VOLUME 21, NUMBER 5 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2013
THINK THIS IS KID STUFF? THINK AGAIN. HIGH-PERFORMANCE AIRGUNS DELIVER INCREDIBLE ACCURACY AND VERSATILITY PG. 34
FIRING LINE: Weatherby aims for a new market with a bold line of centerfire rifles PG. 26 WHOLE HOG: Cash in on a big trend PG. 40 GOOD STUFF: Blackhawk unleashes a pair of state-of-the-art tactical flashlights PG. 56
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s h ot b u s i n es s
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a u g u s t/ s e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 3
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contents
vol. 21, issue 5
Departments 28
34
Features
34 40 48
the new world of airguns Don’t dismiss it as kid stuff: tack-
driving accuracy and low shooting expense are the hallmarks of the modern high-performance airgun. by jocK elliot
going whole hog Feral hog populations are growing by leaps
and bounds—and with them, interest in hog hunting. here’s how to cash in on the trend. by brian mccombie
nssf premium retailer membership the industry’s trade
association offers a new, elite level of service and benefits for retailers. by patricK shay
nSSF update 19
from the nssf What we
s.a.f.e. summer A new initiative from project childsafe
20
nssf studies first-time buyers survey results
21
fix nics louisiana law
20 21
ffl compliance team
22 23
retailer toolbox A kit
cover: kyle thompson
indicate usage patterns
two more experts added shot show two reed show organizers join nssF
editor’s note hog
5
news briefs Gerber introduces ultimate pro knife; Doubletap’s pocket pistol ships; vitorinox and Wenger merge; bsA chooses buck knives
hunts make pork-belly futures a smart bet
24 26
fyi taking the reins of an existing store
28
undercover shopper searching for
52 56 60
21
never hear about firearm safety trends
2
firing line Wby-X is
Weatherby’s shot at the youth market
the perfect gun for a texas ranch hunt what’s selling where
good stuff blackhawk lights up with two new legacy leD flashlights new products
Garmin Fenix Gps watch, huntworth Arsenal gloves, rocky Athletic mobility, leatherman cam tool, and more
60
broadening nics record collection signed
for the established retailer
you should Know A look at participation trends
august/september 2013 ❚ SHot BuSineSS ❚ 1
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editor’s note
nSSf
Hog Wild
shooting, hunting & outdoor trade
SLaton L. White, editor
This is no pig in a poke
W
hen I began hunting whitetail deer in Texas 25 years ago, no one I knew purposely hunted feral hogs. They were viewed as a nuisance and were shot occasionally as a bonus by hunters looking to extend a hunt once they had tagged their whitetail. But feral hogs are the most prolific large wild mammal in North America, and according to a report by the Texas Cooperative Extension, sows, under the right circumstances, “can produce two litters every 12 to 15 months, with an average of four to eight piglets per litter.”
Margaret M. nussey, Managing Editor David e. Petzal, Shooting Editor David Maccar, Assistant Editor Maribel Martin, Senior Administrative Assistant James a. Walsh, Art Director Judith Weber, Production Manager Contributing eDitorS
Larry Ahlman, Barbara Baird, Scott Bestul, Philip Bourjaily, Chris Christian, Christopher Cogley, David Draper, Jock Elliott, William F. Kendy, Mark Kayser, Peter B. Mathiesen, Brian McCombie, Tom Mohrhauser, Robert Sadowski, Robert F. Staeger, Peter Suciu, Wayne Van Zwoll
eriC ZinCZenko, executive Vice President aDVertiSing: 212-779-5316
That’s a lot of pigs. So it should come as no surprise that the Lone Star State is now home to about 2 million hogs, roughly half the total hog population in the U.S. What’s become a huge pest issue for Texas landowners has become a big recreation opportunity for hunters—and a tremendous business opportunity for smart firearms retailers. Contributing editor Brian McCombie (a self-confessed “hog nut”) went to East Texas recently to see what all the fuss is about. His report (page 40) details a hog population that beggars the mind. Virginia Solgot, marketing director of Wulf Outdoor Sports, told him the store has seen a big increase in hog hunting. As a result, she says, “we have expanded our product selection to include hog-specific gear, and we’ve made hog-hunting products a staple in our stores.” Manufacturers have responded, as well. “Without question, hog hunting is gaining in popularity all over the U.S.,” says Mike Schwiebert, marketing director for Weatherby. “Here in California, more hogs are killed each year than are deer, making it our number-one big-game animal.” According to Schwiebert, three factors are driving hunter interest in hogs. “There’s lots of them, they don’t require any special equipment, and the seasons are very, very liberal.” This growth potential helped fuel the decision to introduce a new version of the Vanguard rifle, the Hog Reaper, specifically designed for younger hunters. McCombie used one to take four hogs, and you can
gregory D. gatto, Publisher Paula iwanski, National Sporting Goods Director brian Peterson, West katie Logan, Sporting Goods Sales John Driscoll, Vice President, Corporate Sales elizabeth a. burnham, Chief Marketing Officer ingrid reslmaier, Marketing Design Director
buSineSS oPerationS
tara bisciello, Business Manager
ConSuMer Marketing
robert M. Cohn, Consumer Marketing Director barbara brooker, Fulfillment Manager
ManufaCturing
Laurel kurnides, Group Production Director Stefanie La bella, Associate Production Director
bonnier
read his report on its performance as well as Weatherby’s effort to reach out to younger hunters on page 26. Last year, Winchester introduced its first hog-specific ammo— Razorback XT. The manufacturer expected the new load to do well, but it did better than that. “We hit a home run,” centerfire product manager Mike Stock said at the time of the 2013 SHOT Show. “We tripled our original sales estimates.” Given the success of the launch, Winchester has now added three more calibers to the line. Also new are a 12-gauge slug load and a handgun cartridge in the popular .44 Rem. Mag. Got hogs? Get going. This is a trend with legs.
Chairman, Jonas Bonnier Chief executive officer, Dave Freygang executive Vice President, Eric Zinczenko Chief Content officer, David Ritchie Chief financial officer, Randall Koubek Chief brand Development officer, Sean Holzman Vice President, Consumer Marketing, Bruce Miller Vice President, Production, Lisa Earlywine Vice President, Corporate Communications, Dean Turcol general Counsel, Jeremy Thompson
sHOt business (IssN 1081-8618) is published January, February/march, april/ may, June/July, august/september, October/November and December by bonnier Corporation, 2 park avenue, New York, NY 10016-5695, and is the official publication of the National shooting sports Foundation, Flintlock ridge Office Center, 11 mile Hill road, Newtown, Ct 06470 (203-426-1320). Volume 21, issue 5. Copyright © 2013 by the National shooting sports Foundation. all rights reserved. editorial, circulation, production and advertising offices are located at 2 park avenue, New York, NY 10016-5695 (212-7795000). Free to qualified subscribers; available to non-qualified subscribers for $25 per year. single-copy issues are available for $5 each. send check, payable to NssF, to: sHOt business, c/o NssF, 11 mile Hill road, Newtown, Ct 064702359. sHOt business accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts and photographs. all correspondence should be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. requests for media kits and advertising information should be directed to Katy marinaro, bonnier Corporation, 625 N. michigan ave., ste. 1270, Chicago, IL 60611. periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and at additional mailing offices. printed in the usa. For Customer service and subscription questions, such as renewals, address Changes, email preferences, billing and account status, go to: shotbusiness.com/cs. You can also call 386-246-0188 or write to sHOt business, 2 park ave., New York, NY 10016 For editorial inquiries, write to slaton L. White, sHOt business, 2 park ave., New York, NY 10016 reprINts: e-mail reprints@bonniercorp.com. pOstmaster: please send address changes to sHOt business, p.O. box 422494, palm Coast, FL 32142-2494.
Slaton L. White, Editor
2 ❚ Shot BuSineSS ❚ august/september 2013
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National Shooting Sports FoundationÂŽ
PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS WITH THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS Introducing NSSF’s Premium Retailer Membership What you get when you need it most: r -FHBM EFGFOTF DPTUT DPWFSFE CZ /44' XJUI OP MJNJU r 'SFF DPNQMJBODF BVEJU BU ZPVS TUPSF GSPN /44' T DPNQMJBODF UFBN r ZFBST PG FYQFSJFODF PO IBOE UP BTTJTU ZPV r "MFSU -JOF BWBJMBCMF IPVST EBZT B XFFL
And that’s just scratching the surface. Lock in today. Contact Patrick Shay, NSSF retail development director, at 203-426-1320 or pshay@nssf.org.
NSSF is the trade association for America’s frearms industry. It’s mission: To promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports.
NSSF.ORG/PREMIUM
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e d i t e d b y d av i d m a c c a r
Bits & Pieces
Big Rock Sports Announces New Structure Big Rock sports,
llC, has announced an enhanced management structure that will provide greater specialized market focus and drive long-term growth. The company will immediately place added resources in each of its existing product segments to better meet the needs of its customers and expand into additional business categories and markets.
news briefs news
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promotions
❚
awards
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outreach
The new Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Pro knife (left) sports many improvements to the best-selling Ultimate Knife.
Kyle Thompson
Crosman Renews With Inside Outdoors TV Crosman
Corporation has announced a sponsorship renewal with Inside Outdoors TV, airing four times a week on the outdoor Channel from July through December. “hunting buddies Tim Anello and Dave poteat genuinely love what they do and it comes across in their show,” says Crosman vice president of marketing Jennifer lambert. “They share their experience, knowledge, and passion for the sport of hunting in a way that makes you feel like they’re your buddies, too. last season, when Dave took a nice-size wild hog with our Benjamin marauder air rifle, you could feel the drama before the shot and the adrenaline rush after.” The folks at Crosman are certainly not the only ones who feel that way; the video clip of the hog hunt has been viewed more than 130,000 times since it was uploaded to Inside Outdoors TV’s youTube channel in December 2011. “Tim and Dave transport you out of your chair and into the hunt,” said lambert.
Gerber’s Ultimate Knife Goes Pro When Gerber’s Ultimate Knife, designed in part by survivalist and TV personality Bear Grylls, hit the market in 2011, emblazoned with his initials in bright orange, many thought it would be less of a success and more of a gimmick. The knife then went on to sell nearly a million units. Was it because of Bear’s popularity? Hardly. At some point, even hardcore knife nuts had to admit it was a fine piece of gear—but it wasn’t perfect. In April, Gerber introduced the Bear Grylls Ultimate Pro Knife, an updated version of the Ultimate. It’s not just a new color scheme—both the knife and sheath have been completely redesigned, accordThis product is from sustainably managed forests and controlled sources.
ing to Jared Schoening, manager of the survival and outdoor category at Gerber. A choil has been added to the base of the blade. In tandem with a reshaped guard, it allows users to sharpen the entire edge and to choke up on the knife for finer work. The old wraparound handle has been replaced with scales, proving to critics that it is, indeed, full tang, and the steel has been upgraded from 7Cr17MoV to the more robust 9Cr19MoV. The sheath sports many improvements as well, including a pull-through carbide sharpener, a repositioning of the fire starter rod, and the addition of a drainage hole. Unlike its predecessor, the Pro is only available as a smooth blade. Schoening says fans of the knife may see another updated version of the Pro in a couple of years. The Ultimate Knife will continue to be available at an SRP of $62. Ultimate Pro Knife SRP: $105. gerbergear.com. —David Maccar august/september 2013 ❚ SHot BuSineSS ❚ 5
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NEWS BRIEFS
DoubleTap Defense’s Tactical Pocket Pistol is now shipping; a new manufacturer has improved the firearm.
DoubleTap Tactical Pocket Pistol Now Shipping DoubleTap Defense is officially shipping the DoubleTap Tactical Pocket Pistol (design and utility patents pending) to its distributors. Azimuth Technologies, the manufacturers of the DoubleTap pistol, are ramping up production to fill all outstanding orders as quickly as possible. DoubleTap Defense Stocking Dealers (with qualified orders) are receiving their free promotional package for their stores. “The DoubleTap Tactical Pocket Pistol has
undergone significant improvements since we moved the project to our new manufacturer, making the DoubleTap a more reliable, simpler, and lessparts-to-go-wrong type of concealed carry,” says the DoubleTap’s inventor, Raymond B. Kohout. “We have production capacity to quickly fill all orders and many anxious customers to appease, but we are certain, beyond a doubt, that this newest version is of higher quality and extremely reliable.”
The DoubleTap Aluminum non-ported model has an SRP of $499. The Aluminum ported model’s SRP is $569. The SRP for the DoubleTap Titanium non-ported model is $729 and the ported model is $799. Caliber conversion kits in the non-ported version have been lowered to $199 and the ported kits lowered to $269. DoubleTap Defense also is making available a variety of accessories to complement the DoubleTap Tactical Pocket pistol.
SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS TO THE DOUBLETAP INCLUDE: Interchangeable barrels (9mm and .45ACP) using a MSR-style push pin that is now ambidextrous Enhanced pistol grip with new “FRAG” checkering pattern for a more solid hold on the small gun Improved, easier-to-use thumb latch Patent-pending trigger system simplified to only four major components; it features dual hammers for extra reliability Double-action, sequentially fired mechanical trigger system has doublestrike capability Ported barrels available for both the 9mm and .45 ACP to reduce recoil and muzzle flip
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Victorinox-Wenger Merger Clears up Consumer Confusion For generations, the familiar red handle and inlaid Swiss cross have been an iconic symbol for anyone who has carried a pocketknife. But because Victorinox and Wenger have both made these official Swiss Army knives, consumers and retailers have often been confused as to which brand was the genuine article. When Victorinox and Wenger knives merge into one brand later this year, however, that confusion will finally become a thing of the past. Technically, Wenger has been part of the Victorinox company for several years, but despite having the same owner, the two companies have continued to operate as separate brands, each maintaining their own identity—and their own Swiss Army knives—in the market. Late last year, however, the owners decided that it would be better if the two knife brands were merged into one. “We could see that having two separate brands was creating a great deal of confusion for consumers, and that wasn’t helping either brand,” says René Stutz, president and CEO of Victorinox Swiss Army, Inc. “As a way to help eliminate that confusion, we are integrating the Wenger knife business into the Victorinox knife business. The Wenger brand will continue to exist in the watch, as well as the licensing business.” When it comes to the iconic Swiss Army knives, however, starting in 2014, they will all carry the Victorinox name. Although the logistics of the integration are still being worked out, Stutz said that retailers can expect to see an immediate benefit when the merger goes into effect. “The biggest benefit is that we won’t be competing with each other anymore,” he says. “We can be much stronger together
One company will produce the classic Swiss Army knife.
as one brand than we were as two separate companies, and we’ll actually be able to offer retailers a better assortment of products than what they’re currently carrying.” One aspect that won’t change despite the merger is the employees who design, create, and distribute the knives. “When we started discussing bringing the two companies together, the first order of business from our owners was that no one should lose his or her job,” Stutz says. “The Wenger company will be integrated into the Victorinox group as seamlessly as possible, and everyone who wants to stay on will continue to have a job—from our factories in Switzerland to our sales force across the U.S.” And with the same employees paying the same kind of attention to the details that have made both Wenger and Victorinox trusted names in the knife industry, it’s a safe bet that while much will change in the coming months, one thing will remain constant: that same genuine Swiss Army knife so many of us have carried will continue to be an iconic symbol. —Christopher Cogley
Big Rock Sports Exec Honored With “40 Under 40” Award
brian phillips, president of big rock sports’ shooting sports division, was recently honored for his leadership in the industry with the sgb 40 under 40 award. the award is given by the sportsOnesource group, publisher of sgb Weekly, to individuals who “exemplify the attributes that enable the sporting goods industry to continuously move forward—leadership, innovation, entrepreneurship, and energy.” recipients are selected by a panel of sporting goods industry executives, sgb 40 under 40 alumni, and media editors, based on the nominations compiled.
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NEWS BRIEFS
The new SA-08 28-gauge semi-auto from Weatherby has a classic look, light weight, and a light recoil, making it ideal for dove hunting and other upland quarry.
Weatherby’s new SA-08 28-Gauge Deluxe is easy on the Shoulder and eyes Weatherby’s new SA-08 28-Gauge Deluxe semi-automatic shotgun offers bird hunters light recoil, reliable performance, and a distinctly handsome look. This new SA-08 model features a specially designed, scaled-down frame to fit 28-gauge shells. Weighing approximately 5.5 pounds, the shotgun is available with a 26- or 28-inch barrel and a 2¾-inch chamber. “Like all SA-08 semi-auto shotguns, our 28-Gauge Deluxe can be relied on to function and perform well in the field,” said Mike Schwiebert, Weatherby’s director of marketing. “Recoil is negligible, making it a great choice for the fast action of highvolume dove shooting, as well as quail
and other upland game birds. It is precisely balanced, and feels trim and lightweight—a real pleasure to shoot.” The SA-08 28-Gauge Deluxe sports a select-grade walnut stock with precisioncut checkering (22 LPI) for a positive, responsive feel. A high-gloss finish on the stock and metalwork adds to the shotgun’s eye-catching appearance.
OTHER KEY FEATURES CNC-machined receiver constructed of aircraft-grade aluminum alloy to reduce overall weight without compromising strength, and improve the gun’s balance for easier handling Drop-out trigger system can be quickly removed for easy cleaning and reassembly
Chrome-lined barrel can withstand years of high-volume shooting and reduce the need for frequent cleaning Barrel has lengthened forcing cones for improved patterns and less shooter fatigue Vented top rib for smooth followthrough after the shot; also dissipates heat from firing Brass front bead atop barrel for quick target acquisition Each shotgun comes with Improved Cylinder, Modified, and Full choke tubes, allowing hunters a range of uses. Manufacturer’s suggested retail price: $849. For more information, contact a local Weatherby dealer or call the company directly at 805-227-2600, or visit weatherby.com.
Buck Folder ACGG Honors Brownell Becomes official BSA Knife What tool is more essential to an eagle scout than a knife? Buck Knives has announced a new product licensing partnership with the Boy scouts of America. An American-made Buck folder will serve as an officially licensed product for eagle scouts, parents, and others associated with the BsA. The traditional 500 Duke is the current licensed knife, with bolsters that can be personalized.
Frank Brownell, longtime president and now chairman of the board of Brownells, was recognized for his dedication and support by the American Custom Gunmakers Guild (ACGG) on March 28, 2013, during the Brownells 7th Annual Gunsmith Conference & Career Fair. Guild members and close personal friends Sharon Dressel and Jerry Fisher surprised Brownell by presenting him with an honorary life membership to the Guild.
Frank Brownell (right) presented with an ACGG Honorary Life Membership.
“I was totally taken aback by this award,” said Brownell. “I love the incredibly beautiful, functional guns the folks in the Guild build. Their craftsmanship is simply superb, and having spent my entire life admiring
fine guns, for me it is a genuine joy to get to know many of the makers personally. Their passion is creating these amazing works of art so the rest of us who can’t begin to do this quality of work can enjoy what they
have created. I am deeply honored, and thank them all so very much.” Brownell is the only non-craftsman to receive the prestigious award, according to the president of the ACGG, Michael Ullman. “Frank’s support for the custom gunmaker, the trade, and the ACGG has been unwavering for years,” said Ullman. To learn more about the ACGG and becoming or finding a guild member, visit
ACGG.org.
8 ❚ SHot BuSineSS ❚ august/september 2013
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THE NEW PROPEL DOWNRANGE AUTO BUILT IN PORTLAND, OREGON
gerbergear.com/propel
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news briefs These improvements have helped Leupold remain a U.S.based manufacturer and maintain its reputation as “America’s Optics Authority.” Under Werth’s guidance, the Beaverton-based manufacturer has experienced consecutive years of record growth and is off to a strong 2013. “Howard’s leadership and guidance of our finance and accounting teams have helped Leupold & Stevens become a more modern and efficient company,” said Calvin Johnston, president The Portland and chief executive officer. Business Journal “The improvements his has named group has brought to the Leupold’s company have allowed us to Howard Werth better serve our customers CFO of the Year. and be better prepared to face the challenges of today’s business environment.” As the outdoor optics industry and Leupold have grown, especially over the past six months, Werth has been instrumental in making sure the manufacturing and service levels have been well-supported in order to meet the needs of Leupold’s customers. Leupold & Stevens employs hundreds of people in its state-ofthe-art manufacturing facility near Beaverton, Oregon. Family owned and privately operated, Leupold offers products that are sold worldwide to hunters, competitive shooters, the U.S. military, law enforcement personnel, and wildlife observers.
Leupold’s Werth named Chief Financial officer of the Year
L
eupold & Stevens executive Howard Werth has been named the Portland Business Journal’s Chief Financial Officer of the Year for large private companies. A key leader behind Leupold’s drive to implement lean manufacturing techniques, Werth has guided the company through several large-scale projects intended to improve the company’s internal processes and efficiencies.
Mossberg Commemorates 10 Millionth Model 500 Sold Since the first model came off the line on August, 21, 1961, the Mossberg 500 pump-action shotgun has been chosen by sportsmen, law enforcement officers, and military personnel for its reliability, versatility, and affordability. Now, this true American classic has reached an astonishing milestone of 10,000,000 units produced in an unprecedented 52 years, making it the fastestselling shotgun in history. In 1961, Mossberg’s lead design engineer, Carl Benson, began work on a slideaction shotgun to replace the unique design of the 200 Series, which had been in production since 1955. Though the Model 200 had set a new standard for
The gold-inlaid, walnut-stocked, 10 millionth Mossberg 500.
innovation, Benson knew Mossberg needed a more traditional-looking pump shotgun to compete with the “big three” at the time. The result was the Model 500. The original design remained virtually
unchanged for more than 30 years. To commemorate this historic benchmark, Mossberg will donate the heavily embellished 10 millionth 500, with serial #U500000, to the NRA National Firearms Museum in recognition of the National Rifle Association’s unwavering defense of the Second Amendment. Mossberg has also produced 10 additional “10 Millionth” commemorative shotguns, with the unique serialization of U500001 through U500010, for the fundraising efforts of deserving industry partners. Each commemorative gun will have matte-silver finished receivers with gold inlay, a walnut stock, a jeweled bolt and elevator, and a gold trigger.
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Tori Nonaka Scores First USPSA Title of 2013 Tori Nonaka won the Production Class High Lady title at the United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) Area 6 Championship, held at the Ancient City Shooting Range in St. Augustine, Florida, from April 19 through 21, 2013. Nonaka and fellow Team Glock member Michelle Viscusi collaborated as a squad for the match and benefitted from the combined experience and stage strategy. Following two consecutive years of competing in the USPSA Area 6 with her G24 Limited Glock, Nonaka competed with her new G34 Production Glock from SJC Customs. Switching from the Limited
Team Glock’s Nonaka competed in a different division with a stock pistol.
Division to the Production Division forced Nonaka to show her skills in the more restrictive competition. After two years away from that divi-
sion, Nonaka returned in fine form, taking home the High Lady title in her first USPSA Area competition for 2013 using a nearly stockmodel Glock. “With the new G34 Production Glock, I performed well with all my steel hits for most of the match, going onefor-one,” Nonaka says, adding that her pistol performed nearly as well as she did. “Everything came together in this match; my Glock ran flawlessly,” she added. Team Glock later appeared at the 142nd NRA Annual Meeting and Exhibits in Houston, Texas, from May 3 through 5; Nonaka was joined by Viscusi and team captain KC Eusebio.
Lipsey’s Adds Black Rain and IWI to Roster Lipsey’s LLC, a leading national firearms distributor, has added Black Rain Ordnance and Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) to its product catalog. Black Rain Ordnance is a precision firearms manufacturer, specializing in the MSR Platform. IWI’s product line is developed in close collaboration with the Israel Defense Forces. IWI is now offering civilian versions of the Tavor 5.56 rifle and Uzi 9mm pistol in the U.S.
BORN ON THE BATTLEFIELD. For years Gerber has been a leading direct supplier of knives and multi-tools to the U.S. Military where our innovative products have been tested, tried and proven downrange. The Gerber Tactical Dealer Program is a collection of acclaimed military staples together with the latest in everyday carry knives. It includes a curated selection of American-made autos, fxed blades, folders and battle-grade multi-tools along with functional, eye-catching retail displays and Gerber’s best-in-class marketing support. As always, it’s backed by our legendary lifetime warranty.
Learn more at GerberGear.com/tacticaLDeaLer
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NEWS BRIEFS APO now offers long-action chassis models for the Remington M700 (pictured), McMillan G30, and Stiller TAC300.
Saber Chassis now Available in .30/06
Ashbury Precision Ordnance Mfg. (APO) is now manufacturing the Saber modular rifle chassis for several rifles in the ever-popular .30/06 caliber. Shooters can now get longaction chassis models in right- or left-hand operation for the Remington M700, McMillan G30, and Stiller TAC300 with a detachable five-round box magazine for the .30/06 family of cartridges. The Saber Composite Series “Sporter” upgrades .30/06 rifles with 1.2- to 1.3-inch barrel shank diameters (from light sporters up to a No. 4 barrel contour). The rifle chassis can be installed at home with no gunsmithing or bedding required. The Sporter weighs 5¼ pounds and is completely modular with an ergonomic hand-tool adjustable shoulder stock, custom Limbsaver recoil pad, adjustable grip angle and distance, and Ergo Sure Grip. The low-recoil rifle chassis is impervious to all weather conditions; two sling swivel studs are solidly mounted in the forend. The .30/06 long-action Saber Chassis is also available in the new Quattro Alloy Series in both Mod-0 and Mod-1 configurations. The Mod-0 has all the standard features of the Sporter, except the sleek forend has accessory rail attachment points at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock. The chassis has flush cup sling-swivel attachment points along its entire length. The Quattro Alloy Series forends can be ordered in Standard, Tactical, and the new SuperSport design. Four standard Cerakote finishes include Black, OD Green, Flat Dark Earth, and Nordic Gray. The Saber MIL-SPEC Carbon Fiber Series Mod-1 model features the heatmitigating forend design, 12 o’clock 30 MOA unitized monolithic rail, co-bore aligned 3 and 6 o’clock accessory rail attachment points, adjustable grip angle and distance, and Magpul M1AD hand grip. The chassis also has an ergonomic folding push-button adjustable hybrid shoulder stock with a custom Limbsaver recoil pad and flush cups. Accessories include a folding field monopod that is interchangeable with the butt hook.
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HAVA, Family Style honored American Veterans Afield (hAVA) hosted its first ever couples-centered retreat this past February, in which five wounded warriors and their spouses experienced a four-day hunt at Rock Canyon Ranch near Del Rio, Texas. The goal was to bring together warriors and their caregivers in a hunting environment to witness the impact outdoor adventures can have on the lives of couples whose world has been changed by severe military-related injuries. This experience proved vital to hAVA’s support for our injured servicemen and -women, as the family unit is made part of the whole rehabilitation process. Rock Canyon is 15,000 acres of privately owned hunting reserve featuring modern facilities with native and exotic animals in a beautiful south Texas setting. owners Ken and Kat Jones played host to the guest couples and hAVA volunteers, allowing for much-needed outdoor time for the warriors and the caregivers alike. “The lessons gained on this hunt confirm our commitment to the recovery of the entire family of these American heroes,” said hAVA chairman Tom Taylor. “hAVA events in the future will increasingly expand to include families in many of our activities.”
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news briefs
Redring Names Milo as Manufacturing Representative in Midwest Markets Redring USA, importer and distributor of the innovative Redring optical shotgun sight, has announced The Milo Group as its newest manufacturer’s representatives for the commercial and law enforcement markets in the Midwest. The Milo Group, based out of St. Charles, Illinois, will build market share for the Redring sight and Neverlost outdoor gear products in Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and North and South Dakota. The Milo Group is a seasoned manufacturer’s rep firm that covers major national distributors, local and state law enforcement agencies, and many retailers.
The rib-mounted Redring optical sight allows for more instinctive and faster shotgun shooting.
“We are very excited to be working with the team at Redring,” said Brett Milo, president of The Milo Group. “We are committed to providing
professional service to Redring and getting the word out on this innovative sight and the whole line of quality Neverlost outdoor gear.”
The Redring rib-mounted shotgun sight system helps beginners and seasoned shooters achieve better aim on the moving target and hit more targets successfully. Because it mounts on the rib of the barrel, it can be used without the installation of rails or other hardware. Unlike traditional sights sold on the market, the Redring features smart technology that lets the shooter immediately take fast and instinctive shots with both eyes open. This sight is not for aiming; it’s for fast shotgun shooting. It also gives the hunter another reference point to confidently bag the birds while minimizing collateral damage to game.
Wyoming welcomes the outdoor products manufacturing industry.
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on the Move Recent promotions and hirings in the industry
Sarah Perry
Taurus holdings has hired industry vet sarah perry as director of marketing. perry will lead the marketing efforts for Taurus, Rossi, heritage, and Diamondback, helming all pR and market research.
Aaron Lisech
Aaron lisech has joined Chevalier Advertising, marketing & public Relations as an account executive. lisech will support the current client base and lead expansion into the outdoors category.
Frank Devlin
otis Technology has promoted Frank Devlin to national sales manager. he will oversee all chain and independent retail accounts, buy groups, and distributors in both the U.s. and Canada.
tom Frane
steiner has named Tom Frane vice president of sales, marketing, and business development for north America. previously, Frane served as national sales manager for Crimson Trace.
Pam Reed
pam Reed has been promoted to national retail services manager at Tactical Gear Distributors. Reed will lead all aspects of the retail services department, which serves the military retail market.
THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW. An open letter to the frearms industry from Mark Kresser, Taurus President & CEO Whether you are a manufacturer, distributor, retailer, or press partner, there couldn’t be a more crucial time in our history for you to join the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF). As the one true voice of our industry, the NSSF opposes the severely restrictive firearms bills that have been introduced in the U.S. Congress and in many states. This new legislation could affect millions of law-abiding citizens—and potentially cripple our industry. As you already know, each and every one of us benefit from the NSSF. Without their voice and their influence, we could all be in for a long and devastating assault on our Second Amendment rights. That’s why I’m personally calling on all non-NSSF members to step up, unite as one, and join today. Your membership will not only prove that you are a staunch supporter of our cause—it will enable the voice of our industry to grow that much stronger.
JOIN THE NSSF NOW. Call 203-426-1320 or visit nssf.org.
Please stand with me and help America carry on. Together, we can make a difference.
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Proud NSSF member since 1983.
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news briefs
Remembering exhibition Shooter tom Knapp World-famous exhibition shooter Tom Knapp passed away Friday, April 26, at the age of 62. For years Knapp dazzled audiences with live shows in countries all over the globe, setting several world records in the process. he graced the television screen and was a regular at industry gatherings, events, and shows. Knapp and his wife, Colleen, along with their dogs, lived minutes from the Federal premium Ammunition factory in Anoka, minn. he was sponsored by Federal premium and sister company Champion Traps and Targets for more than a decade, and was considered a dear friend by many. Throughout his career, Knapp enjoyed relationships with several companies in the industry, and he was liked and respected by all. “Tom’s uncanny shooting ability
and stage presence were obvious to all who saw him perform,” said Federal premium vice president Kyle Tengwall. “his passing brings great sadness to the entire industry. our hearts go out to his wife, Colleen, and the rest of their family. Tom was an exceptional steward of the shooting sports and an amazing performer. Above all, he was a friend. We will miss him dearly.” on stage, Knapp made nearimpossible shots look routine—but what really set him apart was how he interacted with his fans. he
thrilled audiences with his mastery and creativity of shooting—and kept them in their seats with quick wit and a polished presentation. Knapp even knew how to miss. on the rare occasions when Knapp didn’t hit his target, he took it in stride. There was no stopping the show, cursing under his breath, or sorry excuses. Knapp would chuckle, give the audience about five “reasons” why the target wasn’t hit in the air, and proceed. At his peak, Knapp would do more than 100 live shows per year, often traveling tens of thousands of miles without a break. yet he routinely greeted long lines of amazed fans after his show, shaking hands and taking photos. Knapp’s ability to make friends, and greet everyone with the same enthusiasm he showed on stage, truly set him apart.
team Leupold Dominates at 2013 Bianchi Cup
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eam Leupold shooters swept their respective divisions at the 2013 Bianchi Cup with wins in the Men’s, Women’s, and Junior divisions. Combined, Leupold’s pros have 22 Bianchi Cup titles among them. Doug Keonig, the 15-time champion, claimed his fourth
straight title with a perfect score of 1920 points, with 183 shots in the center X-ring (the tie breaker). This year’s championship, as has become the custom at this match, came Champions down to the final stage, the all: Duff, Moving Target event. Piper, and Jessie Duff added her third Keonig won Women’s Division title in the Bianchi Cups. past four years with a score of 1893–142X. The world champion shook off a technical issue on the Falling Plates event that might have rattled another competitor. The newest member of the team, Tiffany Piper, made the most of her first match under the Leupold banner by scoring her fourth Junior Division title. Shooting an 1885–143X score, the New Zealand native dominated the junior class. “Having champions such as Doug, Jessie, and Tiffany on our team gives an extraordinary resource as we continue to develop and produce world-class competition optics,” said Mike Slack, Leupold & Stevens senior manager of advertising and communications. “We could not be more proud to be partnered with such fine people, both on and off the course of fire.”
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FROM THE NSSF
B Y S T E V E S A N E T T I , N S S F P R E S I D E N T/ C E O
U P D AT E
FROM THE NSSF
Second ‘Greatest Story Never Told’ Statistics, studies need to be publicized
L
ast year marked the 75th anniversary of the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act, by which each and every purchaser of firearms and ammunition pays for the lion’s share of conservation in America. And that’s for the benefit of the entire public and all species, game and non-game alike. Yet very few people know this. Ask anyone, “Who pays for conservation in America?” and the common (and incorrect) response will likely be some “green” group. The truth, that sportsmen pay for conservation, has been somewhat sardonically called “The Greatest Story Never Told.” But there’s another great untold story, one that is extremely topical today. In fact, it should control one of the most important debates of our time. I’m referring to the fact that both crime and accidents involving firearms have decreased dramatically during the last 20 years. Yet the mass media and public sentiment in many quarters keep repeating the opposite—that we are experiencing “an epidemic of gun crime” or that “guns in the home are proving deadly for kids,” to quote just two examples. Please don’t just take our word for this. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics report, released in May 2013, shows that firearms-related homicides dropped 39 percent between 1993 and 2011 (49 percent when corrected for population growth), and that non-fatal crimes involving firearms fell an astonishing 69 percent
Clearly, more guns in the hands of law-abiding citizens does not cause an increase in crime.
during that same period (75 percent when corrected for population growth). Mass shootings now account for less than 1 percent of all homicides. School homicides? They actually dropped by half. Not exactly what you’ve been hearing from pundits or news organizations, is it? They focus on such horrible events, and beseech us to ban “military-style weapons” and “gun shows” instead of focusing on the true causes of crime. So, as long as we’ve gotten on these topics, what does the Justice Department Report say about them? Well, only 1 percent of inmates are in prison for a crime in which they carried a rifle, and slightly more than 2 percent of those were armed with a military-style semi-automatic or fully automatic firearm. Furthermore, fewer than 1 percent of inmates who possessed a gun to commit their offense obtained their firearm at a gun show. This dramatic decrease in gun-related crime comes during an unprecedented period of growth in firearms sales, gun owners, and licenses to carry firearms. So clearly, more guns in the hands of law-abiding citizens does not cause an increase in crime. Accident fatalities with firearms have also continued to decline—by 22 percent in the last 10 years—and National Safety Council Statistics place them far behind poisoning, motor vehicles, falls, choking, drowning, fires, and suffocation. All of this goes to show, in the words of James Carville, “We’re right and they’re wrong.” That may be gratifying, but a larger question is, What good does this information do if nobody knows about it? In
that regard, the news is downright awful. A new research report released a day after the Justice Department Report revealed a stunning anomaly: Only 12 percent of Americans believe that violent crime with firearms is down, and 56 percent believe, falsely, that violent crime involving guns is actually increasing! Twenty-six percent believe, also incorrectly, that crime involving firearms stayed about the same during the last 20 years. Women, non-white adults, and senior citizens are the most likely to mistakenly believe that such crime is up. A third survey, released in early May, was performed by the Gallup Organization, and it showed that, despite mass-media saturation of news and commentary with anti-firearms messages, out of 20 categories, the American public rated gun control second from the bottom of what our national order of priorities should be, well behind most economic issues affecting our nation and its citizens. Clearly, when armed with the facts, Americans will see beyond the hype, and they will focus on the truth. It is so important for responsible firearms owners who follow the law and exercise their constitutional rights to help spread the truth about crime and firearms. So, please, help us get the word out!
Steve Sanetti
President and Chief Executive Officer, NSSF AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2013 ❚ SHOT BUSINESS ❚ 19
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First-Time Gun Buyer Study Available to NSSF Members
n
SSF Report: First-Time Gun Buyer, a study commissioned by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, reveals that first-time gun buyers are largely active in one or more shooting activities, and that women are motivated to purchase their first firearm predominately for personal defense. The study was done to help determine the motivations for a first firearm purchase and how these firearms are being used. The online research was conducted by InfoManiacs Inc. in March and April, and involved consumers ages 22 to 65 who bought their first firearm during 2012.
Key findings include: The majority of first-time buyers (60.3 percent) tend to be active, using their gun once per month or more, with one in five reporting usage of once a week or more. Target shooting is by far the most popular shooting activity among first-time gun owners, with 84.3 percent of respondents
saying they used their firearms for this purpose, followed by hunting (37.7 percent) and plinking (27.4 percent). First-time gun owners who have participated in hunting (53.2 percent), practical pistol shooting (46.3 percent), clay-target sports (44.0 percent), and gun collecting (42.4 percent) said they want to increase their participation in these activities. The top-ranking factors driving firsttime gun purchases are home defense (87.3 percent), self-defense (76.5 percent), and the desire to share shooting activities with family and friends (73.2 percent). Women, in particular, are highly focused on personal defense and self-sufficiency. Most first-time buyers purchased their guns through local gun shops (43.6 percent) and mass retailers such as Walmart and Cabela’s (33.6 percent). Buyers spent an average of $515 for their first gun and nearly as much for accessories ($504). Nearly a quarter of first-time buyers bought at least one more firearm within a year, spending more, on average, on the later purchase.
This report is exclusive to NSSF members and can accessed by visiting nssf.org/ members and selecting NSSF Industry Research. For information on becoming an NSSF member, go to nssf.org/join.
two More experts Added to nSSF’s FFL Compliance Consulting team The marked success of the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s FFL Compliance Con sulting Program, in which NSSF pro vides financial assis tance to allow one of its team of retired Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) experts to make a personal visit and consulta tion to member retailers, has signifi cantly increased demand for this ser vice. Consequently, NSSF has
announced the addition of two highly qualified retired ATF inspec tors, Jean Zabel and Gene Baker, to its consulting team to lend their expertise to the industry’s pre mier firearms retailer inspection program. Through the NSSF FFL Compliance Consulting Program, member retailers requiring assistance contact NSSF, which coordinates requests with the consulting team. A compliance adviser will then per sonally visit the
Gene Baker and Jean Zabel are NSSF's newest FFL consultants.
retailer to assess its level of ATF compli ance, conduct a review of internal controls over fire arms and record keeping, and train the retailer and staff to help the business prepare for and pass an ATF compliance inspection. The price of this service for members is only $499. NSSF, as the trade association for the firearms, ammu nition, hunting, and shooting sports industry, also will pick up other fees of compliance advisers,
including all travel expenses. “NSSF is fortunate to be able to bring Jean Zabel and Gene Baker to the FFL Compliance Consulting team,” said Patrick Shay, NSSF director, retail development. “Their incredible amount of experience in deal ing with ATF inspec tions will allow them to provide highly constructive insights to any retailer’s busi ness.” For more information, visit nssf.org/retailers/ consultants.
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nSSF Bolsters Shot Show and events Staff
The National Shooting Sports Foundation has hired Dave Jeannette as senior director, sales, and Chris Tatulli as director, exhibit and sponsorship sales. The addition of the former Reed Exhibitions staff members as full-time NSSF employees bolsters NSSF’s internal SHOT Show and events staff. In their new roles, both will support the SHOT Show and other NSSF events, including the Shooting Sports Summit, Import/Export Conference, national and regional firearms retailer and shooting range conferences, and NSSF’s Congressional Fly-In. Jeannette has worked on the SHOT Show for more than 20 years, having overseen the show’s growth from 377,000 net square feet of exhibit space to today’s more than 628,000 net square feet. Most recently, he served as the
Dave Jeannette (top), and Chris Tatulli
SHOT Show’s event director, and had previously served as SHOT Show sales executive and sales manager.
Tatulli brings to NSSF nearly 15 years of experience in trade shows, most recently working on the SHOT Show. He has developed strong relationships with the show’s exhibiting companies since beginning work on the show in 2011. “During the showmanagement partner transition, it’s important to maintain continuity for our customers so that their SHOT Show experience continues to meet their expectations,” said Chris Dolnack, NSSF senior vice president and chief marketing officer. “Dave and Chris have provided outstanding customer service and marketing opportunities for SHOT Show exhibitors for a combined 35 years, and we’re excited to welcome them.” The 2014 SHOT Show will be held Jan. 14–17 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas.
S.A.F.E. Summer Campaign Promotes Firearms Safety The National Shooting Sports Foundation has stepped up its lauded Project ChildSafe program with a new message, a revamped website, and an increased investment in the distribution of firearms safety kits. Through the life of the program, Project ChildSafe has distributed more than 36 million free firearms safety kits throughout the U.S. NSSF has committed an additional $1 million to distribute 500,000 more kits this year, and is focusing attention to safe firearms storage through its S.A.F.E. Summer promotion.
The acronym stands for “Secure your firearms when not in use; be Aware of those around you who should not have unauthorized access to guns; Focus on your responsibility as a firearm owner; and Educate yourself and others about safe firearms handling and storage.” “Our main message is that if you own a firearm, respect it and secure it,” said Steve Sanetti, NSSF president and CEO. NSSF also recently launched an updated Project ChildSafe website at projectchildsafe.org.
NSSF Praises Passage of LA NICS Bill
Louisiana gov. bobby Jindal has signed into law a bill, advocated by NssF, requiring certain court records be sent to the National Instant Criminal background Check system (NICs). this legislation is evidence that NssF’s national FixNICs initiative is gaining traction. FixNICs recognizes that a federal background check is only as good as the records in the database. that is why the firearms industry supports improving the current NICs system by increasing the number of prohibiting records that states submit to the FbI databases, which can help prevent illegal transfers of firearms to those who are prohibited from owning firearms under current law. under the Louisiana legislation, any state resident who loses the right to possess firearms under state law will be reported to the state supreme Court, which will send this information to NICs, the system used by federally licensed firearms retailers when transferring a firearm to an individual. “Louisiana legislators clearly understood that the background check system is only as good as the records in the database,” said Lawrence g. Keane, NssF senior vice president and general counsel. south Carolina has enacted legislation improving state participation, while action was pending, at this writing, in New Jersey. For more information on NssF’s FixNICs initiative, visit fixnics.org/factinfo.cfm.
© 2013 National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. All Rights Reserved. SHOT Business®, SHOT Show® and all other trade names, trademarks and service marks of the National Shooting Sports Foundation appearing in this publication are the sole property of the Foundation and may not be used without the Foundation’s prior express written permission. All other company and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
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B y Pat r i c k S h ay, d i r e c t o r , r e ta i l d e v e l o P m e n t
r e ta i l e r t o o l B o x
Tools for the Established Retailer NSSF ofers a variety of business-building aids
A
s part of NSSF’s mission to promote the shooting sports industry, we have created a number of “tools” for the retailer’s toolbox. These tools were designed to help retailers succeed in an increasingly demanding, regulated, and competitive market. Here are some of those tools, selected for the retailer that is operating an existing store. In another edition of SHOT Business, you’ll learn about products of special value to retailers who are just starting their business.
1
The first tool I’d recommend is the
“2012 Shooting SportS induStry Financial Benchmarking report For FirearmS retail erS.” This report con-
will allow the retailer to identify areas of excellence and opportunities for improvement and additional profit. This report is available for sale on the nssf.org website.
tains important benchmarking data, including comparative financial ratios on key performance measures such as return on asset, asset turnover, cash cycle, and inventory turnover; employee and space productivity measures; income- and balancesheet breakouts; salesmix data; and advertising and marketing information from firearms retailers across the country. The Benchmarking Report gives the retailer usable and viable benchmarks for comparison with their own business performance. The report
The next set of tools is the operational BookS that NSSF has created with noted small-business author Tom Shay. Each is specifically designed for the particular challenges that face firearms retailers. The books cover financials, advertising and marketing, writing a business plan, an employment guide, and merchandising. They have helped many retailers develop and focus on key areas of their business. These resources are free for NSSF members and $15 for nonmem-
2
bers. Each is available on the nssf.org website.
3
Another great tool NSSF offers is the
“FirearmS retailer Survey report.” The
fifth edition covers the number and types of products sold, sales trends, margin and profit generated, inventory trends, and consumer behavior. The data for this report was compiled from more than 700 firearms retailers across the country and incorporates five years’ worth of trend information. Combined with the Benchmarking Report, this survey gives retailers powerful insight into the market trends of the industry and can help to provide standards with which a retailer can measure performance.
4
As the trade association for the firearms retailer, NSSF has built relationships with companies that lend support to our industry. These companies offer
diScountS to nSSF memBerS and provide
other great tools to help reduce costs and increase productivity. Discounted products and services include the Celerant Command Retail point-of-sale system, IntelliCorp’s employee-screening tools, FlashFog, Staples office supplies, FedEx shipping, and Display Cases of Topeka security gun cases. A detailed list of these benefits is available at nssf.org/ join/benefits.cfm.
5
Another tool worthy of mention are
the training videoS NSSF creates and makes available to all firearms retailers. The videos cover a wide range of topics, from seasonal merchandising, inventory best practices, and retail tips to strawpurchase awareness and deterrence. The videos are great to incorporate into your initial training of new hires, but they also offer tips for even the most seasoned retailer. Also, the videos can provide quick training and review during staff meetings. This is just a short list from the many tools NSSF offers firearms retailers. To learn about all available research reports, publications, videos, and webinars, visit nssf.org/ retailers/resources.
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by JAMES CURCURUTO & CHRISTOPHER COGLEy
u p d at e
Yo u S H o u l d K n o w
Participation Trends NSSF reports ofer insights
T
here was a time when change came slowly to the hunting and shooting sports industry. That time has passed. Today, new technology seems to be emerging on a daily basis, new products are brought to market more rapidly than ever, and new consumer interests are developed in the amount of time it takes someone to upload a video to YouTube. This constantly evolving market can be nearly impossible to keep up with, but the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) is making the prospect infinitely easier by releasing several industry reports that, when looked at collectively, provide critical insight into the current state of the market as well as the participation trends of hunters and shooters. “The focus of all our research is to help our members make informed decisions about their businesses,” said Chris Dolnack, NSSF’s senior vice president and chief marketing officer. “I know from being on the manufacturing side how difficult it can be to find quantifiable information that you can use to make strategic, data-driven decisions, and we wanted to make sure that we had a way to give our members easy access to that kind of information.”
the various shooting sports. This report also allows NSSF members to compare current participation with historical data and get a better idea of where participation trends might be heading. This information is valuable to many in the industry. For example, with the information in this report, manufacturers can see how their products are being used, retailers can use the information to adjust their inventories based on participation
There is no crystal ball. But by looking at sources such as these and combining this information with local conditions, one can get a leg up on understanding participation in hunting and target shooting. One of the reports that provide that valuable insight is based on the findings of the National Sporting Goods Association’s annual survey. NSSF has contracted with the NSGA for the past 10 years to help determine hunting and shooting participation trends in the general population. NSSF takes the information provided by the survey and creates a report that shows how many people are actively participating in
numbers across the country, and ranges can be prepared for the newest shooting trends heading their way. Another report that provides valuable insight for retailers, manufacturers, and ranges is NSSF’s “A Profile of Today’s Hunter.” This report is specific to participation trends in hunting across the country, and is based on information from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s certified
paid hunting-license holders. The report not only provides a 20-year history of hunting participation by state, but it also outlines the most current demographic information about the people who are hunting different parts of the country, as well as which type of hunting is most popular with each demographic. As a way to provide even more concrete information about participation trends, NSSF also contracted with Responsive Management in 2010 and 2013 to conduct extensive phone surveys of the general population to determine how many people participated in some form of target shooting the previous year. The reports show not only the current participation in shooting sports, but also how those numbers have changed since 2010, which will provide valuable insight into the trends affecting the shooting sports. There is no crystal ball, to be sure, but by looking at sources such as these and combining this information with local conditions, one can get a leg up on understanding participation in hunting and target shooting. And, with that information, NSSF members are better able to make the kind of strategic, data-driven decisions that every business needs to be successful. For more information about the NSSF industry reports, visit NSSF.org/research. James Curcuruto is the NSSF Director of Industry Research & Analysis, and Christopher Cogley is a Shot Business Contributing Editor. august/september 2013 ❚ SHot BuSineSS ❚ 23
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FyI
by scoTT besTul
Starting a business is one challenge. Taking over an established facility is completely diferent
D
ave Worth couldn’t imagine his dream job getting any better, but it did. “I’d been working in retail sporting goods at the same store ever since I was a 17-year-old high school kid,” he says. “It was all I ever wanted to do.” But in 2009, the owner of the shop—Harry’s Army Navy—decided to sell the store and start up another venture next door. “I decided to buy out the store and see if I could make it work as an owner instead of an employee.” Worth obviously made good on his decision, as Cheyenne Mountain Outfitters (cheyenne mtnoutfitters.com) is one of the most successful outdoor retailers in New Jersey. CMO employs 35 people and is a full-line retailer that stocks firearms, ammunition, optics, clothing/gear, and archery equipment. (Editor’s note: The store came out on top in a recent Undercover Shopper, though it was misidentified as Harry’s.) Here’s how Worth bought an existing facility and re-branded it to make an already solid business an even more successful one.
Partner Up “The first thing I did when contemplating the purchase was to follow my mentor Harry’s advice and get a partner,” Worth says. “Actually, I got two—Cindy and Walter Silcox. Cindy is, among other duties, our bookkeeper, and she’s just really smart. Her husband, Walter—aka ‘Rocky’— just knows the whole store and is an excellent worker. They helped make the transition smooth.”
Join a Group “We’re a member of Sports Inc., a buying group that has really helped us. I’d been in the business for years, so I knew several of the buying groups, but Sports Inc. trusted us and invested in us when others were reluctant.”
Pay Up “We took over right at the time of the financial crisis in 2009,” Worth says. “It took a good relationship with bankers and vendors to pull it off. We were serious about paying our bills on time, something that seems obvious, but I’m convinced it’s one of the reasons so many start-up businesses fail. We have impeccable credit now; we worked hard to achieve that and don’t intend to let it slip away.”
Refocus One of Worth’s primary initial challenges was to decide what CMO would—and wouldn’t—be as a store. “Harry’s had a lot of military surplus and other inven-
In these tough times, a retailer benefts from good relationships with bankers and vendors. You also need to pay bills on time.
Gun Law Savvy Is Good PR Think your state gun laws are restrictive? Try new Jersey, home of Cheyenne Mountain outfitters. owner Dave Worth says new Jersey residents need a new permit for each handgun purchase, and can apply for only one permit each month. “The wait time has stretched from two to three months to four to five months to get approval from the police department,” he says. still, Worth says guiding customers through the application process is critical to keeping them happy. “since December, we’re getting new gun bills pushed through constantly,” he says. “it’s frustrating, but people are usually understanding when you can help explain things to them.”
tory that we felt we could trim,” he says. “We knew what we wanted the store to become—a shooting and hunting store. So we just sat down and took a long, hard look at what worked and what didn’t.”
Watch the Clock Being accessible to customers is important, but not at the expense of profit. “Another thing Cindy and I did was take a hard look at when the store was making money and when it wasn’t,” Worth notes. “We have 8 to 10 full-time employees and a couple dozen part-timers. It didn’t make sense to pay people and keep the lights on during those hours when few customers visited the store.”
Be Good People “We have loyal customers and we do our best to treat them right,” Worth stresses. “Everyone knows that ammo is tough to get, but we refused to jack up prices just because the demand was there. When the crunch is over, we think our customers will remember that and keep coming back.”
Make a Splash “We have two really big sales events, a Bowhunter Bonanza in August and a Fall Hunting Sale in November,” Worth says. “We put out a 16-page flyer and print 25,000 of them. These are big events we hold outdoors, and we offer a wide selection of everything we think hunters need. It’s a big job running them, but our customers really look forward to those sales.”
Get Show-Savvy “We make it a point to get to SHOT, ATA, Sports Inc., and other distributor shows,” Worth notes. “There’s no better way to learn the best new products, establish relationships, and keep up with the industry.”
Jean-PhiliPPe CabaroC/The noun ProJeCT (Cash regisTer)
Buying In
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FIRING LINE
BY BRIAN MCCOMBIE
Weatherby’s Whitetail Bonz has been designed to appeal to younger shooters, whether they hunt deer or hogs. At right, the author with a hog he tagged in Texas.
Hitting the Target
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Weatherby-X aims for younger customers
here’s a youth movement afoot at California rifle maker Weatherby, and it goes by names like “Hog Reaper,” “Whitetail Bonz,” and “GH2,” otherwise known as “Girls Hunt 2.” Those rifles, as well as several shotguns, have been put together under the new Weatherby-X line, or WBY-X, and were designed, in looks and price points, to attract younger hunters and shooters. “We wanted to offer something a little edgy,” says Mike Schwiebert, Weatherby’s director of marketing. “Guns with a look that would appeal to people in their 30s and under, at a price younger adults could afford. Of course, we’re still making, selling, and promoting Mark Vs. It was Roy Weatherby’s flagship rifle and it will always be a huge part of what we do. “At the same time,” he says, “we’re trying to add young hunters and shooters to our customer base, and different customers require a somewhat different approach. WBY-X is its own separate line, with a stand-alone catalog.” One of the new WBY-X rifles introduced for 2013 is the Hog Reaper. The Reaper is
essentially a Series 2 Vanguard with 4 inches clipped off the barrel, and decked out in a composite Monte Carlo stock, covered in a unique hog-skull camouflage pattern by Proveil. Available in .223 Rem., .243 Win., 7mm-08 Rem., and .308 Win., the Reaper has a suggested retail price of $749. In fact, $749 is the suggested retail price on all six WBY-X rifles. (The three WBY-X shotguns vary in SRP from $449 to $699.) I used the Reaper on several different hunts, taking four wild hogs with it, as well as one Wyoming antelope. Weatherby guarantees the Reaper to print three-shot groups measuring .99 inch or less at 100 yards with specified Weatherby factory or premium ammunition. I
took my second Reaper hog at 180 yards—one shot behind the shoulder and the boar never moved again. The trigger is crisp, creep-free, and adjustable down to 2.5 pounds, and the Mauser-style bolt-action with dual opposed lugs is smooth and precise. The barrel has a matte bead-blasted blued finish; a three-position safety rounds out the hardware. The Reaper weighs in at just 7 pounds and carries light on the shoulder. The 20-inch barrel makes it very nifty to use, whether you’re hunting from a stand or making your way through the thick brush wild hogs so often inhabit. The first pig I took with it was moving at a dead run at 60 yards, and the carbine-length barrel swung true and easy onto the
bounding black sow. Obviously, any rifle of suitable caliber can and will kill hogs. But with the growing interest in hog hunting across the nation, Weatherby and other manufacturers are offering hog-specific products. The hog skulls adorning the Reaper’s composite stock, then, are part of Weatherby’s hog marketing push. Joe Allred, a sales representative for the Outdoor Marketing Group, which services gun shops in a dozen Southern states, says that so far the Whitetail Bonz rifle has seen the most interest from consumers, with the Hog Reaper coming in a strong second. He expects increasing sales for both rifles. (805227-2600; wby-x.com)
Selling WBY-X
Think visual when selling the Weatherby-X line, advises firearms sales rep Joe Allred of the Outdoor Marketing Group. “Even among the other camo pattern stocks on the display shelf, the WBY-X patterns really stand out,” he notes. That’s especially true of the Whitetail Bonz and Whitetail Bonz Youth rifles, with their striking white antler-and-deer-skull pattern laid over a dark background. “Merchandising several of these rifles together on the gun rack will make a distinctive display,” he says, “one that will stand out from the other black and solid-colored stocks in inventory. Once in the hands of the prospective buyer, the Weatherby name and reputation, plus the ‘cool factor,’ will sell these rifles, particularly to the younger customer.” Consider placing a horizontal rifle rack above the WBY-X section of your vertical display racks. Let it sport a Whitetail Bonz or Hog Reaper rifle as a way to draw in customers, especially those looking for something unusual. 26 ❚ SHOT BUSINESS ❚ AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2013
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undercover shopper
Caliber Quandary in Texas Getting game-ranch ready is a bit trickier than you might think
STORE A The shop was tucked between a dollar store and a martial arts dojo at the back of a strip mall. A sign advertising Class 3 weapons hung at the door. Three steps in, I wondered if I should’ve brought hand wraps and boxing gloves. The place was empty, well lit, and about the size of an MMA ring. Two guys behind the counter paced as if a full-contact sparring session would break out at any time. I said “good morning” and extended a hand, to force either a shake or a swing. Luckily, one went with the shake. The other backed into his corner and watched. I asked about their hunting rifle preferences for Texas ranches. The corner man picked up the telephone. The other made it clear he was not interested in discussing
anything other than the Class 3 firearms and tactical gear that filled their walls and cases.
STORE B I spotted the next shop from the interstate. It was small, independent, and packed with customers who shuffled around as they checked out new, used, and antique firearms. One man of about 60, and another some 30 years his junior, worked the counter. They talked about turkey season, answered questions about ammunition shortages, and rang up sales simultaneously. “I found an excuse to buy a new rifle,” I said to the younger staff member. He laughed. Then we spent several minutes discussing hunting conditions and game animals. After a while, he recommended a .243. I was concerned it would be too
small, and said so. He nodded and handed me a bolt-action .308. “You know,” he said, “.243 rounds are easier to get right now. It won’t take down an elephant, but if you put it where it belongs, it’ll do most anything else.”
STORE C With little hope of success, I walked into this sporting goods supercenter. The man behind the gun counter greeted me straight away. I asked my question. “I hunt about every part of Texas with a .270,” he said. “It’s not too much for a whitetail. And, I’ve taken big aoudad with one shot.” He handed me a bolt-action .270, but recommended I instead look at an Italianmade rifle the store did not carry.
pixel pushers
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exas game ranches are famous for good reason. No matter what you’re after—African addax, Kazakhstani urial, monster whitetails, or infamous feral hogs—these ranches bring a world of game to the hunter. The adventure, however, starts well before the hunter takes on the rocky Hill Country terrain. He must first wrestle with the siren call to buy one of everything in the Weatherby catalog. To give myself the best chance to win that battle, I recently visited four firearms retailers in Austin and asked, “If you could have only one firearm to hunt Texas ranches, what would it be, and why?”
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undercover shopper “What about a .30/06?” I asked. “I used to hunt a .30/06, but it’s overkill,” he said. “These days I’m focused on saving meat.” He went on to explain that the .270 performs well with 75-yard shots in eastern Texas, and 250-yard shots out west. And, he explained, the .270 rounds are more readily available than some others. I thanked him and left with new respect for this particular store.
STORE D Plain type on an aging sign announced
my final stop. Over the door, a large exterior display case presented some 20 long guns. Inside, product and patrons packed the store. Some considered handguns. Others checked out ammunition, tested the fit of holsters, and meandered about. One couple looked over a shotgun. Several staff members worked the counter and walked the floor. When I asked my question to one staff member, he answered without hesitation, “.30/06.” “Some folks say a .30/06 is too big,” I said, “and that a .270 is better.”
“Really, a .270 is just a .27/06, so to speak,” he said, “It’s not that different. But the .30/06 is about the most versatile round out there. You can load anything from a 110- to a 220-grain bullet.” He shared the history of the .30/06. We handled a dozen rifles—bolt-actions and semi-automatics, camouflaged synthetic stocks and highly polished walnut. And we discussed which ammunition might be best for various animals and scenarios. “I’d really go with a .30/06,” he said, “but either one will serve you well.”
how’d they Do? Customer Service
Product Knowledge
Product Availability
Their attitudes prevented conversation. i assume an average level of knowledge.
They offered a good selection—within their narrow focus on Class 3 firearms.
Outnumbered about 5 to 1 (customers to staff), the staff listened to everyone’s questions and responded in a helpful way.
even though the idea of hunting 300-pound animals with a .243 concerned me, the staff was clearly knowledgeable. They answered questions about handguns, shotguns, rifles, and ammunition. A gunsmith was on duty.
handguns, long guns, ammunition, and accessories for hunters, shooters, and collectors packed the store. They had everything from side-by-side doublebarreled shotguns with exposed hammers to modern sporting rifles.
The staff member was friendly and helpful. he earned my trust when he directed me to what he saw as a superior rifle, even though his store did not carry it.
his preference for the .270 came from experience hunting a range of game animals on diverse terrain, which is precisely what i was looking to do.
The store had wide selection of handguns and long guns, but they had only one .270, the gun recommended as a must-have for hunting in Texas.
even in a stampede of shoppers, the staff was friendly, focused, and ready with answers.
The staff member knew firearms. he knew ammunition. And he knew how to make them work together in different conditions. A gunsmith was on duty.
The store boasts one of the largest firearms selections in the country—a claim backed up by the long guns, handguns, ammunition, apparel, and accessories on display. At day’s end, i was still uncertain about which rifle to buy, but there was no doubt about where to buy it.
Store
A
poor at best.
Store
B
Store
C
Store
D
SCORinG SySTEM: Outstanding:
Very Good:
Average:
Winner: Store
D
This was by far the best place i found to buy a firearm. The staff members were knowledgeable, professional, wellstocked, and well-equipped to help…and they’ve been part of the Austin community since 1960. McBride’s Guns 2915 san Gabriel st. Austin, Tx 78705 512-472-3532 mcbridesguns .com
Fair:
poor:
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The big-bore PCP .357 Benjamin Rogue features a six-shot magazine. This is a serious hog rifle.
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tack-driving accuracy and low Shooting expenSe are the hallmarkS of the modern highperformance airgun. what’S not to like? By Jock Elliott
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airguns
F
or the past few Christmas seasons, a cable channel has staged marathons in which the film A Christmas Story is broadcast continuously for 24 hours straight. It tells the story of a young boy who wants for Christmas “a Red Ryder range model carbine with a compass in the stock and a thing that tells time.” Every time he expresses his heartfelt desire to an adult, he receives the same rejoinder: “You’ll shoot your eye out.”
The movie has become so much a fixture of the holidays that this last Christmas, while browsing at a local discount store, I heard the following exchange: “Honey, look, a Red Ryder BB gun!” “You’ll shoot your eye out.” (Then laughter from both husband and wife.) Unfortunately, that’s all that many Americans—and a great many firearms retailers—know about airguns. That’s the bad news. The good news is that airguns have progressed waaaaaay past the Red Ryder. Right now, as you read this, your customers could be buying air rifles that are capable of routinely hitting a dime at 50 yards and taking varmints at 100 yards and beyond. Some of the new breed of airguns
deliver triple the power of a .22LR and are capable of taking coyotes, wild boar, and even bigger game. Even better, airguns can open up a new world of possibilities for your customers. They can be shot in many places where discharging firearms is forbidden, and typically cost just pennies a shot, delivering more fun per dollar than most shooters would believe possible. The next time a customer gripes about the high cost of shooting supplies, the expense of gasoline to get to a suitable hunting spot, or the lack of time to get to the range, you could be turning a complaint session into a sale by suggesting a highperformance airgun. Try something like this: “Bill, check out one of these. It
costs about two cents a round, you can shoot it in your backyard, and the performance will astound you. How much can you save by not driving anywhere?”
ThE ExpERImEnT Now, maybe you’re thinking, “Yeah, but that would never work in my shop.” That was the attitude that faced Robert Buchanan, president of Airguns of Arizona (AoA), a retailer focusing on high-end airguns and the exclusive U.S. importer for a number of English, German, Swedish, and Italian top-end air rifles and air pistols. AoA had a contract to provide high-end air rifles to a very well-known big-box sporting goods chain. AoA delivered the guns and provided train-
ing to the staff. But it couldn’t break the entrenched attitude of the salespeople behind the counter, all of whom said, in one way or another, “We’ll never be able to sell those in our stores.” So Buchanan called the president of the chain and proposed an experiment. “Let me go to your local outlet [in Phoenix], play salesman for a weekend, and let’s see what happens.” By the end of the weekend, Buchanan had sold four complete high-end airgun setups, at an average price of $700 to $800 apiece. Last year, AoA sales grew 40 percent in the midst of an economic downturn, and the company has experienced double-digit growth every year since 2010. “The key to that growth is our attitude
ThREE TIERS TIER 1: $20 To $200
TIER 2: $200 To $500
TIER 3: $500 To $3,000
These are the pump-up, spring-piston, and CO2 air rifles and pistols you are likely to find in big-box discount retailers and the airguns the public is most likely to know about. Familiar brand names in this category include Crosman, Daisy, Sheridan, and Gamo.
These are the better-made pump-up and springpiston air rifles, as well as less-expensive PCP airguns that are sometimes carried by independent sporting goods shops. These are, by and large, “legacy” airguns that get passed from generation to generation. Familiar brands in this tier include Benjamin, BSA, Gamo, RWS, and Weihrauch.
These are the top echelon, the elite performers of the airgun world. Comprised mainly of PCP rifles and pistols, this category also includes very high-end spring-piston rifles. These will have the guys at the gun club drooling with envy, especially when your airgun customers outshoot them. Familiar brands include Air Arms, Air Force, Anschutz, Benjamin, Brocock, BSA, Daystate, FWB, FX, Gamo, RWS, and Weihrauch.
opener spread: kyle thompson
In consIderIng whIch aIrguns to stock In your shop, It’s useful to thInk of aIrguns sorted Into three tIers.
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The aiRFoRCe CondoR is a PoweRFul TieR 3 PRe-ChaRged PneumaTiC ThaT enjoys an enThusiasTiC Following among long-Range vaRminT shooTeRs.
toward airguns,” Buchanan says. “We look at them as the perfect solution for shooting in many situations.” Which they are. But Buchanan warns, “If you view airguns as a poor second cousin to powder burners or the thing to shoot until you can get a ‘real’ gun, you’re never going to get anywhere selling highend pneumatic arms.”
powERplAnTS To take advantage of the sales potential of airguns, you need to understand them. Let’s start with the key thing that sets them apart from firearms: the powerplant. There are several different major types of airgun powerplants, and there are advantages and dis-
advantages to each. Multi-stroke pneumatic (or pump-up) guns require multiple strokes (usually 2 to 10) of a lever to force compressed air into an onboard cylinder. The advantage is that it is virtually recoil-less, a self-contained system that offers adjustable power and velocity. And, being virtually recoil-less, it is easy to shoot well. But it has one big disadvantage: Once it is fired, a multistroke pneumatic must be pumped up again. Single-stroke pneumatic airguns require just a single stroke to fully charge the gun. They are also selfcontained, easy to cock, and are highly consistent and incredibly accurate over distances up to 20 meters. But the power of these guns is
usually low, shooting relatively light match-grade .177 pellets at 500 to 600 fps. Pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) guns use air from a SCUBA tank or a highpressure hand pump that is stored in a high-pressure reservoir on the gun. Olympic target models and many long-range varmint air rifles use this powerplant. This setup delivers powerful but virtually recoil-free operation. In addition, these guns are very accurate and consistent. Some models even offer on-the-fly power adjustment. On the other hand, these guns are not self-contained, and so require extra gear (pump or SCUBA tank). They also can be very loud, although many are now being offered with barrel shrouds that quiet the report
considerably. Spring-piston airguns, also called springers, use a lever (sometimes the barrel, sometimes a lever under or to the side of the barrel) to cock a spring (or gas ram) and piston. These are selfcontained, often powerful guns. They can be very accurate (when the shooter has mastered the technique), as well as relatively quiet. But they’re also inherently challenging to shoot well and very tough on scopes (they require airgun-rated scopes). The cocking effort—sometimes as high as 60 pounds—can be challenging in the more powerful models. CO₂ airguns are powered by 12-gram cartridges, 88-gram cylinders, or CO₂ transferred from a bulk tank
The Benjamin maRaudeR (ToP) is a TieR 2 PRe-ChaRged PneumaTiC aiR RiFle ThaT is availaBle in .177, .22, and .25, and has Been well ReCeived By The maRkeTPlaCe. The .22 Benjamin 392 (BoTTom) is a TieR 1 mulTi-sTRoke PneumaTiC well-suiTed FoR veRmin.
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airguns
KEY SEllIng poInTS here are key poInts to keep In mInd when offerIng hIgh-end aIrguns to your customers. hIgh qualIty: The fit, finish, and precision on high-end models are absolutely spectacular. They offer pride of ownership comparable to any custom firearm, matched by a lifetime of service. tack-drIvIng accuracy: Airguns that can routinely hit a dime at 50 yards and hunting air rifles that can outshoot .22 rimfires are commonplace among airguns that retail for more than $200. Many airgunners enjoy varminting at 100 yards and beyond. low shootIng expense: Shooting costs are on the order of 1 to 4 cents per shot for ammunition. convenIence and accessIbIlIty: Airguns can be legally shot in many places where it is forbidden to discharge a rimfire or centerfire firearm. Be sure to check with local authorities. pest control: Air rifles and air pistols are frequently used to safely and humanely kill vermin in situations where the use of a firearm would be inappropriate. Many pest control professionals, for example, use airguns to dispatch birds and animals in supermarkets and factories. prIde of ownershIp: Higher-end air rifles and air pistols have fit and finish that clearly indicate that they are built to last for decades, and their owners have every right to be proud of them. neIghbor-frIendly: Because of subsonic velocity, airguns generally don’t produce raucous noise or draw unwanted attention.
The CRosman PumPmasTeR 760 is a TieR 1 aiR RiFle ThaT douBles as a BB RePeaTeR oR single-shoT PelleT gun. moRe Than 13 million have Been sold.
The Rws model 34 meisTeRsChuTze PRo is a ClassiC TieR 2 sPRing-PisTon aiR RiFle ThaT does almosT eveRyThing well, inCluding deliveRing a loT oF value FoR The money.
into the gun’s on-board reservoir. Advantages here include convenience (CO₂ cartridges are easy to carry in a pocket) and accuracy (in high-quality models). Because they are generally so easy to cock and produce virtually no recoil, CO₂ airguns are often a great choice for all-round family shooting. At the same time, CO₂ guns are not self-contained and velocities can sag at lower temperatures. What’s the best powerplant? It all depends on which characteristics are most important to your customer. Which is why you need to knowledgeably explain the pros and cons of each.
CAlIbERS, pEllETS, VEloCITY Right now, there are four main calibers in airguns. The most popular is .177. It
is used for both target shooting and hunting, and offers the greatest selection of pellets. The next most popular is .22, which is used for both hunting and long-range target shooting. It’s also available in a wide variety of pellets. The .25 offers more power, bigger wound channels, and heavier pellets. It is rising in popularity, thanks in large part to two new .25-caliber air rifles recently introduced by Crosman Corporation under the Benjamin brand. Bringing up the rear is the .20. It has its enthusiasts, but appears to be dropping in popularity. In addition, at the SHOT Show two years ago, Crosman introduced the Benjamin Rogue, a big-bore .357 air rifle that delivers up to 300 foot-pounds of energy. Previously, big-bore airguns have been produced by small specialty shops and
have generally been at the fringes of the airgun marketplace. But the introduction of this new gun may change that. When recommending an airgun caliber to your customers, keep in mind the following points. Accuracy: Every airgun will have a particular pellet that it likes and that will produce the best accuracy. Having a wide spectrum of pellets from which to choose increases the odds of finding at least one pellet that will work well in a particular airgun. So, if accuracy is a customer’s sole concern, .177 would be best, because it offers the greatest variety of pellets. The .22 would be close behind. Weight: The lightest pellets (between 4 and 5 grains) available are .177, and it is rare to find a .177 pellet heavier than about 16
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ACCESSoRIES aIrguns offer a wealth of opportunItIes to sell accessorIes. The daysTaTe aiRwolF mCT is an eleCTRoniCally RegulaTed TieR 3 PRe-ChaRged PneumaTiC ThaT is suPeRBly eFFiCienT, neaRly dead-quieT, and veRy aCCuRaTe.
The weihRauCh hw97k, availaBle in FouR CaliBeRs, is a TieR 3 sPRing-PisTon aiR RiFle ThaT is used FoR hunTing, ComPeTiTion, and TaRgeT shooTing.
grains. By contrast, .25-caliber pellets are available as heavy as 34.9 grains and are usually not lighter than 17.7 grains. To understand why this makes a difference, see the next item. Speed and Trajectory: Shot from the same airgun powerplant, a light pellet will generally fly faster than a heavy pellet. But at any given velocity, a heavier pellet will carry more energy downrange and will usually retain it longer than a light pellet launched at the same speed. Because of these considerations, for a really fast, flat trajectory out to, say, 50 yards or so, you might want to select .177. But beyond that, you might want to go for a bigger caliber with heavier pellets. Airgunners who are engaged in highaccuracy long-range shooting at 100 yards usually select .22 caliber.
Power and Impact: Launched at equal velocities, a heavy pellet will typically deliver more footpounds of energy to the target than a light pellet. If you want hitting power, and if velocity and accuracy are equal, choose the heaviest pellet and largest caliber. Wound ballistics: Bigger pellets produce bigger holes, but smaller-diameter pellets often penetrate deeper. Most pellets are made from lead, but a growing number of manufacturers are making pellets from alternative materials. Pellets are available in a variety of configurations, including wadcutter, round nose, pointed, and hollowpoint. Finally, beware of velocity claims. Manufacturers often exaggerate how fast their guns shoot. Even when they use ultralight pellets to achieve superfast
results—1,500 feet per second!—the result is often poor accuracy. Here’s why: As a projectile approaches the sound barrier (1,100 fps at sea level), it encounters a region in which there is a lot of buffeting and turbulence that throws off accuracy. Similarly, a supersonic projectile that slows below the sound barrier encounters the same region of turbulence and buffeting that ruins accuracy. That is why most firearms varminters take care to make sure their bullets stay at supersonic velocity all the way to the target, and why Olympic smallbore shooters make sure their rounds stay subsonic. Both groups want to keep pellets out of the region of trans-sonic turbulence. For airguns, the best plan is to launch pellets no faster than the low 900 fps range.
pellets: Every new airgun needs an assortment of ammo for accuracy testing. The rule here is, “Let the gun choose the ammo.” scope and mounts: Most American airgunners scope their air rifles. You can use virtually any firearms scope on any air rifle, except springers. Because of their whiplash forward-andreverse recoil, springers require “airgun-rated” scopes. Mil-dot scopes are particularly handy for compensating for pellet trajectory at various ranges. cleanIng gear: Airguns generally don’t need a great deal of cleaning, but when they do, a flexible pull-through or synthetic-coated rod with a patch or nylon bristle brush moistened with a cleanerdegreaser like Simple Green is the way to go. pellet trap: Every airgunner needs a pellet trap for target practice. Models lined with duct seal are virtually silent. eye protectIon: Ricochets happen. Make sure your customers have adequate eye protection. (Ear protection with airguns is normally not needed.)
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HOW TO CASH IN ON THE BOOMING FERAL HOG HUNT MARKET BY BRIAN M CCOMBIE
else: a business opportunity. At 46,000 square feet of store space, Wulf is the area’s big hunting, fishing, and camping retailer (they have a second, similar-size store in Athens, 110 miles to the west). Hog hunting is definitely spoken here. “We see hunters who hunt hogs purely as a recreational sport, and then there are those hunting problem hogs to remove them from their property,” says Virginia Solgot, Wulf’s marketing director. “Either way, the popularity of hog hunting for need or for fun is increasing here. Over the past several years we have expanded our product selection to include hogspecific gear, and we’ve made hog-hunting products a staple in our stores.”
RUSSELL GRAVES
ocated in the lush and rolling hills of East Texas, Shelby County is the kind of place where you actually do know your neighbors, where church socials are a real event, and where guns and hunting are woven into the fabric of daily life. Like much of Texas, Shelby County is also overrun with feral hogs, and the wild porkers have become a huge problem here, foraging on agricultural crops, rooting up pastures, lawns and driveways, and destroying feeders and food plots on the area’s many deer hunting leases. At Wulf Outdoor Sports, located in Center, the Shelby County seat, feral hogs are something
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modern Sporting ArmS Are fAvored by mAny hog hunterS. typicAl of the breed iS the rock river ArmS lAr-15 .223 with A prk-ehide cAmo finiSh. the rifle feAtureS A tActicAl muzzle brAke, low-profile gAS block, A two-StAge trigger, A hogue rubber grip, And An rrA operAtor cAr Stock.
Hog hunters come to Wulf to buy everything from rifles, ammunition, and optics to hog calls and baits and scents. They even come for lights that can be attached to firearms for night hunting (hunting hogs and coyotes at night is legal in Texas and a number of other states). After hearing for years what a problem hogs were, the Wulf management team decided it was time to take action. The result was the Wild Hog Roundup, launched in 2011. The Roundup offers cash prizes to hog hunters and trappers as a way to draw attention to the hog problem and to actually lower local hog numbers (see sidebar, p. 44). Texas is not the only state with hog problems (or a growth curve, depending on your point of view). A recent media report put the total number of feral hogs at a whopping 5 million animals. To put that number in perspective, the hog population has more than doubled in less than two decades. Hogs were once relegated to California, Texas, and the southeastern United States, but since the 1990s, they have moved into the Northeast and Midwest. Meanwhile, previously established populations have exploded. “Without question, hog hunting is gaining in popularity all over the U.S.,” says Mike Schwiebert, marketing director for Weatherby. “Here in California, more hogs are killed each year than deer, making it our number-one big-game animal.”
introduced in 2012, wincheSter’S rAzorbAck Xt wAS mArketed AS the firSt hog-Specific loAd.
According to Schwiebert, three factors are driving hunter interest in hogs. “There’s lots of them, they don’t require any special equipment, and the seasons are very, very liberal.” “Hog hunting is a great off-season hunt, and it represents an opportunity we very much want to be a part of,” says Pat Mundy, product manager for Leupold & Stevens. “The hunt itself keeps growing, too, and a lot of the credit goes to the hogs themselves. As a friend of mine likes to say, ‘There are two kinds of states out there: those that have hogs and those that are going to get them!’” So, are you ready to cater to the needs of the growing cadre of hog hunters? It starts with knowing some of the new “hogspecific” products.
Expanding OppOrtunitiEs Early last year, Winchester Ammunition launched its Razorback XT ammunition, promoting it as the first hogspecific ammunition. A wild hog can be an extremely difficult animal to take down, thanks to a thick, tough hide, a “shield” (a thick layer of scar tissue boars have below the skin that protects their chest and shoulder area), knotted muscles, and lots of hard bone. So Winchester engineers created Razorback XT using a one-piece non-lead bullet with a beveled profile and a deep hollowpoint for controlled expansion. Full expansion occurs shortly after impact, after the bullet has punched through the above-mentioned obstacles on its way to a hog’s vitals. Winchester Ammunition released its Razorback XT loads in .223 Remington and .308 Winchester, and the ammunition quickly became a top seller—including at Wulf ’s two Texas stores, where the XT in .223 was the star of the ammo department in 2012. “We have been incredibly pleased with how the first two Razorback XT loads were received,” says Winchester’s centerfire product manager, Mike Stock. “Their success really surpassed all of our expectations just a couple of months after their introduction. Obviously, this is why we are aggressively expanding the brand. I expect that the new offerings will be pleasant surprises as well.” True to Stock’s word, for 2013, Winchester has added XT in .270 Win., .30/06 Sprg., and 7.62x39mm; also new is a 12-gauge slug load and a handgun cartridge in the popular .44 Rem. Mag.
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the weAtherby X hog reAper iS eSSentiAlly A vAnguArd SerieS 2 wrApped in An unconventionAl cAmo pAttern deSigned to AppeAl to younger ShooterS. of note, thiS rifle iS guArAnteed to Shoot Sub-moA groupS when uSing weAtherby fActory or premium Ammo. AvAilAble cAliberS include .223, .243, 7mm-08, And .308.
Over the last couple of years, gun manufacturers have moved into the hog market—including Weatherby, which is offering the new Hog Reaper. The Hog Reaper is a version of the Weatherby Vanguard, with a shorter barrel (20 inches versus the Vanguard’s standard 24 inches) and a unique hog-skull camouflage pattern on the injection-molded composite stock. The rifle is available in .223 Rem., .243 Win., 7mm-08 Rem., and .308 Win. As for the very different camo on the stock? “Each year we see new, younger hunters getting their start by hog hunting,” Schwiebert says. “Our Vanguard Hog Reaper celebrates this new generation of hunters. It’s fresh, exciting, and certainly edgy.” Weatherby hopes it will appeal to twenty- and thirtysomething hunters, as well as more established sportsmen and -women who want a different look. There’s also Savage’s new Model 11/111 Hog Hunter, a no-frills, utilitarian pig killer, with a 20-inch barrel, a green synthetic stock, and Savage’s AccuTrigger. This Savage is made for tough hunting conditions, in all sorts of terrain and weather, and is available in .223 Rem., .308 Win., and .338 Win. The end of the barrel is threaded and suppressor-ready. Why suppressor threading? Well, suppressor use is growing around the nation (currently, some 39 states have made suppressors legal), and in many states hog hunting is specifically allowed with suppressors. Suppressors are also indicative of a growing subcategory of hog hunting—tactical hog hunting. In this case, “tactical” means the preferred
with eASt teXAS hogS doing huge AmountS of dAmAge to property, wulf outdoor SportS, with StoreS in center And AthenS, teXAS, decided to do Something About the problem. the reSult iS the wild hog roundup. lAunched in 2011, the roundup offerS cASh prizeS for vAriouS AchievementS (moSt hogS tAken by A roundup teAm, the lArgeSt boAr killed, etc.). for the 2012 roundup, wulf put together A whopping $28,000 in cASh prizeS. SponSorS included outdoorS mAnufActurerS underAmour, lAcroSSe bootS, And nikon opticS, AS well AS the city of center, teXAS, And A hoSt of locAl buSineSSeS. “the wild hog roundup iS our effort to put our cuStomerS, people who enJoy hunting And the outdoorS, into A Spirited And lucrAtive event thAt ultimAtely ServeS A bigger purpoSe—the eliminAtion of lArge numberS of deStructive ferAl hogS,” SAyS John bAll, ceo of wulf outdoor SportS. “AS A retAiler, it wAS importAnt for uS to reSpond to the hog problem in our AreA,” AddS virginiA Solgot, wulf’S mArketing director. “in teXAS, ferAl hogS do An eStimAted $400 million in direct dAmAge— every yeAr!” not only did 57 teAmS tAke more thAn 750 hogS during the 11-dAy event, the roundup further cemented wulf’S reputAtion AS the plAce to go in eASt teXAS for hog-hunting productS And SupplieS. bAll noteS thAt in 2013, the roundup Should be even bigger, with more SponSorS, more prize money, And rule chAngeS deSigned to encourAge even more pArticipAtion.
firearms are usually modern sporting rifles (MSRs), often tricked out with accessories like night lights, high-tech optics, and suppressors. Recognizing that many hog hunters were taking the tactical approach, ArmaLite re-issued its AR-10(T) rifle. “The AR-10(T) was in retirement from 2004 to 2010, when it was reintroduced as our ‘Hog Gun,’ with a forward assist,” says Arthur Steadman, ArmaLite’s communications director. “The combination of the target barrel’s accuracy, the lighter weight of that barrel’s carbine length, and its sleek no-snag build were great for taking it into the brush. The .308 caliber makes it powerful enough to take out the biggest pigs.” Rock River Arms has also targeted hog hunters with its new PRK-Ehide. A version of its popular LAR-Hunter series, the PRK-Ehide is a .223-caliber MSR with a smooth two-stage trigger, half-quad rails on a free-floating handguard, and a 16-inch chrome moly barrel with a 1 in 9 twist. The Ehide’s camo pattern was created using the digitized imagery of real hog hide. The pig-hide camo is anodized to the lower and upper receivers, the charging handle, the oversize trigger guard, and the quad half-rail.
LEt tHErE BE LigHt In those states where night hunting is legal, hog hunters can be found using everything from $6,000 night-vision and thermal-imaging scopes to handheld spotlights. Among the more popular— and, for the average hunter, affordable— options for night hunting are lights that attach to the rifle, bow, or scope. Usually, these illuminators employ a red
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or green LED light, as these colors are much less likely than a bright white light to scare off a hog. The better lights can reach out well beyond 100 yards into the dark. The demand for these lights is definitely on the upswing. Four years ago, to use just one example, Ernie Wynn started his own company making such lights, Nite Hunter Illumination Systems, initially based out of his house in Mountain Home, Texas. Atop a scope, on the rails of an MSR, or on a bracket for a compound bow or crossbow, the lights illuminate hogs out beyond 100 yards on the darkest of nights. Today, Wynn’s lights are sold by 200 retailers and two national distributors. “The last time I looked, 24 states allowed the use of artificial, weapons-mounted lights for hog, predator, and/or varmint hunting,” says Wynn. “Some carry certain caliber restrictions or require landowner permissions, things like that, so it’s always best for the hunter and the retailer to know their individual state and local laws before embarking on a night hunt or offering products for night hunting.” As a product group, these night lights work best in conjunction with a good-quality scope—a scope like the VX-R Hog 1.25– 4x20mm Hog Scope, introduced in 2011 by Leupold. The scope comes with Leupold’s exclusive Fire-Dot illuminated reticle, a red dot in the center of the crosshairs that can be intensified or shut off altogether. Leupold had help designing the scope from Brian “Pigman” Quaca, host of the popular Pigman: The Series television show. “Hogs are a fairly dark-colored animal, and a lot of the hunting for them is done in darker environments,” says Mundy. “So the hog hunters we heard from were very interested in an illuminated reticle. Brian Quaca helped us a good deal with that, too.” In 2012, Leupold also debuted the VX-R 1–4x20mm Hog Scope, a less-expensive model without an illuminated reticle. There’s also a vast and growing array of hog baits and attractants. Bagged corn is a favorite throughout Texas and the Southeast. A number of attractant manufacturers have entered the market, too. A hog’s best sense is its smell, and current lures include everything from fruit-flavored spray to hog urines. Some of the top products in this category include Hog Heaven and Pig Likkor by WildGame Innovations, Evolved Habitats’ Hog Wild Attractant, Tink’s Dominant Wild Boar Hog Lure, Code Blue Tusk Taker, and Wild Pig Sweet Fruit by Deer Quest.
MaxiMuM advantagE So, you want to get in on the hog-hunting market and have ordered a host of hog
products. That’s a good start. But how are you going to take maximum advantage of this opportunity? First, let your customers know you offer products designed for hog hunting. Doing so can be as easy as a few lines of text in your print advertisements or in-store flyers: “Hog Hunters! Check out our selection of new hog rifles, including….” “I think it’s important to call attention to the products,” says Mundy. “Don’t just place them here and there in your store, where they can get lost in the product mix. I tell retailers to put a number of hog-hunting products together into a display cap or a counter end. Put hog optics with hog ammo, with several other products that work well for hogs. Customers are trying to match products to their pursuits. Help them do that!” At Wulf Outdoor Sports, hog baits and attractants are big sellers. Solgot notes that Wulf ’s two stores move a lot of these products using large floor displays that feature 50-pound bags of corn on one end, plus vertical lines of liquid baits, powders, and similar products. Customers also like that each product has its own sign displaying the price for easier comparison shopping. Encourage your counterpeople to do some hog hunting themselves. As with any other hunt, the clerks who are actually in the field hog hunting are in a much better position to comment on and suggest products they have actually used. When customers are looking at hunting rifles, have your clerks inquire if hog hunting is in their future, and have them make recommendations accordingly. Consider, too, putting together a “hog hunter” combo package. “We’ve found that the shops that sell our night lights very well are the ones that mount them on a display rifle,” says Wynn. “We have some retailers who have been mounting them on the new ‘hog rifles’ and displaying them and selling them as a bundled rig—rifle, scope, and light system. I had a retailer in Louisiana doing this, and he sold out his first order of 10 lights all as combo bundles on rifles. Smart move!” Finally, help new hunters by running a hoghunting seminar in your store. You could also compile a list of local public lands where hog hunting is allowed, along with contact information, season dates, and any hunting restrictions. If you live in a state where hogs have become a real problem, contact your local agricultural extension office, too. It may well have a list of private property owners in need of hunters to trim back their pesky hogs. You the 57 teAmS in wulf outdoor may just find that such situations prove the SportS’ 2012 wild hog roundup truth of the adage, “One man’s trash is anothhArveSted more thAn 750 hogS. er man’s treasure.”
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THE INDUSTRY’S TRADE ASSOCIATION OFFERS A NEW, ELITE LEVEL OF SERVICE AND BENEFITS
BY PATRICK SHAY, NSSF DIRECTOR, RETAIL DEVELOPMENT
A
key to the success of the industry that SHOT Business addresses, and that the National Shooting Sports Foundation represents, is the firearms retailer. It is obvious that the more resources NSSF can provide to its retailer members, the more successful will be not only those members of the shooting, hunting, and outdoor trade, but also every other aspect of the chain that takes products from the manufacturer to the consumer. With this in mind, and to better fulfill its mission to promote, protect, and preserve hunting and the shooting sports, NSSF has launched a new tier of membership for retailers. Premium Retailer Membership is designed to offer the best protection and benefits in the industry to retailer members in good standing who hold a Federal Firearms License (FFL). At the heart of this program is an unlimited defense fund to help retailers protect their business against legal action taken by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to revoke their FFLs. NSSF will offer Premium Retailer Members access to a select list of the industry’s best firearms defense attorneys and pay all attorney fees during the pre-trial and trial process. A host of other great benefits are included in this enhanced retailer membership. “The NSSF has created the very best protection plan in the industry for the firearms retailer,” says Randy Clark, NSSF’s managing director of business development. “This membership plan provides all of the materials and compliance training and support that any firearms retailer will ever need to remain compliant at all levels within the industry.” AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2013 ❚ SHOT BUSINESS ❚ 49
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membership In addition to the unsurpassed levels of training and support in compliance, Premium Retailer Membership provides an attorney support group with no cap on fees, a VIP pass to the SHOT Show, and one ticket to SHOT Show University, as well as the affinity program benefits that NSSF offers. “Other programs are available to firearms retailers,” Clark says, “but we believe that NSSF Premium Retailer Membership is by far the most serviceoriented option for retailers in our industry. We say, ‘Protect your business with the best in the business.’” One of the most important services available to NSSF Premium Retail Members is a site visit from one of NSSF’s FFL Compliance Consultants, who will conduct a daylong audit of the store. The Compliance Consultant team is composed of retired ATF inspectors, each with more than 30 years of experience in the ATF, who have conducted and overseen literally thousands of FFL inspections. During the inspection, the consultant will
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An FFL Compliance Consultant will conduct a free audit of your store.
review firearms inventory, 4473 forms, and Acquisition and Distribution (A&D) books, similar to how the ATF would conduct an inspection during its store audits. At the end of the site visit, the consultant will provide a series of findings, listing any issues and guidance on how to correct them. The site visit costs $499 for NSSF retailer members, but such a visit is free for Premium Retailer Members.
NSSF Premium Retailer Members also have access to NSSF’s expert witnesses if their case should go to trial. Whether the member chooses one of the lawyers on NSSF’s list of top firearms attorneys or decides to be defended by another attorney, NSSF will provide, at no additional cost, access to expert witnesses who will be on call to testify on their behalf. These witnesses have a great wealth of knowledge and experience in court proceedings. Premium Retailer Members have access to a free 24/7 hotline where they can ask compliance questions. Furthermore, if the ATF is in your store conducting an audit, experts would be just a phone call away to provide information on what your rights are during an inspection. Premium Retailer Members also receive a copy of NSSF’s Compliance Compendium. This contains all of NSSF’s books, articles, and kits that help a store stay in legal compliance, including: A&D Book, 4473 Overlay (which helps prevent errors in the completion of the form), Don’t Lie for the Other Guy
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retailer kit, Take Stock DVD (which demonstrates best practices for taking store firearms inventory), Don’t Lie for the Other Guy counter mat, a complete set of operational manuals, and articles on “How to Conduct an Inventory Like the ATF,” “When You are Inspected,” and “Top 10 Inspection Findings and How to Correct Them.” In addition, Premium Retailer Members receive a number of NSSF research materials, including the Industry Reference Guide, Financial Benchmarking Report, and Firearms Retailer Survey. These reference tools should not only help ensure compliance, but also encourage success and continued growth. Working the aisles may be the main purpose of a retailer attending SHOT Show, but show veterans know that tremendous benefits can be attained off the show floor as well. With that in mind, NSSF is providing its Premium Retailer Members one ticket to SHOT Show University, the renowned educational event that educates retailers on
Premium Retailer Members get a free ticket to SHOT Show University.
the latest tactics and technology in marketing, merchandising, and compliance. Tickets to this perennially sold-out event usually cost NSSF members $250, but NSSF will provide a code for a free ticket to Premium Retailer Members. In addition, Premium Retailer Members will be granted free access to the VIP Member Lounge at the 2014 SHOT Show in Las Vegas. Of course, Premium Retailer Members receive all the benefits of regular retailer membership, including discounted shipping rates with FedEx, discounted installation rates for Celerant POS, discounted rates for Intellicorp background check
services, discounted rates for a FlashFog security system, discounted rates on PAI credit-card processing, and discounted rates on Display Solutions of Topeka firearms display cases. Cost for this enhanced annual membership is only $750 per year, with the additional bonus of free Premium Retailer Membership for 2014 for all NSSF members that upgrade in 2013. After reviewing the Premium Retailer Membership plan, Joe Keffer, owner of the Sportsman’s Shop in New Holland, Pennsylvania, and member of the NSSF Board of Governors, said, “For any retailer, large or small, this membership is a no-brainer. In view of the educational materials, access to the best firearms attorneys, and unlimited funding for defense, in case something does happen to your FFL, this is simply the best program for the money that is available to our industry.” For more information on Premium Retailer Membership, contact Bettyjane Swann, director, member services at bswann@nssf.org.
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W H AT ’ S S E L L I N G W H E R E
West
Arms, CA Alquist Turlock
With more than 600 guns in stock, this gun shop has seven employees and services a wide variety of hunters and shooters. “The California microstamping law has again sent business through the roof,” says owner Richard Alquist. “On weekends we can move more than 40 guns a day.” Semi-auto 12-gauge shotguns are selling; top movers are Benelli Vincis and Super Black Eagles, but Remington 870s are crossing the counter as well. Mossberg 500s are in high demand for home defense. Glock is the top handgun here, with Springfield XDs, in 9mm and .40, a strong second. Wilson Combat 1911s are moving nicely, too. Modern sporting rifles are still moving briskly. Smith & Wesson Smith M&Ps are holding the top spot pretty handily.
B Y P E T E R B . M AT H I E S E N
Four Corners WA General Store, Castle Rock
Just off of Interstate 5, Four Corners stocks a variety of general sporting goods, including a standing inventory of 500 guns. Knight muzzleloaders are selling best, led by the Bighorn Magnum. “Knight has really responded to our needs with an exposed breach gun. It’s accurate, the quality is nice, and the customers have really jumped on it,” says counter salesman Jarrod Leigh. Browning X-Bolts in .300 WSM are starting to move, and will likely be the top seller by late September, with the Ruger American close behind. MSR sales are slowing, but this retailer still turns two a week, mostly Smith M&Ps and DPMS. Pistol sales remain strong. Smith M&Ps hold the top spot, followed by Springfield XDMs in .45 and .40.
Midwest
Little Crow MN Shooting Sports, Hutchinson
Keeping nearly 1,000 guns on the shelf, this store is 50 miles west of metro Minneapolis. It has three full- and two part-time employees. “Ammo is getting easier to get,” says owner Jim Condon. “But powder is almost nonexistent. Rimfire ammo is also a big challenge.” Pre-fall shotgun sales are improving. Benelli Vincis, Browning Citoris, and Caesar Guerinis are all posting better numbers than last year. Boltaction rifles are starting to move. Here, Ruger 77s in .30/06 and Tikkas in .308 are posting the best numbers on this retailer’s sales board. Sales of MSRs continue to slow down. Bushmaster and DPMS are getting the most turns. Handguns have posted strong numbers all summer. Top movers
are Springfield XDMs in 9mm and .40. Ruger LCPs and LCRs are also moving well.
City, ND Gun Bismarck
Squeezing 1,200 guns into just 1,000 square feet, Gun City truly earns its name. Ruger LCPs in .380 and LCRs in 9mm are this shop’s two best sellers. “Sales are still so strong. I keep thinking that it should slow down, but it just hasn’t,” says owner Marlen Fried. To date, orders of MSRs are caught up and the store is seeing more price-sensitive sales, mostly with Smith M&P Sports. Bolt-action centerfire rifles are starting to sell, and Remington VTRs in .204 are attracting some attention. Ammo stock is not ideal, but is improving slightly. 9mm and .22 still sell out the day they arrive, however.
Rimfire and 9mm ammo are on backorder.
Firearms, OR Fox Grant’s Pass
This shop specializes in home defense, stocking an average of 500 guns in 1,200 square feet. The store opened a full-service website this year with a large inventory online. Rugers hold the high ground, led by LCRs and LC9s. Sales of Smith 642s are very strong as well. Ammo sales are brisk; some inventories are improving, but .22, 9mm, and .45 Long Colt are still scarce. “Our handgun sales are still higher than we expected, though we could sell a lot more Rugers if we could get them,” says owner Ray Stewart. MSR sales have fallen, down to about one every two weeks. Stewart reports good inventories of Smith M&Ps, Bushmasters, and ArmaLites.
Guns, MO H&H Warrenton
Stocking more than 500 guns along with a selection of Cowboy Action gear, this eastern Missouri storefront welcomes its customers with hot coffee. Handguns rule here: Ruger LCRs and LC9s share the numberone spot, but Colt 1911s and .40 Glocks aren’t far behind. “These new Glocks brought back overall Glock sales from some low numbers just a couple of years ago. They really have found a new niche with my customers,” says owner Mark Hale. Sales of MSRs have slowed, but H&H still turns an average of one a day. Rock River, DPMS, and Smith M&P 10s in .308 are most popular. Ammo stocks are improving, except for 9mm and .22. And industry-branded logo T-shirts are flying out the door, says Hale— mainly to female college students.
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W H AT ’ S S E L L I N G W H E R E
East
Vermont Field VT Sports, Middlebury
This small-town hunting and fishing shop keeps five full- and three part-timers busy while stocking nearly 1,000 firearms. Ammo rationing has continued, with .22 and 9mm almost impossible to find. “It’s really hard to sell a 9mm pistol when there’s no ammo for it,” says owner Richard Phillips. Yet, handgun sales are good. 9mm sales are split between Glock and M&P, which also sell well in .40 and .45. This summer’s top-selling boltaction has been the Browning X-Bolt in .300 Win. Mag. Customers heading west for elk and muleys are buying Winchester Model 70s in .30/06. Colt MSRs are in good inventory, turning an average of one a week. Upland bird season is approaching, so Browning Citoris in 12- and 20-gauges are just starting to move.
South
Paducah KY Shooters Supply, Paducah
This 11,000-square-foot facility carries an extensive shooting and reloading inventory, and includes an indoor archery and outdoor rifle/pistol range. August is dove time here. As a result, new Remington 877s, Winchester Super X3s, and Benelli Super Black Eagles are moving well. “We sell a lot of packaged rifles. Typically, we pair a Weatherby Range Certified Rifle with a Leupold VX-2 scope. Our customers love a pre-tested gun,” says manager Chance Clanahan. MSRs continue to move, but overall sales have definitely slowed since spring. An even mix of Bushmasters, DPMS, and Smith M&Ps are going out the door. Smith J-Frames continue to lead revolver sales, but Glock .40s and Ruger LCPs and LCRs remain strong.
Gun Shop, RI Kane’s North Kingstown
Spring Hill WV Rod & Gun, Charleston
With 2,000 square feet, this retailer brokers antique firearms while stocking new and used guns as well. “Ammo inventories are frustratingly low. Our customers want brands like CCI and Winchester, and they’re very difficult to get,” says vice president Sandy Kane. MSR sales are slowing, but Bushmasters and Stag Arms in .223 still see daily turns. Bolt-actions are picking up, and muzzleloaders are starting to sell in limited numbers. Sporting shotguns are turning— mostly Browning Citoris in 20 and 28 gauges. Home-defense shotguns are in high demand, but Remington and Mossberg stocks are low. Handguns are king here, with SIG 226s and K-Frame Smiths in .357 producing good numbers. Used Colt 1911s are hot, as are Glocks.
Stocking 800 guns, this general sporting goods retailer, located in metro Charleston, has seven employees. The store carries both archery and hunting gear, along with home defense. There’s even a taxidermist on site. “Our MSR sales have finally peaked, and inventory is catching up quickly,” says buyer Cuz Smith. M&Ps and DPMS top this category. Ammo, on the other hand, continues to be a real challenge to stock. Shotguns are slow, with just a few H&R .410s and 870 Expresses selling for squirrel season. Bolt-actions are picking up, mostly Ruger 77s and some Remington 700s in .270. Handgun sales are brisk; Smith M&P compacts in 9mm rule, with and Springfield XDs and XDMs in 9mm and .45 vying for second.
Ammo availability hasn’t improved, and powder and primer inventories have been difficult to maintain.
Woods and AL Waters, Tuscaloosa
Buffalo TX Sporting Goods, Buffalo This full-line reloading, guns, and ammo retailer stocks more than 600 firearms in 3,300 square feet. “We’ve had to call in every favor possible, but we actually have a strong selection of hard-toget ammo, although we still ration,” says president Archie Van Wey. Demand for handguns has stayed high, so Van Wey is keeping strong inventories of 1911s and polymer pistols. Springfield XDs and XDMs and Glocks in .40 are all pulling high numbers. There’s been an increase in any revolver with a 2-inch barrel. MSR sales tumbled from more than 10 per week to four or five, with Bushmaster at the top.
This large independent mixes storefront sales with a growing Web business that inventories 3,000 products. “Handgun stocks have improved in the last 60 days, but .22 and .22 Mag. are still in short supply. Other ammo stocks, however, are improving,” says counter salesman Cody Crawford. Glocks and Smith M&Ps are dead even for top slot handgun, but Ruger LCPs and LCRs are seeing strong turns as well. Kimbers are also garnering more attention than usual. MSR sales have slowed to about a rifle a day. Bushmaster and DPMS pull the best numbers, but Remington SPSs in .308 are just starting to heat up. Shotguns are improving daily, with Benelli M2s and Super Black Eagles holding the best pre-teal season sales.
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Good stuff
by Chris Christian
Big Lights, Small Package
A
Blackhawk’s compact Night-Ops fashlights deliver state-of-the-art illumination
dvances in LED technology are changing the way we view flashlights today. Not only are these high-tech LED lights delivering increased illumination levels, but they are doing so from significantly smaller units. A pair of Blackhawk Night-Ops models I was recently introduced to are excellent examples of these state-of-the-art illumination tools. The Legacy L-2A2 ($99.99) measures 7.3 inches in length and weighs only 6.8 ounces. Powered by two inexpensive, and readily available, AA batteries, it produces 200 lumens at the maximum power setting. The Legacy L-6V ($119.99) measures 6.1 inches and tips the scales at 8.70 ounces. With a pair of CR123A lithium batteries, it produces a blinding 570 lumens at max power. Both lights are constructed from aircraftgrade aluminum with a hard-anodized finish and feature a 1.26-inch bezel with a 1-inch-diameter body. They are easily mounted as firearm lights via a Blackhawk offset rail mount. You also have the option of slipping either light into a pocket or belt carrier, or carrying it in your hand. Each is waterproof to one meter. Both feature an endcap momentary-depress putton for short bursts; you simply push farther for continuous on. A five-position positivedetent rotating switch on the end cap provides quick access to a fullpower strobe setting, as well as power settings of one-quarter, one-half, or full power. The fifth position is a positive off switch for secure stor-
age or transport. The variable power levels are a welcome feature, especially on the L-6V. At full power, its 570 lumens can be blinding in enclosed spaces, but it can be dialed down to 220 lumens, or a softer 20 lumens for closer work. The L-2A2
lumens from the L-2A2 were more than enough. Some in our group, using the L-6V, had to use the half-power setting to avoid being overcome by the light reflecting off the walls. When I returned home to Florida, I decided to see just what
feet away from a white 8-by-10-inch hanging plate that contrasts sharply with the berm.
Light ’Em Up When zero dark thirty arrived, I grabbed both lights and an unloaded rifle with a 2.5X 40mm
Selling tip
With the high light levels produced by small batteries, runtimes are not lengthy. The L-2A2 claims 90 minutes at full power; the L-6V delivers 120 minutes. Runtimes are significantly increased at lower power settings, but make sure to remind the customer that carrying a spare set of batteries is a wise idea.
The Legacy L-2A2 (bottom) produces 200 lumens. The Legacy L-6V (top) produces 570 lumens at maximum power.
offers similar powerratio reductions, making both lights effective multipurpose tools.
Half Power During my initial exposure, I ran through an unlit shoot house at night, and the 200
they would do outside. The firing range on my property features an 8-foot berm built from clay sand. Its color is only slightly lighter than a buff-colored IDPA target, and there is little contrast between the two. I stapled up an IDPA target about 20
scope featuring heavy, non-illuminated Duplex crosshairs. I didn’t mount the lights on the rifle—I just held them along the forearm. I wanted to see at what range the lights would clearly identify the target and provide a crisp and positive sight picture
through the scope. A stationary object blending into the surrounding background is effectively camouflaged, and defining it clearly is a good test of illumination. At 100 yards, both lights made the white plate glow, and an accurate shot would have been easy. I suspect I could have lit it up at twice that distance. But the camouflaged IDPA target could not be clearly seen. I slowly moved forward, and at 60 yards the Legacy L-6V’s 570 lumens clearly defined it and provided a crisp crosshair sight picture. When I reached 40 yards, the AA-powered Legacy L-2A2 lit it up as well. During my military days, I spent time as a patrol dog handler on nuclear-weapons security duty and carried a heavy, five-D-cell Maglite on night perimeter patrols. Time may have dimmed my memory, but I don’t remember the Maglite having enough power to find that camouflaged target at 40 yards. But I do remember that it darn sure wouldn’t have fit in my pocket! If you need a lot of brightness from a small package, these lights are the ticket. (800-6945263; blackhawk .com)
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NEW PRODUCTS (Continued from page 60)
Huntworth’s Arsenal gloves are lightweight and durable, with breathable palms.
Huntworth Hunting on warm fall days requires light gear that still pulls its weight. The new Arsenal from Huntworth is part of the Sensor Series hunting glove lineup, and it’s been
designed to over-deliver in every way. Constructed with a bird’s-eye mesh on the back of the hand and a durable triplelayer palm, the Arsenal is both lightweight and rugged. The back of the glove is waterresistant and the palm is breathable and water-resistant, enabling the glove to easily shed moisture and light snow. A silicon print on the palm provides a sure grip on your firearm no matter what the weather. The seamless, wraparound fingertip construction allows an ultra-sensitive feel, while the index finger and thumb feature touch tips, making it possible to use a touchscreen device without the hassle of removing your gloves. Add to all this precurved fingers and a hook-andloop adjustable closure on the cuff, and you have a glove that fits like a second skin. Available in Huntworth’s
exclusive camo pattern, Oak Tree EVOTM. SRP: $24.99. (952-442-8652; huntworthgear.com)
Living Essentials It’s hard to maintain focus when you have to sit quietly for hours in a treestand or a ground blind. To help hunters keep that all-important edge, Living Essentials is releasing Sour Apple Extra Strength 5-Hour Energy shots in a camouflage wrapper. The small bottles make for easy packing in a pocket or vest, and the 2-ounce capacity of each shot provides needed energy without a lot of extra liquid that can create distracting “nature” breaks. The product is also designed to be an impulse POS sale.
SRP: $15.99, package of six. (5hourenergy.com)
HWI Gear The new line of HWI Gear tactical gloves has just the touch for use with tablet computers and smartphones. These touchscreen gloves feature special TouchTool fingertips on the digits to allow users to text and type. The Unlined Touchscreen Duty Glove features an abrasion-resistant, 100 percent washable synthetic leather shell combined with a breathable fabric back and touchscreen leather in the thumb, index, and 5-Hour Energy with a camo wrap— perfect for the POS impulse sale.
Why have stock when you can offer a racing model?
SUPER STOCK
Convenient storage of two magazines in stock.
Optional monopod conceals in pistol grip.
There’s stock... and then there’s super stock—the TacStar Adaptive Tactical M4 Stock is the fastest way for your customers to upgrade their Ruger 10-22® from standard to a tactical racing machine in one easy, no gunsmithing, do-it-yourself step. The TacStar’s fully adjustable buttstock fits a wide range of shooters and is equipped with two, handy storage compartments for standard Ruger magazines. In addition, the TacStar stock features a barrel insert to accept standard or .920 bull barrels, as well as a reversible rail in the forend of the stock for easy mounting of Picatinny accessories, and an optional monopod that conceals in the pistol grip for additional
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Barrel insert adapts standard or bull (target) barrels.
Reversible Picatinny rail mount conceals in forend.
stability. The Adaptive Tactical M4 is available in black or a variety of camo patterns too: Legends, Muddy Girl, or Kryptek Highlander. Give your customers the option to take their reliable 10-22® into the fast lane with the TacStar M4 Adaptive Tactical Stock!
A Lyman Brand.
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NEW PRODUCTS apparel (L1) is ideal for moderate weather; L2 and L3 items introduce insulation and protection from the elements. The new L3 rainjacket (available in Realtree Xtra) and pants (available in Realtree Xtra and AP) are made from breathable, fourway stretch polyester. The pants have an elastic waistband with expanded fit, belt loops, and a zip-front fly. The jacket includes a rear-adjusted, draw-cord hood with visor, elastic cuffs, and a drop-tail back for additional protection. SRP: $99.99, jacket; $119.99, pants. (740-7539100; rockyboots.com)
SRT Arms The proprietary Can-Lock flash hider mount from SRT Arms for .223 suppressors is a true QD mount with a positive locking feature. With just a quarter turn on the bayonet mount, this system requires no O-rings, springs, or pistons; a metal-tometal cone seal keeps the high-pressure gases out of the critical part of the mount to further ensure that carbon deposits won’t get into the locking lug. The Can-Lock mount features a lockup lug angle so that high pressures cause the mount to lock up tight, rather than unscrew. The spring-loaded safety latch is also user-serviceable, should a spring ever need to be replaced. (928-567-2588;
Go to: www.ShotBusiness.com for free info.
srtarms.com)
Rocky Athletic Mobility’s L3 rainjacket and pants are the latest additions to the all-weather layering system.
middle fingertips. The ergonomic “contour cut” promises to reduce hand fatigue while enhancing comfort. Spacer material helps keep hands cool, while the stretch polyester is provided over the knuckle. The KTS100 Touchscreen Hard Knuckle Glove is part of HWI Gear’s Touch Extreme series, and offers a rugged premium Clarino synthetic leather palm, along with special hard knuckle and finger padding. The neoprene cuff and hook-andloop closure provide a secure, snug fit. (805-646-3879; hwigear.com)
Rocky Brands Rocky Athletic Mobility was introduced in 2012 as an athletic-inspired hunting system with layered options for any conditions. The base layer, footwear, and
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Liberty Safe In cooperation with Elertus Cloud Services, Liberty Safe has devised a portable and wireless alarm system designed to increase the security of firearm storage. SafElert is a compact (3-by-2-by-1-inch) wireless communications device that can be deployed in any existing safe. It will notify you if your safe is jarred, hit, pried, moved, opened, or overheated. In addition, the system will even automatically send you a weekly humidity report from the inside of the safe. The alarm and reports are sent as texts or e-mails through a WiFi system and received via e-mail messaging and cell/ smartphone via Elertus Cloud services. And if any of those systems fail, SafElert will even notify you of that failure event when it checks in every hour. It even notifies you when the batteries are getting low. You can have up to five people receive this information. SRP: $199. Wireless communication fee is $39.95 per year. (800-2475625; libertysafe.com)
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Leatherman’s Cam multi-tool is specifically designed for bow maintenance; two others handle shotguns and rifles.
Leatherman Tool Group When Leatherman Tool Group acquired Seattle-based PocketToolX, the idea was to develop tools that had the functionality and dependability of Leatherman, but fewer working parts, which would allow the tools to come to market faster. Now, the first such tools—the Cam, the Pump, and the Rail—are making an appearance. The Cam has been specifically designed for bow maintenance, the Pump for shotguns, and the Rail for rifles. Features include sightadjustment tools, a broadhead wrench, and choke tube adjustment tools, all built of 100 percent stainless steel. SRP: $35 to
$45. (503-253-7826; leatherman.com)
GSM Outdoors The Cyclops Orbis handheld spotlight uses a 3-watt LED bulb to create a bright 140lumen light. Made of durable ABS plastic housing, the light is equipped with a swivel handle for a comfortable grip. The Orbis is powered by a 4V rechargeable battery, but the kit also includes a home AC charger and 12V DC charger that can be used in an automobile, so you never have to worry about running out of power. SRP: $29.99.
Traditions Performance Firearms The Frontier Series of Pietta 1873 single-action revolvers is available in several calibers, as well as three barrel lengths: 4.75, 5.5, and 7.5 inches. All have steel frames, but the selection of available finishes include color-case-hardened,
blued, and nickel. Grip options are walnut and white PVC. All models come with a transfer bar safety system. The Rawhide Series offers single-action shooters quality and features at a more affordable price. The revolver’s matte-black finish is attractive and corrosionresistant. (860-388-4656; traditionsfirearms.com)
(877-269-8490; gsmoutdoors.com)
GSM’s Cyclops Orbis creates 140 lumens from its LED.
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NEW PRODUCTS
PHOTO BY LUKE NILSSON
Garmin
The Fenix looks like a watch, and it tells time like a watch, but it’s far more than just a timepiece. It’s also a GPS unit, with the ability to store up to 1,000 waypoints and record an electronic bread-crumb trail when you’re on the move. In addition, the Fenix contains an altimeter, a barometer, and a compass. The built-in rechargable battery provides up to 50 hours of operation in GPS mode, and six weeks in watch mode. SRP: $400. (800-800-1020; garmin.com) (Continued on page 57)
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NUMEROUS FEATURES.
Welcome to the closest bond yet between hand and gun. Between grip and control. Between fit and performance. With three interchangeable palmswell grips including a new textured grip, and multiple ambidextrous features, the M&P Pro Series is truly tailored to you.
FIND THE RIGHT M&P FOR YOU AT SMITH-WESSON.COM
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we only make guns we want to shoot
and we’re damn near impossible to please.
Advancing the 1911 by hand in North Carolina. With breakthroughs like our premium application of an Ionbond® finish, oversized extractor and double-stack, high-capacity capability, PARA craftsmen are improving John Browning’s design like no one else on earth. Our pistols are built by hand, with precision, for a lifetime of hard use.
©2013 RA BRAnds, LLC.
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