Slawburger
Master
The recent shortages and high prices are a major pain but not everyone buying deserves scorn and ridicule. The people buying didn’t create this situation; the people trying to ban currently legal items are responsible for creating this situation. I think there are probably several broad groups of buyers.
1) Hardcore enthusiasts that are just trying to buy what they would have purchased anyway before the recent events.
2) Collectors that already have multiple firearms but don’t have THAT firearm or only have one of that firearm. Some are buying now just in case a ban is enacted and others would have bought anyway when the opportunity presented itself.
3) People with incredibly bad timing. Some are new gun-owners (or want to be gun-owners) that picked the wrong time to start. New people join the ranks of gun-owners all the time and are normally welcomed when their presence doesn’t exacerbate an existing shortage. Some people have been gun-owners for a long time and chose the wrong time to become more active or return to the hobby. Again, these people are normally welcomed back warmly when every firearm or ammo purchase doesn’t deplete a dwindling supply.
4) Those for whom recent events have been an epiphany and suddenly realized that the window for acquiring certain types (or all types) of firearms could be closing. Maybe they always intended to purchase a firearm or a certain type of firearm and never got around to it. Now there is a sense of urgency and they are willing to pay more to get in before its too late.
5) Profiteers that see a demand, escalating prices and the potential for profit. They are buying firearms, accessories and ammunition not because they want it but because they think they can make a profit.
Personally I think the profiteers are making things harder on the people that actually WANT the firearms, accessories and ammunition and are taking advantage of the situation. I hope nothing happens to erode our gun rights and prices come back down. If nothing happens then some of the profiteers will still make money and some will lose depending on how deep they were in and when they got out. They are taking a chance and that is their right even if it does inconvenience and aggravate me.
The people with bad timing or who suddenly see the light are new allies in the defense of the 2nd Amendment, new people with whom to share ideas/laughs and should be welcomed not ridiculed or blamed for the shortages.
The collectors are , well, collectors. If they didn’t want one or more of everything then they wouldn’t be collectors. Of course they want to increase their collections. Most of the time these people are great sources of information.
The hardcore enthusiasts are understandably frustrated by the supply interruption and increasing costs. Someone has seriously upset their world. I would suggest that the frustration is best directed at those attempting to limit our 2nd Amendment rights.
As for me, I used to be very involved in firearms, drifted away for other pursuits and just got back into it a couple of years ago. I consider myself to be one of those with bad timing. I made a few purchases the past couple of years (before the horrible accident crossing the Ohio River bridge) , intended to slowly make a few more purchases that I had been putting off and eventually buy the reloading equipment that I have thought about on and off over the years. Now the supply is low and the price is high. Yes, I wish that I had bought more things over the years but I have enjoyed other hobbies as well and only have so much time and money. I am not “panic buying” because I won’t pay outrageous prices, but there are still some things I would like to acquire if/when the prices are right.
Just my FWIW.
1) Hardcore enthusiasts that are just trying to buy what they would have purchased anyway before the recent events.
2) Collectors that already have multiple firearms but don’t have THAT firearm or only have one of that firearm. Some are buying now just in case a ban is enacted and others would have bought anyway when the opportunity presented itself.
3) People with incredibly bad timing. Some are new gun-owners (or want to be gun-owners) that picked the wrong time to start. New people join the ranks of gun-owners all the time and are normally welcomed when their presence doesn’t exacerbate an existing shortage. Some people have been gun-owners for a long time and chose the wrong time to become more active or return to the hobby. Again, these people are normally welcomed back warmly when every firearm or ammo purchase doesn’t deplete a dwindling supply.
4) Those for whom recent events have been an epiphany and suddenly realized that the window for acquiring certain types (or all types) of firearms could be closing. Maybe they always intended to purchase a firearm or a certain type of firearm and never got around to it. Now there is a sense of urgency and they are willing to pay more to get in before its too late.
5) Profiteers that see a demand, escalating prices and the potential for profit. They are buying firearms, accessories and ammunition not because they want it but because they think they can make a profit.
Personally I think the profiteers are making things harder on the people that actually WANT the firearms, accessories and ammunition and are taking advantage of the situation. I hope nothing happens to erode our gun rights and prices come back down. If nothing happens then some of the profiteers will still make money and some will lose depending on how deep they were in and when they got out. They are taking a chance and that is their right even if it does inconvenience and aggravate me.
The people with bad timing or who suddenly see the light are new allies in the defense of the 2nd Amendment, new people with whom to share ideas/laughs and should be welcomed not ridiculed or blamed for the shortages.
The collectors are , well, collectors. If they didn’t want one or more of everything then they wouldn’t be collectors. Of course they want to increase their collections. Most of the time these people are great sources of information.
The hardcore enthusiasts are understandably frustrated by the supply interruption and increasing costs. Someone has seriously upset their world. I would suggest that the frustration is best directed at those attempting to limit our 2nd Amendment rights.
As for me, I used to be very involved in firearms, drifted away for other pursuits and just got back into it a couple of years ago. I consider myself to be one of those with bad timing. I made a few purchases the past couple of years (before the horrible accident crossing the Ohio River bridge) , intended to slowly make a few more purchases that I had been putting off and eventually buy the reloading equipment that I have thought about on and off over the years. Now the supply is low and the price is high. Yes, I wish that I had bought more things over the years but I have enjoyed other hobbies as well and only have so much time and money. I am not “panic buying” because I won’t pay outrageous prices, but there are still some things I would like to acquire if/when the prices are right.
Just my FWIW.
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