Wal-Mart in southern NH has caved to the anti-hunters

me | weldallday

[El Gato]

There was a time when any decent hardware store or sporting goods shop had a good selection of guns and ammo, and you didn't have to go to a specialty gun shop.

Sports Authority (last I checked anyway, but it's been a while) and Academy still carry guns and ammo, at least in Texas they do. Including this shotgun for Serious Social Purposes from Academy.

However when I was growing up, back in the dark ages of 50's and 60s, we could buy guns and ammunition at the gas station/convenience store. I never bought a gun there (I only had one until I was in my mid 30s) but I used to buy their house brand of ammunition. The stores are still around, Holiday, but they no longer sell guns and ammo, but they also no longer sell shovels, tire chains, or any number of other things other than junk food and soft drinks (and beer in some cases IIRC).

In those long ago years, Sears, Wards, K-Mart and even J.C. Penny's (catalog anyway) sold firearms. The first two had house brands of both guns and ammunition. JC Higgins for Sears, and Western Field for Wards. Even Target sold ammunition into the 70s, don't know about before then, because I didn't set foot in one until then.

Things have definitely gone all to snot in that area, driven by the Gun Control Act of '68, and the deliberate anti dealer policies of the BATFE, in "interpreting" the laws. Their latest Jihad seems to be against gunsmiths.

[El Gato]

WM would still be selling rifles if they could get great deals from Beijing

The one I was in last weekend still sold rifles and shotguns, and ammo for them and handguns. All American made stuff too. Mossberg, Remington, Ruger, and others. They even had blackpowder rifles.

[El Gato]

You sound like a well equiped 'person'.

Only moderately by Texas Gunowner standards. 3 handguns, the other is a Ruger 22/45, an SKS, an M-1 Carbine, A G-3 rebuild (7.62x51), a Browning BPS wingshooting shotgun, and a Maverick Serious Social purposes shotgun (never fired). A guy I work with said the other day (lording it over some contractors from the Sacramento area) that he had 22 guns in his safe, 19 of which he could not take back to California anymore. :)

[conservativeharleyguy]

Yeah, I bought my first high-powered rifle, an 8mm Mauser, at White's Western when I was 15 for $65 (1970). I worked for my mom's store all summer long to buy it in time for hunting season.

Best all around deer/elk/bear rifle for Northern NM there was. A 185 grain Federal soft nose will flat knock 'em down.

I've had it stolen and recovered twice.

I haven't shot it for 20 some years, and the last ammo I bought for it (at a gas station in Antonito CO) is still in the box.

I think I'll go shoot it this weekend just for the hell of it.

Even with me teaching them as much as I could about shooting and hunting, my kids will never know that unhindered freedom, and the responsibility that comes with it. I can't imagine what would happen if a kid showed up at school with a 12 point Muley buck in the back of the truck to show his buddies today. I'm sure they'd throw the book at him (or her).

It sucks and it'll get worse, I'm sure.