Take the wife up to Prescott Valley for their weekend swap meet to see what junk there is to be found. We both love the yard sale atmosphere and the weather was great versus what we've got down here in Phoenix. there's always somebody selling their guns there, but lately that number seems to have increased... In a bad way. Like the gun shows, these people don't seem to have gotten the message that their piece of stuff rifle isn't worth the premium they're asking, but one vendor stood out in particular.
He/They had a trailer and a few tables set up full of miscellaneous rifles, guns, parts and ammo. So I walk in and start taking a gander at their ammo selection. In retrospect, I guess I shouldn't have been surprised to find Federal bulk .22 going for $65 dollars/box of 500. No, not playing that game. Moving on, I asked the guy if he has an 1911 mags. He points me to his table full of assorted beat up stuff. I find a few in pretty meh condition... At $25 dollars a mag. What the heck?! Alright, this is a swapmeet so maybe he's expecting me to bargain.
But first, function check!
I asked if he minded I try them out and he stares at me for a solid thirty seconds as if trying to divine my meaning. He finally realizes I have my piece on me and says sure, and most people just buy them blind. I'm sure they do. None of them feed reliably and hang up in the magwell going in. Maybe that's something some reconditioning can fix, but not worth the premium they're asking. I offer $10 and am declined, no counter offer. I walk.
So if you're up and Prescott and see these weenies, avoid them like the plague.
Segue into the Walmart part of this tale. Today (next day) I'm in walmart and ask if they have any .22lr, kind of already knowing the answer. Sure enough, no stock, and boy did I light the a fire under the guys butt as he starts complaining about how they had some that morning, but people were literally fighting over the inventory. In fact, not just people, but the same people, over and over again every single morning driven by some halfwit app that may or may not be accurate, then trying to get the staff in trouble when they don't have availability for any number of mundane reasons I can attest to having worked in retail. He says they're threatening to refuse these people sale because that's the only reason they're even in the store, not to buy other product.
I'm sure a lot of that last part was the rep blowing off steam, not actual policy being considered.
And I gotta say, it's beginning to pee me off too. Everybody is short for no better reason than late to the game panic preppers or- my personal belief -these morons choking stock so they can resell it in gunshows and up in Prescott for $65/box at 300% profit. I'm thinking it's time to turn off the .22 spigot at walmart for a month or so. Let stock build up in the back room until enough can be deployed at once and keep a strict one box per day limit (hell, maybe even week) to eliminate the profiteering (insert not so nice language here) looking to bend everybody else over.
Sorry. End of Rant
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