Part 5, everything impacts decisions, gun shops around me.

Freedom to buy any gun.

I learned a few things when I moved to New Mexico; Non-Californians dislike it when people from California move into their state, New Mexicans like guns and love green chilies. Clovis, NM, had five gun shops when I moved there. I think they had about seven when I left. Clovis had around 30 thousand plus people living there when I moved in, and it jumped up to about 45k. I started visiting the gunshops at lunchtime. The shop in Ace Hardware has some nice things inside, but the service was horrible. The owner would never talk to you unless you were one of his buddies. I wanted to buy a handgun there and asked to do so, but he was busy talking about his weekend, so I left. The second shop was next to the railroad tracks, they had a small selection, but it was a good ole boy shop.

The owner was the only person working there. He had many good used Arms. His prices were higher than most, but he was a kind person, and I tried to spend my money there. I never did spend much, as the other shops were cheaper. I would ship guns to him for transfers. I gathered his business gave him something to do, but it was not his income as much as something to do.

The third shop was outside of town. There is a shooting range, and They provide training. This shop is or was the trendy shop. It was different, and I used them a lot. I did go shooting there, but I did not buy too many guns. The people working there were kind of stuck on themselves. I don't care what your shop looks like inside. It is still a gun shop. You are selling guns, nothing fancy. The big thing I learned from other businesses was what I disliked more than what I liked. Most gun shops have the same stuff. What sets shops apart is service and attitude. I will spend more if I feel welcomed.

The fourth shop was inside an antique store. I like going there for all the fun old antiques and guns. They did not offer much selection, but they had a small used gun section at reasonable prices. There was a niche selection—more odd items rather than trending items. I would go there and order new guns because I liked the owner. I also did not visit him as much because his selection of things did not change much.

I once picked up a Colt AR15. It was a copy of the military version M16a1. It cost me about 700.00 new. The shop I used the most was a shop called Crosshairs. They had the best new and used selection of any place. The building was old and rundown, the choice of items was great.

The people working there were welcoming and helpful when needed.

Now that I had found my go-to gun store, it was time to start buying. The lack of spending cash is an issue because the government employs me. Some people think that we make great money, but the rest of us know we don't. I have always had a side gig. I need a new hustle. What would I do? I thought about inspecting homes for realtors. My Realtor said I would scare people off due to my knowledge or the use of it. When examining the houses I wanted to buy, I was very detailed on the structural issues and other conditions. New home buyers want to hear it's ok and give them a new water heater, and maybe a roof vent needs repaired or caulking. Giving misguided information was not me. I like to be honest and correct. I did not want to go back to doing construction work. I did not tell anyone about my background because I would get calls to help fix things all the time as soon as I did. I decided Since I like reloading and the cost of lead bullets was through the roof, I was going to make bullets for myself. After looking at the price for good equipment, I had to figure out how to justify the cost. I came up with a plan to make extra and sell them. Overnight I was a success. I was always busy making bullets. I was melting lead every day, and I did not worry about safety or anything. After making about 200 thousand bullets, My postal people were getting tired of seeing me. Lead!!!!!!! The flat rate boxes were great. I had about 65 lbs of lead in the medium box, if I recall. 12.00 shipping. My wife Rachael had to come and help me make bullets at night. It turned out to be not that much fun. I never shot a single bullet I made, not one. After reading how lead dust was a problem with children, I started to fear this could harm them, so I quit making them. I still have the equipment just in case and maybe 500 lbs of lead. Here I was again, nothing to do and wanting to make money on the side. If I was awake, I was making money.