The ammo and gun buying frenzy from first hand view... - The Firearms Forum

jjmitchell60 · 12-01-2008, 01:11 PM

Below is a reply I sent to a friend's e-mail this mourning about the buying frenzy of ammo and guns. I do not see it here due to a sparsely populated area but I worked (helped) a buddy at a 3 day gun show this weekend. He sells nothing but ammo and they cleaned us out in the 3 days with us calling in favors to restock some DAILY from a near by distributor (as well as I taking up some of my old stock from 5 years ago). It is scary and it worries me as to how inexperinced many (most) of these buyers are and how many are elederly who have never shot a foirearm oir have not done so in 50 years or more. Here is my reply to my friend's e-mail asking me about the show and some other things. Does it worry anyone else?

Reply:
Worked a gun show for a buddy this weekend. I sell guns and a little of ammo to go with the guns in my small (very small) shop (mainly internet sales though) and he sells NOTHING but ammo. People were non stop all 3 days, broke record attendance numbers all 3 days, and the people were buying ONLY ARs, and hi-cap handguns. All the dealers who set up at the show sold every S&W they had, every Springfield XDs, all HKs, baby Eagles, and any other hi-cap including the cheap Hi-Points! We were the ONLY ammo dealer there and they nearly bought us out clean. Sold every round of 223, 7.62x39, 357, 38spl, 44mag, 45acp, 40s&w, 9mm, 380, 32ACP, 25ACP, 22LR&Short, and even odd ammo that he will rarely sell one box a year of. had one man bought $2000 worth of different calibers! That went on all day for 3 days. I took some of my stock up to re-stock him Sunday and sold every round I took. I got today's price on some private ammo I had held back for 5 years now! It is a feeding frenzy out there when it comes to guns and ammo right now.

NOW for the scary part, had MANY come to buy ammo carrying 12 ga or Hi-Point handguns that had NEVER fired a gun in their lives. I showed MANY how to LOAD a magazine. Showed several elderly women and couples how to load a shotgun and the PROPER home defense loads. One lady was buying number 8s for home defense and I talked her into a little better round. Her reasoning was she did not want to kill anyone but just scare her!!! that scared me, that shotgun will be taken from her and used on her IF she ever has to use it I am afraid. Had a man about 30 years old pushing a pair of twins in a double stroller want ammo for a 380 Hi-Point. he was going to leave a round in the chamber at all times TILL the babies got old enough to reach it on the night stand, his words! He did not have a trigger lock and I talked to him a long time as to the dangers of that with a Hi-Point especially! Like I said it is crazy out there. It has no boundaries either, all races, all age groups, and all walks of life are buying ammo and guns for the first time. One man brought all 5 of his grown kids and bought all 5 of them plus himself a new Springfield XD each! NONE of them except for ONE son had ever shot a firearm in their life and that son was ex-US Army! He said he was going to teach the others how to PROPERLY use the XDs. What surprised me of that family is even though the son was ex Army, he still did not own a firearm and had not shot one since he got out some 6 years ago. It is so bad that I expect for accidently shootings to rise a LOT in the next couple of years. I am worried the buying frenzy will hurt the gun cause due to so many buyers never even knowing how to load the fire arm they just bought and also the sellers were so busy they did not have the proper time to show all the customers as they should have IMHO.

delta13soultaker · 12-01-2008, 03:16 PM

I see what you're saying.

On the other side of the coin, people with zero or little knowledge of firearms are spurred by reasons less obvious to purchase a firearm all the time.

It's comforting to know (like you said you took time to show how to load mags, choose ammo etc) that some dealers are giving some instruction and not just taking money and moving on with no responsibility.

Maybe think about next show giving away a copy of Jeff Cooper's Rules of Gun Safety with every purchase. Hell, it would only cost a penny per copy.

artabr · 12-01-2008, 06:00 PM

Ditto Deltas response. Gun safety handouts would be a big help for them.

Art

obxned · 12-01-2008, 06:24 PM

The safety issue is a concern, but better that these folks have a means or self-protection than not.

ponycar17 · 12-01-2008, 08:22 PM

JJ, if your concern is founded with regards to inexperienced buyers, wouldn't it be ironic how fear of gun control to supposedly protect us made us less safe?...

Given that thought, with the economy in a downturn, you can expect crime rates to rise and now is as good a time as any to buy a firearm and lean how to use it...

moooboy · 10-29-2010, 09:39 PM

I know I'm guilty of the same,lol But I have a lot of experience with firearms. I haven't bought much in the past 10 years other that a shotgun and rifle but in the past month i bought a mint smith 3913, marlin 444xlr,naa 22 mag( for my first ccw) taurus 4" 627 357,ruger single six hunter,taurus ss model 72 22 mag(from a buddy i sold it to and bought it back) accelerator 22 mag semi pistol and matching 22 mag semi rifle and a bunch of ammo. I need to stop looking at BrandX every morning or im gonna be broke,lol. I dont really want anything else and think im done for another 10 years

. My dealer has to hold my pistols for 3 months because i cant buy more than one every 30 days here in the land of fruits and nuts

JLA · 10-29-2010, 09:42 PM

jeez dude, you must have a money tree in the backyard, or youre not married

moooboy · 10-29-2010, 09:47 PM

no i'm married with 2 kids, just know how to hide money from her and she can't see into my safes,lol
got most of the money from selling extra parts i hoarded from my mopar addiction, still got more to sell now that my 70 cuda is restored

Marlin T · 10-29-2010, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moooboy

now that my 70 cuda is restored

Welcome aboard!!

So post some pics of that bad boy!
come on

JLA · 10-29-2010, 11:01 PM

DODGE MAN EH! I got me an ol M882 'warhorse'. love me a good dodge

graehaven · 10-30-2010, 06:27 AM

Your experience at the show is, at the least, very telling of where a new segment of the population is in their line of thinking. They realize the very real prospect of bad times coming - and they're doing something about it. This government/regime keeps doing things that show themselves to hate firearms ownership and the ability to buy ammo reliably, and the people have picked up on that (at least, more are), and they can see they need to move on that information.

Safety issues aside, it's a very GOOD thing.

Now, here, the gun show back in September was poorly attended by both vendors and customers - much lower than in the previous 2 years. So, location may have something to do with it too.

Trouble 45-70 · 10-30-2010, 01:53 PM

Last gun show 2 wks. ago. great selections and prices. No 30-40 brass though and 2 dealers said they couldn't get that and a few of the other older oddball cases. No bulk 30-06 an d little .308 in quantity.

12-01-2008, 01:11 PM	#1
jjmitchell60 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Raised in Buzzard Roost near Frog Town in hillls of Kentucky Contributor Posts: 1,471	The ammo and gun buying frenzy from first hand view... Below is a reply I sent to a friend's e-mail this mourning about the buying frenzy of ammo and guns. I do not see it here due to a sparsely populated area but I worked (helped) a buddy at a 3 day gun show this weekend. He sells nothing but ammo and they cleaned us out in the 3 days with us calling in favors to restock some DAILY from a near by distributor (as well as I taking up some of my old stock from 5 years ago). It is scary and it worries me as to how inexperinced many (most) of these buyers are and how many are elederly who have never shot a foirearm oir have not done so in 50 years or more. Here is my reply to my friend's e-mail asking me about the show and some other things. Does it worry anyone else? Reply: Worked a gun show for a buddy this weekend. I sell guns and a little of ammo to go with the guns in my small (very small) shop (mainly internet sales though) and he sells NOTHING but ammo. People were non stop all 3 days, broke record attendance numbers all 3 days, and the people were buying ONLY ARs, and hi-cap handguns. All the dealers who set up at the show sold every S&W they had, every Springfield XDs, all HKs, baby Eagles, and any other hi-cap including the cheap Hi-Points! We were the ONLY ammo dealer there and they nearly bought us out clean. Sold every round of 223, 7.62x39, 357, 38spl, 44mag, 45acp, 40s&w, 9mm, 380, 32ACP, 25ACP, 22LR&Short, and even odd ammo that he will rarely sell one box a year of. had one man bought $2000 worth of different calibers! That went on all day for 3 days. I took some of my stock up to re-stock him Sunday and sold every round I took. I got today's price on some private ammo I had held back for 5 years now! It is a feeding frenzy out there when it comes to guns and ammo right now. NOW for the scary part, had MANY come to buy ammo carrying 12 ga or Hi-Point handguns that had NEVER fired a gun in their lives. I showed MANY how to LOAD a magazine. Showed several elderly women and couples how to load a shotgun and the PROPER home defense loads. One lady was buying number 8s for home defense and I talked her into a little better round. Her reasoning was she did not want to kill anyone but just scare her!!! that scared me, that shotgun will be taken from her and used on her IF she ever has to use it I am afraid. Had a man about 30 years old pushing a pair of twins in a double stroller want ammo for a 380 Hi-Point. he was going to leave a round in the chamber at all times TILL the babies got old enough to reach it on the night stand, his words! He did not have a trigger lock and I talked to him a long time as to the dangers of that with a Hi-Point especially! Like I said it is crazy out there. It has no boundaries either, all races, all age groups, and all walks of life are buying ammo and guns for the first time. One man brought all 5 of his grown kids and bought all 5 of them plus himself a new Springfield XD each! NONE of them except for ONE son had ever shot a firearm in their life and that son was ex-US Army! He said he was going to teach the others how to PROPERLY use the XDs. What surprised me of that family is even though the son was ex Army, he still did not own a firearm and had not shot one since he got out some 6 years ago. It is so bad that I expect for accidently shootings to rise a LOT in the next couple of years. I am worried the buying frenzy will hurt the gun cause due to so many buyers never even knowing how to load the fire arm they just bought and also the sellers were so busy they did not have the proper time to show all the customers as they should have IMHO. __________________ Oath Keepers NOT ON OUR WATCH www.oathkeepers.org 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution: A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." -- Benjamin Franklin When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes Duty... Thomas Jefferson -->

12-01-2008, 03:16 PM	#2
delta13soultaker Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Depends on Uncle Sam's whim every 3 yrs. Posts: 2,948	Re: The ammo and gun buying frenzy from first hand view... I see what you're saying. On the other side of the coin, people with zero or little knowledge of firearms are spurred by reasons less obvious to purchase a firearm all the time. It's comforting to know (like you said you took time to show how to load mags, choose ammo etc) that some dealers are giving some instruction and not just taking money and moving on with no responsibility. Maybe think about next show giving away a copy of Jeff Cooper's Rules of Gun Safety with every purchase. Hell, it would only cost a penny per copy. __________________ Never say die! "A nation who forgets its defenders is soon forgotten itself." "A good shot must necessarily be a good man since the essence of good marksmanship is self-control and self-control is the essential quality of a good man." – Theodore Roosevelt

12-01-2008, 06:00 PM	#3
artabr Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: New Iberia, Louisiana Contributor Posts: 7,859	Re: The ammo and gun buying frenzy from first hand view... Ditto Deltas response. Gun safety handouts would be a big help for them. Art __________________ God and the soldier we like adore, In times of trouble, not before. When troubles ended and all things righted, God is forgotten and the soldier is slighted. Francis Quarles 1592 - 1644 __________________ When asked for my race, I answer CauCajun. Hope is not a plan, and not all change is good. The resistance is here; the resistance is now. RESIST! These hands are neither cold nor are they dead!! Last edited by artabr; 12-01-2008 at 06:02 PM..

12-01-2008, 06:24 PM	#4
obxned Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 1,342	Re: The ammo and gun buying frenzy from first hand view... The safety issue is a concern, but better that these folks have a means or self-protection than not. __________________ Proud member of a North Carolina Committee of Safety "If we loose Freedom here, there's no place to escape to. This is the Last Stand on Earth!" Ronald Reagan

12-01-2008, 08:22 PM	#5
ponycar17 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: South Carolina Contributor Posts: 4,884	Re: The ammo and gun buying frenzy from first hand view... JJ, if your concern is founded with regards to inexperienced buyers, wouldn't it be ironic how fear of gun control to supposedly protect us made us less safe?... Given that thought, with the economy in a downturn, you can expect crime rates to rise and now is as good a time as any to buy a firearm and lean how to use it...

10-29-2010, 09:39 PM	#6
moooboy Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 2	Re: The ammo and gun buying frenzy from first hand view... I know I'm guilty of the same,lol But I have a lot of experience with firearms. I haven't bought much in the past 10 years other that a shotgun and rifle but in the past month i bought a mint smith 3913, marlin 444xlr,naa 22 mag( for my first ccw) taurus 4" 627 357,ruger single six hunter,taurus ss model 72 22 mag(from a buddy i sold it to and bought it back) accelerator 22 mag semi pistol and matching 22 mag semi rifle and a bunch of ammo. I need to stop looking at BrandX every morning or im gonna be broke,lol. I dont really want anything else and think im done for another 10 years. My dealer has to hold my pistols for 3 months because i cant buy more than one every 30 days here in the land of fruits and nuts Last edited by Shooter45; 10-30-2010 at 12:49 PM.. Reason: By Passing Auto Censor

10-29-2010, 09:42 PM	#7
JLA TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Heart Of Texas Contributor Posts: 17,313	Re: The ammo and gun buying frenzy from first hand view... jeez dude, you must have a money tree in the backyard, or youre not married __________________ It takes 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 3 for proper trigger squeeze. The latest caliber or gear is no substitute for experience and skill. Rifles and cartridges don't make hits -- shooters do. Fact of life: After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF!

10-29-2010, 09:47 PM	#8
moooboy Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 2	Re: The ammo and gun buying frenzy from first hand view... no i'm married with 2 kids, just know how to hide money from her and she can't see into my safes,lol got most of the money from selling extra parts i hoarded from my mopar addiction, still got more to sell now that my 70 cuda is restored Last edited by moooboy; 10-29-2010 at 09:48 PM..

10-29-2010, 11:01 PM	#10
JLA TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Heart Of Texas Contributor Posts: 17,313	Re: The ammo and gun buying frenzy from first hand view... DODGE MAN EH! I got me an ol M882 'warhorse'. love me a good dodge Attached Images __________________ It takes 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 3 for proper trigger squeeze. The latest caliber or gear is no substitute for experience and skill. Rifles and cartridges don't make hits -- shooters do. Fact of life: After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF!

10-30-2010, 06:27 AM	#11
graehaven Advanced Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 2,853	Re: The ammo and gun buying frenzy from first hand view... Your experience at the show is, at the least, very telling of where a new segment of the population is in their line of thinking. They realize the very real prospect of bad times coming - and they're doing something about it. This government/regime keeps doing things that show themselves to hate firearms ownership and the ability to buy ammo reliably, and the people have picked up on that (at least, more are), and they can see they need to move on that information. Safety issues aside, it's a very GOOD thing. Now, here, the gun show back in September was poorly attended by both vendors and customers - much lower than in the previous 2 years. So, location may have something to do with it too. __________________ The beauty of the second amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it." - Thomas Jefferson RESISTANCE IS FEUDAL... PREPARE TO SERVE.

10-30-2010, 01:53 PM	#12
Trouble 45-70 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: NE Ar. W. of Black River Contributor Posts: 2,703	Re: The ammo and gun buying frenzy from first hand view... Last gun show 2 wks. ago. great selections and prices. No 30-40 brass though and 2 dealers said they couldn't get that and a few of the other older oddball cases. No bulk 30-06 an d little .308 in quantity. __________________ Psalm 12 verse 8: The wicked walk on every side when the vilest men are exalted.