{"id":42688,"date":"2022-01-14T17:45:59","date_gmt":"2022-01-15T00:45:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/demand-for-guns-and-ammo-is-near-record-highs-but-some-shops-hit-hard-by-supply-chain-hang-ups\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T03:08:41","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T09:08:41","slug":"demand-for-guns-and-ammo-is-near-record-highs-but-some-shops-hit-hard-by-supply-chain-hang-ups","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/demand-for-guns-and-ammo-is-near-record-highs-but-some-shops-hit-hard-by-supply-chain-hang-ups\/","title":{"rendered":"Demand for guns and ammo is near record highs, but some shops hit hard by supply chain hang-ups"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"Justin
Justin Ping, with Colorado Gunfighter in Bodo Industrial Park, shows the gun he uses with a conceal carry permit. A U.S. Supreme Court ruling expected next year could affect how some states regulate concealed carry permit issuance. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

In 2020, as civil unrest was spurred by a combination of political, social and COVID-19 tensions, Coloradans bought guns in record numbers.<\/p>\n

The trend continued into 2021 with slightly less steam, according to Colorado Bureau of Investigation transaction statistics.<\/p>\n

The CBI recorded 487,097 firearm transactions through 2020, compared with 335,370 in 2019.<\/p>\n

Although CBI statistics for December 2021 have not been released, 401,903 firearm transactions were recorded through November.<\/p>\n

Some La Plata County gun stores found success in 2021, but others struggled to keep their stock up to par, in part because supply problems affected stores more than others.<\/p>\n

\"Colorado
Colorado Gunfighter owner JJ Rouanzoin holds a frangible bullet, which disintegrates into powder on impact, in his warehouse reloading room. The store\u2019s Mark 7 reloading machines have been out of operation because cartridge primers have been difficult to supply. (Nathan Van Arsdale\/BCI Media)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

JJ Rouanzoin, owner of Gunfighter Group LLC, manages four companies under the umbrells of the Gunfighter Group.<\/p>\n

The full-service retail store, Colorado Gunfighter features firearms, ammunition and attire.<\/p>\n

Then there is Gunfighter Development Group, a professional training company; Tac-Con, which manufactures assisted reset rifle triggers; and Gunfighter Cartridge Co., an ammunition and component manufacturing company.<\/p>\n

Rouanzoin upgraded to a larger location about 18 months ago in Durango, giving him more retail floor space. The gun store is getting good business, and he\u2019s trying to open shops in nine other states.<\/p>\n

\"Colorado
Colorado Gunfighter in Durango is experiencing supply chain shortages. Bullets, ammunition and firearm accessories took a dive in inventory during 2021 supply chain issues, according to several local gun store owners. (Nathan Van Arsdale\/BCI Media)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Colorado
Colorado Gunfighter in Durango is experiencing supply chain shortages. Ammunition and firearm accessories took a dive in inventory during 2021 supply chain issues, according to several local gun store owners. (Nathan Van Arsdale\/BCI Media)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Rouanzoin, a former staff sergeant in the U.S. Army, attributed the spike in gun sales to political unrest and fear of violence.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt sucks that violence drives the firearms industry, but that\u2019s what pushes our training company,\u201d he said. \u201cSo more and more people are getting trained.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just see all the riots and all the stuff that happened when they were burning all the cities in the past year and people are buying more and more guns,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"Colorado
Colorado Gunfighter owner JJ Rouanzoin moved into his business\u2019 new location nearly two years ago. The new location comes with a warehouse and workshop where firearm cartridges are manufactured. Rouanzoin also fabricates small metal parts for other local businesses, such as StoneAge. (Nathan Van Arsdale\/BCI Media)<\/span>BCI Media \u2013 Nathan Van Arsdale<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Despite the lack of promotion on the Colorado Gunfighter website, Rouanzoin said his firearm training simulator is \u201cgetting booked out like crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s well within people\u2019s rights to protect themselves, and I appreciate that, and they are arming themselves well,\u201d he said. \u201cOn the positive side, they are educating themselves as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rouanzoin is only one gun store owner who faces supply chain disruptions.<\/p>\n

Bruce Dominey, owner of Rocky Mountain Pawn and Gun, said supply chain problems and the pandemic are driving him out of business.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s killing us,\u201d he said. \u201cAfter 30 years, we\u2019re going out of business.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dominey said his pawn shop sold plenty of guns in 2021 \u2013 at least until he ran out of guns to sell.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe supply chains are all screwed up so we can\u2019t get any,\u201d he said. \u201cWe can\u2019t get any merchandise. I can\u2019t order guns and ammo to restock my shelves.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dominey\u2019s loan business also suffered. Before COVID-19 lockdowns, he said, he\u2019d make loans and collect interest payments at the end of the month. But as pandemic relief money replaced loans, his business slowed.<\/p>\n

He said he plans to move back to Texas.<\/p>\n

An employee at Durango Goods for the Woods said gun supplies were \u201cterrible,\u201d although firearms and ammo have been \u201crolling in\u201d again during January.<\/p>\n

\"A
A Colorado Gunfighter employee works in his shop Tuesday in Durango. The local firearms business manufactures lead-based bullets, as well as bullets that lack lead and are considered better for the environment. (Nathan Van Arsdale\/BCI Media)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

According to Powder Valley Inc., a firearms powder, primer and accessories distributor, just four companies in the United States \u2013 Winchester, Remington, Federal and CCI \u2013 manufacture primers for use by civilians, law enforcement and the military.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople getting sick, missing work to take care of their kids and self-quarantining \u2013 from factory workers to delivery drivers, and all throughout the supply chain \u2013 caused a lull in manufacturing this spring,\u201d Powder Valley posted to its company blog in October.<\/p>\n

\"Colorado
Colorado Gunfighter in Durango also owns Gunfighter Group LLC , which consists of four companies that specialize in retail guns and related goods, professional concealed handgun training, specialized rifle trigger manufacturing and ammunition manufacturing. (Nathan Van Arsdale\/BCI Media)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Rouanzoin\u2019s line of Mark 7 reloading machines typically produce firearm cartridges for sale. Now, they\u2019re collecting dust because of supply chain hang-ups.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese machines are Mark 7\u2019s, they\u2019ll do 3,500 rounds an hour,\u201d Rouanzoin said. \u201cWhen they\u2019re running, it\u2019s amazing because they\u2019re making money, but right now they just sit here.\u201d<\/p>\n

cburney@durangoherald.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Colorado Bureau of Investigation recorded 487,097 firearm transactions in 2020<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":42689,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[431,950,150,28,2310],"naviga_topic":[],"class_list":["post-42688","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-business-general","tag-durango","tag-firearms","tag-headlines","tag-weaponry"],"acf":[],"author_name":"dh_admin","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42688","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42688"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42688\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":85423,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42688\/revisions\/85423"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/42689"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42688"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42688"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42688"},{"taxonomy":"naviga_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/naviga_topic?post=42688"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}