Guns Sold Out at Wal-Mart as Ammo Surge on E-Bay

[Purveyor]

With President Barack Obama endorsing sweeping gun restrictions in the wake of the school shootings in Newtown, Connecticut, prices for handgun magazines are surging on EBay (EBAY) and semi-automatic rifles are sold out at many Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) locations.

Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, said yesterday that it would continue to sell guns, including rifles like the one used at Newtown, where 26 people, most of them children, were killed on Dec. 14. By contrast, Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc. (DKS) suspended sales of similar guns at its more than 500 stores.

Searches of five kinds of semi-automatic rifles on Wal- Mart’s website showed them to be out of stock at stores in five states, including Pennsylvania, Kansas and Alabama. Wal-Mart doesn’t sell guns online, instead asking customers to input a zip code to see if their local store carries a specific weapon.

“We remain dedicated to the safe and responsible sale of firearms in areas of the country where they are sold,” David Tovar, a spokesman for Wal-Mart, said yesterday.

MORE...

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-12-19/guns-sold-out-at-wal-mart-as-ammo-surge-on-e-bay.html

[PoliticAverse]

1. "With President Barack Obama endorsing sweeping gun restrictions" - what would those be ? n/t

[Chorophyll]

14. Exactly. What "sweeping gun restrictions" has the President mentioned?

Be specific.

(Not arguing with you, PoliticAverse. Just agreeing angrily.)

[hack89]

16. Obama 'Actively Supportive' Of Assault Weapons Ban: White House

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/18/obama-assault-weapons-ban_n_2323764.html

[Chorophyll]

17. That's not "sweeping gun restrictions," though, is it.

It's just going back to what we had between 1999 and 2004. In other words, barely anything.

[hack89]

19. This is suppose to be a new and improved AWB

designed to correct the many flaws in the first one. It might actually work.

[Chorophyll]

20. I'm not suggesting it won't work. I hope it does.

But it's still not "sweeping gun restriction," and for a news agency to use that kind of language just stokes up the nutjobs.

[X_Digger]

22. Do you think that trying to ban the sale of the most popular rifle is "barely anything"?

There were 800,000 'ar-15 type' guns sold *during* the ban.

Since then, modern sporting rifles sales have skyrocketed. They're the most popular selling rifle in the US.

[Chorophyll]

23. Whoa nelly. I'm completely in favor of it.

And much, much more. So please fight the real enemy.

[X_Digger]

24. I'm saying it's not "barely anything"

It would be a "sweeping gun restriction" to try to ban the most popular rifle in the US.

[Chorophyll]

25. Nope. I still don't find it to be "sweeping gun restriction." Sorry. nt

[X_Digger]

26. Then we're done talking.

You seem to have a disconnect with reality if you don't think that restricting the sales of the most popular rifle in the US represents "sweeping gun restrictions".

[HooptieWagon]

35. The gun will be painted grey instead of black.

There will be superficial changes, not affecting operation of gun in the least. Gun banners will cheer. There will be no change in deaths, because handguns = 75% of gun deaths, "black guns" very little. Dems will pay the price in '14. Congratulations, it will be on your shoulders.

[X_Digger]

36. Not mine, brother, but I agree..

It will be used like a club to beat Democrats for years. It will trickle down into state and local races, setting us back 15 years.

[HooptieWagon]

37. Oops, I replied to wrong post.

But we're thinking same thing. IMO, it could be argued the price is worth it if legislation is meaningful. Unfortunately, we'll get hammered over fluff.

[PoliticAverse]

18. Yes but that isn't new, he's always supported renewing the Assault Weapons Ban.

The article's line:
"With President Barack Obama endorsing sweeping gun restrictions in the wake of the school shootings in Newtown,"
implies there are some new 'sweeping' restrictions he's endorsed.

[X_Digger]

27. Except when he hasn't..

Renewing the ban was removed from whitehouse.gov, SoS Clinton, AG Holder, and DHS Sec Napolitano changed their tune after floating that trial balloon.

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/239389-white-house-obama-focused-on-fighting-gun-crime-with-existing-law-

White House press secretary Jay Carney on Sunday said President Obama was committed to preventing gun crimes by relying on “existing law,” two days after a mass shooting in Colorado sparked renewed debate about gun control.

[golfguru]

39. Would the law breakers (criminals) follow laws on gun restrictions?

Why should they? They obviously do not follow laws. Otherwise they would not
be holding up banks and robbing people at gun point. They ignore all laws.

Anyone caught committing crime with a gun should get 20 years of hard labor
or better yet, send them to Joe Arpaio's prisons.

[Tutonic]

2. Looking forward to the day that Walmart is outmaneuvered

and forced to fold. That day will happen.

[nc4bo]

3. I just know that any new legislation will include previously purchased SAs and mega mags, right?

RIGHT?

Don't care how many laws are created which limit or ban mass baby slaughters, what the hell good will it do to grandfather in what's already out there?

[HooptieWagon]

7. Right. And ban talk has put another hundred thousand on the street.

And they won't be kept in gun safes, they'll be hidden away in closets and attics. Good luck taking them away.

[nc4bo]

10. you're right - they are out there but...

what we need to do is ensure that gun nutters have some limits on how, where, when they can use their massbabykilling toys so it won't be as easy for massbabykillers to kill my grand kid.

We need to address the mental health issue at the same time.

Some things we may not be able to do anything about but some certainly are. Gun nutters who must have access to weapons of mass destruction capable of mowing down a theater full of people need to somehow be absolutely responsible for their weapons of mass destruction.

The lunatics are running the asylum and its no longer acceptable, no pun intended.

Gun nutter's rights are infringing on non gun nutter's rights..............so where do you think we go from here if I may ask?

I guess the easiest, simplest solution is for the non gun nutters become gun nutters? Eye for an eye.

[HooptieWagon]

38. That's a gross mischaracterzation.

Saying every gun-owner is a gun nut is equivilent to saying every muslim is a terrorist, or every voter over 30 is a teabagger. Such rhetoric is whats driving the increase in gun sales, its counter-productive, and only going to cause gun-owners (and the gun lobby) to dig in further, thus preventing the passage of any meaningful legislation. 99.9999% of legal gun-owners will never shoot anyone. They want guns out of the hands of criminals and mentally ill as much as we do. Making enemies of them isn't the way to seek their cooperation.

[HooptieWagon]

4. What do you expect?

People unsure what legislation is coming, so they're buying now before items are banned. Good luck taking them away. Gun banning rhetoric is filling the campaign coffers of the gun lobby. I'll blame the 2014 congressional bloodbath square on the shoulders of the anti-gun hysterics.

[Harmony Blue]

5. You honestly believe that?

I live in a county where hunting is an important sport in Florida, and all those hunters agree gun policy in our country has to change....

[HooptieWagon]

9. I agree. Reasonable and effective legislation would be acceptable to many.

Heck, I'd go a lot further...but I don't own any guns and would be unaffected. However, once hysterical people starting spouting knee-jerk reaction legislation or banning, anyone who was thinking about buying a semi-automatic is going to get in line before its too late. Pure human nature, and a fantasy to think it wouldn't happen. I'll bet GOP pols and lobbyists are drooling in anticipation, this is their big chance to come back.

[Comrade_McKenzie]

13. You know where you can stick that concern, as well as any guns you might have... nt

[Chorophyll]

15. So we'll just STFU and keep letting mass shootings happen week after week after week?

I don't think so.

Let the nutjobs stockpile. They're like addicts who have to "maintain" just to get through the trip to rehab.

[HooptieWagon]

30. You're being hysterical. No one has told you to STFU. No one wants to let mass shootings continue.

This disagreement is over what legislation would be effective. One side proposes" feel-good" legislation that would have no effect on gun-deaths or mass murder. The other side wants serious talks on effective legislation. Which side do you want to be on? Are you willing to examine facts and data to decide that position, or are you taking a side based on raw emotion and prejudice?

[Chorophyll]

31. I'm not being hysterical. You're the one(s) who try to shut down conversation all the time.

Here's some rational information, for the umpteenth time: the United States is the only developed nation without strong gun control, and we're the only nation in which 34 people are shot to death on an average day.

Insert imaginary hysteria here, or wherever it feels good to you. Good day.

[HooptieWagon]

32. OK, since you like rational information, here's some more.

Of the 34 deaths, 25 are by handguns, which no "black gun" ban would have the least effect on. Perhaps .02 deaths involve an extended capacity magazine. Of the 30 or so homicides, the vast majority are committed by convicted felons. Since they already don't abide by a convicted felons can't own guns law, there is no reason to believe they'll follow any further laws.

Would you like some more rational information, or some suggestions on legislative action that is probably effective and politically viable?

[Savannahmann]

33. So what you're saying is that the current laws just aren't working.

Excellent. That is good to know, but the rest of us who mourn the tens of thousands dead from gun violence in this country already knew that. If restrictions on locations you can have a gun, ie schools, isn't working. Restrictions on who can purchase and possess, ie lunatics and felons, aren't working, then we have to look at other options.

Simple answer, ban the fucking guns. Seriously, ban the damned things. Make it illegal for anyone to own anything but a flintlock for those second amendment worshiping assholes. Don't tell me it won't work, it's worked in every single country it's been tried in. Don't tell me we can't, because we have to, we must to stop the insanity.

[HooptieWagon]

34. Current laws do work to a degree.

Gun deaths have been on decline for about 20 years. Improved safety measures and training have reduced accidents, longer prison sentences have gotten many violent criminals off the streets, and mandatory background checks and waiting periods have had a positive impact. Certainly more can be done. My preference would be legislation that actually reduces the numbers of deaths, rather than "feel-good" legislation that has little impact. That would be more thorough background checks with longer waiting periods. Liscensing and registration tied to private sales ban. And to reduce mass-murder, how we diagnose, treat, and monitor mental health should be a significant amount of the conversation.

[Lizzie Poppet]

6. To be fair, many, many such models were already sold out before the shootings.

It's been that way for several years: certain models of paramilitary semiautomatic rifles and carbines have been in very short supply, selling as fast as they hit the shelves. Online sellers' pages often show these weapons as "out of stock" or "backordered." Often there were more unavailable product listings than available ones. While I'm sure there's been a surge, I'm wondering how many reporters, who have never seen these sites or visited a brick-and-mortar gun department or store, look at this situation and think it all happened since the shooting?

[Initech]

8. Whoever said "there's a sucker born every minute" hasn't met gun nuts in the Obama administration.

[ananda]

11. Translation: We will make a profit at any cost.

..

[Comrade_McKenzie]

12. Too bad we don't keep a registry. nt

[politicaljunkie41910]

21. Hope it sends the rightwingnuts to the poorhouse even sooner than otherwise.

Most of these customers are poor ignorant rightwingnuts who can ill afford these guns and the related ammunition, particularly since there has been a run on ammunition since Obama was elected. The gun dealers who are making the money off these loons are playing on the ignorance and the emotions of these poor stupid folks. Most of these loons will spend their entire lives preparing for the government whose coming for their guns, (who BTW is never coming for their guns) at the expense of planning for their retirement or their kids college education. When they are bankrupt or can't buy food because they've spent all their money on guns, I will have a good laugh at what fools they are.

[Odin2005]

28. If your first reaction to a mass shooting is to buy more guns...

...you are fucked up in the head.

[Cali_Democrat]

29. +1

[Initech]

41. +2

[former-republican]

40. They need to order more