People who have jobs are busy deleveraging themselves as much as possible, saving when they can, and avoiding buying new stuff. People without jobs are struggling to get by.
People who believe something bad will happen that can/might be fended off by personal firepower are buying black rifles and similar stuff.
I measure the severity of things by an old truism: the last things a guy will sell are the shotguns. That obtains in severe illnesses, marital splits, job losses, recessions/depressions, whatever. That we're seeing what seems like a lot more of quality stuff - not necessarily "Best of the best", but good guns nonetheless - at prices either steady or declining tells me things are getting increasingly difficult, if not desperate, in the segment of society which buys those nice guns. I think the trade in 870s and 1100s and lower-end guns has probably held steady and the prices haven't moved appreciably. But the nicer stuff we like to talk about - there are a lot of sellers looking for buyers.
And, as to my buying, I'm pretty satiated right now. I recently bought a nice French 16ga sxs and I want to spend some time getting better acquainted. I'm looking, in an aimless keep-my-eyes-open-but-not-hunting way, for a nice .22 revolver - a camp gun, we call them - and maybe a 28ga sxs. But the prices have to be right and I'm in no hurry. I'm far more interested in finding lead shot at less than $50 a bag.
