Another one bites the dust

[Olevern]

Took a 100 mile run to a favorite gun shop yesterday (one of three on this route I visit) and found the lights off and the rifle racks empty.

Guess Obummers economy got another of the good ones.

Hard to keep a gun shop open when many peoples formerly disposable income (if they even still have a job) goes to pay increasing energy and food costs.

Fortunately, I didn't have a gun there on layaway, as I did in the two others.

Layaways paid off and guns retrieved, made me feel a little bit better but will miss this shop.

Now have a HiStd "Plinkster" semi auto .22 pistol to play with, and a Marlin 25 rifle and a 410 pump to put on the shelf and wait for the appropriate young man to come along in need.

[Ickisrulz]

Your area may be different, but by all reports gun sales were way up in 2011. The range I go to often has a waiting list for a bench it's so busy.

People are buying guns and shooting them.

I wonder if the little gun shops are getting wiped out by internet sales and larger gun stores (Bass Pro and Cabelas).

Don't forget the buying craze when Obama took office. Many people probably bought years worth of ammo and supplies during that time.

[starmac]

Gun sales are, were at an all time high, broke all kinds of records last month. I don't think any one can blame obummer on a gun shop going out of business, as he was the best thing for the gun business this country has ever seen. That said it is hard for small shops of any kind to compete with the chain stores. I knew several nice gunstores that stopped selling new rifles all together several years ago because they couldn't even come close to competing with the wallmart store that was built there. They instead dealt in specialty stuff and handguns, and some used guns.

[ErikO]

A gun shop that can't compete with the Walmart gun counter just can't be trying hard. They may have to adapt a little but relying on rifle and ammo sales in this day and age wil let your lights go out.

[starmac]

Times may have changed for the gunshops in that area, at the time wallmart opened their two local superwallmarts, 90 % of the gunshops business was hunting rifles and shotguns. There was virtually no market for the black rifles in that area at that time, even though there was a large air base there. Wallmart will order you any rifle in their catalog if it isn't on the shelf allready. The only thing that saved them was handguns, used and antique guns and reloading components, But taking rifles and shotguns out of their paycheck was a big change for them.
I would imagine black rifles have gotten a lot more popular there, and as far as I know wallmart doesn't handle them, at least not generally in stock. Many of us like a gun store like they were years ago, it is a big turnoff for me to walk in to a new to me gunstore and mostly see black guns and semi auto handguns, but that is just the way things have gone.
I can buy a 500 smith at wallmart here cheaper than a used one at the pawn shop, go figure.
We don't have much for actual local gun stores here anymore, we do have a good gunsmith, but I don't know if he actually even sells any guns, as he runs a gun shop not a store.

[Ickisrulz]

There was virtually no market for the black rifles in that area at that time, even though there was a large air base there.

I was stationed at Elmendorf from 1999-2002. The BX there sold guns and had very good deals. I'd bet Eielsen had the same situation.

Nellis AFB here in NV sells firearms. Here they hope the "no sales tax" thing will generate sales as the prices aren't any better than downtown in most cases.

Buds Gun Shop online will usually beat anyone's price, plus there's no sales tax for most people and shipping is normally free. The buyer just needs someone to transfer the firearms. Local shops don't stand much of a chance if the buyer is informed and can wait a few days before getting their gun.

[starmac]

Yep and that is the reason there will be fewer and fewer places to walk in and see how a gun fits you, or if you even like it before the purchase.
It is not just gun shops, going the way of the dinosaur, but just about every aspect of mom and pop business there is.
Wallmart can beat everyones prices on chainsaws and lawnmowers too, but if they won't start the next day, you are basically screwed.
The same with gun shops, you are for the most part on your own with an internet gun, you have to send it back if something is wrong, sometimes several times.
I know it is the way things are going, but that doesn't mean I have to like them. lol
It actually makes me glad, that I have most of what I need to probably last me the rest of my life. lol

[Olevern]

Don't know what the economic climate is elsewhere, but I know that since the residential youth placement home where I worked as a counselor closed two years ago, I have been pounding the pavement looking for any job that would pay a minimum of twelve dollars an hour, without success.

With as far as it is to go to get anywhere to work out here in the sticks (I am seventy five miles from the nearest mall) and the price of gas, it doesn't pay to even try to commute to a job for less than that. (barely worth it at $12.00 an hour). When you deduct taxes, federal, state and local, and the cost to commute, what's left to live on?

Not complaining, mind you, I love where I live and have a law enforcement pension coming in monthly, but didn't want to quit working yet (until full S.S. age).

Pretty sad when a Bachelor's degree in Phychology can't even command $12.00 an hour.

Like I said, I don't know what it is like in other regions of the country, but it's pretty bleak here, even the loggers are struggling to meet expenses, with the mills paying less and less for a tri-axle load and the loggers still on the hook for gas and equipment maint. to get the logs out of the woods to the mills.
Some have just given up and sold their equipment, one man I know told me he works hard all week in the woods, and after paying all his expenses is lucky to make $100.00 a day.

So, it's no wonder to me that the local gun shops are having to close down, it's not like folk around here are making $30.00 an hour (or even $20.00 an hour).

I had an offer of a job working with behaviorally challenged children in the schools in a theraputic staff support (T.S.S.)situation for $10.00 an hour, but it was a 27 mile run one way and only three hours a day. Can't afford to do it. 54 miles of driving for three hours wages: doesn't compute.

Going to talk with another T.S.S. provider about a similar job only 18 miles away, but if they cannot provide at least four hours a day, again, not worth the driving costs. Then they want you to attend mandatory weekly staff meetings (also 18 miles away) for which they will only pay minimum wage.
Did I mention; no milage reimbursment? And on top of that, they want you to meet the state's requirement for 20 hours of child management training per year, for which the company you work for will not pay, either for the time expended or the cost of the training, but it's required to keep your certification to do the job.

Typical of the relationship these days between management and worker.

I am not a great fan of unions, but there has to be some middle ground.

Walmart is probably the largest employer in the USA and it's employee policies are horrible, they don't pay a wage that can be considered a living wage, they require their employees to take a week off without pay each year and then return as a new employee at the entry level wage.

What is the answer? Maybe the whole country should go on strike.

Guess I'm just tired and a bit depressed over what I see as the prospects for this country.

It is not the country I grew up in, when factories paid a decent wage and people who were loyal to the company they worked for were rewarded with a stypend when they could no longer work (pension).
A time when the concerns of the employee were taken into account along with the companies own business concerns. A time when, dare I say it, the companies execs had a heart.

Now that we're competing with countries whose laborers never heard of retirement and for whom $3.00 an hour is a wonderful wage, is it no wonder that in order to survive, companies have done their best to wring every last bit they can from their employees while returning as little as they can to the employee and his/her family. There is no conscience in a bottom line.

Guess I got pretty far from the original post, I appologize for the long rant.

For those who will, no doubt, respond with angry accusations that I am 'anti corporation' or some other such nonsense, I will not rise to your bait....this is my opinion based on my experience.

Beleive it or not, I am entitled to my opinion, just as much as you are to yours.

[Recluse]

Pretty sad when a Bachelor's degree in Phychology can't even command $12.00 an hour.

I don't think it's so much your (college) degree that is able to command $12/hour as much as it is your age.

Age discrimination is freaking RAMPANT across America. Corporations know that most older, experienced workers will not put up with the sweatshop and bullwhip mentality that is prevalent among the Wall Street run companies of today.

So, they hire kids fresh out of college or newlyweds, knowing that those folks will not only put up with the garbage, but will HAVE to in order to "get their crumbs from the cake."

Quite frankly, I'm surprised we even have an economy in this country.

:coffee:

[9.3X62AL]

Right with ya, Recluse and Olevern.

[NVcurmudgeon]

Right with ya, Recluse and Olevern.

Yeah, I'm in complete agreement with y'all. Age discrimination is a lot older than the O administration. In 1996 I got laid off from a northern CA company that went belly up, and figured I needed a job to tide me over for the two years remining until I could retire. Despite being able to drive anything with four to eighteeen wheels and able to do anything around a warehouse including running it, I applied with dozens of companies all of whom judged me as "overqualified." English translation: they could hire younger and cheaper. Finally I got on as a warehouse manager, truck driver, shipping and receiving clerk, and head and only facilities technician at the princely sum of $10.00/hour at a small manufacturer. It was a very pleasant place to work, and the money got a LITTLE better, but as soon as I hit 62 I was out of there. With SS, and a small pension, I couldn't afford to make the financial sacrifice of driving to work, and it was only ten miles round trip! Luckily my young trophy wife has a good job and spoils me.

[bobthenailer]

MY small local gun shop has mostley used guns & equipment for sale at resonable prices . about the only time a new gun is in the shop is if someone orders it . there are so many good deals there it pays to stop in a few times a week .
My last 2 aqusitions in 7 days was a 98% S&W 629 classic for $450 and a S&W 19 in 95% condtion , would of been 99% but had some minor pitting & blueing wear at the muzzle but the gun looks almost unfired for $350 both prices are including tax and transfer .
My next deal from him is approx 200 lbs of WW in ingots from a estate [no zinc there to old] for 50 cents a pound. when he decides to round them up , as he is in his 70s and is not to ambitious. he quit taking in gun repair in june 2011 and he is still backlogged ! he said possibley in febuary 2012. actually he has the shop to get away from his wife .

[Moondawg]

I must live in the wrong part of the country. We have Wal Mart super stores in cities large and small, and even little burgs. In my small town Wal Mart is our main shopping, but none of these stores carry any kind of firearms. Outside of a good selection of shotgun shells, most of them carry very little ammo, and have a limited selection of what they do carry. Its been years since I saw guns in a WalMart, I don't see how Wally World could be a threat to local gun stores. Academy doesn't carry used guns or trade, and Bass Pro Shop doesn't like to trade and carries few used guns at high prices. The independant GS, that has a good selection of used and will take trades are all doing well.

[starmac]

That is odd Moondog, I know of several wallmarts that quit carrying guns that started once again,, I guess there are plenty that doesn't though. It must be a store to store thing, because as far as I know they still do in amarillo tx, at least they did a couple years ago.
The ones here in alaska are the only ones I have seen carry handguns though.

[jcwit]

Remember when Ambercrombie & Fitch was a huge Hunting & Fishing outlet before they collapsed into what they are today.

[jcwit]

Our local WalMarts all carry guns and ammo and supplies, but I've yet to see reloading supplies or components in one. And folks keep talking about purchasing the same at WalMart.

[mooman76]

I was stationed at Elmendorf from 1999-2002. The BX there sold guns and had very good deals. I'd bet Eielsen had the same situation.

Nellis AFB here in NV sells firearms. Here they hope the "no sales tax" thing will generate sales as the prices aren't any better than downtown in most cases.

Buds Gun Shop online will usually beat anyone's price, plus there's no sales tax for most people and shipping is normally free. The buyer just needs someone to transfer the firearms. Local shops don't stand much of a chance if the buyer is informed and can wait a few days before getting their gun.

I was at Eielson in the early 90's and yes they had some fantastic deals while I was there. Once a year Ruger used to discount their guns 20% and their prices weren't bad to start with. They would sell everything in sight.

[starmac]

Our local WalMarts all carry guns and ammo and supplies, but I've yet to see reloading supplies or components in one. And folks keep talking about purchasing the same at WalMart.

X2 I have never seen any reloading supplies in a wallmart, it is very rare now to even see any muzzle loading supplies too.

[DLCTEX]

The Walmart in Sweetwater, Tx. Sells reloading supplies. The man there told me it was up to the store manager to sell it or not.

[Toobroke]

The Walmart here in Minot North Dakota sells some reloading supplies in addition to guns and ammo

[Jeffrey]

After Katrina, Walmarts in the Greater New Orleans area, for a while, STOPPED carrying guns AND ammunition. I spend more than I want to at Sam's on groceries. Long story short, local shops then Academy are my sources for sporting goods.