http://www.grandviewoutdoors.com/guns/walmart-bars-sales-of-ar-15s-self-defense-shotguns/

Walmart has instituted a new corporate policy that bars its stores from selling semi-automatic AR-15-style rifles and semi-automatic shotguns that have a magazine capacity of seven shots or more, multiple news outlets report.
According to Walmart spokesman Kory Lundberg, the massive retailer will replace ARs and self-defense and competition shotguns with budget-oriented bolt guns, rimfire rifles and pump-action shotguns. The spokesman denied that politics had anything to do with the decision, telling the Bearing Arms blog that a slump in AR and semi-auto shotgun sales prompted the company to pull those types of guns from its shelves.
While AR-15 rifles remain the top-selling long gun nationwide, sales volume has leveled off and many manufacturers and distributors have excess inventory on their shelves.
Though Lundberg denied the company bent to public opinion, Walmart has been the target of anti-gun groups who are pushing the retail giant ban some firearms sales. In December 2013, New York City-based Trinity Church sued to force a shareholder vote on whether “Walmart should sell products that are … especially dangerous to the public [and] pose a substantial risk to company reputation and would reasonably be considered offensive to the community and family values that Walmart seeks to associate with its brand,” including products with “high-capacity magazines.”
A Federal appeals judge tossed the Trinity Church lawsuit in April.
Reports indicate the retail chain will sell off the rest of its inventory of AR-style rifles and self-defense shotguns at deeply discounted prices.
The impact of Walmart’s decision could have huge consequences for the firearms industry. While only a fraction of Walmart stores sell firearms, some gun companies depend on the retailer for a large chunk of their profits. In its latest financial report, Remington Outdoor Company said Walmart accounted for nearly 10 percent of its firearms and ammunition sales in the last six months, with AR-style rifles leading Remington’s push.
“In the event Walmart were to significantly reduce or terminate its purchases of firearms, ammunition and/or other products from us, our financial condition or results of operations could be adversely affected,” Remington Outdoor Company said.

I don't see any conspiracy here. Wal Mart got into the "Modern Sporting Rifles" business back when everything AR related was flying off the shelves and bringing ridiculous prices.

Now we have the exact opposite, a glut on the market and prices are at an all time low. It is hard times for the AR-15 industry, great times for the consumer. Bottom line is that there is not much money to be made so Wal Mart is getting out.

Being Politically Correct doesn't hurt anything, but I doubt it's the entire reason.

They are the most computer controlled and tracked business that I know of.

Every SKU is tracked in Bentonville from the time it makes it off the truck into the warehouse until it's out the door sold.

Even if an item is being sold, if it doesn't meet the predicted sales quantity, it gets canned and something else takes the floor space. And that's on a store by store as well as a corporate basis.

Their buyers are hard cases who will demand manufacturer's make a product line to WW's standards and price it at the point that WM wants.

Remember Herman Survivor Boots? They were a family owned business that WW wanted on their shelves, but the company wouldn't price their U.S. made boots low enough for WW.

WW wanted to sell the boots so much, because of their reputation, that they finally bought the company and promptly moved manufacturing to China. And many WWs don't even carry the brand today.

Any PC statements read from their PR department are simply theatrics for political consumption. WW closed out the AR lines because the - current - mad dash rush demand for them has died down to the point where they aren't moving enough of them to meet the computer model.

t6he overall product.

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Of the Troops & For the Troops

Malwart. It is what a young fellow suggested, so long ago.

If I wanted an AR, which I don't, I dang sure wouldn't buy it at Malwart. We have too many good, friendly, competent folks running gunshops around here. They get my business when I have money to spend.

I wish that was the case around here. I moved two years ago and still haven't found a gunshop I frequent. Most of the ones I have been to I don't plan on ever going back. They had NOTHING I wanted or needed.

I miss having a couple of shops around to frequent, and check out their used gun racks.

I think its a business decision like has been mentioned, the PC aspect is an added benefit for them. I bought one shotgun from Walmart years ago; O buy shotgu shells ever now and then...no direct impact on me but hate to see the industry suffer.

We are fortunate indeed here in middle Tennessee. We have three good shops in our small town, plus two or three more within reasonable driving distance. I have made purchases at all of them and will again (if I have the money!)