[scoutingranch]

I got bored so the ventured out to my closest gun store/range. What a waste of time that was. It looked like a store that had gone out of business, with no business being open for business.
How do they pay the rent, their employees, insurance etc?
Anyway, I placed my name in their file when a 686 3" came in. I had to laugh, the girl said, "don't hold your breath".
Geez this is getting old.

 

[Breakaway500]

I went to a place called the Mill two days ago. It’s an old factory that now houses 64 gun shops. Other than looking like Trumpland the only guns were plastic or tactical units. Some ammo but 3 times the price. Still people buying. I enjoyed looking at the old coal boilers in the basement more than the shops. Nice old spiral iron stairways were cool too. It was spooky to see such slim pickings on the shelves.

 

[mrerick]

Getting stock is difficult for the store I help at periodically here in NC.

They have good relationships with distributors, and are being treated fairly, but supply is hit or miss.

Often, distributors will only ship them popular products when they also take ones that are more difficult to sell. I acquired my Les Baer M1911a1 because they had it in stock too long...

For a good period of last year, they consigned firearms for their customers, but he stopped that a couple of months ago - probably because of all the excess labor involved for the relatively small margin and issues selling used firearms.

 

[TTSH]

Yep. Sounds like my most local shop. Just as bad as Cabela's and Bass Pro... meaning no handguns or popular ammo in stock.

 

[scoutingranch]

Welp, while telling my sad tale to my gun buddy, he reminded me, "you need more"?, "But of course, you don't"? . 😇

 

[The Happy Kaboomer]

Last week on a road trip in Georgia. My wife wanted to stop at a farm & garden we passed. I went in they had a sporting goods dept. Their rack was full of rifles and shotguns. Their pistol case was full and they had a brand new S&W 4' blue mdl. 29 in it. They had ammo too. Someone must have forgotten to them there is a shortage.

 

[MWAG]

Funny how a 10% market expansion results in a >10% reduction in inventory. I suspect Gunbroker is where they are, auction to the highest bidder.

 

[Green Mtn. Boy]

My local gas/gun & fishing combination store had gotten in Friday 3 pallets of ammo,I was told that 1 pallet was 9 mm,so those who haven't been able to get anything in the way of 9 mm should have their prayers answered.

 

[ez9ez9]

GMB,

Are they selling at 3 or 4 times their recent cost or something within reason... like double?

 

[Green Mtn. Boy]

GMB,

Are they selling at 3 or 4 times their recent cost or something within reason... like double?

I do not know the price as it was Saturday when I was in and the owner and two other employees were busier than the proverbial paper hangers, so the pallets sat.
His prices are always the lowest of the area shops, it is what it is.
As a reloader it wasn't a burning question.

 

[jonesy814]

A large gun shop about an hour from me must be getting in guns. Their online flyer has a decent variety, but no where near what they would normally list, and prices are $150-250 over normal. Here is a link to the flyer
ONLINE LAYOUT.pdf

 

[Madviking]

I got bored so the ventured out to my closest gun store/range. What a waste of time that was. It looked like a store that had gone out of business, with no business being open for business.
How do they pay the rent, their employees, insurance etc?
Anyway, I placed my name in their file when a 686 3" came in. I had to laugh, the girl said, "don't hold your breath".
Geez this is getting old.

This is the strange thing. Excepting a big surge last spring and maybe summer during all the panic buying, my gun shops have been reasonably well stocked with guns. It's ammo that is the issue. Basically, just about every gun I was thinking of buying I was able to find in my two gun stores nearby. The only exception really is a Mossberg 500 which was only available once. But they have a ton of other shotguns.

 

[ussmanlovede36]

Reddings Hardware usually has a good amount of guns but not now. The other Gun Shop/ Pawn has a better supply of guns and ammo. Neither Shop has the inventory they had a year ago. I do have too say buying a Colt SAA in the Gun Shop/Pawn was different because it's been years since they had a Colt SAA on the shelf at either shop.

 

[jeepnut]

My gunsmith friend has a small shop and range and last time in there the gun stock was not bad but mostly the plastic fantastics. He did say was hard to get 380s but sold right away when he did even though ammo like hen's teeth in 380. He had gotten some 9 mm in and was pricing it at 39.99. Which is down from about 3 weeks ago. He did say ammo was being shipped a little easier (10 days instead of 3 weeks) and price had dropped a little. He had no rifles so to speak but used ones.
Another, larger LGS near me has good supply of guns and was weird as people were buying guns at any price and then looking for ammo which he was short on. He did have some powder at non escalated pricing but non I could use. This LGS did have some good quality used guns and was where I snagged a Single Six Buntline at a good price. Guess all in all the market may be easing a little but the gun frenzy seems to still be strong.

 

[Collects]

I hope you good folks have learned: when ammo is available and reasonable priced, stock up.

This is not our first ammo shortage, and it will not be our last.

 

[Madviking]

I hope you good folks have learned: when ammo is available and reasonable priced, stock up.

This is not our first ammo shortage, and it will not be our last.

Oh i have. I got my first gun a year ago. So this WAS my first rodeo with a shortage. But, I learned my lesson if ammo comes back at reasonable prices.

 

[jonesy814]

Got my first handgun before the big 2012 shortage. It wasn't this bad then though and I have since taken up reloading

 

[mrmike7189]

The Kittery Trading Post in Kittery Maine is one of the largest gun stores in New England
KTP has 36 used pistols on the website for sale.
I expect to see hundreds of guns for sale when I shop there.
This is unbelievable!
2021 will be as crazy as 2020 imo

 

[TTSH]

The Kittery Trading Post in Kittery Maine is one of the largest gun stores in New England
KTP has 36 used pistols on the website for sale.
I expect to see hundreds of guns for sale when I shop there.
This is unbelievable!
2021 will be as crazy as 2020 imo

Kinda like the situation at the Bass Pro near me. They don't do used handguns 'cause Massachusetts, but they normally have several dozen new handguns on display with plenty of stock in the back room.

Yesterday, they had 9 handguns on display: 7 models plus 2 duplicates. Nothing out back. No ammo either.

Actually, that's an improvement over the last time I was there. So maybe those folks who say this is all going to end soon are right?

 

[Madviking]

Kinda like the situation at the Bass Pro near me. They don't do used handguns 'cause Massachusetts, but they normally have several dozen new handguns on display with plenty of stock in the back room.

Yesterday, they had 9 handguns on display: 7 models plus 2 duplicates. Nothing out back. No ammo either.

Actually, that's an improvement over the last time I was there. So maybe those folks who say this is all going to end soon are right?

It's interesting. My two local small LGS' have plenty of guns, and some ammo. They even have 9 mm again sometimes in stock, but over-priced of course. .45 and .22 at times too. They have a lot of shotgun ammo, rifle ammo, etc.

However, I went to Bass Pro and it was wayyyyyyyyy more empty. Ammo, forget about it. The gun cases? Maybe 1/2 full.