Bite the Bullet Newsletter #30 September 2023

“Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.” — Source unknown

We are sending this out a little early for September. We wanted to give each of you plenty of time to get going for season. Squirrel Season started the 15th of August, and we are just about a month out from the youth season in Indiana.

Our recommendation this time of the year to everyone is this, don’t wait until the last minute before the season to get what you need.

“Nothing makes a person more productive than the last minute.”
— Source unknown

What the last few years have taught us is that the ramp up for season is steep and if you are not on the leading edge of it, you could be left out on equipment.

Today, we have the guns, the ammo, the scopes, the rings, the slings, and the bipods. In 2 or 3 months, I can’t say we will have what you need in stock.

“I do my work at the same time each day — the last minute.”
— Source unknown

The lead time right now if you order a gun, ammo, accessories, or other equipment that is in stock lays between a week to 2 weeks. Remember if it’s not in stock at our distributors, we can’t make it appear. And the closer we get to season the more likely it is to be sold out.

If you look on our website, btbguns.com you will see on the mail page our deer hunting rifles are featured. And like I said, if you don’t see something you like, let us know. I bet we can order it in for you if given enough advance notice.

“The sooner I fall behind, the more time I have to catch up.”
— Source unknown

In closing don’t be this guy, here is a typical conversation the day before or the day of the season opener. This conversation honestly could be about Deer season or Turkey season or Goose season, Rabbit season or Christmas. This we have seen can also apply to Guns, Ammo, Muzzleloaders you name it. This is why it’s important to get what you need here earlier than later.

September 1st
Customer: “Oh good you guys have plenty of my ammo for deer season.”

Guys here: “Sir you should get it now if you need it.”

Customer: “I don’t need it today; I will need it before season starts or it will sell out.”

Guys here: “Sir, I would get it now, before it is gone.”

Customer: “I will be fine”

“Procrastination taught me how to do 30 minutes of work in 8 hours and 8 hours of work in 30 minutes.”
— Source unknown

November 1st
Customer: “What’s wrong with your shop, why don’t you stock the ammo I need?”

Guys here: “Sir, we had it 2 months ago when you came in.”

Customer: “What, did they stop making it?”

Guys here: “No, just sold out like we thought it would.”

Customer: “You should have bought more.”

You get the idea. Let us help you. If you give us enough time, we can order just about anything. The week before season just isn’t enough time.

“Due tomorrow? Do tomorrow.”
— Source unknown

Bite the Bullet Newsletter #29 August 2023

Preowned Guns

Like most other gun stores, we have rolling inventory of both new and used guns. With over 50 yellow tag used guns in stock, plus many guns from the “Collection” still here, we have a lot for you to choose from.  

Over the years we as a shop have bought or traded many guns from people. Typically, we receive the same questions about preowned guns when someone is selling / trading to us as well as when someone is looking at buying the preowned item from us.  

Let’s start with selling / trading the item to the shop.

1. What’s my “gun” (insert random gun make and model here) worth? 

We won’t give a price over the phone or without seeing the item. Many times, a manufacture will have many varieties for the same model. 

Also, we are willing to price the gun for you if you want to see it to us or trade it to us, but If you want to know what your item is worth because it’s part of a estate, your lawyer needs it priced for a case or so you charge your buddy or coworker the right amount, that’s a different conversation. 

2. Its “New in the Box”. 

It’s still preowned. We have taken guns in and cleaned them so well that we are asked if its new. We won’t sell a gun as “New” if it’s been out of the shop. We feel it’s not right to sell a gun that’s preowned as new.  

3. My gun is custom.

Custom means stuff you wanted on the gun, not what someone else wants on the gun. Custom does not add value. In fact, at times it takes away value.  

4. What about the Scope/Red Dot/Add ons?  

Like “Custom” guns, a scope is more individualistic for the firearm. What I like on my guns may not be what you like on your guns. Anything that takes batteries, I take with a grain of salt because I don’t trust electronics 100%.  

On the other side of the coin, when you are looking at picking up a preowned gun from us, we also get some typical questions.  

1. Who owned it before you guys got it?  

Honestly if we knew, we would not want to say. We believe that isn’t the right thing to do. Plus, from the day we get it in, till the day you look at the item it could be an extended amount of time. Most times I can’t remember what I did yesterday, thankfully my wife will tell me.  

2. How many rounds have been through it?

Truth be told, most people do not know how many rounds have been through a gun. Police department trade ins, military surplus, competitive shooters, and some hard-core trainers may put higher round counts through guns. Even then these guns are fine still. I have many guns with 10s of thousands pf rounds through them. They cosmetically may look a little rough, but they are in perfect working order.  

3. Have you test fired it?  

I wish. But sadly, police department behind us frowns on it every time we shoot in the parking lot. Just kidding Seymour PD…. We don’t have a range, and we would not make any money because it would be bad if I could get paid to test fire all these guns. I would burn a lot of ammo. We do look used guns over well; we clean them as needed and visually check them over as we price them.  

4. Why did they sell/trade it?  

No idea. Maybe they wanted a different gun. Maybe it didn’t fit their hand, couldn’t handle the recoil or they didn’t like the feel. Maybe they needed cash for some reason. We do not know, and we feel it’s not our place to tell the next person.  

This next 2 months we are focusing on the used and collection guns we have in the store.  

If you look on our website now, you will see on the home page many of our used guns as featured items. Each sub area of the website has 3 to 6 featured items, all of these pics are in stock and ready for you.  

Come by and see our yellow tag and purple tag items. These are the preowned and collection tags. A deal is waiting on you today.  

“The Only Thing Necessary for the Triumph of Evil is that Good Men Do Nothing.”

Bite the Bullet Newsletter #27 June 2023

Happy Treason Day…. I mean Happy 4th of July.

As we come through Treason Day Week, I thought we would bring up 2 iconic guns here in America. 

You may be thinking I would talk about a 1911 or a Lever Action rifle.  Maybe a Revolver and a pump action shotgun.  Yes, these are iconic American guns… from within the last 100 years or so… 

Don’t get me wrong, I love all those guns, yet I had something else in mind.

The modern era of firearms has 2 distinct firearms.   

Glock (additionally we could lump in most modern striker fired guns as well) 

And

The Loved and Hated AR15 (and any other AR15 from then on)

This weekend I saw the below video from T.REX Arms about the Glock series of guns. It’s what made me think about this newsletter and the video is a great history lesson.  I thought about a vast majority of the guns that we sell, train with, or compete with are a Striker Fired Guns.  From the Sig 320 or 365, the Smith and Wesson M&P or SD series, Springfield XD or Hellcat just to name a few all are striker fired handguns.  Additionally, the Polymer 80 or Shadow System guns are based on the Gen 3 Glock.   A polymer / striker gun is what many police departments and now the U.S. Military use every day. 

Glock history and Future.       T.REX ARMS

Now the Loved and Hated AR15.  Starting with Eugene Stoner and Armalite to Colt and beyond, I love AR15s.  From hunting to self-defense to competition, nothing beats a AR15.  Look at most of the Modern Tactical rifles today.  You can see the original AR15 influence in them.  Compare a Ruger Precision, Christenson Arms MPR or an MDT chassis gun and you will see the modern look like a AR15.  We have the “Tactical” Henry Big Loop 44 mag and Citadel lever action 357, the 9mm M&P Side folding PCC or the KelTech Sub 2000 all with MLOCK and Pic rails.  And the Henry is Scary black like a AR15.   

What other firearm is loved and hated so much. 

Why everyone should own a AR15.   T.REX ARMS

The AR15 from the late 50s / Early 60s has changed very little, overall, it’s still the same great gun it’s better today than ever.  The Glock from the 80s till today is like the AR15, its essentially the same gun.  Both have made revolutionized the firearms industry.  Innovation on these platforms prompted other manufactures to follow along.   

The Only Thing Necessary for the Triumph of Evil is that Good Men Do Nothing.”