1. Is there gouging going on? You bet!
2. I see it everyday- dealing with my distributors.
3. Distributors, Importers & Dealers are all checking the internet daily to see how much they can get based on the auction sites. And they adjust prices accordingly. The only ones I've seen that have not done this on the Manufacturer level is Bushmaster, Glock, Sig, & Colt.
Bushmaster & Colt prices are driven by the Distributors & Dealers. Some of these Distributors raise prices knowing that some greedy dealers are making record profits on the "supply & demand" aspect. The worse one I've seen is Lew Horton in Mass. For example: They are selling WASR-10's to dealers at retail prices - you end up getting shafted hard by a dealer that buys from them. The other day - a Lew Horton Salesman offered me Colt 6920's for 25.00 more than my retail of 1,550.00 & WASR-10's for $50.00 over my retail!! I actually felt bad for him "after my laughter stopped" - and he said that he gets abused over the phone all day long - guy needs a job,and can't do squat about his employers gouging.
PS: Stop buying from these people if they are gouging, and one of two things will happen.
#1. They will fold
#2. They will drop prices
Look what happened with gasoline when people started cutting back!
So I guess the best thing to do is to wait this out - I'm sure when the supply gets back up to speed - prices will have to come down. One thing that you should never forget is: Remember the ones that are screwing you now - when they're begging for your business down the road...my frustrated .02 worth as a dealer.... I wish you Mass folks didn't have your own ban - because I just got a boatload of new evil guns in.
Jim
Thanks for providing a reasonable opinon, it's appreciated. I think I balance between understanding the market of supply and demand, being aggrivated by the gougers, and looking over my shoulder full well knowing that the Administration is going to try to lower the boom in the next six months.