Where are all the guns?

[Tom B]

 Was going to post this in the E TN thread, but figured I would do it here.

Maybe a bit off topic, but has anyone from E TN noticed a very low volume of guns for sale in the area?  Armslist seems to be dead lately. If not for the Vendor listings, and the Knoxville folks that list in the Tri-Cities also, there would hardly be any guns for sale. And when I click the Bristol VA Armslist, the last gun posted was 73 damn days ago-lol.  I was thinking maybe it was an election thing, but now that ****show is over.

Now I know not as many people list on Armslist as a few years ago since it got pricey. I also look at the E-Classifieds (an Eastman thing) , Guns Tennessee (all free but not many listings), and Gun Owners Club (lots of listings but seems like mostly the Nashville area). Even the Eastern KY Armslist hasnt had a posting in 3 days. Boone NC has a total of 15 listings. Even Roanoke VA is bare bones lately.

I dont mind traveling to buy a gun that I want, and I made many trips to Knoxville over the years which is almost 2 hrs away. But any farther than that and its like a day trip-lol. Nashville is 4 hours from me.

[FUJIMO]

Sounds like you got an itch ?

Become a benefactor and post a wanted ad in the classifieds and I'm sure someone will scratch it for you

[itw69fxst]

I have seen quite a few posts lately mostly around Nashville. And, it is better that they are, since I have wanted quite a few but I need to stay disciplined. I do not have as much room as Fujimo has.

[Tom B]

Ive been a benefactor in the past. I'll do it again after the holidays. But its not really an itch. Nothing in particular I'm looking for. Just an observation I guess, since I look at guns for sale all of the time.

I'm sure lots of folks were thinking Harris (Biden,Obama,Soros etc) might win the election and were holding off selling guns.

[gregintenn]

I'm not too far from Nashville, and it seems like everything I am interested in is located in either Memphis or Knoxville.

[Whisper]

The demise of Armslist has been well discussed, both here and on other boards.  If you wanted a lesson in how to destroy an online sales model, you would find no better example than Armslist.

One of the principles of the universe is that whatever part of Tennessee you live in, you'll find the guns you want in a far-away part of the state.  North Carolina has a similar problem.  Gun buyers who live in a state that's narrow in one dimension and wide in the others should learn to enjoy road trips.   There are always pawn shops and barbecue joints along the way.... 

Cheers,

Whisper

[deerslayer]

41 minutes ago, gregintenn said:

I'm not too far from Nashville, and it seems like everything I am interested in is located in either Memphis or Knoxville.

Memphis to Johnson City is quite a haul, but I’ve made the 2.5-3.5 hour trip to Nashville or Murfreesboro for the right gun at the right price on more than one occasion with no regrets. 

Edited Wednesday at 03:12 PM by deerslayer

[gregintenn]

1 minute ago, deerslayer said:

Memphis to Johnson City is quite a haul, but I’ve made the 2.5-3.5 hour trip to Nashville or Murfreesboro for the right gun at the right price on more than one occasion with no regrets. 

I'd drive to California for the right deal. It's all relative. I've found several members here kind enough to offer to meet halfway.

[deerslayer]

1 minute ago, gregintenn said:

I'd drive to California for the right deal. It's all relative. I've found several members here kind enough to offer to meet halfway.

Agreed.  The guys who say “No way, that’s an hour away” can’t be very serious about buying or selling something.  

[itw69fxst]

4 minutes ago, gregintenn said:

I'd drive to California for the right deal. It's all relative. I've found several members here kind enough to offer to meet halfway.

Wait, Cali has guns now ? 

[Erich]

Generally i’ve not really seen much offered in south east TN, albeit only a 5 years sample of time. The population is just too small

Agree volume is down recently. But I see it as consistent with the usual cycle where fear drops and we enter into a glut, then prices drop. AR’s are a good indicator of overall market condition IMO. 

Notice discounts and rebates are also coming back post pandemic driven shortages and pricing. 

I attribute it to the favorable SCOTUS decisions and easing laws, the election while favorable as well wasn’t the main driver with this trend starting over a year ago as rulings began to have effects.   

With the pricing drop, flippers went  away and owner sellers are less inclined to sell. Had the election gone the other way, those holding would have sold into the fear increase…so barring a fear driver…don’t expect it to change much in the next couple years.

 

 

 

 

[Grayfox54]

Seems like every time something pops up in the classifieds that I like, its plumb at the other end of the state. 

I'm willing to drive a reasonable distance for the right deal. But at my age and health, that's generally only about 100 miles. 

As far as there being nothing out there to buy, that comes under all kinds of variables. Sometimes there's just a dry spell. It happens. 

[Tom B]

I dont mind driving either. But the distance I drive is dependent on the price, and what I'm buying. I drove to KY a few years ago to buy a gun that I couldnt find anywhere else, about 3.5 hrs each way. And the price was right. It just seems like 3-4 years ago prices were lower, and I'd buy something for the hell of it cuz it was cheap-lol. Though most of those those buys are long gone, traded away. Hate to say it, but I have MOST of the guns I want-lol.

[Tom B]

I'll add to that though. I'm not into rifles. I have an AR,  couple 22 target rifles, and a couple O/U and S/S shotguns.  Mostly into handguns. Can put more in the safe that way-lol.

[papa61]

I too will renew my benefactor status after the holidays. We had some unexpected vet expense that threw our budget out. Then a trip to Hamilton Miss to get another dog. 
Anyway, I have seen a couple of sites that shut down after the new dealer rules were announced. Armslist went to crap. I hadn't noticed a decline in available market, maybe because I'm not seriously looking at the moment but whatever, I'm ALWAYS looking. I look at an e trader site that is primarily E Tenn a lot and like it's been said, if I want it and it's priced right it's east of Knoxville. 

On similar line, I joined a Carolina forum expressly to ask if one of the posters would do an FFL transfer at my expense. The pistol si still posted but never got a response. 

edit: I would drive for the right deal but you have to factor in time and cost. After adding the expense of the drive is it still a good deal?

And Cali Greg? I have a BIL in Cali and I still wouldn't cross the border.

Edited Wednesday at 07:33 PM by papa61

[gregintenn]

47 minutes ago, papa61 said:

 

And Cali Greg? I have a BIL in Cali and I still wouldn't cross the border.

Well I don't have a brother in law in California, so i guess that makes the difference.

[gary_boom]

President Biden has done so well with the economy everyone is buying and not selling.

[DocHawk]

5 hours ago, gregintenn said:

I'd drive to California for the right deal. It's all relative. 

I literally just did exactly this a few months back! My wife rode shotgun and dubbed it "The Cannonball Gun Run." Scratched several extremely rare guns off the life list. Still looking for a bringback StG44 and MG34, and I want a better example of a Spencer repeater than the tragically sporterized one that I have now. But I digress...

[papa61]

2 hours ago, gregintenn said:

Well I don't have a brother in law in California, so i guess that makes the difference.

I like my BIL and he is a conservative. He would leave but his wife LIKES it there. (actually she stays for her job)

[gregintenn]

48 minutes ago, papa61 said:

I like my BIL and he is a conservative. He would leave but his wife LIKES it there. (actually she stays for her job)

Have you met MY brother in law?

[gregintenn]

2 hours ago, DocHawk said:

I literally just did exactly this a few months back! My wife rode shotgun and dubbed it "The Cannonball Gun Run." Scratched several extremely rare guns off the life list. Still looking for a bringback StG44 and MG34, and I want a better example of a Spencer repeater than the tragically sporterized one that I have now. But I digress...

I saw a Harley for sale a while back in San Fransisco. I seriously considered a plane ticket, but it was probably best my wife’s constant what ifs worrying and my common sense prevailed. Sure was tempting though.

I like an adventure!

Edited Thursday at 12:02 AM by gregintenn

[Jeb48]

I know a lot of you don't like gun shows much but went to the gun show in Gray (NE TN) on the 17th and it was one of the better shows there since before covid for vendors. No jerky dealers or sock booths.  Even a fair number of parking lot sellers.  I wasn't really looking for anything but went to look, so I don't know if there were any deals, didn't really look at prices much.

[papa61]

50 minutes ago, Jeb48 said:

I know a lot of you don't like gun shows much but went to the gun show in Gray (NE TN) on the 17th and it was one of the better shows there since before covid for vendors. No jerky dealers or sock booths.  Even a fair number of parking lot sellers.  I wasn't really looking for anything but went to look, so I don't know if there were any deals, didn't really look at prices much.

I ran across an event on the show website near Westmoreland. Place called Ole Milliken Store has a gun/knife trader show every second Saturday. I plan on checking it out as I like seeing what normal people have rather than dealers. I can always see new stuff at local dealers. 

[Defender]

My best friend and I developed a keener interest in guns about the same time and our thing was going to gun stores together once a week and to the Nashville and Murfreesboro gun shows every time and also some others locally that popped up. Sadly, after he passed, it was very difficult to do that and for several months, maybe a year, I just couldn’t.  Now I go to local stores, but it’s not the same.  U Les I’m looking for something in particular, I’m in and out pretty quick.  Same at the shows.  It’s not as fun anymore.

[papa61]

1 hour ago, Defender said:

My best friend and I developed a keener interest in guns about the same time and our thing was going to gun stores together once a week and to the Nashville and Murfreesboro gun shows every time and also some others locally that popped up. Sadly, after he passed, it was very difficult to do that and for several months, maybe a year, I just couldn’t.  Now I go to local stores, but it’s not the same.  U Les I’m looking for something in particular, I’m in and out pretty quick.  Same at the shows.  It’s not as fun anymore.

I understand, not as much fun without someone to share. I drag my wife with me. She's a great bargaining tool.