Out of the woodwork...

[TCinVA]

Half a dozen people who have never owned a gun have suddenly shown up in my orbit asking for purchasing advice. Not as in "someday" but as in "I'm going to the gunstore this week. What should I buy?"

All sane, middle-class people who are by all appearances very nice and haven't axe-murdered anyone. Most have children...and cite the desire to protect said children as a primary motivator in getting a gun.

How 'bout you guys?

[JV_]

From my few pop-ins at Virginia Arms, I saw a lot of that. One one or two people have reached out to me for advise.

[Tamara]

Yup. Saw someone get a shotgun for home last weekend, and she asked me for some advice on a pistol, and specifically one that takes standard-cap mags.

I might loan her that Beretta 81 until she can track down a used G19 of her own when this frenzy subsides a bit. (Cheap practice and a self-defense-capable caliber narrows the whole caliber argument right on down. If you're on a budget and want a centerfire, it's nine or nothing.)

[Kyle Reese]

From my few pop-ins at Virginia Arms, I saw a lot of that. One one or two people have reached out to me for advise.

Same. Also saw a lot of new shooters at the NRA Range in Sunday. I've also had some family members ask about purchasing an AR15 or SCAR in the immediate future.

[MEH]

One inquiry so far, my office mate. I try to keep a low profile, so outside of a few close friends (who are usually of like mind) no one else knows I am a "gun nut".

[Ray Keith]

I've been getting "I need to hurry" requests for CHL classes, $$ has been no object.

[Pennzoil]

I was helping my friends that didn't have an AR to get a quality one (DD or Colt) prior to the election. Five total 3 colts and 2 DDs that put a number of holes in my target stands trying to get them dailed in:p. They all have thanked me a number of times now that they have seen the current prices/availability.

I saw a large number of what appeared to be female first time buyers when i was picking up a firearm i had ordered before the Newtown shooting but had only recently was delivered to my LGS.

Only had one guy at work ask me for advice as he doesn't currently have a firearm and was worried about the AWB. I Almost fell over as he was a huge Obummer supporter during the election. Wonder how many of the panic buyers voted for Obummer in the last election.

[SeriousStudent]

My boss's boss's boss asked me about "what stuff to get" about 6 months ago. He had a bad feeling about the November elections. I gave him an Excel spreadsheet with firearms, mags, spare parts, ammo, etc. Twas not cheap, there was about nine grand worth of stuff on it. He bought all of it over the following month. Last week he handed me a $50 gift card to a local steakhouse, as a thank you.

I had three different people at work ask me where they could buy stuff, and three more people at church last Sunday. The well seems to be dry for them. I tried to be polite, but it's rarely a good idea to go shopping for a garden hose when your roof is already on fire.

And CHL classes are full, full, full here.

[SeriousStudent]

......

Only had one guy at work ask me for advice as he doesn't currently have a firearm and was worried about the AWB. I Almost fell over as he was a huge Obummer supporter during the election. ........

Out of pure idle curiosity, what was that conversation like?

[Zhurdan]

Several folks who've come to me for advice didn't follow thru on it and now they're pissed. (I help at the range here from time to time so quite a few folks know I shoot and asked for advice.) Two had the gall to seriously say that "It's ok, I'm sure you'll sell me one of yours, right?" I normally don't laugh directly into peoples faces, but this called for a special response.

[JV_]

"It's ok, I'm sure you'll sell me one of yours, right?"Yep, I had the same thing happen.

[TR675]

Friend of mine asked for advice and moved on it damn quick, getting one of the last 6720's on the planet. All the 6920's were gone, as was just about everything else - all that was left were the 6720's and NFA stuff. He got a great rifle at a pre-frenzy price.

[JHC]

Same here except they are all friends or co-workers. Most have some limited experience shooting something but had not been really defense oriented. They are now. It's become quite a scheduling problem.

[SouthNarc]

Private work for me locally with a ton of doctors has shot through the roof.

[TGS]

Yes.

Including minorities and women, not just uneducated red necks with poor grooming.

[Mitchell, Esq.]

In CT I've had a lot of people I know calling me from the gun store asking me what they should get.

One guy picked up a bushy, 870 & 5 mags...then his father dId the same.
They scored me the last 2 pmags in existance on that trIp.


Others are really interested in permits & carry guns.

Overwhelming In numbers? ...no.

But the urgency is up several degrees and price is suddenly no object

[Odin Bravo One]

I don't have any friends who aren't gun dorks. I'm not sure I even know any non-gun dorks. But "amatuer hour" has been extended at the local range to an all day event.

[pangloss]

I haven't seen much change. I talked to a good friend this week who bought another Glock, if that counts. He's been a gun owner for years, but doesn't shoot much. Interestingly, he mentioned that he had about a 1K rounds of 9mm and 800 rounds of .40 stashed away. That is enough ammo to last him a couple of lifetimes.

[TGS]

Just an addition to my earlier comment:

5 minutes ago my mom sent one of her yoga instructor friends to me that wants to learn how to shoot. Her dad was a cop, but she's since been in a purposely gun-free household.

Until now.

[SecondsCount]

I have been getting a ton of "What should I buy" since the 2008 election. Most people don't follow my recommendations as they are usually swayed by price or the ignorant pusher at the local gun shop.

The latest was a couple who were once our neighbors that we had taken shooting a couple times. They sit on the local school board which is nice because they already have spoken up in a positive manner when guns were mentioned at a meeting and helped to correct policy to align with state law. In Utah, anyone with a CFP can carry in the school.

They came over to the house and we sat at the dining room table with a several models to choose from. The wife went away wanting a revolver and the husband really liked my P30. Just before the craze she went and bought an XDm for herself :rolleyes: and a P30 for him. :D

I have had several people in the last week ask me where they could get an AR-15 thinking that I have some kind of divine gun connection. The guy who asked me two years ago what to buy, but dragged his feet, ended up with a S&W AR in 300 BLK which was the last on the shelf at the local gunshop. After the purchase he called me looking for a 223 barrel.

Now hopefully they will all go get some training.

[Pennzoil]

Out of pure idle curiosity, what was that conversation like?

We have a lot of respect for each other at work despite knowing we have drastically differing opinions on politics. I just told him he's SOL at this point and to ride it out hoping they don't pass anything stupid. Also mentioned to join the NRA and write his representatives.

[Spr1]

I know three people in the last year who bought one or more firearms, for the first time. One doctor, one technical professional and one retired military guy (multiple purchases).

[SeriousStudent]

...... Also mentioned to join the NRA and write his representatives.

I bet that check hurts him to write, probably more than a mortgage payment.

[VolGrad]

My phone has been ringing off the hook with friends and acquaintances asking for advice on purchases. One was a contractor that did some work for me a couple of years ago that remembered I was a "gun guy" and wanted advice on ARs.

[TCinVA]

One of the curious who contacted me left a gun store with an M&P 9C based on my recommendation this afternoon.

So far I'm directly responsible for three new gun owners.

[G60]

My boss is helping out a new FFL in town that's opening up, and they held a soft opening a couple weeks ago and he remarked to me that a lot of the folks who bought firearms that day were first-time buyers.

[fixer]

I don't have any friends or co-workers who aren't at least as much as a gun dork as I am...however I will say this thread gives me hope that a Feinstein-like proposal has only a remote possibility of being passed.

[Zhurdan]

I don't have any friends or co-workers who aren't at least as much as a gun dork as I am...however I will say this thread gives me hope that a Feinstein-like proposal has only a remote possibility of being passed.

I don't know that most of these people will follow thru with anything actionable (writing letters/joining NRA, etc.) based on most of their lack of interest until things are too late.

[ACP230]

Family members talked to me about gun permits and concealed carry before things went zany.
Don't know if they have followed up since.

I don't have any friends who aren't armed.

[TCinVA]

...and now four people have been asking me questions about getting their carry permit and training to go with it.

[will_1400]

My dad is finally thinking about getting his CCW and I've been giving him the best advice I can manage, though he still thinks that if a gun has a safety, it doesn't need a holster and that's to say nothing on his opinion on semi auto carbines. Took him to the range yesterday and he shot an M&P 9c and really liked it so here's hoping.

[JHC]

I don't have any friends or co-workers who aren't at least as much as a gun dork as I am...however I will say this thread gives me hope that a Feinstein-like proposal has only a remote possibility of being passed.

Take heart. One of my examples is a life long liberal and he and I used to have some arguments where I got pretty viscious. And since back then he worked for me I stopped discussing politics with him as it seemed rather poor form on my part. But a few years later he now has 3 kids, talked me into selling him a K frame .38, VOTED FOR ROMNEY and wants a 2nd firearm and more training.

[TGS]

Just an addition to my earlier comment:

5 minutes ago my mom sent one of her yoga instructor friends to me that wants to learn how to shoot. Her dad was a cop, but she's since been in a purposely gun-free household.

Until now.

Development:

This yoga teacher and her family knew Victoria Soto. (http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/19/16001132-light-amidst-the-darkness-heroic-teacher-victoria-soto-remembered?lite) Grew up in the same town, apparently were just a couple years apart in school.

I think that says something, when someone connected to the tragedy is reaching out for help with becoming a new responsible gun owner. Especially after being through such a tough time.....and a holiday season at that.

[TCinVA]

That's definitely something.

[orionz06]

A guy I work with bought an SR-25. Apparently NIB and local. A bunch of others bought AR's, like loads of people who used to mock me having more than one.

[SeriousStudent]

Very interesting. A bunch of people came back to work today, after the holiday break.

Three people mentioned to me and others that they purchased guns. The response was not "Why?" but rather "Where?" I found that to be an interesting change. I work in a non-permissive environment with a large liberal population. The guy in the office down the hall from me wears no fooling genuine Birkenstocks to work.

One of them did forget to buy ammo with it. He's working on magic talisman effect, I guess.

[ST911]

Several citizen training efforts I'm a part of filled nearly overnight, especially the ladies and youth events, with waiting lists. I suspect if we released the 2014 schedule they'd be full as well.

The phone and email are blowing up with "do you have any extra...", "where can I get...", "what do you think about...". Many are from the gun-owning desperate and unprepared, but some are from folks who weren't previously interested in the subject. Thank goodness I don't have a smart phone.

It's slightly harder to get range time in some places. I would have thought it opposite. People are buying and hoarding rather than shooting.

Gunstore and retail employee nonsense are at epic levels. Trips in for routine stuff require meds.


The guy in the office down the hall from me wears no fooling genuine Birkenstocks to work.

With or without socks?

[Zhurdan]

Stopped into the local gun store just for Gits and shiggles last night. Some of the ridiculousness I saw...

Box of 50 FMJ 357 Sig - - - - - $71.99
Box of .308 168g - - - - - - - - $99.99
Remington 870 - - - - - - - - - $950.00
Glock pistols - - - - - - - - - - ~$850.00

I laughed so hard, I almost sharted myself! Worst part is, the only reason I knew how much the 870 was is because some sap was BUYING IT and I overheard them talking.

[Palmguy]

Seeing the same thing here. Several friends at work have purchased ARs in the last month; all either just not much into shooting before or were really just into hunting. Several pistols bought as well, and CWFLs being applied for. I'm visiting family right now, and my liberal brother in law asked me if I brought any guns down. He wants to go shooting and get a feel for some different pistols. This makes the post-2008 election frenzy look like nothing at all.

[NickA]

What I'm wondering is who exactly is raising the prices? The manufacturers, distributors, retailers, or all of the above?

[dsa]

I just got home from work and found a hand written note from the mail lady asking if she and her husband could go in on a bulk ammo purchase together.

[Zhurdan]

What I'm wondering is who exactly is raising the prices? The manufacturers, distributors, retailers, or all of the above?

In this case, it's the retailer. This isn't new stock. It was over priced before and wasn't moving, but now it borders on redonkulous. Funny part is, this store is one of the biggest "Shop Local" campaigners in town. Yeah right. Why in the hell would I give them my money when they are bending people over? I hate to say it, but I hope they go out of business!

Next time I see the owner, I may just have to give him a piece of my mind. So frustrating!

[NickA]

In this case, it's the retailer. This isn't new stock. It was over priced before and wasn't moving, but now it borders on redonkulous. Funny part is, this store is one of the biggest "Shop Local" campaigners in town. Yeah right. Why in the hell would I give them my money when they are bending people over? I hate to say it, but I hope they go out of business!

Next time I see the owner, I may just have to give him a piece of my mind. So frustrating!

Yeah, I guess it does depend on when the material was bought, whether the shop buys direct or through a wholesaler, etc. One local LGS owner told me and a buddy that it was his distributors jacking up prices, but a part of me wonders how much he was just covering his own arse. I don't begrudge any of them making money, but it would be nice to know who's doing what.
Of course, in my business, we're more than happy to let old stock go at old prices when there's a price spike, because our salesmen are idiots. At least somebody is making money on the current craziness.

[SeriousStudent]

.......

With or without socks?

Without. It's gross. A buddy of mine "accidentally" spilled some hot Starbucks on his wee little digits. Howls followed, merriment ensued.

You'd think a vegan hippie would be more agile. I guess breathing all that patchouli smoke slows the reaction times.

[Shellback]

I think this jives with the spirit of this thread. Teachers In Ohio, Texas Flock To Free Gun Training Classes (http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-training-teachers-to-use-guns-0109-20130108,0,4582657.story).