Gun sales are at record highs, but Wal-Mart, the nation's biggest seller of guns and ammunition, announced last week that it has stopped selling so-called "assault rifles" or "other modern sporting rifles."

"It's about what customers are buying and what they're not," Wal-Mart spokesman Kory Lundberg announced, suggesting the move wasn't due to political considerations.

Headlines fixated on Wal-Mart's decision to stop selling AR-15s, a gun used in Newtown and other tragedies. These guns aren't selling quite like they did in 2013, but they're still the best-selling rifles in America. Many other rifles are only gaining in popularity.

Sales of U.S.-made rifles increased 119% between 2010 and 2013, the latest year for which data are available. Between 2001 and 2013, there was a 212% increase. More recent background-check data suggest gun sales have continued to soar since 2013.

Gun sales and manufacturing took off as soon as President Obama was elected in 2008 and are now at record levels. Against this backdrop, Wal-Mart may just be having bad luck in experiencing a drop in gun sales. But there have been other pressures.

Hoping For Good Will

In 2013, the Washington Post announced that the White House was trying to work with Wal-Mart to help push gun-control strategies. This year, New York City's employee pension fund is considering divesting from Wal-Mart because it was selling "assault weapons." Trinity Wall Street Church tried to force a shareholder vote on limiting what types of guns the company could sell.

Perhaps the company that used to be labeled "the nation's first politically incorrect discount retailer" — on issues from the minimum wage to the use of products made in foreign countries to the construction of superstores in urban areas — feels that taking these guns off its shelves could buy some political good will.

Wal-Mart will apparently still be selling semi-automatic rifles for hunting, just not so-called "assault rifles" or "other modern sporting rifles." Ironically, the civilian version of the AR-15 uses essentially the same sorts of bullets as do small game-hunting rifles, fires one bullet at a time, and does no more damage.

No self-respecting military would use the civilian version of these guns. Many states even forbid using the AR-15 for deer hunting, as its small bullets are likely to wound rather than kill the animals.

The AR-15 is a hunting rifle that has been made to look like a military weapon.


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I know of one marine who was called back from IRR to deploy and claimed his Company unit supply purchased SA only target triggers for every rifle using funds for unit purchase, effectively making them civilian version by Colt or FN........I would imagine a better trigger beats full auto over 300 meters.

They should see what hollow points do to medium size game like deer........
Recent article by gunwriter found no difference between 5.56 HP and larger centerfire rounds used dropping white tails when they culled 100 from a TX game farm.
Those rounds in 5.56 intended for hogs in 5.56 weren't as good as the cheaper hollowpoints on white tails though IIRC.

Our local wally world has only bolt action rifles now.  All the AR's and semi-autos disappeared...

Anything even remotely resembling an EBR including airsoft has been taken from the shelves here

Walmart I work at don't even sell guns at all, only ammo and gun accessories... at least I can get 10% discount for those.

Wally has gone the way of Levi jeans... need I say more?

I hate wally and havent shopped there since 2009 but dang, whats wrong with Levis?! lol

Another thing I noticed about wally is they have never truly promoted their gun and ammo section. Always gotta get on the intercom to call someone over to unlock the case and buy a box of bullets. A lot of times that person only works during the day so if you are buying bullets late at night you get the "oh we dont have the key" story.

Now I am curious to go and see what the gun section is like. I think i will sneak in through the tire and oil section like I used to in order to avoid door dingers and eye contact with creetins from the trailer parks.

I pretty much only buy motor oil and car wax from WM.  They have the best selection for the price