Quote History Quoted:..... Black Friday set a record sales day in a single day for gun sales, the industry is alive and well....
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Things you should know before jumping to conclusions:
1. The source of "record sales day" is the FBI NICS. The ONLY thing they are actually counting is the number of FBI NICS checks run on that day. In twenty six states, a background check is not required if the buyer holds a firearm permit that is an exemption to the FBI NICS check. In short, NO ONE really knows if there were "record sales".....just record NICS checks.
2. Black Friday sales set a record? That may be because there were huge price drops, not due to panic buying that occurred in previous Black Friday's. Panic buyers don't care about price/value, they just care about getting a gun before they are banned, restricted or regulated even more.
3. As far as the industry being alive and well.............have you been asleep?
Stock value in S&W and Ruger dropped the day after the election. With the possibility of anti gun legislation out the window for the near future, investors know that S&W, Ruger and the rest of the gun industry aren't going to score the record profits as in 2008/09 & 2012/13. Look for more inventory dumps and lower prices over the next several months. Remember, Daniel Defense, Remington and others have had layoffs during the Obama years. Until the election of Obama in November 2008, firearm sales were relatively stable year to year. People bought guns on Black Friday because they were on sale. Add in the panics caused by Obama and there was a HUGE spike in sales that continued until manufacturers were running multiple shifts. As soon as demand was met.....layoffs began.
4. I can name a dozen licensed dealers within twenty miles of me who jumped into the retail gun biz and lost their shirt within two years. They assumed that record gun sales meant there was a goldmine in retail sales. Sadly, they didn't have a clue. Distributors and manufacturers take care of their biggest clients first. That happens in any industry and guns is no different. If you aren't spending a minimum of $10-15K a month it's unlikely you'll get a phone call returned.
5. After a sales spike, there is a sales dip.
6. Are you able to buy in the quantities that will enable you to be competitive with Bud's, Palmetto, Kentucky Gun, Grabagun or other online retailers?