FILE – In this Oct. 20, 2017 file photo, Johnny’s Auction House owner John West prepares items, including a line of assault rifles at left, for auction where the company handles gun sales for both civilians and a half dozen police departments and the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, in Rochester, Wash. The Spokane City Council is considering a proposal to prohibit the police department from selling forfeited firearms, following an Associated Press investigation that found that more than a dozen guns sold by law enforcement agencies in Washington state ended up in new police investigations. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)

On Tuesday morning, Dick’s made an announcement to the chagrin of surely many a gunman: The chain will be removing hunting departments from 440 more stores across the nation.

Thus, the sporting goods titan continues its inventory excision begun last year, when the shooting section was taken from 125 locations.

The Pittsburgh-based company delivered the news along with its quarterly earnings report.

It’s no surprising development — since the terrible mass shooting at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, Dick’s CEO Ed Stack’s been a vocal advocate of greater gun control in America.

Just after the horrific February 2018 murders, Ed put the kibosh on sales of so-called assault rifles in the store.

Also removed: high-capacity magazines.

Additionally, he jacked up the minimum gun purchasing age to 21.

Gun rights groups weren’t exactly sweet on that, and some threatened a boycott.

Even so, in November, Dick’s reported its best quarter in years.

Furthermore, on Tuesday, it claimed same-store sales had risen by 3.7%.

Following the deletion of more hunting sections from 440 locations, 160 stores will remain hawkers of the gear.

According to Ed, hunting stuff is a low-profit area anyway. In place of the guncentric goods, higher-margin apparel will be added.

Guns are, of course, still big business.

For example, as reported by Business Insider, as of two and a half years ago, there were 110 Starbucks in Baltimore. There were 156 gun dealers.

How ’bout Las Vegas? 159 Starbucks. 158 pistol pushers.

But not everyone’s loaded: In NYC, there were 1,646 Starbucks shops. Gun stores = a wimpy 711.

Still, guns are hot.

Just ask shops in Virginia — purchases have risen by 60% (here).

But they won’t likely be made at Dick’s.

And the sporting goods chain’s decision won’t likely diminish crime, due to the fact that — as you know — most gun deaths are from handguns.

Furthermore, fewer places selling guns means fewer choices for law-abiding citizens who want to protect themselves.

And around we go.

-ALEX

Relevant RedState links in this article: here.

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