Is the *apparent* likelihood of Trump winning 2020 impacting your purchasing?

2020 Election Projection, Impact on Purchases


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Tim

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Curious to know if Trump's current strong polling and projection to win in 2020 is impacting your firearm related purchases? How does that fit with projections for state level elections?

It's weird that the R's have Trump showing strong polling numbers nationally, but still have state level losses for legislature, governorships, etc.

Given the <current> environment, are you stocking up on magazines, ammo and lowers? Or lamenting the stockpile you have not turning to gold in November?
 
I voted no, as my purchasing is always budget dependent regardless of whatever outside stresses are available. If they money isn't there, it just isn't there.

The >only< effect it has possibly had is I have started looking closer at "toys" rather than stocking ammo/mags/lowers ect. Things like binary triggers and the like. I have no solid reason to have one, but since I already have a decent number of AR platforms, turning one into more fun by adding one of these triggers may be on the table. That, and since I don't necessarily see Trump as 2A friendly, I see things like binary triggers as something he may give up and come up on the chopping block soon.
 
I did all my "stockpiling" years ago so no change in my purchasing decisions.

I believe Trump's national numbers are strong because of Trump. The state levels you refer to are because too many republicans still don't get it. Way too many swamp dwellers still in office.
 
I don't think Trump will win. I think Bloomberg will "buy" the election. Further, I think he'll also buy the senate, knocking out people like Tillis. It's my opinion that he'll win because a lot of gun people won't vote. Personally, I think Trump is an a$$. Nevertheless, he'll get my vote and that of everyone else I can convince and motivate.
 
I'm focused on enjoying what I have and provisioning myself to continue to do that regardless of the political climate. This is a fantastic time to buy, but I am not going to buy things I don't need or want because of that.
 
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I voted No. I have more then enough powder and primers to carry me through what ever happens this November. Although primers I will order the next time someone has free hazmat. I do need to order more bullets and that is just because I want more not need more.

I need to figure out how much skeet I am going to shoot and then order enough flats to last about a year or so. Figure shot shells should be fairly easy to get no matter what happens.
 
I try not to let fear drive my purchases. As much as I would hate it if I never was able to buy another gun I have enough to live out my life properly and enjoyably. I still look for deals on things that interest me. If I find them at a good price I buy them. I have bought more factory ammo in the past 6 months than in the past because the prices are so low. It makes sense to grab it up and stack it away. I still have a lot components to make ammo in the future. All of that said I think more and more people are going to be panic buying as we get closer to Nov.
 
Buy em cheap, stack em deep. 2024 is close by and the Dems/Socialist/Communist are gonna make America pay for the 8 years of Trump. They more than likely will go hard and fast on the 2a.

As much as I hate it, I believe you are dead on correct here. The pendulum swings, always has, always will. >IF< Trump wins, then whoever comes next will most likely lose due to one of any number of factors we have seen in the past. And when they get back control, it will make what happened in VA seem like a fun little stroll into tyranny, except this time it will pass, and pass in many places.

In the mean time, I expect to see a few mysterious mass shootings start popping up.
 
As much as I hate it, I believe you are dead on correct here. The pendulum swings, always has, always will. >IF< Trump wins, then whoever comes next will most likely lose due to one of any number of factors we have seen in the past. And when they get back control, it will make what happened in VA seem like a fun little stroll into tyranny, except this time it will pass, and pass in many places.

In the mean time, I expect to see a few mysterious mass shootings start popping up.
Buy em cheap, stack em deep. 2024 is close by and the Dems/Socialist/Communist are gonna make America pay for the 8 years of Trump. They more than likely will go hard and fast on the 2a.

Ok if this is the case. what are you buying? Are you buying so you can keep shooting or are you looking to profiteer on other peoples panic? I see a lot of talk about people buy things as investments but the part that I think people are missing is that the Dems are looking to make ban stuff outright with no grandfathering or at the very least making transferring of said items illegal.
 
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Ok if this is the case. what are you buying? Are you buying so you can keep shooting or are you looking to profiter on other peoples panic?

As I wrote above, I purchase based on my budget. I don't have the budget to panic buy, nor do I have any real desire to profit off of panic. Also as I mentioned above, what I am looking at for the next year or so is to buy "fringe" items that may come under fire more directly...AR Pistols, binary triggers, and things like that. Those, in my opinion, would be low hanging fruit for gun grabbers who could easily get fudds on board to ban. "No one needs to shoot that fast!" or "No one needs an AR pistol!"

To throw out a bit of a confession...years ago, during the last panic on AR magazines when people were buying all they could, I did profiteer...a bit. It was before Ebay banned the sale of magazines I sold 4 or 5 surplus AR mags I had picked up for about $200. I spent maybe $30 on all of them, came out making $170 profit on them. Even had a buyer private message me wanting more. But, I was new to ARs, didn't have many mags and in the back of my mind I thought "Gee...maybe I should hold onto them..." I also saw SW MP15 Sports going for well over $1k, and strongly considered selling the one I had...but at the time I only had one...and again I had the "Gee, what if they do ban em..." in the back of my mind.

Its been a few years now, and I am older and a tad bit wiser. I never panic purchased, but I did pick up a few more ARs over the years (cheap PSA builds and the like). Never because I was "scared" of anything, but because I enjoyed putting them together and wanted to try out AR pistols and .300AAC.

Between now and 2024, even though I can forsee things getting bad after that, I am working off of the past few years of "building up a collection" and will spend the next 4 doing the exact same. When I have the funds, ill pick up stuff that I want. But I have "enough" AR magazines and ammo to last me the rest of my natural life shooting at the rate I currently do. Whenever I buy a new auto-loading pistol I always invest in a few spare magazines within short order. So I have spares for every firearm I own, and none were bought out of panic, but out of a desire to have extras.

>IF< someone was just now getting into "evil black rifles" and "Horrible High Capacity pistols" then I would encourage them to start picking up magazines when they come up on sale. They don't go bad, so if you don't use them they do nothing but take up space. I would encourage people to pick up at least 1 AR platform, and then some spare parts to keep it running. Firing pins, gas rings, extra BCGs, oops kits, and the like. If they do get banned from purchase, you should at least plan on having the parts to keep what you have running.

As far as ammo, if you aren't into reloading (I do some pistol at times) I would recommend just slowly building up what you currently own. No need to go buy $5,000 in ammo today if you don't have the cash for it, but if you shoot 200 at the range, replenish by buying 300. Over time, this builds a pretty decent stash. And lets face it...if we can no longer purchase cheap ammo, then the days of mag dumps will be over, and we will be spending time on marksmanship and fundamentals when we go to the range, so blasting 500-1000 rounds per week will be "days gone by". Except for those few who have invested thousands of dollars over the past years setting aside a shed full of ammo.
 
Ok if this is the case. what are you buying? Are you buying so you can keep shooting or are you looking to profiter on other peoples panic? I see a lot of talk about people buy things as investments but the part that I think people are missing is that the Dems are looking to make ban stuff outright with no grandfathering or at the very least making transferring of said items illegal.

Both. I will profit, yes. Foolish not to. The naysayers will quickly change their thoughts and wish to be armed up just in case. I will have mine, and enough to sell others in the need.
 
Both. I will profit, yes. Foolish not to. The naysayers will quickly change their thoughts and wish to be armed up just in case. I will have mine, and enough to sell others in the need.

I am all for making a profit in just about all endeavors but I don't like the idea of eaten our own. I also hate it when I talk to a new shooter that was taken advantage of by a store or an individual because they panic bought. I know free market PT Barnum etc... but it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I don't shop at Cheaper Than Dirt anymore partially because of what they did during the last drought. They put profits above the community of shooters who supported them for years.
 
Remember the AWB of 1994?

Yes and your point? Do you remember 2016 and the panic buying people did then? Since then ammo, powder, guns, mags have all come down in price to historic lows.
 
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Ill hazard the difference in what Mike is meaning by "profiteering" is that he will enjoy the new norm for the prices on things, not the immediate sudden gouge fest that invariable takes place. If someone wanted to sell me a case of 7.62x39 that they bought back in 1990 for $200, yet they paid $89 for it, I wouldn't consider it gouging. Its just what the market is now. Nor do I feel those who are selling Mosins for $300 to be "gouging or profiteering" even though the first one I bought was $90. Its just how the world works. The issue with the past "gouge" fest after sandyhook was that it was known by most that it was going to be a short term panic...not a complete reset in the gun market. .22 ammo, which was rare as hens teeth, has now returned to nearly the same price it was before. AR mags are now plentiful and flowing. Ammo is so cheap many reloaders are stocking up because its just easier.

So when/if the REAL changes come, and ARs start selling for double what they are now and that's just the new "norm", not a temporary spike in price due to hysteria, but a true market reset based on supply permanently dropping due to what is now legal being deemed illegal to create new.
 
Ill hazard the difference in what Mike is meaning by "profiteering" is that he will enjoy the new norm for the prices on things, not the immediate sudden gouge fest that invariable takes place. If someone wanted to sell me a case of 7.62x39 that they bought back in 1990 for $200, yet they paid $89 for it, I wouldn't consider it gouging. Its just what the market is now. Nor do I feel those who are selling Mosins for $300 to be "gouging or profiteering" even though the first one I bought was $90. Its just how the world works. The issue with the past "gouge" fest after sandyhook was that it was known by most that it was going to be a short term panic...not a complete reset in the gun market. .22 ammo, which was rare as hens teeth, has now returned to nearly the same price it was before. AR mags are now plentiful and flowing. Ammo is so cheap many reloaders are stocking up because its just easier.

So when/if the REAL changes come, and ARs start selling for double what they are now and that's just the new "norm", not a temporary spike in price due to hysteria, but a true market reset based on supply permanently dropping due to what is now legal being deemed illegal to create new.
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Focusing on ammo until November. If Trump wins then I'll focus on plates and NVG between 2020-2024. Like others said, 2024 is just around the corner even if Trump wins 2020.
 
I think Bloomberg will "buy" the election..It's my opinion that he'll win because a lot of gun people won't vote.

I'm on the other end of the spectrum...

I believe more "gun" people will vote this year at the local, state and federal level than in years past. Look for record turnouts.
 
I'm on the other end of the spectrum...

I believe more "gun" people will vote this year at the local, state and federal level than in years past. Look for record turnouts.
I agree, many new responsible citizens to the shooting sports as well as for self defense. Many women are seeking training and buying firearms.
 
Yes and your point? Do you remember 2016 and the panic buying people did then? Since then ammo, powder, guns, mags have all come down in price to historic lows.
1994 was a whole different ballgame than the panic of 2012 and the minor nervousness of 2016.
1994 and for the next 10 years, no one could tell you that the sunset clause was a guarantee.
 
Ill hazard the difference in what Mike is meaning by "profiteering" is that he will enjoy the new norm for the prices on things, not the immediate sudden gouge fest that invariable takes place. If someone wanted to sell me a case of 7.62x39 that they bought back in 1990 for $200, yet they paid $89 for it, I wouldn't consider it gouging. Its just what the market is now. Nor do I feel those who are selling Mosins for $300 to be "gouging or profiteering" even though the first one I bought was $90. Its just how the world works. The issue with the past "gouge" fest after sandyhook was that it was known by most that it was going to be a short term panic...not a complete reset in the gun market. .22 ammo, which was rare as hens teeth, has now returned to nearly the same price it was before. AR mags are now plentiful and flowing. Ammo is so cheap many reloaders are stocking up because its just easier.

So when/if the REAL changes come, and ARs start selling for double what they are now and that's just the new "norm", not a temporary spike in price due to hysteria, but a true market reset based on supply permanently dropping due to what is now legal being deemed illegal to create new.

This is true and I agree markets change and markets rest all the time. I own over a dozen Browning High Powers. Their value went up as soon as everyone learned that FN discontinued them even the models that had not been produced for years. I market for them reset to a higher position because of a perceived drop in availability. The one trick I see is that what happens if these items are no longer transferable? This is a very real possibility and is certain an arrow in the quiver of the anti-gun movement.
 
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Personally, I voted option #1 "Not really impacting my decisions".

As for option #3, I don't think liberty enshrined in the BOR is ever really "safe", no matter the respective right. As long as there are folks who wish to control others and use elected office as their chosen method to accomplish it, rights will never be 100% safe. Patrick Henry warned us....

"Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined."

There will always be folks who want to separate free citizens from liberty...we have to ensure that our resolve to keep it remains harder than the resolve of those who seek its demise.
 
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1994 was a whole different ballgame than the panic of 2012 and the minor nervousness of 2016.
1994 and for the next 10 years, no one could tell you that the sunset clause was a guarantee.

Mike I fully understand where you are coming from. I guess the way I look at it I am not going to buy another AR15 rifle, I don't shoot the ones I have all that much, because I don't need or want another. The only reason to by one is a hedge against legislation. In the end if I am being realistic the ones I have already will last longer than I will. So I am not looking to buy those. I have bought other stuff that interests me but selling it later at a profit is not one of my considerations. If it is for you. You do you and I wish you luck in your endeavors.
 
I also think what will be different in 2024 is that the "left" is out for revenge...they aren't out to make the country better, they aren't out to improve peace and harmony amongst fellow men. They are out for blood. Over the past few elections I have noticed the differences between candidates to becoming more and more distinct. I only really started paying attention to politics when I was in my late 20s, but growing up I mainly heard the same things from both parties, just slightly different methods to get there. But these days fanaticism has taken over, both the right and left extremes are becoming more militant, both figuratively and literally.

So, yeah, I am not in a "panic" because I still think there is time to be reasonable and rational with what to purchase/stockpile...I do believe that when the left takes back over they will completely cram down their agenda with absolutely no regard for who's liberties they may crush along the way. And all because they hate Trump and anyone who even remotely supported him.
 
This is true and I agree markets change and markets rest all the time. I own over a dozen Browning High Powers. Their value went up as soon as everyone learned that FN discontinued them even the models that had not been produced for years. I market for them reset to a higher position because of a perceived drop in availability. The one trick I see is that what happens if these items are no longer transferable? This is a very real possibility and is certain an arrow in the quiver of the anti-gun movement.

This is why the things that I am mainly eyeballing are things that they could hack off as being transferable. Stack lowers, magazines, and enhanced triggers. But all in all, I think they will be very surprised to see what people can do with a blank piece of aluminum in the rough shape of a lower, a drill press, and some time.
 
Ill hazard the difference in what Mike is meaning by "profiteering" is that he will enjoy the new norm for the prices on things, not the immediate sudden gouge fest that invariable takes place. If someone wanted to sell me a case of 7.62x39 that they bought back in 1990 for $200, yet they paid $89 for it, I wouldn't consider it gouging. Its just what the market is now. Nor do I feel those who are selling Mosins for $300 to be "gouging or profiteering" even though the first one I bought was $90. Its just how the world works. The issue with the past "gouge" fest after sandyhook was that it was known by most that it was going to be a short term panic...not a complete reset in the gun market. .22 ammo, which was rare as hens teeth, has now returned to nearly the same price it was before. AR mags are now plentiful and flowing. Ammo is so cheap many reloaders are stocking up because its just easier.

So when/if the REAL changes come, and ARs start selling for double what they are now and that's just the new "norm", not a temporary spike in price due to hysteria, but a true market reset based on supply permanently dropping due to what is now legal being deemed illegal to create new.

Let me put this out there. I can see it both ways. On the one hand it is the natural flow of markets in a somewhat free economy. On the other hand I see it as profiteering because Mike is proposing making money off of the Anti-Gun side of the fight winning. He is looking at making a profit off our collective loss of our rights. Sorry but that does not stick well with me. It is exploitative. He is betting that our side is going to lose and when we do he is going to profit from that loss. Its playing both sides of against the middle.

I understand the motivation to have more than enough and if you can sell later something that you don't need for profit is attractive. I understand what you are saying but the cold hard reality is that he is going to one day sell someone a $500 AR15 for $1000 or $1500 because that person feels the need to defend themselves and that have no other choice but to pay a market price created not by the open and free market but by restrictive regulation of our fundamental rights. We we see a 10 year ban again some of the people who will pay the premium are younger new shooters who are too young to vote and too young to a gun now. It isn't just going to be fence sitters. It is going to be people who have had their rights stripped from them through no fault of their own.
 
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This is why the things that I am mainly eyeballing are things that they could hack off as being transferable. Stack lowers, magazines, and enhanced triggers. But all in all, I think they will be very surprised to see what people can do with a blank piece of aluminum in the rough shape of a lower, a drill press, and some time.

3D printers will also come into play.
 
The political climate has much less to do with it than my budget does. I am entering a phase of wanting to drop lower end stuff and pick up better stuff...but not more stuff.

The exception is that I would really like to get a Henry Big Boy X Model in .357 so I have a decent rifle that is likely to stay legal longer than any AR, and still uses ammo I keep on hand for my revolvers.
 
I'm on the other end of the spectrum...

I believe more "gun" people will vote this year at the local, state and federal level than in years past. Look for record turnouts.
I sincerely hope you are right and I am wrong. Tell you a funny story. On election day on 2016 I was up at the range and offered to bet anybody there $100 that Trump would not win. No one, no one took me up on it thank the Lord. So, I'm not necessarily a good predictor of election outcomes. Come to think of it, maybe I should open a polling company.
 
The bank account tells me what I can and cannot buy....I try to keep lots of 9mm around, but mostly because I shoot that the most.

("Lots" to me is 1,500 rounds of 9mm, but I remember when 200 rounds was a "lot" to me, so....)
 
The bank account tells me what I can and cannot buy....I try to keep lots of 9mm around, but mostly because I shoot that the most.

("Lots" to me is 1,500 rounds of 9mm, but I remember when 200 rounds was a "lot" to me, so....)

Life is good then huh?
 
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