Have any'Weber Warrior's Heard this Rumor? It came from a New Hampshire Gun Owner. cc
We heard they are closing some unprofitable ones, not all.
Being one of the largest retailers, I would find it difficult for Wal Mart to close all of their gun departments, espeically in stores that are in rural areas. They were facing a lawsuit in California when supposedly someone who was not legally allowed to have a gun bought one and the transfer was allowed. I'm not aware of the finer details or the outcome of the lawsuit.
They closed the gun department in nearby Hadley, Massachusetts some time ago....but even when it was "open", there was hardly ever anyone working behind the counter....
Heard the same as Jonesy some time ago.
I did hear yesterday, yet again, that ammo makers were planning phased price increases thru this year, ultimately reaching the "significant increase" before the hunting season. Time to stock up at WallyWorld?
Two comments:
1. I live in a suburb of St. Louis, and several of their local stores have stopped selling guns, but still have ammo, hunting clothes, cleaning supplies, etc.
2. I was talking with asmall gun store manager earlier this week, and he says the wholesale prices of shotshells are jumping 20 to 30%. Being a friend, he suggested I quickly "stock up" on cheap promo shotshells from all the discount stores. Best prices i could find locally were $38/flat. Shot is now $26/bag, up from $17 a year ago.
WalMart gun depts in CA have been effectively closed for several years because of the previously mentioned BATF-related issue. If I recall correctly, the problem was not a violation of Federal regs, but rather a violation of California regs, which are rather draconian. The state AG's office under Lockyear has just been nuts about guns over the last eight years or so, and I don't expect it will change much under new AG Brown. Even though no WalMart guns in CA, virtually all still sell ammo and other gear, some stores with better selection than others. Two years ago, several WalMart managers told me that they would start selling guns again as soon as some issues were settled. We are still waiting.
Rp,
Not all the WallyWorlds sell ammo around me. Seems to be less than half.
I just received my new Midway catalog and ammo has already jumped up at least 50%. Box of 30-30's is now over $20.
I was in a small shop last week and he still had old prices so I bought some stuff. Got a box of Rem .300 H&H that had been there some years for $18. Now I have an excuse to buy a rifle that will chamber them.
Chuck, you and I are both in the L.A. area, but I'm in Pasadena. My hunting buddy complains constantly about the ammo availability around Torrance, both WalMart and Turner's. I usually hit the Walmarts in Monrovia, Duarte, Chino and out the I-10 on the way to desert hunting spots. They always seem to have ammo, especially Federal heavy field and Win AA, and the Fed and Win "value packs" of 100 rounds per carton. The variety is pretty slim in anything other than 12 and 20. I can't recall being in a WalMart with NO ammo, and I always check.
Walmart will have done away with selling firearms by the close of 2007. I live in rural Oklahoma and the nearest Walmart in Guymon Okla. will not have any guns after June 2007.
Read an article written by the CEO of Remington and he stated that they would be increasing their ammo prices about l0 percent each quarter. They in fact raised their prices more than that Jan.1.
I bought all the pheasant loads that one of my wholesalers had left over form last year because of the pending price increases.
I think you had better stock up, shell are going to get expensive in the coming year.
Some of the premium rifle shells are over $30 a box wholesale.
In the end Walmart may stop selling guns but they have not yet where I live. Most retailers look at the profit per square foot when evaluating a line but the hassle factor of doing bussiness is greater with guns than many other items. You need a semi-intelegent person to handle the paper work properly for guns where you do not for socks and underware.
Sears quit the gun selling, Kmart gave up around here years ago and I suspect Walmart will do the same in the end. But we now have other big box stores to carry on. Dicks and Bass Pro sell guns and there are still several smaller gunshops that will sell and trade guns as well. Life goes on and the last new gun I bought was one of the new Remington autos. Most of my new gun purchases were made and sold 50 plus years ago.
The ones here never had any gun section to begin with. But you can look for a lot of stores like this to close their gun sections come 2008. Sarah Brady and her bunch are already claiming a victory from the last election.
I imagine if they could import guns from China they would re-think their decision. Low prices. Always.
I spent money as fast as I made it in the golden years but I bought enough ammunition and reloading supplies to last me into old age---and it has. Looking at red cans of Curtis's and Harvey's (sic) BP at $1.25 provides a memory of the sole example of business acumen in my entire life.
I live in a small town where a large percentage of people hunt or shoot and the Walmart here stopped selling guns. They still have ammo but the selection is less than before. Go figure?
You did good King Brown. I am still kicking myself for refusing to go halves on a ton of lead shot about two years ago with a buddy of mine. He went in with someone else when it was about $14.00 for a 25 lb. bag of Remington. OUCH!!......And speaking of China- (marklart) has anybody heard about the Chinese making the world class gun for $900.00 that they were supposed to be making a few years ago when they hired Galazan's head engineer? Or was that story just a crock? Anyone heard anything?
Alright, you guys tripped my schitzo-paranoid switch. I raided all the 20g promo loads from two WallyWorlds today. Mostly Fed 7/8 oz, 1200fps stuff with some WW of same spec, all in 7 1/2 shot.
Beach Blvd @ 22 fwy and the one on Carson @ Paramount.
Thanks. I'll avoid those. I know a guy who spent $4400 in one week on that WallyWorld promo stuff from Federal when it was on sale.
And to think that my friends laughed when I bought all the Win Super-X I could find when K-Marts were blowing it out at $2/box a few years ago. Ha!
I've always supported the small local gunshops - purchased my Kimber from one - and my Sterlingworth - oh, and my Fox AE from another. Better money spent there.
Hunting clothes from Orvis - another good place for your plastic.
Never went to Wal-Mart.
Lowell,
I did too. I even worked as a 'smith out of one for a few years for extra money during my period of intermittant employment. Frankly, there are no longer any small gunstores I can think of in my area of 20 miles between my home and work, here in the 'burbs south of LA. Nearest "small local gunshop" I can think of is Fowler's or "The Stockade" both owned by the late Sam Fowler's very affluent family, I surmise. The closest of these stores is about 35 miles, the other nearer to 45 miles. So, needless to say, I don't get to them often. Besides, that isn't my idea of "small local" anyway, and the owners likely have enough money without mine.