Return of the Booth Babes: The 2007 SHOT Show
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Phil Bourjaily: Secret Sale at Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart seems to be having a nationwide, non-coordinated, unannounced sale on premium target loads. I’ve been hearing about this from shooters across the country. Last night my friend Rick called. “I’m at the Wal-Mart in Washington [Iowa]. They’ve got Winchester AA target loads for $5 a box. I bought all the 20 gauges. Do you want the 12s?” They usually sell for $7.50 a box. I told Rick I’d take whatever he could carry to his car. Turns out there were only nine boxes left, but they’re mine.
Wal-Mart made news last year eliminating firearms from several hundred stores. I may be wrong, but I don’t think they’re getting out of the ammo business entirely. You’ll probably still be able to buy cheap dove loads. Most Wal-Mart shoppers (and that includes me) aren’t going to pay $7.50 for premium target loads.
Whether they’re going out of the shotshell business or not, $5 AAs and STSs are hard to come by these days. You might want to check the sporting goods shelf at Wally World and let us know what you found.
Phil, why'd ya have to post this just before payday?? Whine whine! My local wally's has some ammo on sale too; .38 special is about half of what I would pay at the other stores. Winchester AA is also on sale but I have enough lead shotgun loads as I don't shoot trap or skeet at the moment and most of my hunting areas are going lead-free. Hopefully they will still have some of the .38's left when my meager salary finds its way into my bank account!
SA
Posted by: SilverArrow | July 30, 2008 at 11:30 AM
Washington, NC Walmart is selling 3.5 inch Remington Wingmaster HD shells for $20. Now only $2 per pull of the trigger instead of $3.
Posted by: Shane | July 30, 2008 at 12:18 PM
In St. Louis AA's are still $7.50. However, the price a small Dealer pays is $7.99 plus shipping. Also look at the Limbsaver slip-on recoil pads -- wally sells them for dealer cost.
Posted by: | July 30, 2008 at 01:53 PM
Obviously Mr. Bourjaily hasn't been paying attention... come on Philip, every devotee of this blog has been inundated with the inalienable truth that what Wally sells is third rate, pulled off the assembly line, dumped in the garbage by every reputable manufacturer crap. Chinese dumpster divers are then hired at three cents a day to retrieve the aforementioned crap and it is sold to fools such as yourself. Hope you blow your Parker or Fox to smithereens... affectionately yours,
Posted by: Dr. Ralph | July 30, 2008 at 02:11 PM
Wal*Mart in Athens Ga is selling blue box Federal centerfire ammo in 30-06, 270, and 243 for $12.97 a box and 30-30 for $10.97 a box. I think they are getting $15.97 or $17.97 per box for 300 mag and 7MM mag.
Posted by: Pat | July 30, 2008 at 02:18 PM
Phil you should have let us know sooner. The local Wally has had this stuff out for a week! Most of it was already scarfed up but I did score a few boxes of 20Ga 9's. Those beautiful hulls will be dutifully "recycled" several times as I do my part to keep things green!
Posted by: Beekeeper | July 30, 2008 at 03:12 PM
Come on Phil. Are you going to be at the Grand this year? Just around the corner, and I can't wait. It wont be my first, but I just heard that it is going to be as hot as last year.
Posted by: alabamahunter | July 30, 2008 at 04:33 PM
Alabama Hunter -- No Grand for me this year. I'll be home, chasing my new puppy.
It was right at 100 degrees the days I was in Sparta last year.
I hope all those shooters who come stay the week in their giant motorhomes aren't scared away by $4 gas.
Posted by: Phil Bourjaily | July 30, 2008 at 04:57 PM
Could be the end of Walmart in the ammo and gun related business.
Posted by: buffermop | July 30, 2008 at 05:07 PM
I just checked at the local Wal-Mart here in Santa Fe, NM, and was told "...NO ammo on sale until after hunting season.." I noticed that AA was priced at $7.57 per box..
Posted by: Cornodacaccia | July 30, 2008 at 05:41 PM
Dave,
NOS but here's that Gatling gun ad. I need one of these LMAO.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaeERnIPhG0
Posted by: Del in KS | July 30, 2008 at 06:14 PM
Phil, I bought a couple of boxes of the Wal-Mart $5 special last week without looking closely. What I got was Winchester AA "Low Noise, Low Recoil" 12 ga. loads. Low Noise, Low Recoil = Low Velocity, so if you're buying these for target loads, be sure to notice what you're getting, and adjust your lead appropriately.
Posted by: Dan R. | July 30, 2008 at 06:21 PM
Del ,
I can't believe the Brits actually banned that as homophobic.
Posted by: Jim in Mo. | July 30, 2008 at 06:26 PM
Jim,
Last night they had a g*y lawyer on FOX news and thats exactly what he called it. That is the funniest commercial in years.
Posted by: Del in KS | July 30, 2008 at 08:46 PM
Ammo in a Fl wallymart on the beach?? Good concept.
Anyone ever partake in one of the TX panhandle pheasant hunts discussed in the recent issue?
Posted by: TommyNash | July 31, 2008 at 06:28 AM
Last week I was at Wally World in Greencaste,IN an not shopping for ammo however I did cruise through the sporting goods department and noticed they had 5 boxes of 300 mag and five boxes of 270 clearanced at $5.00 a box. I asked the guy behind the counter if that was correct and he said yes. I don't know why this WalMart sells that type of ammo anyway, the deer in Indiana aren't that big and you can only hunt with a shotgun. Anyway , I don't own a 270 or a 300mag but know someone who does and that guy got a nice birthday present from me.
Posted by: David | July 31, 2008 at 07:59 AM
Walmart in Holland (OH) has AA target loads for $5. Clerk said only "target loads" are this price - all others are $7.57/box.
Posted by: jack | July 31, 2008 at 08:09 AM
Hmmm very suspicious. It may be some plot. Or its just another reason to be mad at my local Walmart that has great archery supplies but hardly as much as a orange jacket for shotgun and rifle. Welcome to the Kensington, Mansfield, NJ blues.
Posted by: Nicholas | July 31, 2008 at 08:55 AM
Be right back! Going to Super Wally World to check.
Will report later.
sk
Posted by: Scott | July 31, 2008 at 09:10 AM
Now is the time to buy target loads to brush up for early goose season (Sept 1 in northern Ohio). Perhaps Walmart is merely responding to market cycles - much like back-to-school sales, having a sale on target loads during the weeks leading up to an opening season seems perfectly logical.
Posted by: jack | July 31, 2008 at 09:36 AM
Yep, time to dust off the M870 and put on a fresh coat of camo paint and replace the dekes that the Lab puppy chewed up last year! Got a heck of a deal on Federal 3" BB and BBB after the season ended - 8 bucks a box! I couldn't lift em all at once. Ready to rock!
Posted by: WA Mtnhunter | July 31, 2008 at 10:29 AM
If walmart doesn't want to sell ammo then the small mom and pop stores will get more business, hurray! maybe the small shops can remain open a little longer!! Most people complain about walmart, about them driving out the little guy but then whey run like pussies to walmart everytime there is a sale. Walmart is a success because people only care about one thing, getting the lowest prices they can on stuff, future be damned... Very short sighted thinking to me...
Posted by: mr. smith | July 31, 2008 at 10:46 AM
If you really want to get some deals, before the end of the hunting season (turkey or deer), go to Wal-Mart because just about everything is discounted. I got a Tru Glo choke tube for $5 which any other time it was $25. I also got a bunch of turkey calls that were more than half off. I spent just over $20 and if they were not on sale, it would have cost over $50. My Wal-Mart doesn't sell guns or ammo anymore which sucks. But I was there a couple of days ago and I saw a pack of Thunderhead broadheads for $17. They cost $35 at any of the Big name stores. Wal-Mart is a great place to stock up on goods at the end of the season for next season.
Posted by: Ryan | July 31, 2008 at 11:51 AM
No to digress too far from the topic, but in regards to Mr. Smith's post, I think Walmart offers another thing that at least our local hunting stores don't--convenience. The stores around here open late and close at 6, making it pretty much impossible for me to get there except on the occasional Saturday. Walmart, on the other hand, is open all the time. Granted, their stuff isn't always as good and their service isn't great, but I have never been bowled over by my local hunting stores' service either. Most of the time you're lucky to get a grunt or a head nod when you walk in, and they seems a little offended when you actually ask them a question. That said, I try to buy big stuff, like guns, local, but usually get the commodities, like cheap ammo, from Walmart or at the range.
Posted by: pd | July 31, 2008 at 12:32 PM
I've got mixed feelings about Wal-Mart. It's a good thing for our industry and indenpendant retailers that many of the stores no longer sell firearms. Gun companies don't make much margin on firearms anyway, and they made hardly anything at Wal-Mart prices. Much better for them, for sporting goods stores
and for the rest of us that we might have to pay a few dollars more to buy a gun from a sporting goods dealer. Besides, I once watched a friend try to buy a shotgun at the West Memphis, AR Wal-Mart. It took three clerks an hour to make the sale.
On the other hand, I can't remember how many times I've had to buy non-resident licenses early in the morning or late at night when Wal-Mart is the only
place open. That is a real convenience, and I can stock up on Diet Coke and M&Ms (major vices of mine) at the same time, too.
Posted by: Phil Bourjaily | July 31, 2008 at 03:11 PM