Sale Of Hunting Weapons Declining – Gun Sales Up
Despite a rampant recession and burgeoning commodity prices gun sales are going through the roof. And so are the prices for ammunition. In fact, according to an article in the 'Reporter' (fdlreporter.com) John Castillo, spokesman for Cabela's, a national sporting goods store, getting and keeping ammunition in stock is the bigger problem. Increased demand for ammunition in conjunction with climbing prices for metals is driving up ammunition prices. This applies to rifle and handgun ammunition. Some businesses report quadrupled weapon sales for 2009.
But sales of hunting weapons are falling behind. Smith & Wesson sold 27.5 more firearms in the first quarter of 2009, while sales of hunting weapons dropped 46 percent in the same period, reports Associated Press in and article published on May 16, 2009.
Two major concerns are driving these developments. One is the fear that the new administration will tighten gun control and increase taxes on gun and ammunition sales, The other is an inherent uneasiness with the economic situation and its consequences. People are hunkering down, looking ahead into an uncertain future. They play the 'What if.. .' game expecting having to go out fending for themselves.
I do not share these concerns. As a hunter you already own hunting weapons. And ammunition for it. Most likely enough to last a season or two. Come on, honestly, how many shots do you fire on big game in a season? Hundreds? Thousands? Less than the fingers on one hand, most likely.
Do you really need rifles with very large caliber or assault type weapons like gun nuts claim? I don't think so.
Nevertheless, anticipating further price increases for ammunition by acquiring a small stock at today's prices is a good idea. Taking up reloading is an even better one. However, increasing prices for raw materials will affect reloading as well.
Overall I do not see any reason for panic. On the contrary, I am more concerned about the shrinking access to hunting land and skyrocketing access and guide fees. Primordial fears of gloom and doom are baseless. Short of an asteroid hit or a worldwide cataclysm triggered by the eruption of a super volcano, we are not on our way to reverting back to a society of hunters and gatherers. Envirosell monitors the behavior of consumers and sellers in the US and worldwide. Associated Press quotes Envirosell's owner Paco Underhill:
"They (i.e. Americans) are looking down the road going `What could happen here?'" . . .. "I think a lot of Americans are truly scared. One of the things that tickles is our pioneer ethos, which is, `I feel better with a year's supply of toilet paper' and `Maybe I should start canning and pickling.'"
That's funny.
Maybe we should all hunker down with a blunderbus, homemade black powder and some rocks as projectiles.
PJJ
3 comments:
Excellent and solid advise, thoughts PJJ!
It is as I told my wife the other day, doesn't matter one iota whether you believe in the bible prophesies or not.
The fact of the matter is that there are individuals who believe that these are the end of times, and that the skies are gonna' open and the earth beneath our very feet will crack into large gapping holes.
"That is where my concern lies"!
These fanatics and extremists will become ever increasingly dangerous as time progresses, and if the economy does not improve soon.
Especially if they are arming themselves at the current rate of which they are now doing.
Fanaticism and extremism on any front becomes a very dangerous thing because at that point a person loses all sense of rationale.
This is the very reason that I fight these A.R.G.s at every presented opportunity.
Because that particular group of people contain fringe groups within the organizations that are so rabidly concerned with their cause, that human life itself means nothing to them.
In my daydreams I fantasize about living in a time where all technology is gone and we must go back to a more natural and simple state of being.
Though it is only a favorite fantasy of mine and nothing more, but there are individuals who would usher in this type of existence at any cost.
Fully under the spell of their own personal doctrine, and believing themselves to be included in the upper echelon of privileged individuals.
The ones who will escape armageddon and live upon earth in a utopian and new Eden like existence.
These type of individuals are the ones whom I have been concerned about and keeping a wary eye upon.
Poor fools that they are but none so dangerous as is a fanatic.
I guess they forgot about the paragraph in the bible which states: That no man will know or can predict when the end of times are at hand.
Fellows,
And the unfortunate part is that they are on both ends of the spectrum, with the regular guys like us increasingly caught in the middle.
Albert
Amen to that Albert!
We have to be acutely vigilant without allowing ourselves to become severely paranoid in the process.
If I am allowed to elaborate a little I might add that my wife is Chinese and comes from a Buddhist background.
I, on the other end of the spectrum came from a very strict, and the word of God taken literally, Christian background.
Between the two of us we have managed to find good, and common sense middle ground for the past 20 years of knowing one another.
This, I believe to be is what is lacking in todays society.
Finding that good, and common sense approach to solving everyday life problems which one would encounter.
A clear and level head will allow an individual to use rational thought process.
To discipline one's self in that respect is not an easy task, but so very necessary to making decisions which will not only save your own life, but hopefully the lives of others as well.
As I have stated before, I have not a single problem with an Animal Rights Defender, I myself would be considered one under certain descriptions.
For instance, I would literally, and by force of my own two hands take possession of an animal which I was witness to being abused by someone.
But, the flip side to that coin would be that never would I place the life of an animal above that of a human being.
I believe that most rational thinking people would concur with those above sentiments.
It is the zealot's whom are so far left and so far right of that spectrum that follow a doctrine which, upon closer examination, is not of the norm and is counterproductive to a harmonious balance between man and the beast's of this earth.
Upon reading the U.N. report which PJJ provided in another post, I am now more convinced than ever that we "must" promote rational and conscientious thought.
And also re-establish a more harmonious existence with mother nature herself.
Our very lives depend upon it!
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