I just got a reply back from Wal*Mart about guns:

Thank you for your message.

Dear Larry,

Thank you for your recent inquiry regarding the removal of guns in some Wal-Mart stores. Wal-Mart strives to provide merchandise to meet consumer demand in any given community. In late 2005, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. made a business decision to remove firearms from select locations within the U.S. This decision is based solely on diminished customer relevancy and demand in multiple markets.

We strive to be a Store of the Community by providing products that are relevant to the customer needs in a particular market. This simply means that our merchandise selections reflect the items that our customers want to buy. As with any merchandise decision that we make, the decision to remove firearms was based on diminished customer demand for firearms in impacted local communities.

We recognize that customers have depended on Wal-Mart for over 40 years to supply sporting goods of all kinds and we will continue to stock ammunition and accessories.

Thank you,
Customer Relations




For further correspondence regarding this issue, please reply to this email.


----Your Original Comments Were----

I was told that Wal*Mart is getting out of the firearms business. Is this true?

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There still selling guns and reloading equipment in the Lewiston Idaho store and in Anchorage Alaska. I've got friends whom work in the sporting goods section there and they say there are no plans to close the gun department. I've bought several guns and scopes from them and am happy with the products and service.

I don't know what percentage of profit comes from that section, but their parking lot is always full. There looking for a place to put in a Super Walmart in Lewiston.

I sent a reply asking if this was a wholesale dicision or just local. I will post their reply when I get it.

The answer quoted above clearly states "from select locations." I'd say that that's the answer. They pulled guns from stores that seldom sold guns. That in fact IS sound business practice. I'd bet they don't carry snowshovels in the Miami store, nor bikinis in Fargo.

Hay Rocky what about them folks that dive into icewater every winter up there in Fargo, they got to wear something?

Our local Walmart just made room for a bigger gun section with room for more guns a few months ago and they carry a pretty good powder and reloading equipment section. They've also got black powder guns and sell lots of turkey guns. The last one I bought was one of the Camo Mossberg 835 Ulti-mags. Paid less for it than one of the local pawn shops wanted for a used one.

They removed guns from two of our three Walmart's here in Eugene/Springfield, the selection of ammo was reduced and they never did sell ANY reloading equipment!?

Your just going to have to move to Idaho Wrench Man. Be sure to note the signs at the state line when you come over. One says Welcome to Idaho, please set your watches and clocks back 20 years and my favorite was thought up by some of the inmates at the state prison where I worked. It was Welcome to Idaho, come on vacation, leave on probation. That was the druggies favorite.

Sam Walton would be turning over in his grave - he was a hunter and used to buy his hunting supplies from WalMart. He would actually go to the store, wait in line and PAY at the register. Unfortunately Sam has been gone for a while and their business model has changed in the wrong direction in my opinion.

I thinks its more of an economic decision. The retail business is judged on its return per square foot of space. If the demand was there, they would be stocked to the hilt. They analyze every inch of that store. Store set up is a funtion of the return. They even study peoples shopping patterns down to which way the customers turn their carts down the isles. There is actually quite a science to it.

Most guns are only marked up about 15-20% at best. Not near the return as many of the other items on the shelf. I've seen W-M's in rural areas that get cleaned out all through hunting season and have a wide stock of guns and accessories. In the city, just the opposite. You'll be lucky to find a box of 22lrs. And for the most part, what they stock in firearms actually appeal to the impulse buyer, which is why you dont see Sako's and Brownings on the shelf. Those buyers are not going to show up the day before hunting season with the "got to have it now" attitude that the fellow buying a $250 Mossberg rifle is going to have.

I think vabyrd nailed it.

There's no need to yell "Conspiracy!" for everything that happens. Remember, nobody thought it was conspiracy when all the Mom&Pop gun stores closed precisely because they couldn't keep customers who ran to Wal-Mart. Some people warned us to not depend on W-M, and some of us didn't listen. Had we shelled out a few more bucks here and there down at Pop's, W-M would still be converting their gun departments to ladies' apparel and video games - but we'd still have Pop's.

If there IS a conspiracy, it's us. We "conspired" to close down the Mom&Pop's by abandoning them in droves.

Yup, I did speak to the manager that told me Wal*Mart was getting out of the gun business yesterday. He was still under the impression that all were eventually going to be phased out.

I guess I will let him know when my next email comes back.

Rocky,
Well said!
Greg

Same thing with Home Cheapo and Lowes. There ain't a decent hardware store within 100 miles of me, and it's our own stupid fault. They survive the same way WalMart does: Most folks can't see past their wallet.

The socks & underware store in Steamboat Springs quit selling guns over a year ago,
they have a reloading department that is a total joke,havn't bought a box of .22's
from them sence I bought a case of Wolf
I did special order a Savage in 7mm-08 from there a couple years back ,great gun for the money , will be realy nice when I finnish restocking it
In the past they sold things like sabots & bullets for ML ,sabots not legal here during ML season & the conicals & balls only in .50 no .54 & not so shure they had .45 either.
Sounds to me like they have some corporate yeahoo sitting in Arkansas telling them what to sell that is clueless to what they can & what will sell

Wal-Mart has absolutely nothing that I need!

The socks & underware store in Steamboat Springs quit selling guns over a year ago,
they have a reloading department that is a total joke,havn't bought a box of .22's
from them sence I bought a case of Wolf
I did special order a Savage in 7mm-08 from there a couple years back ,great gun for the money , will be realy nice when I finnish restocking it
In the past they sold things like sabots & bullets for ML ,sabots not legal here during ML season & the conicals & balls only in .50 no .54 & not so shure they had .45 either.
Sounds to me like they have some corporate yeahoo sitting in Arkansas telling them what to sell that is clueless to what they can & what will sell

The large hunting/fishing stores in the Denver area (except Sports Authority -Gart Brothers before being bought by the Californians -which no longer carries muzzle-loading supplies) still stock large quantities the not-legal-for-hunting-in-Colorado sabots. The large sporting goods stores (including Cabela's and Walmart stores) in Pennsylvania carry and sell large quantities of deer bait not legal for hunting there. Some in the Denver area get their turkey decoys after most of the season is over. Dick's (formerly Gaylan's) stopped selling handguns when they bought out that chain.

I'm convinced most large stores have buyers not familiar with the regulations and needs of the hunters in the various states. Not all the Yahoo buyers are in Arkansas, they are also prevalent in the headquarters of many of the other large chains.

It will be only a matter of time until Wal-Mart is out of the gun business, they will follow J.C. Penney's and Sears. Years ago they were the place to buy your guns but they soon started started selling in only select locations, then only through the catalog then not at all..
Wal-mart is folding under pressure, within 4 years they won't even sell ammo. Now if the Manufactures move to China They might keep selling them

I agree with rocky

I used to buy most of my ammo at W-M, but recently found that the local gun shop had it for about the same price. And after I bought a few guns from them and they saw my face in there alot, they started cutting me a break on the ammo. Now it is way cheaper than W-M, with better service, more knowledge (generally), reliability and hey, everyone should have friends that sell guns!

Applause and a salute, flyboy.

Hay Rocky what about them folks that dive into icewater every winter up there in Fargo, they got to wear something?

Our local Walmart just made room for a bigger gun section with room for more guns a few months ago and they carry a pretty good powder and reloading equipment section. They've also got black powder guns and sell lots of turkey guns. The last one I bought was one of the Camo Mossberg 835 Ulti-mags. Paid less for it than one of the local pawn shops wanted for a used one.

hey, thats the last gun i bought off of them too, hahahha with the 10 guage overbored barrell on it, chambered for 3.5 inches, got mine in mossy oak though i prefer realtree, but there are no signs of the wal-mart in my town not selling guns, every time i go snoopin around the sporting goods thers sumone buying a gun, but a few nearby have, (mostly because ther is one at evry exit(i can see why they dont need to sell guns at "ALWAYS LOW PRICES" every eight miles though)

I do shop around and check pawn shops before I'll buy a gun, but there is no way I'll ever buy a gun from Wal Mart. I don't even like pawn shops but I've bought a couple of project guns at a seriously good deal. Walmart and pawn shops are created by and necessitated by poverty though, so they will always be around.

weird...my local Super WalMart doesn't have and I can't even order reloading stuff while a walMart about 45 miles away has or can get anything you want for reloading BUT the local store has a much bigger and better ammunition and gun selection.
I buy my guns from the local gun shop and some ammo from WM.

most gun stores folded be cause they did not know how to compete.near me in another state was big hardware stores and Walmart.yet two hardwear stores [small] survived in my town.they were handy and the clerks were there for you and knew their stock.where I am now most gas stations have a convenience section ,walmart cant touch them.a lot of smaller gun shops had bad atitude and high prices.they dont survive.the wal mart near me does not have guns. the bigger one has them.rem 870 express for $239/mossberg for $150.aimed at the hunter that just wants a gun.:confused:-;)--:D

The Wall-Mart in Hermiston, OR is one of only two places I've been able to buy 30/40 krag cartridges off the shelve. The other was a Hardware Store in John day, OR. Couldn't find any in Portland or Salem. In the big towns all I'd hear was "we used to have some". It all depends on what store you go to. koginam, The box stores stopped selling weapons mail order because of laws passed shortly after JFK was shot with a mail order Carcano mil-surp from Sears. They sold weapons over the counter quite some time after they quit selling them mail order. I remember buying ammo at the local JC Penny store after guns were no longer in their catalog.

How many here buy reloading supplies on line? Quite a few of us I bet. I think that might be a reason why selections of various components are limited in stores. On line stores have lower overhead costs and are more specialized then the box stores can be. By not having to stock socks and underware and school supplies and ....... the online stores with lower inventory costs can have more of what your looking for.

its the same for things other then fire arm related good too. try and buy a set ov headers for a 283ci chevy. bet you won't find them on the shelve at napa. they can order them for you but you can probably find them cheaper on line somewhere.

Take Care Guys

Roy

The box stores stopped selling weapons mail order because of laws passed shortly after JFK was shot with a mail order Carcano mil-surp from Sears.


Wasn't Sears, LHO bought the rifle from Klein's Sporting Goods in Chicago. Some WalMarts around here still carry guns. I have never bought one from them, don't intend to.

Wally World is the last place I would shop for gun stuff, or anything else !