Will gun shops survive after jan 1st?

[jujubeez]

Since I am no longer in california I haven't kept up with the laws there much until recently.

I'm curious as to how it will it affect gun shops who's sells are mostly of modern sporting rifles. Can they still sell?

[I Swan]

I suspect some of the more mall ninja oriented shops will be going belly up. I could be wrong as a long time ago I predicted Turners shrinking in size. Quite a few shops have already closed in last 5-10 years but a lot of little ones keep popping up.

[Junkie]

They should still be able to sell featureless or fixed mag.

[Capybara]

From what I have been hearing, shops will not be allowed to import AWs to "convert" them into featureless rifles, even if they have an AW permit. Of course, they could ship featureless accessories to an out of state middleman to have the rifles they are ordering made featureless when they enter the state. FFL07s will be allowed to assemble featureless rifles here but a lot of gun stores are only FFL01s. I just found out that a local, good sized gun store is closing shop on January 1st. They will still sell guns and AR parts but only by appointment. Very sad.

Another local gun store I asked about this a few months ago when this was all going down will do fine under the new laws. They are an FFL07, they have a well rounded inventory and clientele, the only sell about 2-3 EBRs per week while they sell dozens of "regular" rifles and shotguns. They also sell a TON of reloading components and ammo and do pretty well on consignments and C&Rs and pistols. I think the key to surviving in this state will be diversity, until Newscum takes office. Then I think most gun stores will be harassed and regulated out of business under the next California legislature in 2018/2019. It's happening before our eyes, California will essentially be disarmed within 5 years. A lot of people think Trump and the SCOTUS will save us but I am pessimistic that that will have any meaningful effect here on the ground, in the state.

The tyrants are hell-bent on disarming California and they will succeed with just the thinnest veneer of "the 2A" still in effect here, but through laws, taxes, regulations and harassment, they will succeed. They are already making it nearly impossible for an average lower class or middle class person to dip their toes into firearms ownership, it's just going to get worse from here on out. If I put myself into the shoes of a non-firearm owner in California who wants to buy their first gun and learn how to shoot, it would look pretty intimidating today - FSC, Handgun roster, ammunition restrictions, transport restrictions, fewer and fewer places to shoot. Imagine how it will look in 2019. We are reaching a point here already that means only the most stubborn, resourceful and wealthy will continue to own guns and shoot in California, they are succeeding in discouraging new gun owners from coming into the lifestyle.

[zapatito92]

still plenty of great handguns hunting rifles and shotguns, so I think they will be ok for a while

[jujubeez]

Well thanks for letting me know the status. Unwillingly I might be asked to relocate back to comifornia again in a year, so I am praying I don't as I love my NFA's. However, I am looking at 2k plus acres lots in norcal soooo... we'll see what happens if I move back.

[erik_26]

I would say it will depend on what the shop is setup to sell, their target demographic and how strong their following is.

My primary FFL is thinking come Jan 1, 2017 he maybe closed for good and going back to his previous career.

Contributing factors are,

• Potential loss of income as California compliant featured rifles is almost half of his sales.
• Shrinking roster.
• Sick of DOJ and AFT, audits and BS.
• Sick of the constant barrage of laws.

[Snagglepuss]

They'll turn into full service licensed ammo dealers. Don't forget to buy your ammo safety card and pay the generous ammo fee!

[Norcalkid]

They stayed in business 2000-2007when these guns wern't available they will do OK now.

I think the bigger threat is internet sales and their refusal to update their business model(at least the ones near me).


I think the ammo laws will actually help them. But that doesn't really change for another year.

[MotoFahren]

Any manufacturer with half a brain would start teaming up with companies like Exile Machine and Thordsen Customs to sell featureless rifles directly to their distributors here in California. Audio Phil is going to need a few more employees for conversions.

[Tere_Hanges]

Couldnt anyone just buy a stripped receiver and build their own "featureless" rifle? Like how everyone does it now with the bullet button. Why do they need a shop or middleman to do it?

[stix213]

Couldnt anyone just buy a stripped receiver and build their own "featureless" rifle? Like how everyone does it now with the bullet button. Why do they need a shop or middleman to do it?

Still need a shop to sell you the stripped lower, and not everyone wants to build their own rifle. Just like not all computer users want to build their own computer, or people driving to work want to build their own car.

[John Browning]

Some shops will go out of business. It's just the way it is.

[Tere_Hanges]

Still need a shop to sell you the stripped lower, and not everyone wants to build their own rifle. Just like not all computer users want to build their own computer, or people driving to work want to build their own car.

Sure some people wont want to build their own but most people do. Its a lot easier to build an AR than a car. That wasnt a very good analogy. The point is it should still be possible to build your own from a stripped receiver, if you want to, without a middleman.

[Angrysnarf]

Plenty of rifles like the mini 14 sks and m1a along with handguns they will be fine