Am I last to notice, when did Walmart start selling M4 clones?

GatorFarmer · #1 10-16-2011, 12:06 AM

Saw one in the gun case today walking by. Paused. Looked. It was not a .22 copy. It was a Smith and Wesson M&P in 5.56mm. The 30 rd mag was displayed in place. The tag on it read "Smith and Wesson M&P M4A3". Price was 899.

Didn't see any spare mags for sale. They did have Blackhawk brand holsters though, including onces for concealed carry.

Cole K · #2 10-16-2011, 05:48 PM

Some Wal-Marts don't sale guns at all. mine is one of them.

Andy Griffith · #3 10-16-2011, 06:21 PM

Ever since they found out that sales in stores with only limited or no sporting goods departments were down overall because there was no where for the men to go.

dewey · #4 10-16-2011, 06:26 PM

but the two Wallys I go to have NO guns and a bunch of mostly empty ammo display cases. Is it up to the store managers or what????

Faulkner · #5 10-16-2011, 08:21 PM

The stores in Arkansas seem to be full of guns. Since Sam died, seems Walmart has little moral fiber. I'm glad they're back to selling guns, but it's probably because some stores see the profit in it.

bloo · #6 10-16-2011, 10:21 PM

Walmarts in this part of Wisconsin stopped selling guns several years ago. Ammo is more expensive than at the local farm supply store.

Ted

dmar · #7 10-16-2011, 10:36 PM

You gotta love South Carolina... Something tells me you're not going to see ARs in California, or Connecticut, and several other/similar states. After all, some states have citizens that can be trusted with defending their lives, and some states don't, right...?

BTW, reading the post above makes me wonder why is it that Wisconsin is so restrictive with guns? Being a Midwest state, and having all of the farms, forests, and great outdoors activities, I just thought it would be different. I understand Milwaukee is influenced a lot by Chicago, but I just never understood the whole dynamic...

GatorFarmer · #8 10-16-2011, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dewey

but the two Wallys I go to have NO guns and a bunch of mostly empty ammo display cases. Is it up to the store managers or what????

I think the decision on whether or not a given store continued to sell guns was based on whether it was profitable for the given amount of space devoted to it at a certain store.

Empty ammo cases can sometimes be refilled if you call the corporate 1800 number and complain.

The Walmart in Beaufort sells firearms and that is where I saw the M4 clone on the shelf.

(As an aside Walmarts have sold Mini14s for years, even all through the AWB. I bought mine at a Walmart in VA.)

Fishslayer · #9 10-17-2011, 01:39 AM

In Kalifornistan they got their FFL pulled by the DOJ. I've heard different versions why. One was that the paperwork is just so complicated one of the minimum wage drones messed up by accident. Another version was deliberate back dating of paperwork.

I've heard that long guns are starting to show up again but we won't be seeing handguns at all.

3 of the loacal Walmarts here have loads of ammo. I don't really buy much since I load my own centerfire pistol ammo and my LGS sells MiniMags for about the same price. My centerfire rifles all eat commie milsurp.

vista461 · #10 10-17-2011, 02:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmar

BTW, reading the post above makes me wonder why is it that Wisconsin is so restrictive with guns? Being a Midwest state, and having all of the farms, forests, and great outdoors activities, I just thought it would be different. I understand Milwaukee is influenced a lot by Chicago, but I just never understood the whole dynamic...

Other than just now getting CCW, we're not restrictive. We can have Full auto and suppressors here. No AWB or anything like that either.

NE450No2 · #11 10-17-2011, 05:23 AM

My thoughts are this, if a store selling guns does not have any AR type rifles, then they do not deserve your business.

The AR IS the same thing today as the lever action 30/30 was years ago.

I would hazzard a guess that today, more AR type rifles are sold, than any other single kind.

I think EVERYBODY should have at least one...

GatorFarmer · #12 10-17-2011, 07:10 AM

I know that Walmart got out of the handgun business in all of the lower 48 some years back. Stores in Alaska still sell handguns. One or another shootings involving guns purchased at Walmart and political pressure motivated the end of handgun sales. They went from being on display, to something you could special order out of a book, to not being carried in the store. That was back in the late 90s. There was another contraction as to the number of stores selling guns at all circa 2006/2007 or so.

Many stores, particularly in rural areas, have sold guns all along. This year they had promo flyers out prominently featuring the enlarged selection of guns and ammo for hunting season. The Taurus Judge carbine length creation was prominently featured in that circular and I'd heard of them showing up for sale before I saw the local store get the first one.

Guns with the "evil" features had been absent from Walmarts since circa 1994 though- flash hiders, hi cap mags, collapsible stocks, etc. The focus had been on just fairly generic "hunting" rifles and shotguns. Prior to 94 you could buy hi cap 10/22 mags off the shelf at Walmart and some stores apparently stocked and sold the sporterized AK clones then common. The M4 clone in stock marked the return of products with not just some, but all of the "bad" features. I think it even had a bayonet lug.

Pasifikawv · #13 10-17-2011, 01:51 PM

Stopped by my LGS the other day. He had re-arranged the store a bit to make way for hunting season stuff, but was worried about this year's sales. Apparently, he receives an industry magazine for FFLs/Gun Dealers and the feature article was about Walmart making HUGE push back into the long-gun and hunter market (rifles, shotguns, camo, hunting accessories, ammo, etc.) with the goal to compete with Cabelas, Bass Pro Shop, Gander Mtn, etc. In that case, Wally World will certainly put a squeeze on small LGS's.

No mention of Walmart considering a entry into the handgun market. That may be the saving grace for the small LGS, but losing a chunk of his fall market to the conglomerate will hurt.

walnutred · #14 10-17-2011, 01:58 PM

The Wally Worlds that sell firearms around here will also let you order from the catalog.

deralte · #15 10-17-2011, 06:19 PM

All the Wal Marts in our area, here in NC, have always sold long guns and theres a rumor that they are going to start selling handguns.

HOUSTON RICK · #16 10-17-2011, 06:25 PM

Wal Mart has a good selection of discoiunt and moderately priced long guns in my area, but no handguns.

diamonback68 · #17 10-17-2011, 06:29 PM

Stop by the local W.W. today. They had the M4s made by Bushmasters for $897. They also have a flyer out with lots of long guns on sale.

diamonback68 · #18 10-17-2011, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GatorFarmer

The M4 clone in stock marked the return of products with not just some, but all of the "bad" features. I think it even had a bayonet lug.

Yup, and the nefarious "flash hider" too.

michael thornton · #19 10-17-2011, 06:55 PM

none here,they do have ruger mini 14s

venomballistics · #20 10-17-2011, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bloo

Walmarts in this part of Wisconsin stopped selling guns several years ago. Ammo is more expensive than at the local farm supply store.

Ted

thats one of the things I miss and get more than a little home sick about sometimes ... good old Fleet Farm ... the one and only department store to truly get it right with something to offend everyone