The Day After - Here's How Bad It Is...

[SteyrAUG]

Please note: This is NOT a solicitation, I already placed my order and I won't be able to make a similar offer again.

Anyway, I have a pretty good supply of ammo but thought I'd "top it off" since some of my suppliers still have things like XM193 and quality 147 gr. 9mm.

Planned on ordering a few thousand of each round for myself. And given that I have been flooded with emails about mags and ammo (typically I don't even sell ammo because the profits are razor thin, takes up lots of space and you can get killed on shipping) I decided to do something nice.

I figured since I'm ordering anyway I might as well email my "favorite customers" list inviting them to get on "at cost" with the thought of splitting shipping with them (which would save me about $20 per 1000 rounds or so).

So after emailing about 500 folks on my customer list and extending the offer on some local forums the result was....no takers.

Despite it being a very "in demand" item which was offered "at cost" not one person was able to afford 1000 rounds of 9mm. Had a few who tried to organize with some others on a forum to split a case out 3 or 4 ways but even that didn't happen.

That is how bad the economy is in my local area code. I can't even sell ammo at cost.

Obviously those who still have money "topped off" awhile ago, but the average guy who was "hoping" for a better election outcome is stretched so thin they can't buy a case of ammo.

Keep in mind that during 1983 (when the economy was still kind of on the rocks) when I was a high school kid working a crap job even I could afford a case of ammo once a month. Today guys with full time jobs and families cannot do the same.

I also expect prices to increase rather than decrease (despite the economy) which means the average guy around here is buying a box or two of ammo at Wal Mart as needed. And unlike 1983, I don't think the economy is going to improve in the next 4 years.

I think it's gonna be a rough ride.

[Denali]

I've known for months that the market has contracted itself due to economic hardship. I had over 5500 looks at the last gun I sold before it did sell! It took three months to sell!

I have a custom Colt Rail Gun listed in the exchange thats been chalking up looks every since I listed it, back in May, but not a single offer, not one!

I have thirty thousand rounds of Winchester Ranger 9mm on hand, six thousand of .45 ACP, four thousand of .40 S&W, and about that of .38/,357...

Thats gonna change soon enough, Obama is going to shut down the internet, or so load it down with regulation that it will make no difference. As soon as he is sworn in, the frenzy will begin in earnest...

[brickboy240]

I have actually had the opposite problem.

Not on this board...but on a few other popular boards.

I find a gun for sale that I want and e-mail or message the seller (...and I use the term loosely) and say "I'll take it...I have cash...when/where can you meet me?"

Or, if it is an out of town seller, I say I'll take it and inquire whether they prefer a check or money order and what kind of money order.

Then....I never hear back.

(!!!!!)

The item stays on the board with no edits to read "Sold" or "Sold pending funds" or anything. It is as if the seller goes in to some sort of black hole.

WTF?

Here I am with the cash...willing to drive way across town at your time or willing to send you payment quickly and in the form you want and.....nothing.

So yeah...I pretty much gave up on these web board classifieds.

Some might not be able to swing a case of 9mm...but many obviously do not really want to sell their guns that badly....I dunno! LOL

-brickboy240

[Suwannee Tim]

The economy is not going to improve in the next four years and it may get worse, it may get a lot worse. I really feel for and worry about the young guys I meet, most of them are making $10 or $12 an hour and salivating for $15. They need $25 or $30 but don't even dare dream it.

[glocktogo]

I stocked up years ago. I have quite a bit of loaded ammo, but enough reloading components to last me the rest of my life if used sparingly. :)

[CAVDOC]

Another back door gun control thing I noticed when reading a Chicago paper while flying through O'Hare - this was a local thing but bet they may try to push on a fed level- 5% tax on ammo to pay for health care

[Doc Safari]

As far as anecdotal evidence of how bad the economy is, I've seen quite a few things myself.

At least a couple of longtime eating establishments in town have closed for good. One of those was a pizza place that opened a year or so after I was born in the 1960's.

In a larger city about 50 miles from me, two restaurants that were considered icons of that town and had been open for decades shut down for good out of the blue.

Even restaurants that are still open are about half empty when I go now. There are several really popular mom-and-pop Mexican eateries that used to be packed every time you'd drive by. Now they are half empty or empty most of the time.

A haircut place I used to go was out of business the last time I went there for a trim.

You see little specialty shops here today and gone tomorrow.

I think this has just begun.

[Denali]

As far as anecdotal evidence of how bad the economy is, I've seen quite a few things myself.

At least a couple of longtime eating establishments in town have closed for good. One of those was a pizza place that opened a year or so after I was born in the 1960's.

In a larger city about 50 miles from me, two restaurants that were considered icons of that town and had been open for decades shut down for good out of the blue.

Even restaurants that are still open are about half empty when I go now. There are several really popular mom-and-pop Mexican eateries that used to be packed every time you'd drive by. Now they are half empty or empty most of the time.

A haircut place I used to go was out of business the last time I went there for a trim.

You see little specialty shops here today and gone tomorrow.

I think this has just begun.

I live in northwestern Wisconsin, which is made up of little tiny townships, farms, and wilderness. If you hadn't been through Hayward, or Ladysmith since the marxist/leninists seized power in 08, you'd be shocked bt the degredation, Ladysmith has lost about 15% of its population...

[RogerinTPA]

I stocked up on parts and ammo preobama 4.5 years ago. Then double downed when IMI193 was in stock a year or so ago. I am surprised how stable ammo and firearms prices have been, but they are starting to creep up. I wouldn't dare buy ammo locally. I will make another run on 762x39, 9mm & 40 soon. But Styre is right. With Obamacare here to stay, the layoff are already starting and companies won't be hiring. People without really good jobs ( with families) are being squeezed out of the recreational/training aspect of shooting at an unfunny rate.

[Caeser25]

As far as anecdotal evidence of how bad the economy is, I've seen quite a few things myself.

At least a couple of longtime eating establishments in town have closed for good. One of those was a pizza place that opened a year or so after I was born in the 1960's.

In a larger city about 50 miles from me, two restaurants that were considered icons of that town and had been open for decades shut down for good out of the blue.

Even restaurants that are still open are about half empty when I go now. There are several really popular mom-and-pop Mexican eateries that used to be packed every time you'd drive by. Now they are half empty or empty most of the time.

A haircut place I used to go was out of business the last time I went there for a trim.

You see little specialty shops here today and gone tomorrow.

I think this has just begun.

It took 4 years of bad policy to turn into the Great Depression and even more bad policies that kept it there. This is only the beginning.

If our elected representatives knew what the **** they were doing, they'd look at the depression and the policies that lowered unemployment from 12% to 5% in 18 months and gave us the roaring 20s.

[ralph]

The economy is not going to improve in the next four years and it may get worse, it may get a lot worse. I really feel for and worry about the young guys I meet, most of them are making $10 or $12 an hour and salivating for $15. They need $25 or $30 but don't even dare dream it.

They'll never get it either..With the election of Obombo, the future of Obamacare is secured. I'm sure business's of all sizes have been reading the Obamacare rulebook to see how this will affect them..One tidbit in there, is, that under Obamacare 30hrs a week is considered full time..So,look for employer's to start cutting hours back to about 25 hrs or so a week, because if you're working part-time the employer dosen't have to pay Obamacare. These young guys future is going to be nothing but a endless string of part-time jobs,(with no retirement or any other benefits)and probably working 2 or more jobs a week, just to pay the bills and their Obamacare..They don't have a prayer..

[a1fabweld]

I'm still in shock that more than half of the population voted this MF'er back in. I hope they get what they wished for.

[NWPilgrim]

I'm still in shock that more than half of the population voted this MF'er back in. I hope they get what they wished for.

Ditto.

I half think we should just ask the Repubs in the House not to fight anything. Let the Dems have their way and maybe it will get so bad and so fast that many stalwart Dems will realize the folly of those spending and social programs.

But I do not hold out much hope anymore for the aggregate intelligence of the American voter or politician.

[Caeser25]

Ditto.

I half think we should just ask the Repubs in the House not to fight anything. Let the Dems have their way and maybe it will get so bad and so fast that many stalwart Dems will realize the folly of those spending and social programs.

But I do not hold out much hope anymore for the aggregate intelligence of the American voter or politician.

You wouldn't believe how many people I've heard say that.

[SMETNA]

Ditto.

I half think we should just ask the Repubs in the House not to fight anything. Let the Dems have their way and maybe it will get so bad and so fast that many stalwart Dems will realize the folly of those spending and social programs.

But I do not hold out much hope anymore for the aggregate intelligence of the American voter or politician.


Agreed.

I don't do long, slow, painful slides into misery. I'd rather see this thing happen fast. Get on with it, so we can start the work of putting it back together.