Sales down

Roger Furiness, a gunsmith from New Jersey, has been a vendor and a shooter since 1971. “Business is definitely soft,” he said. “People have lost their jobs in this area. The price of gas is high. No question, even my regular customers are looking for bargains, if they want to buy at all. I’m having to run sales of 50 percent off just to meet the competition. People just aren’t buying.”

Still, he said, he stands to net a few thousand dollars this week.

Jim Cunningham came from Jacksonville, Fla., to sell his wares. He specializes in eye and ear accessories. Cunningham has also seen a drop off in sales. “There’s a decrease in lead shot,” he said. “Last year, a 25-pound bag cost $50. Now, it’s $22 a bag.”

Lower prices translate into lower overall profits, but Cunningham said he’ll be back next year to sell his products.

Fritzges agrees that the biggest problem everyone is having this year is the price of ammunition.

Ammo prices up

The cost of ammunition has gone up significantly in the last two years because of the supposed lead shortage and shortage of the components to put the shells together. Fritzges estimated that prices have gone up at least 30 percent in last two years, to $5 to $7.50 a box. That doesn’t sound like a lot of money, but shooters usually buy by the 10-box carton, and those costs are now more than $50. “Shot shells are not scarce,” he said. “I don’t think there is anyone here who can’t find ammo. Affording it is another story.”