Walmart To Stop Selling AR15s

[davsel]

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/08/25/walmart-to-quit-selling-ar-15s-claims-decision-not-political/


Just months after winning against a Trinity Church lawsuit designed to force Walmart to quit selling AR-15s and “high capacity” magazines, Walmart corporate says it will quit selling AR-15s of its own accord.
Moreover, corporate stresses that the decision is “not political.”

[Bailey Guns]

Don't really care.

[mtnrider]

I care. You may not like Wal Mart but it's another win for the Anti's.

Today it's AR15 and all tactical gear they sell. Tomorrow it's All guns and ammo period.

.

[Bailey Guns]

So what. Buy your AR-15s and tactical gear somewhere else. Your local gun store probably doesn't sell socks and underwear. It's a business decision and it's their prerogative to make that decision. Lots of stores don't sell guns. And who said I don't like Walmart. I shop there frequently. The way I see it so-called pro-gun and pro-freedom people are gonna get their panties all twisted over this and completely forget the fact that freedom also means Walmart has a right to make their own decisions on what they'll sell.

Walmart does a lot of good for a lot of people and they seem to be pretty good to veterans.

No...I don't have a problem with this decision. At all.

[sniper7]

I wish they would continue to sell them, it's nice to have lots of options. I don't shop at target because they don't sell ammo and their auto section sucks balls. I like being able to get most everything in the same place.

[mtnrider]

By the way. It's not just AR's. It's anything that looks, smells, or appears, to be "tactical". To include 18.5" shotguns, 22's that have a tactical "look". Accessories. etc. Yeah, it's a business decision.

[Irving]

I thought this was a buyer Intel thread.

[HoneyBadger]

While I understand and agree with BG's points, I'm bummed that Walmart has done this. I think more exposure and normalization to guns is always a good thing, and when a store that has more than 100 million customers stops carrying certain gun stuff, it distances that stuff (like ARs and other tacticool stuff) from the public. Things that are intentionally distanced from the public are eventually ALWAYS considered "bad" by the masses.

[davsel]

They "made the decision to stop selling" them on August 25.
On air execution followed by calls for more gun control on August 26.

[tinhat]

[Bailey Guns]

Oh, right...because the anti-gunners are experiencing a shortage of reasons to want to ban guns. Kind of like there's a shortage of conspiracy theories.

Really going out on a limb there by predicting more calls for gun control after the latest shooting. It's only happened after every single high-profile shooting for the last 40 years.

[davsel]

Easy now.
It was meant as a joke.

[CO Hugh]

Dicks sporting goods made announcement to phase out, but sports authority and others remodel then stop selling all guns.

[Great-Kazoo]

Death by a Thousand Protest.

They can try banning anything they want. IF one wasn't prepared or stocked up between 89-94, Oh well. If one wasn't born or old enough during that time and became of age before Obama's rise to dictatorship AND still didn't stock up. Not my problem.

[Bailey Guns]

Pretty sure the world's largest retailer (that does 4.5 times the amount of business as their closest competitor) doesn't need any help with their business model.


Easy now.
It was meant as a joke.

Sorry...all the outrage muddles my perceptions.

[Gman]

I'm so tired of the media stating 'Walmart pulls assault rifles".

They're just not "assault rifles".

...but it'll be repeated often enough that you won't be able to convince anyone that they're not no matter how much logic and reason you provide them.

[Ah Pook]

I didn't even know Wally World sold AR-15s. Either way, I still won't shop there.

[brutal]

Hadn't seen any in the Parker store that I ever recall since one of our own got the department going there then left, but not really looking and don't go in often.

Folks today said Castle Rock was blowing out Sig M400 for like $250-400. If true, some folks got some deals.

[KAPA]

Hadn't seen any in the Parker store that I ever recall since one of our own got the department going there then left, but not really looking and don't go in often.

Folks today said Castle Rock was blowing out Sig M400 for like $250-400. If true, some folks got some deals.


The Parker Walmart has had a Sig M400 sitting in the case for the better part of the last two years. Sometimes it has the OD Magpul furniture, other times it is black. It's been there since a few months after they installed the gun showcase a few years ago. Great rifle and at $997, a pretty good price IMO.

[Bailey Guns]

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Walmart will stop selling the AR-15 rifle and other semi-automatic weapons at its stores because fewer people are buying them, a spokesman said Wednesday.

The AR-15 rifles and other modern sporting rifles were being sold at less than a third of the company's 4,600 U.S. stores. Company spokesman Kory Lundberg said Walmart Stores Inc. will remove the remaining inventory as stores transition from summer to fall merchandise, which should take a week or two to complete.

AR-15 sales are down at Walmart. Just like they are everywhere else. Members here remark about cheap AR prices all the time. Well that ain't because they're in really high demand right now. It's because everybody and their dog has a glut of inventory they can't get rid of.

Yeah...pretty far-fetched to believe this is a business decision driven by market factors.

[Martinjmpr]

For a couple of years when I lived in Laramie the only "stocking" gun dealers (i.e. places where you could walk in, buy a gun and walk out) were the West Laramie Fly Store and Wal Mart. A few years later I think a shop opened up in the downtown area off of 2nd street but I don't know if that's even still there. There were plenty of FFLs would order or receive guns purchased through GB, etc, but those were the only two places that stocked guns.

Still, IIRC Wally World didn't even START selling "Tactical" guns until a few years ago when they became trendy (I'm pretty the first time I saw an AR in a WM store was some time around 2007.) So I don't think this is going to be much of a loss to the shooting community. My guess is that WM will continue to sell guns and ammo particularly in places like Wyoming where there might not be any actual "gun dealers" in a given town.

[hollohas]

Meh. No big loss. There are a bizzlion other places to buy guns. Walmart stopped selling all guns after Columbine only to change policy again years later. That was a political decision. This does seem like a valid business decision this time. Hell, by all accounts Walmart is selling AR'S in the $900 range. Of course those aren't selling, that's way too high. I can go by Ark right now and get a very nice Ruger AR-556 for $650.

Curious...how many here ever bought an AR at Walmart?

[WillysWagon]

I would have jumped all over the $500 Colts though.

[Jer]

We may not care but anytime a huge retailer chooses to not support 2A because of media pressure regarding 'evil black guns' it's big news.

Have I ever bought an AR15 from Walmart? No. Does that mean they've never sold one? Of course not.

Many supporters of 2A were once not of that mindset and perhaps an AR15 purchase at Walmart ignited that passion. Even if it's just one it's a big deal now that it's gone. Based on sheer volume alone I have a feeling it was a lot more than one.

[hollohas]

Apparently it wasn't very many more than one. By all accounts, in stock guns were collected dust on Walmart shelves.

http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2015/08/daniel-zimmerman/walmart-manager-on-decision-to-drop-ars-some-shotguns/

[Singlestack]

Jax outdoor used to carry ARs and accessories, but after Newtown decided to drop the ARs. I told the owner Jim Quinlan I thought he was ignorant and would know longer shop there (I haven't). The Boulderite antis rose up in support of Jax - thats their store. Not sure what I will do about Walmart. Target is already on my Never list.

[Jer]

Apparently it wasn't very many more than one. By all accounts, in stock guns were collected dust on Walmart shelves.

http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2015/08/daniel-zimmerman/walmart-manager-on-decision-to-drop-ars-some-shotguns/

Nothing in that link provides facts that they were dropped due strictly to low sales numbers. It's all hearsay and conjecture at best. I'm not talking to the causation so much as the outcome in my post anyway.

People want to act like it's a non-story to 2A support and that's simply not the case. People freak out over proposed legislation that has ZERO chance of ever passing or coming into law and yet something like this happens that directly affects the average consumer or, perhaps more importantly, the would-be average consumer and people say good riddance. This community makes no sense to me sometimes and this is one of those. You can hate Walmart with the next guy but like it or not there were plenty of people shopping AR15's and just seeing them in someplace like Walmart helped our cause. When I would watch the Daily Show and Stewart would make a flippant comment about how 'assault rifles could be bought along w/diapers at Walmart' I would get a little warm fuzzy knowing that it infuriated those opposed to 2A and it served to help keep the general populace less inclined to be freaked out when they saw the mythical creature. If they're sold in every grocery store how scary could they be after all?

If you're a supporter of 2A the largest retailer in the world not carrying the flagship of your cause is a big deal no matter how you slice it.

[Jer]

Jax outdoor used to carry ARs and accessories, but after Newtown decided to drop the ARs. I told the owner Jim Quinlan I thought he was ignorant and would know longer shop there (I haven't). The Boulderite antis rose up in support of Jax - thats their store. Not sure what I will do about Walmart. Target is already on my Never list.

Exactly! I was a big supporter of JAX prior to that. We took the dogs and would go there weekly. Once that happened, I've never been in a JAX since nor will I. I will let my buying dollar speak in my behalf and adding another retailer/outdoors store to that list of anti-AR15 is never a good thing. Ever.

[hurley842002]

Nothing in that link provides facts that they were dropped due strictly to low sales numbers. It's all hearsay and conjecture at best. I'm not talking to the causation so much as the outcome in my post anyway.

People want to act like it's a non-story to 2A support and that's simply not the case. People freak out over proposed legislation that has ZERO chance of ever passing or coming into law and yet something like this happens that directly affects the average consumer or, perhaps more importantly, the would-be average consumer and people say good riddance. This community makes no sense to me sometimes and this is one of those. You can hate Walmart with the next guy but like it or not there were plenty of people shopping AR15's and just seeing them in someplace like Walmart helped our cause. When I would watch the Daily Show and Stewart would make a flippant comment about how 'assault rifles could be bought along w/diapers at Walmart' I would get a little warm fuzzy knowing that it infuriated those opposed to 2A and it served to help keep the general populace less inclined to be freaked out when they saw the mythical creature. If they're sold in every grocery store how scary could they be after all?

If you're a supporter of 2A the largest retailer in the world not carrying the flagship of your cause is a big deal no matter how you slice it.

Absolutely agree with this! When the big scary black rifle, the machine gun people only see in movies, the tool used by psychos to commit "mass murder", is now sitting behind a glass case at your local Wally World, it all of a sudden isn't quite as scary as the non gun person thought. People are always talking about "de-sensitizing", well AR's in Walmart are a good example of that, in our favor. When the younger generation can no longer walk by and see the scary black rifle in person, it doesn't help our cause (think big picture).

[Irving]

You don't have to sell guns to support the 2nd Amendment.

[Jer]

You don't have to sell guns to support the 2nd Amendment.

When you're a company you express your opinion based on the products you support/sell. For years they were anti-American because of the products they supported/sold but now that they choose not to support/sell AR15's... no big deal. Talk about a double standard.

[kidicarus13]

I would have jumped all over the $500 Colts though.

Me too because I want to support the 2nd Amendment.

[hollohas]

People freak out over proposed legislation that has ZERO chance of ever passing or coming into law and yet something like this happens that directly affects the average consumer or, perhaps more importantly, the would-be average consumer and people say good riddance.

The former is a public entity, the latter is a private business. It's our job to speak up when our government proposes something we don't like. We have no such responsibility or obligation to do the same for a private business unless of course you're a shareholder.

There may not be any "facts" supporting the idea this is purely based on sales, there are even fewer "facts" to support the notion this is political.

[hollohas]

When you're a company you express your opinion based on the products you support/sell.

This is simply not true. Successful companies support/sell the products that make them MONEY. Products that don't make money get the boot no matter how favorable the opinion may be.

[Bailey Guns]

Nothing in that link provides facts that they were dropped due strictly to low sales numbers. It's all hearsay and conjecture at best. I'm not talking to the causation so much as the outcome in my post anyway.

People want to act like it's a non-story to 2A support and that's simply not the case. People freak out over proposed legislation that has ZERO chance of ever passing or coming into law and yet something like this happens that directly affects the average consumer or, perhaps more importantly, the would-be average consumer and people say good riddance. This community makes no sense to me sometimes and this is one of those. You can hate Walmart with the next guy but like it or not there were plenty of people shopping AR15's and just seeing them in someplace like Walmart helped our cause. When I would watch the Daily Show and Stewart would make a flippant comment about how 'assault rifles could be bought along w/diapers at Walmart' I would get a little warm fuzzy knowing that it infuriated those opposed to 2A and it served to help keep the general populace less inclined to be freaked out when they saw the mythical creature. If they're sold in every grocery store how scary could they be after all?

If you're a supporter of 2A the largest retailer in the world not carrying the flagship of your cause is a big deal no matter how you slice it.

This post is filled with an amazing amount of ignorance.

First off, it's not hearsay nor is it conjecture that it was a business decision that led to Walmart halting sales of AR-15 rifles. You need look no further than the quote I posted from the Walmart spokesman for proof of that. You may not believe it...but that doesn't make it untrue and it sure doesn't make it hearsay or conjecture.

In addition, Walmart only sold AR-style rifles in about 1/3 or their stores. So does that mean they only support 33% of the 2A? It's total nonsense to say a business does or doesn't support the 2A based on the products they sell. Walmart isn't dropping guns, they're dropping the AR-15 rifles.

There was a fellow named Mike Burns who owned Park County Guns in Bailey when I first moved there. He refused to sell AK-type or SKS rifles or 7.62x39 ammo because he was shot in Viet Nam with one or the other (he wasn't sure) and lost a leg because of it. I can guarantee you his was a politically motivated decision and not a business or sales-related decision. Do you think he was anti-gun? I hardly think so.

Seems to me there are a lot of pro-gun types here getting "freaked out" just like the leftists you describe by Walmart's decision. But it's a typical knee-jerk reaction from many who don't understand business. If you think ARs are a hot seller right now you haven't been paying attention. Why do you think you can buy lower receivers for $39? Why do you think AR rifles are the cheapest most of us have ever seen in probably the last 25 years? Because they're not selling, that's why. Walmart needs to move inventory. Quickly. When something doesn't sell they dump it. I have no problem believing that's the case with AR rifles. When a gun sits on their shelf it costs them money, plain and simple.

And the bottom line is really about freedom...something you frequently profess to enjoy and wish upon others. Your attitude smacks of the elitists on the left that want things their way and rant and rave about it when they don't get it. Thank God there is still enough freedom in this country where the business decision to stop AR sales was made in house, by the Walmart executives charged with making those decisions and not by a gov't run even further amok. Freedom is exactly why Walmart was able to make this decision.

You may not like the decision personally, and that's fine...opinions and all that. But to make stuff up to support your dislike is not a good way to make your point with others.

[Bailey Guns]

Me too because I want to support the 2nd Amendment.

Obviously you'd be a bigger 2A supporter if you paid retail. Commie....