I understand that one of the current firearms industry concerns is how much production commitment should be made to accommodate record sales. A relatively odd problem to grapple with, considering the relentless attack the industry had been under throughout 1999. Was sales growth temporary, driven only by enthusiasts’ concerns over gun control issues – “I better buy one before they are made illegal”, or had the public grown weary of all of the anti-gun rhetoric and was developing an interest in firearms based sports ? Unfortunately perhaps, but many manufacturers decided to run to a conservative production model, and backorder surplus demand. I’m not sure what this meant in other parts of the country, but locally gun store display racks and cases got pretty empty.
In the state of California, I believe retailers are being very conservative in purchasing levels to reduce risk in the event this wonderful state continues to force litigation to disrupt the sale of legal product. A bright spot this week, while I was poking around looking for a project gun. A couple of places asked me to hold off a week on purchasing because large restocking shipments were in transit. Quite a change from, “Better take what’s here because there is no telling of there will be more”. Regardless how things may look on a moment to moment basis, there seems to be a set of diverging goals developing between firearms enthusiasts and firearms manufacturers.
Gun buyers are looking toward shipment of new products, ongoing developments – the future. Manufacturers seem to talk about the future, but act in a manner more consistent with bunker mentality. While present political and social circumstances may seem to warrant bunker mentality, this may be the worst course of action. What will happen when buyer enthusiasm encounters seller cynicism ? I’ll feel better when Weatherby clears it’s backlog of wood stocked firearms orders, rifles and cartridges for the .300 UM and .338 UM are sitting in general inventory on dealers shelves and I can start to find 454 RedHawks in display cases. Open up a January 1999 issue of an established gun magazine, and count the number of new for 1999 items; guns, barrel technology, cartridges and accessories that have still not made it to the store shelves.
Web Site and Gun Links
It’s nice to see a huge number of gun related sites on, or coming to the Internet. For awhile, I was running link checks on an almost daily basis. Unfortunately there were far more sites going away than appearing. Today there are the leading edge e-commerce companies, the accessory sales from manufacturers’ sites, the old standby no fee informational sites, etc. But more recently there are many modern and complete gunsmithing service sites, and lots of really nicely done hobby sites that are: interesting, education and play a healthy part in presenting a positive gun image and drawing new participants into the sport.
The Year of the Train Wreck
Should be an interesting political year. Democrats are running with a platform plank of gun registration or handgun bans. The Republicans are…not, I think. Good year to be registered to vote. I think letter writing, faxing and making a couple of phone calls have become as routine as going to the range. It really does make a difference. With the fed believing they have the right to enter and inspect private homes where computers are used for “work from home” jobs – gun ownership may pale in comparison to the extent and severity of the real problem. Why is this administration finding so many ways to enter people’s homes without a warrant ?
Adding and Correcting Links
If you’d like to have your site listed in the Real Guns Links Section, let me know and I will add it. Only exception is unrelated site content, or an incomplete site. Reciprocity is not required, I receive enough mail already thank you.
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