Supply and Demand Causing Pricing Bifurcation

[farscott]

Perusing my LGS, there is an interesting pricing event occurring. Lower-cost items like the S&W SD40 VE that used to sell for around $300 last year at this time now sell for $430 and are sold before hitting the display case. Glock pistols that sold between $500 and $600 are now going for close to $800. The Tisas 1911s are selling like mad for about $450. The SA 1911s are gone. Most of the Colt pistols are gone. Mil-Spec style 1911s are selling as fast as they hit the display case.

On the other hand, higher-priced items are seeing price drops and still are not moving. My dealer has a SiG 1911 STX (that is a high-end pistol for most of rural Alabama) that is not selling when priced at $1150 with ammo included, but a Glock 40 just sold for $900 with no 10mm ammo available for sale. Why? Last Glock in stock and distributor pricing is on the rise, and Glock === HD pistol. The panic buying has gone up another notch. The only handguns in quantity left are derringers, rimfire pistols, revolvers, and fancy 1911s. My LGS says he spends each morning talking to distributors to see what is available. He is taking pretty much anything he can get.

The dichotomy is also happening to long arms but not to the same extent as handguns. The long gun inventory is down to O/U shotguns and junk.

[Doc_Glock]

What is the Beretta market doing? Asking for a friend...

[Cory]

What is the Beretta market doing? Asking for a friend...

I tell you what they aren't doing... delivering 1301s. I'm guessing the shutdowns and virus related problems in Italy are the cause but there are very few 1301s for sale.

I haven't honestly been watching the Beretta handgun market lately.

[rojocorsa]

I tell you what they aren't doing... delivering 1301s. I'm guessing the shutdowns and virus related problems in Italy are the cause but there are very few 1301s for sale.

I haven't honestly been watching the Beretta handgun market lately.

I got a 92X Perf in Nov
another 1301 T in Dec
and a 1301C and APX 9mm last week.

I guess I got lucky. I bounced on these because I know they're not easy to find.

That said the Beretta case at this Scheels is mighty sparse.

[fatdog]

I would love to be the fly on the wall in one of the sales and operations planning meetings at the major gun makers with diverse product lines (different calibers, high and low end models, etc.) as they are deciding how much to make of each model in their production forecast. Its going to be a fascinating couple of quarters in their market.

[okie john]

The long gun inventory is down to O/U shotguns and junk.

We're seeing plenty of new bolt actions at essentially normal prices. HD shotguns are gone but bird guns are plentiful. Ammo is unobtainable except for 25-06, 260 Remington, and oddball stuff.


Okie John

[Kanye Wyoming]

I called one of the local gun stores around here on Saturday because I'd seen a handgun on their Facebook page a few weeks ago that I was thinking about and asked my buddy there if it was still in stock. He said that other than the really high end, esoteric stuff the only handguns they have in stock at any given time have arrived in the past 24 hours. He said they have standing orders with their distributors to send whatever they have, as much as they have, whenever they have it.

[KevH]

I don't see a bifurcation.

Look at Wilson's and Ed Browns. This time last year there was a glut of $1700 or so factory custom 1911's sitting on the used market. This year they don't exist.

Watching Gunbroker or one of the other sites it's simply amazing. Everything is going for at least 20-30% above what it was this same time last year.

[Rex G]

Uh, 1301 Berettas ARE being delivered. So are M4 and M2 Benellis. Last week, I saw them, on the racks, at an LGS.

Some sellers, with walk-in customers, I believe, are not bothering to photograph and list all of their inventory, on-line.

[Borderland]

This isn't going to change while unemployment and covid death rates stay high. Dems scaring people with AG bills in congress doesn't help either.

I've been a seller in this market. Passed on what I could to someone who had no chance of buying anything at a gun store. Didn't take any profit doing it either.

Homeless people are now trying to take over hotels.

https://komonews.com/news/local/atte...nds-in-arrests