Raven Concealment Systems posted this to Facebook. It’s spot on, so read and heed.

Winter is coming.

The gun industry has ups and downs that are tied to the seasons, and this year, we should ALL begin preparing for winter now.

As far as market trends go, summer is historically the “slow” time of year for the firearms industry. For most consumers, buying guns and accessories takes a back seat to family vacations, opening up the pool, putting the boat in the water, and buying back-to-school supplies.

Then, come late September and early October, sales start to pick up as those other distractions draw to their natural close. By Thanksgiving, people are buying guns and gear like they’re allergic to money and trying to rid themselves of every dollar.

This year, the perception – perhaps accurate – that changing political leadership might result in the banning of certain types of weapons and magazines, combined with a feeling that civil unrest is making people unsafe in their communities, will drive new buyers to acquire their first firearms, and current gun owners to “stock up.” And this surge of demand has the potential to make the 2008 “Obamageddon” panic buying frenzy look like a slow day at the gun show. 

If you’re looking to buy your first AR-15 or Glock, now is the time to do it. If you need to stock up on extra magazines or ammo, don’t wait. If history is any indicator, come November, you’re going to see dramatically higher prices in the gun shops. By Inauguration Day, you’re going to see the shelves of gun shops looking like the shelves of a Venezuelan grocery store.

Right now, you might be thinking to yourself: “Oh look…the gun industry guy is telling us we need to buy stuff now. What a surprise.”

True. I am part of this industry, and maybe that makes me biased. But I make holsters, and I’m here telling you to buy guns, magazines, and ammo. Besides, panic-buys don’t benefit holster sales. In fact, the last time the gun industry had a buying frenzy, the only thing that wasn’t completely sold out in gun shops was holsters. Hell, when gun shops run out of pistols to sell, that actually *hurts* holster sales.

Panic-buys are bad for everyone. They block new people from getting into shooting because prices skyrocket. They block shooting enthusiasts from getting resupplied on ammo and magazines because shelves get stripped bare. Buying now will help you avoid suffering the high prices and scarcity of a panic.

Perhaps the worst impact is on the people who you’d think were actually benefiting: Your local gun shop owners. Although it might seem counter-intuitive, panic-buys are bad for your local gun shop. They force store owners to make the no-win choice between getting accused of “price gouging” because they raise prices to match the surging demand, or keeping their prices at pre-panic levels and getting cleaned out by speculators (only to watch guns they just sold at pre-panic prices get listed hours later by their customers on Gun Broker for 300% mark-up) only to discover they are unable to get more inventory to sell because the manufacturers are backlogged till spring. And that’s the real problem: When a retail business can’t get more of the primary product it sells in a timely fashion, how are they supposed to pay the rent, electric bill, and their employees?

Basically, you can’t go wrong stocking up now. If the panic hits, you’ll be glad you bought before P-Mags skyrocketed to $40 apiece, and while you could still find AR’s behind the counter at the local gun shop. If the panic doesn’t materialize, there’s no harm in having an extra case or two of ammo for training classes, or another dozen Glock magazines.

Don’t wait till the frenzy is in full-swing, and then whine about how your local gun shop is “price gouging.” Help your wallet, your gun safe, and your local retailer by buying now.