Wal-Mart Abandons AR15 Shooters

Wal-Mart has offered a substantial selection of handguns, shotguns, and rifles over the years, but now they appear to be pulling certain weapons off the shelves. Namely, the AR-15s are no longer being carried by Wal-Mart along with a few other types of weapons. This appears to be a move that will take them back to selling weapons meant for hunting or sports only.

Along with the AR-15, Wal-Mart will also no longer sell any.22 rifle that appears like an AR-15 or military weapon. In addition, there will be no shotguns with barrels of 18 ½” and no MSR guns of any type that will be sold in the store and that extends to accessories. Basically, this means that any product which is related to tactical weapons or gear will no longer be carried by Wal-Mart.

Why Wal-Mart No Longer Carries Tactical Weapons

Although it may seem that the current political climate is having an effect, the official position of Wal-Mart is that the sales of AR-15s and other, similar weapons has dropped off considerably over the past few years which makes them no longer the profitable type of gun that they wish to carry. Officially, this is a business decision based strictly on sales and the emphasis will be towards expanding their line of traditional weapons and make more room for hunting rifles, shotguns, and handguns.

In essence, this appears to be a permanent decision on the part of the Wal-Mart management as they want to appeal more towards sporting and hunting enthusiasts and get away from the tactical weapons which they say are simply not selling as well as they would like. The overall decision does seem grounded in sales as people shopping for AR-15s and other, similar weapons often go to gun stores that specialize in these products. Plus, there is also the question of accessories which also take up a considerable amount of room in the store itself.

The fact that the decision is a permanent one may seem curious at first since according to Wal-Mart it is more tied into a dip in sales of this type of weapon. However, it is also a smart marketing move to focus on traditional hunting and sporting weapons and make that the brand of Wal-Mart.

The Result of Wal-Mart’s Decision on Tactical Weapons

While tactical weapons only made up a part of Wal-Mart’s overall stock of guns, the impact will be considerable for many who live in locations where gun stores are few and far between. For those who have counted on Wal-Mart to provide this type of weapon in their store, there will no doubt be some considerable disappointment.

While it does seem that Wal-Mart will no longer carry AR-15s and similar weapons, the good news for those interested in this type of gun is that they will now be available at a discount as Wal-Mart unloads its supply. For those who are interested in getting tactical weapons and their accessories at low prices now is the time to shop at Wal-Mart while supplies still last.