The Weird Reason That Gun Manufacturers Are Suffering Right Now (Hint: It’s Not Gun Control Hysteria)

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You don’t have to be an economist to realize how many different things affect different parts of the economy. It’s fascinating.

Take the firearms industry, for example. Many people don’t realize that gun manufacturers experienced a boom period during the Obama administration because pro-2nd Amendment people were afraid that Obama would take our guns (and rightfully so. He was the most anti-gun President in recent history). So people panicked and bought guns while they could.

In a strange turn of events, though, the firearms industry is now experiencing a sales slump. Why? Theron Mohamed gives us the details:

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Some of America’s biggest sellers of guns and ammo are suffering from a lack of “fear-based buying,” as consumers aren’t worried about stricter gun control while Donald Trump is in office. 

Given the minimal risk of Democrats passing tighter gun laws while Republicans control the Senate and the White House, people haven’t been panic-purchasing firearms out of paranoia they’ll lose access to them.

Somewhat ironically, open season for gun buyers has hammered the firearms industry. The number of background checks for handgun buyers recorded in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System — a useful proxy for consumer demand for firearms — fell 6% last year and dropped 8% in the first quarter of this year.

“There’s an absence of fear-based buying…based on fear of regulation,” said American Outdoor Brands’ CEO James Debney on the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call this week. “We don’t see any of that right now.”

So, what we’re seeing is that people were previously buying guns as a kind of “insurance policy” against the possibility of not being able to buy one in the future.

But a strong firearms industry now means that we can continue to buy guns and ammunition. We don’t want these companies going out of business because they help supply us.

So, how can we help our friends in the firearms industry? A few ways that may help are to continue to encourage people to get into firearms sports like competitive shooting to become enthusiastic about being gun owners. Another option is to encourage people who already own guns to get trained (if they aren’t already) and to practice regularly at the range. This will help to increase their interest in continuing to be gun owners who aren’t just collectors without being users.

And, of course, continue to buy guns and ammunition. Do what you’re encouraging other people to do, too.

We can all make a difference in keeping the firearms industry healthy and vibrant.

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17 COMMENTS

  1. One minor detail. I have more than I can carry now and not out of fear but out of necessity and function. For example……can’t stop an angry bear with a 22.

    • It doesn’t. A lot of decent handguns and rifles (and certainly shotguns) are in the $300-600 range. If a weeks pay is not twice that, a person should be considering another job.

      • there are more people that make less than that.a week.!There are more people $10.bucks anhour@ 60 hours..most only get 32/38 hours a week/that’s why they can’t afford to buy guns and ammo.

    • well the last time i checked the price it was more like two weeks pay before deductions were taken out, and that is just plain unreasonable when the price of scrap steel is still less than a penny a pound.

  2. When you can buy guns over the internet cheaper than a brick and mortar shop in town that is also killing the industry

    • Totally agree. Unless the firearm I want is not available locally, I always buy from my LGS. My last purchase was an M&P Shield. I found it online for $100 less than my LGS. By the time I figured in shipping, LGS fee of $25, the difference was not that much, so I supported my LGS.

  3. I love guns I’m a retired Machinist and a gunsmith! One of the biggest problems I have is the price of the guns. I don’t have enough money to buy the guns I want to buy because they’ve increased the prices!

  4. My thoughts, as a retired person I have problem with increasing inflation, and / or of the price increase of everything that has to do with guns, ammunition, let alone bowhunting fishing, or any other of the revival of our historical rights! its not only the “GOVERNMENTS OF EACH STATE” but the corporations that are behind this problem. As your article stated, during the gun scare, they the big “GUN AND AMMUNITION” corporations made landmark sales, and “PTOPHITS” and now that the gun scare is back they are crying in there beer, because people have guns and ammo that they haven’t USED, and don’t need to replace! I’m reasonably sure if the price for those products that they sell was not so inflated that there are a lot of people that would be out there using more of there products. not only that its hard to find some types of “AMMUNITION” available at any price! Bill

  5. Prices are very high right now at my local Lgs. I don’t think they have figured out that we are onto them. They are still operating at gun panic prices. Manufacturers and distributors as well. Lower the prices I will start buying again. Eg. a box of 50 M1 carbine 32.95 ? That’s nuts.

  6. Also, mfrs’ pricing is steadily rising – they’ve priced the products out of the hands of those buyers who previously purchased. Take a little less margin…

  7. If it is our right to keep and bear arms y are the keeping ammo from us,or lpricing it out on small time shooters cant aford i

  8. prices are high because the dollar ain’t worth squat!
    Cheap guns (those purchased years ago but still work and look just fine)
    are now worth just as much as what you paid for them.
    In other words they can and do retain their value….not like that expensive
    SUV that drops like a rock in value.
    However, ammo is high. Just look at the price of commodities like lead.
    Lead is cheap, brass is cheap, auto manufacturing is cheap, but ammo is
    expensive.

  9. Obama is gone, the war is over ,the lead shortage is no more and prices are still sky high!!! I wonder why no one wants to spend their hard earned money when we are spending it on all the illegals and all the lazy left-wingers! It’s the gun industries own greed that is doing them in!!! Prices on ammo are just damn insane and guns aren’t much better! The greed of the gun industries just amazes me after Obama tried to put them out of business. SMH!

      • Sorry ammo ammo warehouse gunmagwarehouse is exactly what it sounds like. .30 per round .223 JHP for example.

  10. Some us have prepared for a fight against Communism and are comfortable with our supplies. Life carries many expenses and responsibilities. But formost we must put our Enemies out of business. When I see a pro 2A supporter (expert) talk about shopping at Dick’s or or anyone spending money at Fanatic’s a major distributor of NIKE PRODUCTS we lose. (I gave up on th NFL 3 years before the kneeling priveledged half breed Coward crybaby.) For institutional Woman Abuse. Ask the victim of former Spokespervert and most probably Hall of Famer Peyton Manning. No I am not anti football I bleed Orange and Blue as part of a true Gator family. I just won’t purchase anything from anyone whose major profits come from Nike products. The Who had it right many years ago “We won’t get fooled again.” Wake up don’t play the fool. Maybe I can use an Airweight and find room for a Glock 17 just to do my part.

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