Gunshop report

[Gutpile Charlie]

I was in Tulsa today and stopped at Dong's, probably the biggest gun store in town.

Business seem to be booming. While I was waiting in line for the clerk to ring up two 20 rd boxes of WW white box .223, two guys ahead of me were paying for Ruger LCPs. In typical Dong's fashion the clerk was rather flippant when questioned. I said, "You got LCPs?" To which he replied..."yep, you got to pay for them before we order them." End of discussion. I don't remember the exact total price he rang up but it seemed like about $320, which would have made them about $300 before tax. Just a guess.

As far as ammo was concerned, all that esoteric stuff that you wouldn't shoot a box of every twenty years seemed to be plentiful. One cartridge that I thought was really out of line was Hungarian 8x56R that you shoot in the old Styer straight pull rifle was $19.95 per box of 10, two stripper clips. I bought a ton of this stuff a few years ago at $1.40 per box. In the first place, no body really shoots this stuff, it is just a collectible. Secondly, it is 1938 Nazi head stamped. COME ON, GIMME A BREAK!

Self defense .38 Specials and 9 mm just seemed not to exist. Yes, you could buy .38 Spl 148 gr WC, but no "defense" ammo.

Everything else was just high. My two boxes of .223 where about $13.00 each. (This stuff used to be less than $4.00 per box.)

Premium, name brand hunting ammo in major calibers such as .30-06, .308, etc. were all $20 to $24 per box of 20. That's the price Weatherby ammo was years ago!

I was surprised that there seemed to be quite a few AR-15 rifles and variants. Usually Dongs has a couple at any given time, but they seemed to have them in spades. Didn't check the brands or prices. (You can expect high!)

One thing I had never seen in there before was a lot of home defense shotguns. They appeared to be the hot sellers.

As to handguns, as usual Smiths were in short supply, but they had a lot of Taurus. Plenty of tupperware autos and as everything else, prices were high.

Well, that's just my little report from the Tulsa area. How about your neighborhood?

 

[Gutpile Charlie]

I was in Tulsa today and stopped at Dong's, probably the biggest gun store in town.

Business seem to be booming. While I was waiting in line for the clerk to ring up two 20 rd boxes of WW white box .223, two guys ahead of me were paying for Ruger LCPs. In typical Dong's fashion the clerk was rather flippant when questioned. I said, "You got LCPs?" To which he replied..."yep, you got to pay for them before we order them." End of discussion. I don't remember the exact total price he rang up but it seemed like about $320, which would have made them about $300 before tax. Just a guess.

As far as ammo was concerned, all that esoteric stuff that you wouldn't shoot a box of every twenty years seemed to be plentiful. One cartridge that I thought was really out of line was Hungarian 8x56R that you shoot in the old Styer straight pull rifle was $19.95 per box of 10, two stripper clips. I bought a ton of this stuff a few years ago at $1.40 per box. In the first place, no body really shoots this stuff, it is just a collectible. Secondly, it is 1938 Nazi head stamped. COME ON, GIMME A BREAK!

Self defense .38 Specials and 9 mm just seemed not to exist. Yes, you could buy .38 Spl 148 gr WC, but no "defense" ammo.

Everything else was just high. My two boxes of .223 where about $13.00 each. (This stuff used to be less than $4.00 per box.)

Premium, name brand hunting ammo in major calibers such as .30-06, .308, etc. were all $20 to $24 per box of 20. That's the price Weatherby ammo was years ago!

I was surprised that there seemed to be quite a few AR-15 rifles and variants. Usually Dongs has a couple at any given time, but they seemed to have them in spades. Didn't check the brands or prices. (You can expect high!)

One thing I had never seen in there before was a lot of home defense shotguns. They appeared to be the hot sellers.

As to handguns, as usual Smiths were in short supply, but they had a lot of Taurus. Plenty of tupperware autos and as everything else, prices were high.

Well, that's just my little report from the Tulsa area. How about your neighborhood?

 

[29aholic]

Straight east of you on 412 where I live the gunshops dont seem to be gouging, but the big one I frequent is slim pickings. He has sold over 200 AR type rifles since the election. His Wolf 223 has gone from 125 a case to 174 a case just because the price from the Dist has gone up.

People arent just buying AR type guns they are buyng all of them. At one time he had over 2000 guns on the rack and plenty of backstock...now he might have 6/700

 

[jag312]

In the San Jose area three thieves broke into a gun store and stole 100 handguns. Either the guns will go to Mexico where criminals are killing each other or the guns will end up in Oakland where street criminals can kill more cops. I hope the guns go to Mexico.

 

[kennyb]

looks about the same here in central va.went in the local gun shop yesterday...handguns which are usually there in quantity...cases well picked over and little to choose from...my son needed some ammo for an upcoming hunting trip...$27.99 for 20 rounds of hornandy 460 mag.not to bad but...$50.00 for 20 rounds of long colt 45 +p ??!!!!i just told him to put it back...i'll dip into my reloads...the remaining ammo was largely sky high...odd brands...and either out of stock or simply not there...
i did find a brick of federal large pistol magnum primers 1000 for $32.95...it was in a dusty red and black federal box which is not the color i am used to seeing....way old stock?
as we all know....its getting bad (worse)

 

[Bassamatic]

Only one shop in our area that's worth anything and I quit going over there some time ago for pretty much the same reasons you just described. Awfully proud of everything they have.

Even rolling your own is getting expensive. I paid damn near thirty bucks for a box of cci small pistol primers.

 

[lcdrdanr]

I walked into Wally World yesterday looking for something else and spotted two boxes of 100 round Value pack Federal .223, It's easy to spot when the whole rest of the shelf unit is empty! Marked $39.99. I bought 'em both, kicked myself all the way home for spending too much on factory ammo, put them away in the box with all the Wolf boxes of 20 rds, the ones with the $1.80 price tag on 'em. Then I read what others are paying for .223 when they can find it and quit kicking myself.
Found some Large Pistol and Small Pistol primers at my favorite gun shop marked $26.95 a box of 1000, he let me have them for $25.00 and I bought 4,000 of 'em.
I figure by next year they will either have serial numbers on them, I will have to fill out a 4473 on them, They will cost $2.00 each, and you will only be able to buy 2 of them a month, on even numbered days.

Dan R

 

[truckemup97]

I don't like going to Dong's. Their prices were high and their attitudes bad long before the election. However, sometimes they're the only ones in town that have something I need. Did they have any 7.62 x 39? I know, I shouldn't even ask.

 

[Papaw]

Charlie, did you notice if Dong's had any large or small pistol primers?

 

[Gutpile Charlie]

Truckumup, I think I saw a bunch of 7.62x39. If I remember right there was some surplus (can't remember what kind) and some Wolf.

I didn't "see" the primers, but I asked the surly clerk "have you guys got any primers?" To which it answered.."some". End of conversation.

 

[feralmerril]

It isnt as bad here. My theory is most people around here were already armmed naturaly for many years. Charlie, I now know that road and area you worked at and am going to explore it when things dry up.

 

[reste]

Here in New Jersey (were politicos are gun-aphobic) you can't find a single AR.
Handgun prices are sky high. I just bought a 686-6, 4" for just over $700.
The kicker was I could only buy .38+p. No .357 available. I had to order some on-line from Cheaper than Dirt.

 

[GatorFarmer]

That old 8x56R usually fires off just fine. People still fire it out of their Steyrs, though some buy it mainly to get the clips. The stuff has gotten harder to find and prices have gone up.

Anyway, Walmart often has Rem/UMC .223 in stock for 9.97 a box of 20.

 

[Double-O-Dave]

My local gun store has 4" Model 64s and 65s at $320.00 each in the case that keep tempting me. The clerk finally let me in on the "secret" that they are police trade-ins and the better ones have already gone. I think the AR are outrageously priced, plus, I just don't think I need one. I've got .38/.357Magnums in 2.0", 2.5", and 6.0" barreled pistols. I think I'll buy a 4.0" barreled Model 65 and be happy with that.

Regards,

Dave

 

[Gutpile Charlie]

Originally posted by feralmerril:
It isnt as bad here. My theory is most people around here were already armmed naturaly for many years. Charlie, I now know that road and area you worked at and am going to explore it when things dry up.

__________________________________________________

FM, when I bought my house in SLC in 1978, I wasn't ready for what I saw!

You know, the relator takes you into a house and is showing you around and opens a door to a room and it had as many firearms in it as I have now. (I really wasn't into shooting until moving to Utah). Also, as you are aware there is tons of stored food, fuel, etc. It's a different world!

 

[2000Z-71]

I was in a shop out in the east valley today. I had heard that they had powder and primers. Well they did have primers and some powder at prices that were unbelievable. $32.00 for a pound of W296 in the old style cylindrical containter with the metal cap, $35.00 for 1,000 Winchester large pistol primers.

In the past the guy's prices have been reasonable. I made a comment to the owner that prices seemed a little steep. His reply was, "I've got it, if you want it you'll have to pay for it!" I told him to put my powder and primers back on the shelf and walked out.

I understand free market and laws of supply and demand. I also understand that I don't enjoy getting screwed when I didn't want to be.

 

[arkypete]

Something to consider. The gunshops have been existing on mighty slim margins for lot years. Right now it's a sellers market and I'm sure the guys behind the counter get tired of the cheap SOBs complaining about the prices. Because those same cheap SOBs were complaining about the prices 15 years ago, 10 years ago, 5 years ago.
I'm surprised that gun shops don't have a pizzing and moaning counter for all those who feel the need to complain and whine.
If you don't like the prices to play, take up knitting.

Jim

 

[Duke426]

Originally posted by 2000Z-71:
I was in a shop out in the east valley today. I had heard that they had powder and primers. Well they did have primers and some powder at prices that were unbelievable. $32.00 for a pound of W296 in the old style cylindrical containter with the metal cap, $35.00 for 1,000 Winchester large pistol primers.

In the past the guy's prices have been reasonable. I made a comment to the owner that prices seemed a little steep. His reply was, "I've got it, if you want it you'll have to pay for it!" I told him to put my powder and primers back on the shelf and walked out.

I understand free market and laws of supply and demand. I also understand that I don't enjoy getting screwed when I didn't want to be.

I wonder how these surly men born to unwed mothers (can't use the term I want to

) are going to act when legislation turns their livelihood to human feces. Nothing wrong with supply and demand at work but treating people like garbage is wrong. The price is the price and I don't complain about it, I just pay it and move on. But there is no excuse for being treated with disrespect at the cash register.

The old saying holds true about how you treat people on the way up because you will see them on the way down. The gun business ain't going to be booming forever and then we'll see how cocky these retail commandos are then.

 

[rburg]

The complaints are just fun to hear. I'm actually enjoying all the crying from folks. Its one of the advantages to have stockpiled a very small quantity (small is relative.)

Back in my early married years, I could go to one of the local Frisch's restaurants, and buy a Big Boy, Fries, and a coke for just under a dollar! Yesterday, at lunch, I hit the drive thru. Leave off the fries (500 extra calories), it was $4.86. I also remember the local corner store had 16oz Royal Crowns for the same 10 cents as a 12oz Pepsi, or an even smaller 10oz Coke. Fountain soft drinks, a cheaper to produce product, is often $1.50 these days.

We also have the folks who hate gunshows. They even complain the prices at that venue are too high. I've heard it all. Last show, the industry standard small pistol primers were about $31. I saw more than a few at $33/35. One guy had them for $30 and sold out. The same guys who suggest those prices are too high can't get them any cheaper at their local gun shop. They can't get them at all because he sold out.

Much of the complaining comes from people who have good memories, but haven't been in the market for the products recently. They might also remember when other things are cheaper.

The industry I work in has cigarettes as a product line. In all his wisdom, Mr. Obama has pushed an increase in the Federal cigarette tax. A friend commented last night he saw a sign in a convenience store. It was advertising the very competitive price of Marlboro's for $49 a carton.

I remember when they were expensive at a quarter a pack, too.

The store with what some feel are gouging prices on components, but who has them in stock, provides you with a service. Not only do you get the pleasure of complaining about him, but you also have a source of supply if you need the supplies. Not at the price you want to pay, but if you are desperate, you can find them.

My guess in all this is those who complain are playing the same game they have whenever we enter a period of rising prices. Its the start of a very painful period of inflation. The only thing that won't go up will be your paycheck!

 

[george minze]

In Jefferson City try buying any 9mm,45, and can you believe it 380..Only thing I see is 40 cal. range ammo. some random 20 round self defense stuff but you have to be ready to scout around and pay a premium for it. Not a gouge but premium price. Most of our gun shops are small proprietorship and don't have the bulk buying power.