Interesting Perspective on Walmart and Firearms

[walkinghorse]

As this is a different viewpoint I decided to start a new thread onmthe latest Walmart issue.

By RICHARD MANN

A lot of folks are outraged at Walmart discontinuing the sale of ARs and now certain kinds of ammunition. I guess they feel like this monster corporation has betrayed them, and that we should boycott or punish them for not supporting the Second Amendment. Well, um, we should have never started buying our gun stuff there in the first place. We abandoned real gun stores for convenience, and to save a couple dollars. Gun stores went out of business, and here we are.

I could care less. In fact, it would not bother me if Walmart stopped selling guns and gun and hunting related accessories all together. They’ve never been a real gun/hunting store anyway. Though I’m sure there are exceptions, those behind the counter are, in most cases, not qualified to sale or even handle a gun, and I doubt any of them know the difference between a caliber and a cartridge. And based on my experience; their enthusiasm for customer care almost equals my interest in cat videos.

When I was growing up there was a local bait & tackle/gun shop about two miles from my house. On weekends—during my paper route—I’d stop there on my bike. The guy behind the counter would let me look at and fondle the guns that interested me, and he even knew a thing or two about firearms…and young boys. I could usually talk him out of some part I needed, that was just lying in the clutter on his workbench. (If you grew up near my hometown—and are older than 50—you will remember Ray’s Bait Shop. I’d rather go back there for one hour than spend a day in Cabela’s.)

We’ve seen the death of the local gun shop. With that, we’ve lost places where real and practical knowledge could be dispensed. Walmart has contributed to this near extinction; they retail firearms so cheap the local guy cannot compete. (Few realize how small profit margins are on guns.) What they fail to deliver is service—service before, during, and most importantly, after the sale. And those conducting the sale do not have the experience to get that feeling when someone is trying to buy a gun with possible bad intentions in mind. (You do realize an FFL dealer can deny a sale to anyone they think might be a danger, don’t you? Local gun shop owners take this seriously.)

And then there’s the knowledge they do not have to share. Local gun shops are operated by folks who are experienced with, and passionate about, what they do and the things they sale. That passion carries over to the customer. The absence of that passion is like a cancer to the gun and hunting industry. It’s why Walmart could care less about your firearms or hunting interests—they have none of their own. It’s also the reason some gun manufactures are struggling; they hired management types from other industries who lack our passion.

Be mad at Walmart if you like, I could care less what they sale. When I buy gun stuff I’m going to buy it from a guy who smells like Hoppe’s #9, a guy who was installing a trigger on a rifle that morning, a guy who closed his shop early yesterday to go to the range, a guy who frequently has a shop full of like-minded folks complaining about anti-gunners, a guy who knows what a pre-64 model 70 is, who Jeff Cooper was, and who actually gives a pelosi if I hit what I shoot at, or ever come back in his shop again.

With this help from Walmart the local gun shop can once again be real. With all the new gun owners in our ranks, they’ve never been needed more than right now!

You think Walmart is a gun store? Well, bless your heart. You’ve never been in a real gun store, have you?

Richard Mann

[Watchdog]

This is outstanding.

Says what needs to be said, and what should have been said years ago.

Or maybe someone has been saying it for years; we just haven't been listening.

It isn't too late to wake up.

[LoadedRound]

I hadn't really thought about it before. I've only bought 1 firearm from Walmart and that was in 1982 when they still sold handguns. I doubt I've spent more than $100 on ammunition there.

Apparently, I'm immune to any policy changes they might make

[BAM-BAM]

Add Dick's, Dunham's and the other big box "sporting goods stores" to the list......... worthless..... and you get to pay Full MSRP for bad service!!!!!

[Jessie]

I’m guilty. I bought a Mossberg for turkey season one year and a very little bit of ammo (100rds?) from Wally in the past.
Your post is correct and I will refrain from doing so in the future.
Now, I think a much larger problem looms with the internet for the LGS.
Something has to give as far as prices to be able to compete. I understand that there’s not much profit to be made but I have seen a couple of LGS that we’re not competitive at all.
I’m not rich so I have to shop around.
I don’t have the definitive answer here.
After thinking some, maybe sales are in the past for the most part. Concentrate instead on transfers, service and custom work....those things that you can’t get from those places. I don’t know but if the profit margin is that slim, I would work on the areas where it’s better.

[Joe Kent]

Well said Richard, well said!

[Sistema1927]

This brought back a memory that I had long ago forgotten

Even though I can now purchase my ammo 1,000 rounds at a time online, there was a time when money was short, and every penny counted. However, there was a local gun store when I was a kid that would sell me loose .22 ammo for $.01 each. If all I had was a quarter, I could get 25 rounds. If all I had was a dime, then 10. Guessing that Wal-Mart, or Cabelas, or Sportsman's Warehouse would toss me out on my ear if I asked for the same.

[Jessie]

Originally Posted by Watchdog

This is outstanding.

Says what needs to be said, and what should have been said years ago.

Or maybe someone has been saying it for years; we just haven't been listening.

It isn't too late to wake up.

You’re right, but it may be too late. The cats out of that bag and unless something changes with internet sales, it’s not going back in.

[federali]

Regardless of the product line, the very nature of retailing is changing. The big box stores like Home Depot are forcing the mom-and-pop hardware stores out of business. At least a half dozen hardware stores folded in my former neighborhood on the south shore of Nassau County, LI. Then, there are online sales, a double whammy for the brick-and mortar stores.

Of course no one, especially a deep-pockets mega corporation like Walmart, wants to be the source of a firearm used in a mass shooting. The issues are complex and I'm sure Walmart doesn't want to alienate their gun-using customers. Antigun forces have demonstrated that they will violate the 1st Amendment in an effort to hurt the NRA. NY is trying to force banks not to deal with the NRA and San Francisco now thinks the NRA is a terrorist group. I'm sure they would attempt a boycott of a major retailer to achieve their ends.

[rwt1405]

I've never purchased a firearm from Walmart, and this explains one of the many reasons why.

Thank you for saying it much better then I ever could have.

[muddocktor]

If Walmart was depending on me to buy firearms and ammo from them they would have gone broke a long time ago. Yes, I have bought a few guns from them, but they were more one offs than a regular deal of shopping. The first one was about 15 years ago and bought with a Walmart gift card that a company I used to do business with gave out as safety bonuses and I ordered a Ruger 77/22 in 22lr, plus a Nikon scope. The last one I bought was a 6920 when they were getting scarce to find after Sandy Hook and then sold it to my brother. As for ammo, I've bought a little 22 lr from them but even that I mostly shop online for. The rest of my ammo I reload, so no Walmart for me for ammo. As for supporting my LGS, I don't know of even 1 in New Iberia that handles reloading supplies and in Lafayette, Shooters Supply is pretty outrageously priced on components and usually don't have the powders I use and they don't even stock any Western powder (Accurate, Ramshot) at all. The gun shop in Arnaudeville also has just a small supply of reloading components too. I have bought guns from the LGS around the house though, when they have something I want and have it priced in the range I will pay for it.

[TTSH]

Walmart's decision is going to help many local gun shops and stores like Bass Pro and Cabela's for sure... and help the on-line ammo sellers even more. That's the positive side. I'm seeing it already.

But the downside is the loss of the giant entity that set the market (and set it reasonably low) price-wise. The other big downside is the further isolation of gunowners and sport shooting from everyday life in retail middle America. Not good things long-term.

[cowboy4evr]

I never , ever purchased a firearm from Walmart . Regards, Paul

[Muss Muggins]

Somebody with some sense once told me that Wal-Mart was behind the creation of Remington’s “Express” line of 870 shotguns . . .

[Jessie]

Well Muss, if that’s true then Thank you Walmart...now get off my lawn!

[andy52]

Personally I haven't been in a Walmart for at least 30 years, I've never liked their business practices. They treat there employs like **** and they destroy small local businesses as already stated, who's fault is that who ever walks in the door and makes a purchase.

[McGivern]

I've never purchased a firearm or ammunition from Wally World. Always dealt with local shops or occasionally at gun shows. By stopping these sales, they are affecting their own bottom line.

[Watchdog]

Originally Posted by McGivern

By stopping these sales, they are affecting their own bottom line.

Probably by such a small percentage, it won't even move the decimal point in their bottom line.

[dockmurgw]

For every gun owner angered by this decision (but OK with the fact that they are responsible for flooding the country with cheap chicom junk, go figure), there will be 5 clueless millenials that will cheer this decision. The country has changed, the worst generation is in charge and making these business decisions, so get used to it...there's a lot more to come, because the worst generation is conceiving an even worse generation. I give the 2nd 2 more generations before its erased from history, air brushed out of the historical record like Stalins enemies.

[TTSH]

Originally Posted by Watchdog

Probably by such a small percentage, it won't even move the decimal point in their bottom line.

Let's just say that the Walmart executives and stockholders won't miss a single meal on account of us being disrespected in their stores. That's the sad reality of it.

[Biggfoot44]

I love old school full service gun stores , but they are 99.8% dead, and never coming back . It saddens and disapoints me , but that's reality .

Yes , the era of Wal Mart expansion ( when also all Wallys had gun depts ) killed lots of LGS . Near me , a Wally opened literally accross the street from a regionally renowned Gun/ hunting store . On the strength of Gunsmithing , archery, and quality hunting gear was able to slow the inevitable for a cpl years , but owner observed that what Wallys did sell , they sold at retail that was lower than his wholesale .

But even if Wal Mart closed its doors tommorow , old school full service LGS aren"t coming back . Buyers currently 40yo & under spent their whole lives in the computer era . Anything they think about buying , they search on the Internet for lowest prices, and best selection . There is a narrow window for local brick & mortar stores to off a firearm splitting the margins where his over the counter price can match or slightly beat the online price, plus shipping, plus regionally prevailing Transfer fees . A friendly semiz local Gun Store owner has a niche . He finds the batches oof particular gun on blow out special from his distributors , buys enough to get volume pricing from distrtors , then when they arrive , put them on flash sale on local gun forum , and his website . At his prices , they sell out in between 20 minutes, and a week . Heck , I've even bought such items from him occasionally . But still dosen't replicate old school gun stores . This dosen't support having in depth variety routinely on the shelves inbetween preiodic mega sales .
Advice ? 90 % of them prefer youtube videos over living breathing old farts who own gun stores .

( opps , prematurely brushed finger against Post button ) And reloading supplies are even worse . Even before the internet , close to 30yrs ago had a gun store owner explain he was going to discontinue almost all his reloading stuff, because he couldn't compete with Mail Order from places like Cabelas . There were two many different components in different cals, weights, designs , and brands , that maintaining a stock of every bullet , from every mfg , in every cal , would require major capital tied up , with low profits on those actually sold .

[keith44spl]

Sam Walton single handily killed the mom & pop stores in my neck of the woods years ago.

I patronize my local gun shop for my needs...

It might cost a few bucks more, but I'm glad they're there .

.

[les.b]

Originally Posted by Joe Kent

Well said Richard, well said!

^^^^^^^^^^

I couldn't have phrased it any better than this....

Best Regards, Les

[loknload]

Back in the early days of my gun wanting/ shopping youth there were two stores thatI visited, one was a major local mom and pop department store and the other was a local mom and pop sporting goods store. That is what was available to me in those days. It wasn’t until I graduated high school did I learn of my first “Gun Shop”.
The majority of my guns at that point in time came from him and I did business with him until he died.
All my collection has come mostly from LGShops as well as ammunition.
I do not shop at Walmart for anything... and especially something as firearms and munitions.
I have made purchases at gun shows as well and most of them are local venders.
The mom and pop stores mention up above were always manned by local people we knew. Unfortunately the Sporting Goods Store died when the owner retired but the department store still lives on yet today greater than ever less the old sporting goods department.
I still have one main gun shop I still frequent,,,

[hkcavalier]

Thank God Wal-Mart never killed off the LGS up in the Pacific NW. By the time they moved here bigtime in the 1990s, they already only sold basic hunting/plinking rifles and shotguns.

I don't know if I ever saw anyone do a buy in any Wal-Mart, ever. Ammo, sure, but the guns just didn't move all that quick.

[TTSH]

Originally Posted by hkcavalier

Thank God Wal-Mart never killed off the LGS up in the Pacific NW. By the time they moved here bigtime in the 1990s, they already only sold basic hunting/plinking rifles and shotguns.

I don't know if I ever saw anyone do a buy in any Wal-Mart, ever. Ammo, sure, but the guns just didn't move all that quick.

Yeah, a little reality check for MA is overdue too before we blame Walmart for every evil in the world today. While guns shops come and go all too often, I have not heard anyone blame our Walmart stores for that. Where I live, Walmarts haven't sold guns for a long time and those in the tougher neighborhoods don't sell ammo either. The truth is that it's a tough business environment here in highly-restricted moonbat MA and shops come and go for that and a variety of miscellaneous reasons. Up until the other day, we were actually better off in some respects than we have been in years (in my very humble opinion).

There is no question that the gun shops and remaining sporting goods stores selling ammo will benefit... and that is a very good thing.

[GypsmJim]

Originally Posted by andy52

Personally I haven't been in a Walmart for at least 30 years, I've never liked their business practices. They treat there employs like **** and they destroy small local businesses as already stated, who's fault is that who ever walks in the door and makes a purchase.

Well, I don't know about 30 years ago, but based on family members that work there now what you said is due to lack of knowledge or a complete lie based on some agenda.

In my neck of the woods almost all of the LGSs were dragged out of business years ago because of the BATF or the IRS. Nothing to do with Wally. The few that are left sell at full MSRP.

I get ammo at WalMart at a discount of at least 25%. That's all the sporting goods I buy there. Their supply of guns is pitiful so no real need. I pay full price for the guns at the LGS, so I figure that alone is keeping him in business.

OTOH, the beer and milk and other food stuff there is also significantly better than the local food retailer.

Love them or hate them. Retired and on a fixed income I can't afford to buy beer at high price just on principal alone.

[Mike, SC Hunter]

Wally clears out lots of their inventory now to end of the year. I watch for the sales on close out. Several months ago I bought a new 20 ga Remington 11-87 there for $249.00. And I do buy ammunition there. 22 cal. prices can't be beat. Also 410 shotgun shell are cheaper there too. So I am a wally world shopper. No big deal.

[Kanewpadle]

Good article. I’ve only been saying this about mass retailers and the internet for the last ten years.

[andy52]

Originally Posted by GypsmJim

Well, I don't know about 30 years ago, but based on family members that work there now what you said is due to lack of knowledge or a complete lie based on some agenda.

In my neck of the woods almost all of the LGSs were dragged out of business years ago because of the BATF or the IRS. Nothing to do with Wally. The few that are left sell at full MSRP.

I get ammo at WalMart at a discount of at least 25%. That's all the sporting goods I buy there. Their supply of guns is pitiful so no real need. I pay full price for the guns at the LGS, so I figure that alone is keeping him in business.

OTOH, the beer and milk and other food stuff there is also significantly better than the local food retailer.

Love them or hate them. Retired and on a fixed income I can't afford to buy beer at high price just on principal alone.

I have no agenda and what I said is defiantly not a lie.
Walmart has been forced to change their ways over the years by class action suits and the government.
30 years ago they were forcing their employees to work overtime without the extra pay at the threat of being fired, plus paying wages that are just above poverty level and teaching their employees how to apply for government subsidies.
I'm retired and also live on a fixed income but will not purchase anything from Walmart.
I currently don't know anyone that works at Walmart so your assertion of current conditions may be correct but hasn't always been that way.