Buying new gun and ammo from gun shops

[lhrocker 5]

When you buy a new handgun or rifle from a gunshop, either local or big box, do they "hold" a certain amount of ammo so that you can buy ammo with your gun?  Like if you buy a .22LR or 9mm, would they make sure that the purchaser also has bullets to use in their gun at the time of purchase?

[Kaiser7 33]

Wait, they sell "New" guns? What does this mean? (Just kidding. I almost never buy new.)

It depends on the shop. Honestly, I'd figure you could just call and ask them, or if you're there looking at something, just ask. I don't know if they actually keep a reserve of a specific caliber on hand in case someone buys a gun, but I think if you were to ask the shop, they might hold on to something for you. Some places will throw in some ammo when you buy a gun too.

 

Typically with new firearms, gun shops don't actually make any money. Typically they sell them at cost, or maybe a 5% markup, well below typical retail markups. New guns are sort of a loss-leader. What they really make money on (besides used guns) are ammo, accessories, magazines, cleaning kits, etc. For this reason, I think that whether or not they hold ammo for a new purchase is likely dependent on the particular shop. Since ammo is one of the things where they actually have margins, I would imagine they'd be less apt to hold on to some when they can turn it around. Also, if a gun shop has like, 20 different guns in 9mm (or .22, or whatever), to hold a few boxes of ammo for each new gun is probably not practical. They'd be tying up shelf space until the gun sells, and even then the person may only buy one box, or none. 

[mark_anthony_78 0]

I've seen very few empty ammo shelves recently (although it was bad for a while) but I've seen plenty of full ones with high price tags.  

 

I guess that's one way to make sure you keep stock on hand.

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

Typically with new firearms, gun shops don't actually make any money. Typically they sell them at cost, or maybe a 5% markup, well below typical retail markups. 

 

And you know this how?

 

While you are correct in that firearm mark-up isn't equivalent to typical retail goods mark-up, and that they make more on used than new guns - you are fooling yourself if you think they are selling them at cost or a 5% mark-up. Nobody is in business for fun.

 

You can PM me if you want to know how I know this.

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

[PD2K 115]

When you buy a new handgun or rifle from a gunshop, either local or big box, do they "hold" a certain amount of ammo so that you can buy ammo with your gun?  Like if you buy a .22LR or 9mm, would they make sure that the purchaser also has bullets to use in their gun at the time of purchase?

 

No I think handguns and ammo inventory are mutually exclusive when it comes to your local gun store.

[sof 0]

I have been in Heritage Guild Easton when others have bought guns there and they always have ammo for the gun being bought. I have also been told that a certain caliber ammo was limited or not for sale because they had to be sure to have it in case someone bought a gun of that caliber. Jim Flynn also made sure he had ammo for guns being sold even at the height of the madness 2 years ago, or at least he tried to do so.

[oneshot 45]

the short answer to your question is NO .

  They are not going to put ammo aside for you or for anyone else for that matter regardless if you

purchased a firearm from them. Generally speaking of course

 If its there buy it, if it's not get it somewhere else

[WP22 1,558]

I have been in Heritage Guild Easton when others have bought guns there and they always have ammo for the gun being bought.

 

I bought a gun from them during the great scare and they offered to sale me a couple of boxes of ammo for it. This was at the Branchburg location.

[Polak 3]

I don't know. I usually have mags and ammo before the gun because of the tedious permit process we go through.

[wkeilsw 0]

It happenes to me. I bought a .22 handgun and the store had no .22lr on the shelf. They went in back and grabbed a big value pack for me.

[gunner21 1]

I know that Cabelas keeps 22lr off the shelves so that gun purchasers can get ammo. At least the new Delaware store does. The smaller shops in NJ usually do not.

[Krdshrk 3,877]

Bought a used Henry Golden Boy lever action .22 at Gander Mountain in Scranton, PA.  This was back during the .22LR shortage a couple of years ago.  The clerk had some stock in the back that they held in reserve - I got 5 boxes of CCI Mini Mags.

 

So yes, Big Box stores will do this.