Firearm Inventory?

[SSSTaxidermy]

I was browsing around a couple of sporting good stores recently, in St. Cloud - Scheels and Gander. While looking in the firearm area's, I noticed in each store - had very low inventory levels in regards to guns. It was pretty visually evident at Scheels. It appears the shotguns were holding steady, but the rifle inventory seemed to be very-very low, at least it seemed very low to me compared to what I've seen in the past. The DPMS cage was also totally empty. I was expecting to see higher inventory levels of predator rifles but that seemed to be very low. I even remember a special island with these calibers, but neither place had much.

So that got me to thinking and the questions I have:

Are these places feeling a bit of the economic pinch too? And not able to carry the inventory they once were able to.

Or are consumers concerned about potential changes in our purchasing gun laws, a price spike,or whatever case it maybe.. and these places can't keep anything on the shelves due to people buying them up as soon as they get them and they can't keep up?

Maybe it is all for nothing, and I caught them at the wrong time. Maybe it is option #3 - Everyone got a bigger gift card than what I did and was able to get a gun with it?

But I just thought it was odd...Wondering if others have noticed, or what your thoughts are...

[KG243]

I know as far as the DPMS rack goes they are at least 12 months out on any order. I am actually going to sell my DPMS 308 because they are going for more then double there cost on gunbroker. I think with the other rifles it is a bad time of year to be stocked up on rifles.

[CJH]

I know there was kind of a run on all guns after the Presidential Election.......

[fishingforester]

I know there was kind of a run on all guns after the Presidential Election.......

I had heard that too. Probably more factors such as time of year playing into the big picture. Seven or eight months till majority of people will be thinking about buying a rifle. Interesting observation though. Wonder if I can turn that into justification of a purchase that will get the wife's approval. I'm guessing NO.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

dpms low pro classics at scheels in sioux falls (4 in stock...who knows for how long) were up $125 bucks from this summer for the same gun. i thought for after christmas, scheels in sioux falls has a pretty decent inventory right now.

[SmilinBob]

As a dealer I can tell you it is hard to find most rifles and handgun supplies are very low now due to the run on the supply after the election. shotguns are seeming to hold and availibility is good for most. People are panic buying in fear of possible regulations. The reason you wont see guns getting pumped out in high numbers is the same, manufactures are also afraid that if they make a surplus and the regs change they are stuck with inventory they cannot sell. If you see something you like in stock somewhere buy it, otherwise if you can wait it may pay off as people need to unload their panic buys for realistic prices in the near future. AR rifles are backordered up to a year also and some suppliers are no longer taking orders on a backorder basis.

[96trigger]

I just bought a shotgun at Scheels in EauClaire. I went there with the intention of trading in my Benelli SuperNova, (I never liked the gun). I was trying to find a used Extrema. The only Extremas they had were for slugs. Not what I was looking for. Ended up getting a great price for the benelli and picked up another AL390 that was previously owned but never shot. If they did't have that gun, there wasn't much that I would have been able to buy. I was pretty pumped about the AL390 and its price. Online they are going for over $500 for used and more like $700 for new condition. Scheels had a $499 price tag on it. I thought their inventory was down. At Gander Mt. in Rochester, I thought they had a good inventory, but nothing I was looking for. Not interested in the Panthers, but didn't notice any on the racks at either store.

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Trigger

[Tom7227]

Time for inventory for tax purposes and they're trying to have it as low as possible???

[CJH]

Doesn't sounds like they have a choice if everything is on backorder.......

[BlueLundFishrman]

Wish I would have bought a couple more rock rivers last year.