What’s in Stock?

Ammo stocks have finally, for the most part, stabilized. What can dealers expect from ammo manufacturers for the rest of the year?

This issue you’ll notice a decided focus on ammunition. We start with a review by Brad Fitzpatrick of new ammo. As he notes, the pandemic wreaked havoc on ammo supplies and production, both of which were exacerbated by unprecedented demand as millions of new gun owners joined our ranks. “The market has stabilized some, though it’s likely to be a while yet before all store shelves are fully stocked with a full array of loads for every application,” he says. “Nevertheless, many ammunition manufacturers have caught up with demand to a point where they are launching some new products. There are only a couple of new cartridge launches, but there is a variety of new hunting, defense, and target loads from various manufacturers.”

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Fitzgerald also says that many of this year’s new products expand on trends we’ve seen during the last several years. Long-range hunting and shooting remain popular, as do projectiles with high ballistic coefficients and aerodynamic designs. On the shotgun side, the demand for premium high-density nontoxic loads continues to grow, and concealed carry and self-defense handgun loads remains popular. Here, the 9mm remains king.

Many retailers are answering customer inquiries regarding the pros and cons of the .380 versus the 9mm for personal defense. To help your staff answer those questions, SHOT Business commissioned Richard Mann to assess the merits of each. It should surprise no one that the 9mm comes out on top, but the .380 is nonetheless a valuable round for customers who are especially recoil sensitive. The smaller .380 is also a choice for users who prefer a handgun suitable for “ultra-deep concealment.”

He also discusses the suitability of the .45 Auto for personal defense. Although he acknowledges its mythical reputation for stopping bad guys because it offers a substantial terminal performance advantage, it nonetheless “is just too difficult for the average citizen to shoot fast and accurately.”

That assessment reminded me of a discussion I had with a retailer many years ago. A new customer walked through the door one morning and said he wanted to buy a .45 for personal protection.

The dealer asked, “Have you ever fired a .45?”

“No.”

This store had an indoor range, so the dealer placed the .45 in the customer’s hands and told him to try it. After the trigger was pulled, the customer said, “Wow! This kicks a lot, doesn’t it?”

“Yes, it does. Would you like to try something else?”

In the end, the customer settled on the far-softer shooting .38 Special.

This dealer did the smart thing by spending the time to match the customer to the ammo platform that best suited his shooting abilities. And that’s called customer service.

Slaton L. White, Editor

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