Unbelievable!

DannoBoone

Active member
It's been a few years now since getting the XS7 in 7mm08 for
hopefully mulie hunting in my old home state of Nebraska
(dislocated to Iowa). For several reasons, was never able to
go back and hunt....now suffering from COPD and have totally
given up on the idea.

Upgrades to it was a lot better, as well as accurate, Criterion
barrel. The pencil barrel that came with it DID get a 7/8"
group, but most were over an inch. The Criterion barrel can get
1/2-3/4" groups fairly consistently. The tupperware
was replaced with a Boyds laminate to which I also added
pillars and bedded the recoil lug area. Trigger guard was
replaced with metal.

Since I can still walk, sit, spot and shoot squirrels, I
decided to trade it off for a Henry pump. Off to the local LGS
I went with the XS7 in a case along with original barrel and
stock as well as the Forster die set for it. Only downside I
could see with it is the stock is a left-hand, right action
stock. All total, close to $900 into it, but knowing the X7's
were not known for keeping value, was just hoping to trade
straight across for a humble little .22lr.

WRONG!! The guy was nice about it, and complimented me how nice
a job was done on the rifle, but would not even give me an
offer. He said bolt actions just are not selling around here.
Said they sell 100 pistols to every bolt action. And
the long guns selling are the lever actions chambered for
straight wall cartridges (Iowa changed legal ammo laws for deer
hunting this year). Close to half of their extensive rifle
selection is AR-15 and other black military type weapons.

It wasn't THAT long ago when people believed in accuracy over
bang-bang-bang-bang-bang-bang-bang-bang!!

Apparently, the mind set of the American gun owner has
drastically changed!

Unbelievable!
 
Times change. Kids(and plenty of others) seem to have the Rambo mentality when it comes to firearms anymore. For many it seems the simple solution to never learning how to shoot. Plenty of others know better. Sell it online or trade it at a sizeable gun show.
 
Well, the same thing was probably thought when people went away from muzzle loaders. Technology moves along and the modern repeaters have proven themselves to be just as accurate as most bolt guns.

Politically I would rather more good gun owners to have the semi autos, that will make it harder for them to be taken away, and I'm sure there are still more bolt guns out there than AR15s.
 
Well, due to the IA Game Dept's ignorant view of rifles for deer,I can see where a local gunshop would have a limited market for good bolt guns.
 
Originally Posted By: DannoBoone

It wasn't THAT long ago when people believed in accuracy over
bang-bang-bang-bang-bang-bang-bang-bang!!



Good thing you can have both with most of today's modern AR rifles.
 
I went in one of Tulsa's largest gun shops a few days ago. Their racks were full of long guns and AR's. They weren't taking any consignment guns or trade ins. A friend works there and for the first time admitted that guns sales were at an all time low. They are usually always busy but sure not lately.
 
Originally Posted By: pyscodogI went in one of Tulsa's largest gun shops a few days ago. Their racks were full of long guns and AR's. They weren't taking any consignment guns or trade ins. A friend works there and for the first time admitted that guns sales were at an all time low. They are usually always busy but sure not lately.

all the gun show guys i know are saying the same thing.

obama may of been the best gun salesman ever. trump is being credited as the worst.
 
The gun sales that Ol Bammy and the Libs caused was unprecedented and UNSUSTAINABLE. We bought SOOO many in a few years, of course its slumping.....from an absolute all time high!!! Look at it this way - our granddaddies owned maybe two or three guns on average, and lived happily. Our Daddies may have had several, and lived happily. We tend to have a bunch, want a bunch, and can afford a bunch.....each. BUT, like the housing market, when you have more product than the public can afford or have realistic profitable use for, the price tanks. My "collection" has "devalued" greatly since the recent Administrative change...and I'm happy to say so. Viva la freedom and Capitalism. Just like the Clinton rush, I know (I hope anyhow) that I will probably have to wait a decade or more for mine to be "worth it" again. Since most of the American public doesnt hunt, or even target shoot, and probably never will, my hunting gun market will be existing hunters, their families and the few that come into it over time, minus the ones that die and just stop hunting. Self-defense is where it's at, and even that market will be saturated soon....you can only shoot two at a time. Currently decent Americans are concerned for their safety, so they're buying or considering buying. Like houses, since the guns dont usually wear out in a lifetime to the point of being thrown in the scrap heap, every new one Ruger, Smith, etc. makes put more supply in the system, and there's less demand. Free people panic buy at high prices. There's no panic anymore....for now.
 
Originally Posted By: crapshootOriginally Posted By: DannoBoone

It wasn't THAT long ago when people believed in accuracy over
bang-bang-bang-bang-bang-bang-bang-bang!!



Good thing you can have both with most of today's modern AR rifles.

^^ so much this!

i wont argue that a well done bolt gun will outshoot many MSR's, but when your typical off the shelf MSR can compete with a typical off the shelf bolt gun, it does become a tough sell to get people to get into more traditional firearms choices.

Sadly - its often as much of a shooter issue as a firearms issue, but with someone who's booger hook knows how to properly operate the boom switch .... many MSR's show their performance isnt what it used to be 20 or 30 years ago!

i mean really, honestly, how many folks here who are known good marksmen (or women!) have MSR's that consistently shoot sub MOA with good ammo? Its really not that hard to do these days with 50+ years of technological improvement done to the platform
smile.gif
and its even easier for those of us who handload. I've got several uppers that will give MOA or better performance out to 200 yds.


although probably the part of the bolt gun market thats still popular - sales wise - are the budget rifles (RARR, etc). These guns are more than functional enough to keep the deer season only folks happy and they WILL put venison on the table.



the market will come back, and i suspect it'll come back roaring if things change politically for the worse for gun owners after the 2018 midterms. IF things turn that way (and thats a big IF) it will stir up the fears of 2020 gonging sideways as well.


buy it cheap, and stack it deep while the market is flooded. make sure your ammo stores and reloading supplies are in good shape. you dont have to order at truck load at once, but making small purchases on a regular basis are going to have you with a nice stash if things turn sideways for gun ownership in a few years.

at best we have 8 years of the current admin and then there will be a change - although for the better or worse theres no way to say at this point. however as 2020 comes around if things arent looking good and theres a strong DNC candidate, you can expect another pre-election panic.

even if 2020 is a boom for the RNC and trump gets a 2nd term, by 2024 if theres a strong DNC canidate you can probably expect a significantly larger panic buy to happen.

sadly theres just no way to tell right now what the future will hold.
 
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