Amid talk of an impending ban... Why do people buy junk?

raftman · Dec 24, 2012

So here's a question. I know a ton of folks are panic buying. To some extent I can understand that, there is a very real possibility that certain things may no longer be available soon, but then there are things that make no sense.

What I don't fully get is why garbage that people wouldn't ordinarily touch with a 10-foot pole is also all sold out as well. For example, the Century UC-9 Uzi-look-alike carbine. Youtuber rugersix did a 3-part video about his excruciating experience trying to get that thing running, all kinds of ammo, all kinds of mags, etc, etc. The thing weighs in at something like 9 or 10 pounds (heavier than even some full caliber battle rifles) despite shooting 9x19, and it sold for for $700+ even when widely available. So something that's been dismissed as overpriced garbage for years is now worth every penny at twice the price?

Or how about Promag products. A year ago few people would choose to buy 'em at $9 and now you can sell out of them at $28?

Is it the profit motive? Do people think they'd be able to flip this stuff for a profit, that is hoping to buy low and sell high? I'm not sure I can buy into that theory. If I didn't want a piece of junk when I could get it at $699, why would I want it buy it for $1100 later? Wondering what's the deal here.

mkwerx · Dec 24, 2012

Hysteria about not being able to get anything later down the road - and a lot of people who didn't own guns before are now seeing the light, and they're arming up. I was in at Fisherman's Marine yesterday (bought a new FN pistol) and there were a number of people there buying or looking at guns, and a few of them admitted they never owned a gun, some never shot a gun, but had friends who owned guns, and now they decided they needed guns to protect themselves, or wanted to buy them now before they were banned.

These newbies could be the driving force behind the junk-gun purchases, because they didn't know any better, or they had to have *something* and didn't want to wait for the good stuff to come back in stock, or were so panicky that the ban would be implemented Jan 1 that they had to have it now. At all costs.

xjjeeper223 · Dec 24, 2012

People are stupid. /thread

Ghost_2.0 · Dec 24, 2012

New gun noobs /story

raftman · Dec 24, 2012

Just thinking folks are gonna feel dumb if the AWB doesn't materialize, then they will be left with a gun they don't wanna shoot and can't sell to anyone for even close to what they paid for it.

And even if an AWB is enacted, the new normal of much higher prices would probably make people all the more discerning about what to buy. If the "new normal" for an entry-level AR goes from say $650 to $1100, will anyone ever buy the crappy Century Uzi for $1100?

stmcelroy · Dec 24, 2012

raftman said:
Just thinking folks are gonna feel dumb if the AWB doesn't materialize, then they will be left with a gun they don't wanna shoot and can't sell to anyone for even close to what they paid for it.

And even if an AWB is enacted, the new normal of much higher prices would probably make people all the more discerning about what to buy. If the "new normal" for an entry-level AR goes from say $650 to $1100, will anyone ever buy the crappy Century Uzi for $1100?

A lot of people panic bought in '08-09 to only see their investments lose 50-70% of the purchase price.