Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Amid Booming Gun And Ammo Sales, Arms Makers Aim Not To Get Burned Again
Forbes ^ | Aug. 18, 2020 | Aaron Smith

Posted on 08/19/2020 4:30:20 PM PDT by PROCON

Gun and ammo makers are staying cautious ahead of the election despite surging sales, because they remember all too well the crash that happened after the election of President Trump.

Gunmakers can barely keep up with demand. Sales have been booming since the start of the pandemic, fueled by fears of coronavirus and civil unrest. FBI background checks have been breaking records. Makers of guns and ammo are reporting double-digit increases in revenue. Handguns are flying off the shelves and ammo is selling out and getting scarce.

“It’s the 2013 shortage all over again,” said Brian Rafn, a gun industry analyst who recently retired from Morgan Dempsey, referring to the run on ammo during the Obama administration. Rafn, whose family owns shares in Sturm, Ruger, said that nowadays buyers of popular ammo like 9 mm have to hunt for it from store to store like “the guy who’s buying milk during the hurricane.”

But gun and ammo makers are hyper-cautious about ramping up manufacturing capacity. They don't want to get burned like in 2016, when sales surged to record levels only to implode on Election Day. Sales then were driven by fears of gun control fueled by mass shootings, but those fears evaporated with the election of President Trump, a Republican endorsed by the National Rifle Association. Gun sales plunged immediately after his election, resulting in layoffs and sliding stocks for Sturm, Ruger and Smith & Wesson.

(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Society
KEYWORDS: 2ndamendment; ammo; ammunition; banglist; firearms; guns; nra; sales; secondamendment
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-66 next last
Ammo is still scarce; I've seen 9mm FMJ priced at $1/rd, usually around 0.20/rd.
1 posted on 08/19/2020 4:30:20 PM PDT by PROCON
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: mylife; Joe Brower; MaxMax; Randy Larsen; waterhill; Envisioning; AZ .44 MAG; umgud; ...

RKBA Ping List


This Ping List is for all things pertaining to infringes upon or victories for the 2nd Amendment.

FReepmail me if you want to be added to or deleted from the list.

More 2nd Amendment related articles on FR's Bang List.

2 posted on 08/19/2020 4:30:50 PM PDT by PROCON (Voting Democrat in November is tantamount to kneeling on the throat of Lady Liberty.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PROCON

Local gunshop said orders are 18 months out for all calibers, because many manufacturers are expecting a blue wave


3 posted on 08/19/2020 4:33:19 PM PDT by redgolum (If this culture today is civilization, I will be the barbarian)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PROCON

I bought a useless .380 bodyguard last month. It’s useless as I haven’t been able to get ammo.


4 posted on 08/19/2020 4:34:00 PM PDT by where's_the_Outrage? (Drain the Swamp. Build the Wall.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PROCON

“Sales then were driven by fears of gun control fueled by mass shootings, but those fears evaporated with the election of President Trump, a Republican endorsed by the National Rifle Association. Gun sales plunged immediately after his election...”

Now, that’s ironic. But if gun control is voluntary, not mandatory, that spoils all the fun.


5 posted on 08/19/2020 4:34:52 PM PDT by rightwingcrazy (;-,)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PROCON

Sales then were driven by fears of gun control fueled by the prospect of Hillary and the Democrats enacting it if elected.


6 posted on 08/19/2020 4:36:30 PM PDT by Lurkinanloomin (Natural Born Citizens Are Born Here of Citizen Parents|Know Islam, No Peace-No Islam, Know Peace)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PROCON

Yep, I’ve heard from several in the industry that they don’t want to over produce.


7 posted on 08/19/2020 4:37:12 PM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (Where do you find the word "except" in the 2nd Amendment?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PROCON

When the emergency is upon us, the time for preparedness has past.

everyone has had 12 years since Barry the Muslim was elected


8 posted on 08/19/2020 4:37:32 PM PDT by eyeamok
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PROCON

A comment to American ammo companies VSTO/OLN. If you don’t make it and put it on the shelves someone will buy something else.


9 posted on 08/19/2020 4:39:25 PM PDT by samadams2000 (Get your houses in order.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: where's_the_Outrage?

go to ammoseek.com
search for .380
real time inventory hundreds of stores in one site
they have plenty


10 posted on 08/19/2020 4:40:32 PM PDT by bandit123 ( China locked down Wuhan to the rest of China,, but allow travel to the rest of the world? WTF)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: where's_the_Outrage?

.380 was the last caliber to come back last time, the manufacturers use the same machines to make 9mm and won’t stop until they have filled all of the orders.
They usually run 10 months of 9mm and switch to .380 for two months.


11 posted on 08/19/2020 4:40:35 PM PDT by Lurkinanloomin (Natural Born Citizens Are Born Here of Citizen Parents|Know Islam, No Peace-No Islam, Know Peace)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: PROCON

I hope CCI’s new .22 plant is doing well. It’s the only expansion of production capacity that I’ve heard of in some time.


12 posted on 08/19/2020 4:40:58 PM PDT by gundog ( Hail to the Chief, bitches!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: eyeamok

Exactly.
Usurpation Day should have been a wake up call, but many slept through it.


13 posted on 08/19/2020 4:41:36 PM PDT by Lurkinanloomin (Natural Born Citizens Are Born Here of Citizen Parents|Know Islam, No Peace-No Islam, Know Peace)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: rightwingcrazy

Plunged? I know that prices came down, and I thought that fueled more buying.


14 posted on 08/19/2020 4:42:48 PM PDT by gundog ( Hail to the Chief, bitches!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: where's_the_Outrage?

I’ve had good service from Cheaper than Dirt. They have .380 in stock.


15 posted on 08/19/2020 4:46:06 PM PDT by Ag88 (Fast is fine, but accuracy is final. - Wyatt Earp)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Blue Jays

"...arms makers aim not to get burned again..."


Were I the owner of an ammunition company, my factory would have an additional shift added and be running 24 x 7 x 365 to capitalize on immediate market demand.

I will bet that the CEOs of firms that manufacture toilet paper, paper towels, hand sanitizer, and disinfectant wipes did not embrace such a plan during the height if the Wuhan Virus spread a few months ago.


16 posted on 08/19/2020 4:47:14 PM PDT by Blue Jays ( Rock hard ~ Ride free)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PROCON

I’m taking nothing for granted because I think this election outcome will be different even if Trump wins.

I think the left will pull out all the stops, figuring they have nothing left to lose.

And if Trump is cheated out of office, we are royally screwed. At that point, I hope they ramp up ammo production like never before because once Jan 21 rolls around all bets are off for sure..


17 posted on 08/19/2020 4:49:00 PM PDT by metmom ( ...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PROCON
"...fueled by fears of coronavirus and civil unrest..."

I can't imagine that happening. </sarcasm>

18 posted on 08/19/2020 4:49:43 PM PDT by The Duke (President Trump = America's Last, Best Chanca)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ag88

“I’ve had good service from Cheaper than Dirt. They have .380 in stock.”

i went to Natchez and they’re out of everything. I went to my local guy and he’s out of 9mm and .45. Limited amounts of .22.


19 posted on 08/19/2020 4:50:13 PM PDT by dljordan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Blood of Tyrants

Over produce by 50%. It will be bought. The cost of money is almost Zero.


20 posted on 08/19/2020 4:53:18 PM PDT by samadams2000 (Get your houses in order.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-66 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson