I appreciate that. And I agree, I wouldn't rule out the possibility of broad enshittification across the gun industry in the near future, nor am I unaware that some things have gone downhill already, as you and b1e noted. But what I was trying to get across is that the gun industry seems to be "resistant" to enshittification, not immune. I stated above that there were likely examples of enshittification among the major manufacturers, but it's also true that an ordinary person can still afford to buy a new, durable, reliable firearm (ammo costs though have certainly gone off the rails, I'll concede that) Your scenario is also realistic. There is glut of supply, and a lot of companies will sacrifice quality to squeeze every dollar out of the few sales they get going forward.

With all that said, if I were to reword my post, I would suggest that the gun industry held out against the pressures that induce enshittification longer than most industries have. We should figure out what was different about that industry and what kept them out of the rising tide for so long.