Is the panic beginning to subside?

[Socalman]

Went into Turners West Covina this afternoon just to check something. Small number of customers, I pulled number 33 and had to wait all of 1 minute for service. Then checked on the ammo. Much more in stock then about 10 days ago, though some calibers were not available. Prices still holding, a good sign. I did not take a long look, just a quick glance and the supply of handguns on display seemed to be close to normal.

Maybe the insanity is leaving!

[Jimmy310]

Its the "assault rifles" and .223 ammo everybodys after.

[xjdesertfox]

the "panic" is not dying down, supply is just slowly catching up to demand.

[Sputnik]

Its hard to panic buy when theres nothing left in the store! My nearest shop was bare-bones, nearly empty cases and ammo (what there was) was rather high $.

[Same]

probably when everyone runs out of money. but... my guess is when the government votes on an new laws and people know what's going to change. once people know if the guns the want will be around, they won't be in a rush to buy them anymore. or... if they get banned... then it's moot. Can't buy what you want.

[JeremyS]

I don't think the panic itself is over, but I think everybody who was concerned has already purchased absolutely everything they felt they needed and probably more than they could afford. Prices on GunBroker are coming down... things like basic ARs and lowers and PMAGs and such are coming back closer to normal. I don't think it's because the panic itself is over -- people are still hoarding their stuff and afraid of impending bans -- but they simply already have everything they could afford (and more).


What I'm interested to see is what will happen to the market if no new restrictions pass through Congress. What do all of these people do with all of the crap they stocked up on that they don't really need and couldn't really afford? The dude with 5 stripped lowers and 30 PMAGS and 4 bone stock M&P 15's or whatever... can he afford to have all of that money tied up in all of those things? It made sense when they were going to be banned forever and you could only have what you already owned. But.... now that he's looking at things that he paid 2x or 4x the normal price for and there's $10,000 tied up in that stuff? PLUS... inventory will come back in stores. In a big way, because people stocked up like crazy and nobody will be buying this stuff for a while because they already own so freakin' much of it. Now stores are selling it all on the cheap because they're having a hard time moving inventory. In order for the guy in my little made up scenario to get some money back, he's going to have to discount it good.

So... will we see a glut of stuff and super low prices in a couple months? I think if nothing happens, that'll be a "yes." Supply will exceed demand.


BTW -- I did see certain things shoot up suddenly. For instance, Kel-Tec Sub2000's. I don't think people expected that to really be in an assault weapons ban, being pistol caliber and no real evil black rifle military features. Well... it was explicitly named in Feinstein's bill. Prices SHOT up instantly. They're selling for over a grand on GB now. Why? Because it *might* be your LAST opportunity to EVER own one. That possibility, no matter how remote you think it might be, just drove the price up big-freakin'-time. AR's we all knew about, and everyone who wanted one already has it.

[sd_shooter]

SHOT show is over, so the manufacturers are back at work.

[ipse dixit]

Everyone is waiting for their 30 days to run out.

[Raider888]

I think most people max out their credit and out of cash.

[DCF]

Suppliers and retailers are out of stock, people are out of money and credit. Now supply and demand are in equilibrium again

[GuillermoAntonio]

I wish it was over.
i was just at turners in San Diego and there were no opistols on their shelves other than 22's.
Also, I keep hearing about primers not to be found anywhere.

[myk]

I don't go out of my way to find 'ammo and supplies, yet I'm starting to see stuff online and at Wal*Mart again, with average to about-normal prices. Let's see what the next few weeks are like...

[BoJackUSMC]

Probably not...

[Wombats Are Dangerous]

Everyone in the industry was at SHOT Show. Once production catches up to demand, prices should come back down. The marketplace is just flooded with used ARs right now, and even in the last couple of weeks, prices have slowly decreased.

I definitely picked the wrong month to try to buy a subcompact. Just two months ago, the used market had subcompacts all over the place. Now it's just packed with ARs.

[Cato]

I hope so; I really need some upper parts.