Joe
I suspect that dealers leave guns on their list for both reasons that you mentioned. Many dealers are not very computer smart and have to have others deal with listing and de-listing items on their web sites. Some keep items on their web site just to look like they have a ton of inventory and that encourages you to call an see if they have a gun that you want.
I made a two hour side trip to look at three guns at a dealer and found that they all three had "just been sold". BS. Three non related guns did not just get sold. They had been sold for God knows how long. How do I know? They remained on the web site for over three year after my visit. They may still be there. I use to call every few month just to see if they had just been sold. Last time I called I asked if they still had just been sold, or just been sold again or did it take forever to sell a gun in that shop.
Needless to say that I never bother looking to buy anything from that shop. If they follow up a problem, with a sale, with the same effort that they do in maintaining their website I would never want to do business with them.
