This is normally the low part of the sales year, but this year has been particularly dreadful. Sales are way down. Now, in no way do I think business motives should influence politics, but this is almost certainly an unfortunate downside to the new administration in the White House. One thing I can say, perhaps the only positive thing about the previous administration, but Obama was my best salesman ever. That doesn't mean I would want him back- are you crazy? Anyway, just venting, I guess.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: kkina,

Get California to roll back its insane gun laws and you'll see business pick up.

When you're seeing entry level ARs on sale for $379 . . . I'm thinking you're probably not the only one.

I'm small scale, but things have definitely peter'd out lately... especially NFA stuff.

Yep. I'm glad i don't make my sole living doing this, it's never been this slow for me.

The priorities have changed. The Country is safe again. We hope...

Based on my experiences with gun purchases your sales would be slow. I haven't bought any since he left office.

Obama and the democrats really motivated people to hoard/purchase guns. Part of people purchase behavior including mine were irrational.

I just bought the first ammo I've purchased since November 1. I bought so much leading up to election I had to curtail my spending for 8 months. I think you'll find once everyone pays off CC or builds back up gun budgets, they'll start buying again. I think a lot of people stocked up and bought things they would have waited for anticipating HRC getting elected. Everyone is still a little financially exhausted and realizes there are 3 years that they aren't going to have to sweat bullets about new regulations.

^^^^^^^^about sums it up ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

quote:

Originally posted by kkina:
This is normally the low part of the sales year, but this year has been particularly dreadful. Sales are way down. Now, in no way do I think business motives should influence politics, but this is almost certainly an unfortunate downside to the new administration in the White House. One thing I can say, perhaps the only positive thing about the previous administration, but Obama was my best salesman ever. That doesn't mean I would want him back- are you crazy? Anyway, just venting, I guess.

You are in one of the toughest markets. (I lived in CA for a while myself).

I helped a friend start a gun shop in Western NY. When the sales dropped (based on the then-pending and ultimate SAFE Act implementation) what we did was to have gunsmiths and pro shooters do some "workshops" on some of their favorite pieces. One on 1911 accuracy improvements, one on AR building, one on concealed carry and proper holsters, skeet and clays, etc.

The idea was to increase sales of supported parts/holsters/ammo and it worked. Didn't take a lot of background cost and actually worked out better than expected. The other thing that worked out beautifully was to create some gun training (along with and past basic concealed carry course) for women.

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:
I just bought the first ammo I've purchased since November 1. I bought so much leading up to election I had to curtail my spending for 8 months. I think you'll find once everyone pays off CC or builds back up gun budgets, they'll start buying again. I think a lot of people stocked up and bought things they would have waited for anticipating HRC getting elected. Everyone is still a little financially exhausted and realizes there are 3 years that they aren't going to have to sweat bullets about new regulations.

I agree, I also think that with President Trump in office people are getting complacent.

Communists never sleep and we can't either.

8 years+ of a guns bull market. I would bet everyone is hurting. Hell I saw .22 on the shelf. Thrice! Kkina, maybe you should open a new market to the leftys who dont have guns. Theyll get ya running, the hard part is turning back when the administration changes again.

quote:

Originally posted by kkina:
...but this is almost certainly an unfortunate downside to the new administration in the White House.

So, you'd rather have a blatant, determined gun grabber in the Oval Office? Hey, plenty of business for you, right?

How is this Trump's fault? You're way off on this.

For eight years we made purchases based on future needs due to fear of regulations or restrictions preventing us from doing so in that future. With the new administration, we are now making purchases based on our actual desires and having the opportunity to take our time in doing so in order to get the best price.

Here in Jersey there has been some drop off but not much. As I work only a couple of saturdays a month, my average number of firearms transfers dropped from 7 a day to around 5-6.

Don't really know why this is so, but I would hazard a guess the prospects of us getting a really anti gun new governor on the next cycle may be driving it.

Yep, price is now king.

Ammo is back on the shelves, but the scavengers that were buying it all up to resell on the trader boards for exuberant prices forced me into full scale loading my own. I no longer need anything but .22 and it's easy to get now reasonably.

I can even shop around to find a reasonably priced 320c that someone panic bought for too much and now that credit card payment is due.

Supply > Demand

(by a large measure)

When that happens, price comes way down.

Look to oil for another example of this happening. Gas used to be $4/gal. Now it is < $2/gal.

I haven't bought anything except for a scope and small accessories since December. My first firearm acquisition this year was a trade and I have another on layaway, but that's it.

I keep seeing ammo deals but with the heat, I don't shoot much in the summer, so I don't need any more cheap ammo either right now.

I'm pretty sure everybody blew their wad before the election. I've halted all spending on firearms and ammo until I can catch back up. It helps I haven't been able to go to the range in months.

quote:

Originally posted by dry-fly:
I'm small scale, but things have definitely peter'd out lately... especially NFA stuff.

Could that be because there is so much hope of some major NFA rollbacks?

quote:

Originally posted by dry-fly:
I'm small scale, but things have definitely peter'd out lately... especially NFA stuff.

41f is the reason I have not bought any new NFA items...