun and ammo craze tappering off?

MotoSook · 05-17-2009, 07:00 AM

Well, maybe not the ammo craze, but I was in a shop yesterday and their AR wall was full of AR-15s of several brands. The had uppers and stripped receivers all over the wall. They had parts under the counter that I didn't notice the last time I was in the store.

I spoke to one of the ladies who processess the forms there, and she said it was tappering off. She was glad to be able to go home early again..instead of staying late to process all the forms.

I also noticed some hard to find pistols under the counters, the kind that new owners are after...or guys rushing to buy something....just something and cheap.

I've also noticed prices on Gunbroker coming down with more parts showing up.

Has the demand for firearms started to plateau?

Ray B · 05-17-2009, 07:33 AM

Simple supply and demand. Obama fears have eased. However, the next time some nut walks through a schoolyard w/ an AK and there's talk about ban this or legislate that, it will be 1994 all over again.

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

Drop the stupid "assault weapons" ban in Kalifornia - bet they'd sell tens of thousands of 'em overnight.

legion · 05-17-2009, 08:06 AM

For now.

I still can't get ammo though.

t951 · t951's Garage

My buddy went to the gun show yesterday in Orlando. He said they ran out of 45ACP and the prices were all stupid. I have bought a few at gun shows a few years ago, because you could get a good deal....apparently those days are gone.

ljowdy · 05-17-2009, 08:45 AM

I went to a gun show in Ontario, Calif yesterday. It took over 1 hour standing in line to buy admission. It was crowded and from what I could see, sales were good. The biggest attraction were the dealers selling ammo.

targa911S · 05-17-2009, 09:04 AM

was at a show yesterday, .380 was a buck a shot! .22 LR was 28.00 for 500. lots of .223 but I don't buy it so I don't know what it should cost. They seemed to have all cals. though.

tabs · 09:33 AM

Yesterday I heard that S&W is producing 60,000 guns a month and are back ordered by 260,000.

Gun sales are still strong. As with most collectibles, it runs hot from January to Mid April then slows down till September where it picks up until right after Halloween...then goes dead till the day after Christmas.

Anyway prices at auction are generally still strong with prices holding at or about the previous highs. Assault Weapons, US Military, 45 autos, European hi tech autos, any frame Smiths, Snake named Colts, Hi Standards?, Lugers & WW2 Walther's all seem to be in great demand. Along with the standard all time hit list collectables Colt SAA's and Winchester anything...

Shotguns right now may be a bit soft, but tis not the shotgun season. and antique antique guns MIGHT be a bit off. CW accoutrements (swords etc) seem to be off...but that falls in the general collectable field.

I would say I am seeing some good deals go by now IF you look hard enough, find a relatively rare gun at an auction where it is a single piece where the aficionados of that piece do not gather. That means that all the popular or hot collectables almost always go for strong money.

This past week I picked up a nice and expensive spoon fopr about 50 cents on the USD. WHY, I could be mistaken about what it is then I paid a few hundred under what it is worth? The sentiment in the audience thought that is what it was, because they were not knowledgeable and were not of the mind to spend the buxs for it. I have gotten another similar item out of the same place for a good price. The off site audience did not see it described properly and did not take the time to research it. It took me about an hour and half to 2 hours to find the exact engraving pattern. So they were of amind of what the on site audience thought. We shall see who is right.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

I was at the NRA Annual Meeting Expo on Fri. and yesterday. I overheard a guy at the DPMS booth say they were back ordered by 160,000 rifles. I had breakfast yesterday with a buddy from the Nat. Shooting Sports Found. He said the ammo craze would calm down once folks had finished stocking up. He did say, however, that primers would continue to be in high demand because of all the folks getting into reloading because of the price spikes. He also said one reason for the craze is that there are so many new shooters and they want to practice. Kinda ironic that this seasoned shooter is afraid to practice anymore until I have a reliable, constant ammo source again.

FWIW, on Friday there was a 3 hr. line to get admission passes to the NRA Expo and the fire marshall had to shut it down after it got too crowded. I got my badge mailed to me the previous week, so I waltzed right in. Man, it was packed and those vendors were doing a very brisk business. No guns or ammo sales, but lots of parts and accessories. I picked up a few more .223 mags and a totally stupid impulse buy for an iTac LED/laser grip. The SIG Sauer booth guy really was a good salesman.

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

Was at the Ontario show yesterday. Got there a little before noon so no real line for tickets but the backup at the Miwall bulk ammo booth was long. I did find 3 Browning Buckmark mags (have been unable to locate any online) so that was a good score. Didn't buy anything else though a friend bought some optics.

Ammo is in very short supply - actually worst I've seen. Natchez has no .22lr except for some shot shells, and there is no .38/.357 to speak of. I'll be happy when I start to see some come back on the market...

tabs · 05-17-2009, 11:33 AM

So America is becoming an armed camp. Which the Dems are well aware of much to their chagrin. They realize the politcal will is against gun control of any sort, which goes against their Liberal idealization of what is right for society. Their ideal is that government can provide for any want and all one has left to do is be happy. However counter to that the American people are not embracing the ideal but running as fast as they can in the oposite direction. The end result of this is not in a strengthening of Federal power but perhaps a collapse of that power in favor of the states.

targa911S · 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tabs

Yesterday I heard that S&W is producing 60,000 guns a month and are back ordered by 260,000.

Gun sales are still strong. As with most collectibles, it runs hot from January to Mid April then slows down till September where it picks up until right after Halloween...then goes dead till the day after Christmas.

Anyway prices at auction are generally still strong with prices holding at or about the previous highs. Assault Weapons, US Military, 45 autos, European hi tech autos, any frame Smiths, Snake named Colts, Hi Standards?, Lugers & WW2 Walther's all seem to be in great demand. Along with the standard all time hit list collectables Colt SAA's and Winchester anything...

Shotguns right now may be a bit soft, but tis not the shotgun season. and antique antique guns MIGHT be a bit off. CW accoutrements (swords etc) seem to be off...but that falls in the general collectable field.

I would say I am seeing some good deals go by now IF you look hard enough, find a relatively rare gun at an auction where it is a single piece where the aficionados of that piece do not gather. That means that all the popular or hot collectables almost always go for strong money.

This past week I picked up a nice and expensive spoon fopr about 50 cents on the USD. WHY, I could be mistaken about what it is then I paid a few hundred under what it is worth? The sentiment in the audience thought that is what it was, because they were not knowledgeable and were not of the mind to spend the buxs for it. I have gotten another similar item out of the same place for a good price. The off site audience did not see it described properly and did not take the time to research it. It took me about an hour and half to 2 hours to find the exact engraving pattern. So they were of amind of what the on site audience thought. We shall see who is right.

I would sat that you are spot on on your assessment based on what I see in the market although 3 old doubles found new homes yesterday alone from me to fund a new high end .22 project.

Az911 · 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

Drop the stupid "assault weapons" ban in Kalifornia - bet they'd sell tens of thousands of 'em overnight.

More ar-15s and AKs are sold in cali then any other state.

Tim Hancock · 05-17-2009, 02:43 PM

Was at a gun show yesterday in Toledo and .380 auto was going for $40/box. I needed bulk22lr for my new target pistol. The b@stards were getting $40 for a bulk pack of 500 that normally goes for $10-$15 a box. I saw plenty of AR15's so obviously that shortage is starting to peter out.

Cdnone1 · 05-17-2009, 02:49 PM

I went to the gun store in Culver City here in LA on Friday. They only had a few boxes of 9mm at a buck a shot!
Steve

Az911 · 05-17-2009, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cdnone1

I went to the gun store in Culver City here in LA on Friday. They only had a few boxes of 9mm at a buck a shot!
Steve

Did you ask if it came with lube for that price?

targa911S · 05-17-2009, 02:54 PM

Yeah..."I'll have a box of .380 and some a$$lube please".

Az911 · 05-17-2009, 02:59 PM

Why is .380 so popular? It's a pretty pointless round.

legion · 05-17-2009, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Az911

Why is .380 so popular? It's a pretty pointless round.

Ruger just came out with a new ultra-compact pistol in .380. It's all the rage in law enforcement and with CCW holders.

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cdnone1

I went to the gun store in Culver City here in LA on Friday. They only had a few boxes of 9mm at a buck a shot!
Steve

Retting had some decent prices on .223 a couple months back and I bought a case. They also had some .22 bulk a few months back and I picked that up. Thankfully I'm set for 9mm so I haven't looked but they really lost stock the last month or so. At one point I think they weren't even selling ammo unless you bought or picked up a gun.