http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/RSS.ashxShooting Industry February 2009 PagesWed, 11 Feb 2009 19:31:27 +0100http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=1http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=1SUCCEEDING IN TOUGH TIMES, p. 18 FEBRUARY 2009 AMMUNITION After Buying Frenzy SELLING Money There’s In In Reloading! p. 24 www.shootingindustry.com Circle No. 217 on Inquiry Card2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=2http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=2Squeeze out more accuracy. Until now, even the best rifle stocks have been attached to actions along a single vertical plane. The new AccuStock from Savage actually clamps down on the action vertically, horizontally and front to back. This revolutionary 3D Bedding System literally squeezes more accuracy out of the whole rifle. In fact, on some of our test guns, it squeezed out as much as 50 percent better accuracy. So it’s not just a better rifle stock, it’s a better Savage. Circle No. 224 on Inquiry Card savagearms.com2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=3http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=3Circle No. 219 on Inquiry Card2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=4http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=4Succeeding In Tough Times Page 18 FEBRUARY 2009 • VOLUME 54 • NUMBER 02 Features 24 28 35 39 Getting A Jump On 2009 NASGW Expo Productive, Critical To Industry’s Business. Ray Oeltjen Self-Defense Sales Has The Wave Peaked? No! It’s Growing. John Morrison Selling Ammunition Carolee Anita Boyles These Six Tips Will Help You Continue Sales After The Buying Frenzy! There’s Money In Reloading! Ray Oeltjen High Ammo Prices, Technology Combine For A Reloading Resurgence. Page 24 Industry News 8 SHOT Show Signals Positive Start For 2009. 10 Bear Enthusiast Announces New Client Offer. 11 FNH USA Announces Consumer Promotions. Columns 16 Page 28 Lethal Force Keep Your Displays Full, Even During Panic Buying. Massad Ayoob 18 20 22 Outdoor Marketplace Succeeding In Tough Times. Ray Oeltjen Arms And The Woman Browning Maxus Tames The Recoil Beast. Lisa Parsons-Wraith Back Blast & Other Hot Gases It’s Just My Hood Ornament, Officers. Commander Gilmore Page 35 46 Industry Watch A Good Start To 2009. Russ Thurman Departments 6 Letters 40 Reader Service 43 45 New Products Classifieds Page 39 4 FEBRUARY 2009 SHOOTING INDUSTRY® (ISSN 0037-4148) is published monthly by Publishers’ Development Corporation at 12345 World Trade Dr, San Diego, CA 92128. Periodical Class Postage paid at San Diego, CA 92128, and at additional mailing offices. Subscription $25 yearly in U.S.A. Single copies $3 (except for the December SHOT SHOW issue, $25). Change of address: Four weeks notice required on all changes. Send old address as well as new. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: SHOOTING INDUSTRY® 12345 World Trade Dr, San Diego, CA 92128. PRINTING SERVICES/PREPRESS: Democrat Printing Company. CONTRIBUTORS submitting manuscripts, photographs or drawings, do so at their own risk. Material cannot be returned unless accompanied by sufficient postage. PAYMENT will be made at rates current at time of publication and will cover reproduction in any or all of the editions of SHOOTING INDUSTRY®. OPINIONS expressed in bylined articles or columns are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the magazine or its staff. Copyright© 2008 by Publishers' Development Corporation. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of any portion of this magazine without written permission is prohibited. Read SI DIGITAL www.shootingindustry.com2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=5http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=5Performance. SINCE 1955 — THE INDUSTRY’S BUSINESS MAGAZINE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Thomas von Rosen, CEO; Thomas Hollander, Randy Moldé, Marjorie Young Russ Thurman PUBLISHER & EDITOR EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Roxanne Smith ART DIRECTOR Eric Tse ART ASSISTANT Andy Loy PRODUCTION MANAGER Dennaye Cusick Anita Carson Steve Evatt, Jeff Morey, Delano Amaguin, Scott McGregor PROMOTIONS DIRECTOR Randy Moldé PROMOTIONS COORDINATOR Lorinda Massey ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Massad Ayoob Shari LeGate John Morrison Carolee Anita Boyles Ray Oeltjen Lisa Parsons-Wraith Deformance. When performance counts, count on Barnes! The Tipped TSX™ expands instantly on contact, even on thin-skinned game. Deadly on whitetail deer, but won’t break up on heavy bones of the largest, toughest game. Pass-through penetration for massive damage and loss of blood. Conventional bullets deform, becoming blunt blobs of lead that penetrate poorly and can disintegrate on game. • Higher B.C. • Proven accuracy • 100% lead-free • Rapid expansion • Complete penetration • Full weight retention • Available in factory loads ™ FMG PUBLICATIONS Publisher & Editor: Roy Huntington Advertising: Delano Amaguin americancopmagazine.com Publisher & Editor: Roy Huntington Advertising: Steve Evatt americanhandgunner.com Editor: Jeff John Advertising: Jeff Morey gunsmagazine.com Triple-Shock is a registered trademark of Alliant Techsystems Inc. The Barnes Tipped TSX ™ – Accept No Imitations. Special Editions Editor: Sammy Reese Advertising: Scott McGregor fmgpublications.com CUSTOMER SERVICE SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES . . . . . . 858.605.0250 EXPRESS SERVICE . . . . . www.shootingindustry.com General Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . Click: Contact Us EDITORIAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 858.605.0243 PRODUCTION www.barnesbullets.com • 1-800-574-9200 Contact Barnes Bullets for a free catalog. Mention this magazine ad and get a free Barnes Bullets decal! Circle No. 202 on Inquiry Card www.shootingindustry.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . russ@shootingindustry.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 858.605.0202 . . . . . . . . . production@shootingindustry.com 12345 World Trade Dr., San Diego, CA 92128 858•605•0209 or 866•972•4545, FAX: 858•605•0211 National Advertising: Glock / Kel-Tec Dealers Fax FFL for catalog Fingertip Extensions also fits many other small pistols in .22, .25, .32, and .380 calibers. General Counsel/Legal Affairs Steele N. Gillaspey Kel-Tec / Bersa PRODUCED IN THE U.S.A. cherer upplies Inc 205 Four Mile Creek Rd. Taxewell Tn, 37879 M-1 Garand One Shot FAX 423-733-2073 Adapter Circle No. 225 on Inquiry Card S Slug Plug #5 for The New Glock® Model 21SF www.shootingindustry.com FEBRUARY 2009 52009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=6http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=6No company enjoys facing a recall of a product, but when it happens, the service provided can damage a reputation or, done right, ensure future sales. This letter from a reader of our sister magazine, American Handgunner, illustrates doing it right. I called Ruger, followed the instructions, sent the LCP in on Tuesday and got it back the next Tuesday — next day air, both ways, pre-paid. The LCP was overhauled, upgraded and returned with the new finger-rest magazine and a Ruger LCP hat. Wow! Frank E. Peters Stevensville, Mont. Via: American Handgunner I look forward to “Back Blast & Other Hot Gases” every month. In fact, while my son was in Iraq, I would send him copies every month just so he would have a laugh or two. It appears that you have not noticed that it is Nov. 11 and your last posting of Ruger Recall Back Blast is September. That’s not funny! Greg Via: russ@shootingindustry.com We’re delighted to hear you enjoy “Back Blast & Other Hot Gases” and that you sent them to your son in a war zone to brighten his day. And, we agree, not posting “Back Blast” on our Web site would not be funny. The latest “Back Blast” is on Shooting Industry’s Web site, wwwshootingindustry. com. It’s likely the reason you can’t “see” it is because of a thamtic reverget figeroustion. This often happens when there’s a slip in the transfationic postenion. This is easy to correct. First, stand on one leg, close your left eye and whistle the third verse of Beethoven’s No. 5 Emperor Concerto. That ought to do it. Actually, I don’t have the slightest idea why you can’t see “Back Blast,” or what I just wrote — consider that I’ve been editing Commander Gilmore’s writing for 15 years. That explains a lot. I suggest you “refresh” the Web page Where’s Back Blast? once you’re on the Shooting Industry site. That, really, should do it. To make it even easier for you to receive Commander Gilmore’s monthly munchies of mischief and mayhem, sign up for a free subscription to Shooting Industry’s all-digital edition. Sign onto the Web site and click on “FREE: Sign Up For Digital Subscription” in the upper right-hand corner of the homepage. Once you’ve done that, you’ll receive an e-mail notifying you when the next issue of Shooting Industry has been posted, along with a hotlink that will take you directly to the all-digital edition. The all-digital editions are extremely popular, especially since everyone can now receive their own copy of the magazine, avoiding the frustrating, “Okay, who took Shooting Industry?” By the way, all this new digital stuff is due in great part to our harnessing of the bypin digricon gimtictic. Enjoy. 9 E-mail the Editor russ@shootingindustry.com 6 FEBRUARY 2009 Circle No. 201 on Inquiry Card Read SI DIGITAL www.shootingindustry.com2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=7http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=7ANNOUNCING THE 2009 FNH USA PISTOL PACK PROMOTION GET YOUR 2009 FN PISTOL PACK. Just buy a 2009 FNH USA Pistol Pack Promotion that consists of the following FN pistols in any available model: FNP-45 Pistol Five-seveN Pistol FNP-9 Pistol FNP-40 Pistol GET YOUR FREE FNP-9 or FNP-40! For each qualifying 2009 FNH USA Pistol Pack Promotion you order, you will receive your choice of either one FREE FNP-40 pistol with three magazines (Part numbers 47833, 47832, 47835 or 47834) or one FREE FNP-9 pistol with three magazines (Part numbers 47829, 47828, 47831 or 47830). That’s a $500 retail value and it’s yours ABSOLUTELY FREE! FNP-9 Pistols FNP-40 Pistols The 2009 FNH USA Pistol Pack Promotion has been created to help drive your retail sales of FN products, increase consumer visibility for the FNH USA brand and add REAL PROFITABILITY to your business. CALL YOUR FNH USA COMMERCIAL DISTRIBUTOR TODAY TO PLACE YOUR FNH USA PISTOL PACK PROGRAM ORDER! Become an FNH USA Dealer today by calling (703) 288-1292 or visit www.fnhusa.com for a free catalog and a list of registered FNH USA Commercial Distributors. Terms and Conditions: Offer is only available to FFL retailers located in the United States of America. All 2009 FNH USA Pistol Pack Promotion purchases must be made through a single FNH USA authorized distributor between January 1, 2009 and September 30, 2009. Dealers located in jurisdictions that restrict or prohibit specific products included in these dealer packages should contact FNH USA regarding alternate qualifying products. All qualifying FNH USA Dealers will forward copies of distributor invoices and their signed FFL to FNH USA’s sales office no later than October 15, 2009 to qualify for their free FNP-9 or FNP-40 as noted above. All documentation should be sent via U.S. Mail to: FNH USA, 2009 Pistol Pack promotion Program, PO Box 697, McLean, VA 22101. Please contact the FNH USA sales office at (703) 288-1292 if you have any further questions. Circle No. 209 on Inquiry Card www.fnhusa.com2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=8http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=8Succeeding In Tough Times — page 18 SHOT Show Signals Positive Start For 2009 Bill Brassard, NSSF uyers, exhibitors and media from around the globe converged on Orlando for the shooting, hunting and outdoor industry’s largest trade show, the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s (NSSF) SHOT Show. Though many trade shows have seen a decline in attendance, SHOT Show attendance remained strong this year, rising 3 percent when compared to its last visit to Orlando in 2007. According to preliminary figures, this year’s show attracted 25,384 attendees, 22,098 exhibiting personnel and a record 1,425 members of the media for a total attendance of 48,907. “This has been a tremendously successful show from a number of standpoints,” said NSSF President Steve Sanetti. “Exhibitors and buyers were very upbeat, the products sold well, and I’d say the industry begins 2009 with a sense of cautious optimism in this challenging economy.” The show, held Jan. 15-18 at Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center, comprised 715,000 square feet of exhibit space, with 1,800 exhibiting companies. Business was brisk on the floor throughout the show, according to exhibiting companies and retailers. B “It’s been a good show, and, in fact, it’s been above my expectations,” said Phil Murray of Houston-based clay target maker White Flyer. “It’s really exciting to see so many people being so positive about the industry. It is very encouraging for the rest of the year.” Not only was total attendance up from the last Orlando show, but also the number of buyers increased 5 percent. “Our meeting rooms were booked, and “I’d say the industry begins 2009 with a sense of cautious optimism in this challenging economy.” camo patterns and with some of the innovation in rifles that I have seen. I never was at a SHOT Show before, and I am awed by the size of the show and the number of people in attendance. The concentrated energy of the industry is exciting to witness.” High-tech rifles and handguns have seen a recent jump in sales heading into 2009. “It’s been a good show,” said Scott Grange of Browning. “With all of the interest in high-tech arms, it’s good to see that the interest in our overand-under shotguns was also up. The SHOT Show specials we laid out for retailers were very well received. The success here has helped position us for the expected upturn in the economy.” New products highlight the Steve Sanetti, NSSF President show’s offerings each year, which is one reason attendees say the show is always a can’tthe quality of the buyers at the show was miss event. very good. We saw good volume in our “The most important reason for anyone law enforcement booths, and we’re very to come to the SHOT Show is to see the pleased with the media turnout,” said Al latest and greatest,” said Ken Jorgensen of Russo of Remington Arms Co. Sturm, Ruger & Co. “They’re going to see First-time buyers were impressed with the new products that they may not hear or the new products and the size of the show. read about for weeks or months.” “I came to see what was new, and I absoRevenue raised at the SHOT Show lutely have,” said Bruno Leone, salesman at funds NSSF’s many programs and serAflaherty’s Outdoor Store in Toronto, Can- vices that promote, protect and preserve ada. “I have been impressed with the new hunting and the shooting sports. Smith & Wesson Announces Second Quarter Results S mith & Wesson Holding Corp. has released its financial results for its second fiscal quarter. Sales for the three months ending Oct. 31, 2008, were $72.7 million, a 2.8 percent increase over the quarter ending Oct. 31, 2007. A net loss for the second fiscal quarter of $76.2 million, compared with a net income of $2.9 million for the comparable 2007 quarter. Excluding the write down of $76.5 million for the purchase of Thompson/Center Arms, income would have been approximately $245,000, S&W reports. Total firearms sales were $67.5 million, an increase of 2.6 percent, over the second quarter of 2007. P2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=9http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=9Circle No. 228 on Inquiry Card2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=10http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=10Bear Enthusiast Announces New Client Offer ear Enthusiast Marketing Group announces a new VIP (Very Important Partner) offer. Any new client that signs on with the agency by March 1, 2009, will receive $500 off an initial marketing project, including creative design, art production, copywriting and public relations services. According to Bear, the program is a way for the company “to do its part to help invigorate the industry during these challenging economic times.” Bear says it hopes the offer will encourage companies to continue to promote their brands and protect everyone’s interests by sustaining the industry. “While this may seem like a time to be ultra-conservative, savvy companies are realizing that this is actually the perfect time to gain market share and be aggressive in positioning their companies and brands for future growth,” Bear points out in its announcement. “It really starts with the manufacturer. When companies invest in strategic marketing initiatives, such as new packaging, logo design, advertising, catalogs or public relations programs, it helps them move products and services, which, in turn, ultimately helps the industry,” said agency president Bruce Bear. “We’re proud to do our part by launching our new VIP program to stimulate success and growth in the industry, and make it easy for companies to gain greater visibility within it.” For more information, call (805) 371-7950 or visit www.bearemg.com. B Centilla Inks Distribution Deal With Systema C entilla Corp. of Exeter, N.H., announces the signing of an exclusive North American distribution agreement with Systema of Japan to sell, service and distribute Systema’s Professional Training Weapons (PTW) and accessories. The PTW family of products are simulated training weapons, with true weight and dimensions, for law enforcement and military use. The PTW is based on advanced airsoft technology. For more information on Centilla Corp., visit www.centilla.net. For more on Systemna, visit www.systema-gov.com. HOT RUGER DEALS! NEW VAQUERO COWBOY FAST DRAW ASSOCIATION SPECIAL EDITION 22 CHARGER WITH BIPOD EXCLUSIVE 22 CHARGER WITH BIPOD EXCLUSIVE EXCLUSIVE This high-gloss stainless steel New Vaquero comes with the “old-style” Vaquero hammer, giving fast draw shooters a time-saving advantage by providing a more natural fit for this style of shooting. Only 1,000 of these models will be produced and they will bear a special serial number sequence in honor of the Cowboy Fast Draw Association. Item # 5124 Caliber 45 LC Sights Fixed Front Blade Capacity 6 BBL 4 5/8” $ 43999 Long-range small game and target shooting has always been a challenge for .22 rimfire shooters. Now the new Ruger 22 Charger™ provides a rock-steady platform for those challenging shots. This unique version featuring a red and black laminate stock is available exclusively from Davidson’s. Item # 4908 Caliber 22 LR Sights None Capacity 10+1 BBL 10” $ 25999 $ The time-tested Ruger 10/22® action and its superbly reliable rotary magazine have been paired with a warp-proof, ergonomically designed pistol stock and a precision-adjustable bipod. This unique version featuring a purple and black laminate stock is available exclusively from Davidson’s. Item # 4907-RUG Caliber 22 LR Sights None Capacity 10+1 BBL 10” 25999 Don’t miss out on these great deals, supplies are limited to quantities on hand. www.davidsonsinc.com 800-367-4867 Circle No. 208 on Inquiry Card CALL TODAY Does Davidson’s GuaranteeD Lifetime Replacement make that much of a difference? I T W I L L W H E N YO U N E E D I T ! 10 FEBRUARY 2009 Read SI DIGITAL www.shootingindustry.com2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=11http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=11FNH USA Announces Consumer Promotions NH USA has launched two promotions to boost its 2009 sales. Customers who purchase a new FNP-9 or FNP-40 pistol between Jan. 1 and April 15, 2009, will receive a free FN Shooter’s Pack, which contains a Blade-Tech polymer belt holster, a double-magazine pouch and a polymer training barrel. Buyers of an FNAR rifle between Jan. 1 and April 15, 2009, will receive a free padded shooting mat. “We had so much success with the Shooter’s Pack in 2008, we decided to bring it back FREE PACK YOUR NEW FNP RIGHT WITH A FN SHOOTER’S PACK F for an encore in 2009,” said Barbara SadowyBailey, director of marketing for FNH USA. “As to the FNAR promotion, this gun is new to our line and we want to spread the word. The FNAR carries a 1.0 MOA spec and allows most shooters to feel very good about their ability to shoot accurately.” Visit www.fnhusa.com for more information. That’s right! Buy any new FNP-9 or FNP-40 autoloading pistol between January 1, 2009 and April 15, 2009 and you’ll get an FN Shooter’s Pack containing a Blade-Tech polymer belt holster, double magazine pouch and polymer training barrel (a $79.00 retail value) ABSOLUTELY FREE! Offer valid in USA only. May not be combined with any other offer or promotion. To claim your FREE FN Shooter’s Pack, just fill in the blanks on the coupon below or download a coupon from www.fnhusa.com. Include a dated copy of your sales receipt and a copy of your BATFE Form 4473, available from your FNH USA dealer. Fax all three items to FNH USA at (703) 288-1730, or mail them to FNH USA, Attn: FN Shooter’s Pack Offer, PO Box 697, McLean, VA 22101. Please allow up to 4 weeks for processing. FREE Five-seveN FN SHOOTER’S AMMUNITION PACK OFFER! OFFER FROM FNH USA! Name: __________________________________________________________ Address:_________________________________________________________ City: ___________________________________________________________ State: __________________________________________________________ Zip: ____________________________________________________________ Phone: ( ) ___________________________________________________ E-mail: _________________________________________________________ __ Yes, I’d like to receive information from FNH USA on new product introductions, rebates, promotions, local event announcements and other special offers via e-mail. Fax a dated copy of your sales receipt, a copy of your BATFE Form 4473 and this form to FNH USA at (703) 288-1730, or mail them to FNH USA, Attn: Five-seveN FN Shooter’s Ammunition Pack Offer,Offer, PO Box 697, McLean, VA 22101 USA. Please allow up to 4 weeks for processing. Visit www.fnhusa.com for full details. NEU08125/08569 SHE Safari Becomes SHE Outdoor Apparel S HE Safari LLC, maker of women’s outdoor clothing, is changing its name to SHE Outdoor Apparel. “Our safari line was the flagship of the company. We received an overwhelming response to the initial SHE Safari designs, which led to subsequent SHE Upland, SHE Camo and SHE Shooting collections,” said Pam Zaitz, company president. “Our latest addition is SHE Style, an exciting collection of designer logo wear.” SHE Safari will remain under the umbrella of SHE Outdoor Apparel as the company’s safari collection, while the other collections will carry the SHE line branding. “Women are going into their local stores asking for SHE Outdoor Apparel. Retailers are calling us every week to set up accounts. It is a true testament to the appeal and quality of our collections, and to the rising demand for our women’s outdoor apparel,” said CEO Brian Zaitz. “SHE Outdoor Apparel more fully represents the company and its future plans.” For more information, visit www.shesafari.com or call (281) 448-4860. www.shesafari.com www.shootingindustry.com Circle No. 211 on Inquiry Card FEBRUARY 2009 112009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=12http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=12NAA “The Earl” Available In California Rock River Expands Facilities orth American Arms (NAA) has announced that its new .22 WMR plinker, “The Earl,” will be available for sale in California. According to NAA, the Earl is exempt from the regulations outlined in CA SB 15, specifically available to five-plus shot, single-action revolvers with barrels 3" in length, with an overall length of 7.5". NAA indicates that this “exemption means these firearms need undergo no testing or manufacturer’s certification requirements.” NAA reports it is also making available in California its MiniMaster models, which have the same testing exemption. North American Arms says it will continue to sell its 22MS and 22LR models in California, which are listed in the Roster of Handguns Certified for Sale. “It should be noted that the firearms actions of all NAA revolvers are functionally identical and that, when the hammer is properly seated in the cylinder safety slot, the gun is perfectly safe from accidental discharge due to a drop,” NAA outlines in its news release. For more information, visit www.northamericanarms.com. N R ock River Arms has expanded its manufacturing and warehouse facilities in Colona, Ill., to 30,000 square feet. Brothers Mark and Chuck Larson started the company in 1993 with five employees. They now employ over 60 people, with plans to hire additional personnel. Their first major expansion came in 2003 when they moved the company to Colona and upgraded to a 12,000-square-foot facility. Rock River supplies custom firearms, parts and accessories to civilian, Special Forces and law enforcement personnel. For more information, visit www.rockriverarms.com or call 1-866-980-ROCK. Rock River employees celebrate the company’s recent expansion. Split more seconds. Shave even more time off your scores by reloading with new AutoComp™ BALL POWDER® propellant from Winchester.® Formulated with the ideal burn rate for auto pistol calibers, AutoComp allows greater gas flow to your gun’s compensator for faster shooting. 6231 Robinson • Shawnee Mission, KS 66202 • Phone 913-362-9455 • www.wwpowder.com Winchester is a registered trademark of Olin Corporation and is used with permission. Circle No. 213 on Inquiry Card2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=13http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=13MidwayUSA Receives Quality Award idwayUSA has been honored with the 2008 Missouri Quality Award (MQA). The MQA follows the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award criteria and is presented annually to high-performing, Missouri-based businesses by the Excellence in Missouri Foundation. “We are pleased to accept this award and the feedback report from the state to both recognize the company’s achievement and to provide additional direction for our quality journey,” said Larry Potterfield, founder and CEO of Midway USA. “Our participation in this process will better enable MidwayUSA to serve our customers.” Both the MQA and the Malcolm Baldridge national Brenda Potterfield (left) and Larry Potterfield (right) accept the 2008 award provide feed- Missouri Quality award from Ben Phelps, awards director. back to companies in seven major categories: leadership; strategic planning; customer and market focus; measurement, analysis and knowledge management; workforce focus; process management; and results. For more information, visit www.midwayusa.com or call 1-800-243-3220. M Shooting Search Helps Employers Hire Right n industry-specific, key employee search firm has been formed for the shooting, hunting, knife and outdoor industries. Shooting Search Inc. helps industry companies identify and hire “the right person the first time.” Company officials indicate that candidate contact is encouraged, confidential and free, with all fees paid by the employer. The firm’s founding partner is Robert F. Zahra, a certi- www.shootingsearch.com fied personnel consultant, NRA Life Member, NSSF member and past chairman of the board for the National Association of Executive Recruiters. For more information, call (407) 3215822, e-mail: search@shootingsearch. com or visit www.shootingsearch.com. A www.shootingindustry.com Circle No. 218 on Inquiry Card FEBRUARY 2009 132009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=14http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=14Increase range traffic. Convert beginners. Reactivate former participants. Turn first-time shooters into repeat customers. HIT ALL YOUR TARGETS. Host a First Shots event. Hosting a First Shots seminar is the sure-fire way to drive traffic to your range. It introduces ® newcomers to the sport. It reactivates former participants. And it turns first-time shooters into loyal repeat customers. Simply put, host a First Shots event and everybody wins. The National Shooting Sports Foundation will make it as easy as possible, just visit www.firstshots.org/schedule or call 203-426-1320. You’ll receive a free Reference Guide and all the ammunition you need to drive more traffic. Circle No. 220 on Inquiry Card2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=15http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=15Help us grow our sports. We’ll help you grow your business. Join the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Help us attract, excite, and inform new hunters and shooters – and turn them into your customers. The job of the National Shooting Sports Foundation is to increase participation in our sports by developing programs and opportunities for hunters and shooters in every state. When you become a member, you join that mission. Besides attracting newcomers to our sports, what else does the National Shooting Sports Foundation mean to you? It means business. Every new hunter and shooter we recruit becomes a potential customer of your product or service. So everybody wins – the more members we have, the more customers you have. It’s a proven cycle that has benefited many a manufacturer and retailer. So join now. Add your support to the National Shooting Sports Foundation and experience first-hand how we’re “always shooting for more.” Join the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Membership means business. Call Bettyjane at 203-426-1320 or online: www.MembershipMeansBusiness.org Circle No. 221 on Inquiry Card2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=16http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=16Massad Ayoob Keep Your Displays Full, Even During Panic Buying mpty display space can make your gun shop look like it’s about to go out of business — not the sentiment you want to impart to your customers. When inventory is temporarily thin, creative displays present a prosperous look that reassures customers. This is especially important in the midst of the desperate “last-chance” gun spree of firearm, magazine and ammo purchasing that followed the election of Barack Obama to be the next president. Gun shops hitting record sales is good news. The downside to booming sales? These rushes of panic buying can literally leave shelves and wall displays of gun shops bare. We’ve seen events like this before — locally during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and nationally during the Brady Bill and the first Assault Weapons Ban, and during the Y2K phenomenon. Most business experts strongly advise against empty or sparsely stocked displays. Yes, a few may contend that near-empty gun racks can be a short-term motivator: “They’re almost out of everything! This really is my last chance! I just gotta buy now!” E That is not, however, a majority view. ure. Even with the best of intentions, some Consider this like a consumer. If you businesses simply do not have enough of a look as if you can’t keep your shelves cash base to build their business. However, stocked, potential purchasers may view remembering that perception is the reality, you as a loser, whose business is about to the dealer in this situation should look sucfail. People don’t want to buy from losers. cessful now, if he or she wants to be sucThey want to buy from successful dealers cessful later. who, they perceive, will be there to give Let’s look at filling those empty spaces. them aftermarket support for a long time. That’s why it’s so critical to give a prosperous impression, even when inventory is down. Other dynamics can cause inventory to dwindle, such as undercapitalization — the biggest cause of small business fail- When inventory is low, manufacturers’ banners fill the empty spaces nicely. Banners, Carrying Cases Fill Blank Spots on Strayer, owner of Pro-Arms gun shop in Live Oak, Fla., space out of the safes that held the rest of the inventory. However, he moved from a small gun shop to a large operation right in the started with only two Springfield M1As — the expensive SOCOMmiddle of the recent gun-sales boom. II versions — one Smith & Wesson M&P15, some DPMS and Strayer’s long-gun wall had been designed to display rifles and Bushmaster ARs, one SIG 556 rifle and just enough WASR semiaushotguns racked lengthwise, so customers could see the whole fire- tomatic AK clones that I could count them all on my fingers. arm. However, by the time he was ready to move into the big shop, This left considerable open space on the walls. his inventory of AR15s and other long guns had been decimated by What do you do when this happens? Fill the temporarily emptwo unanticipated factors. ty space with banners from the One was the state troopers manufacturers. living in his area had just been Displaying a banner, literauthorized to purchase their own ally, “flies the flag” and sends AR15 rifles from an approved list two messages. One is, “We sell of brands and models. They practhis brand!” The other is, “The tically swamped him. Then, the people who make these guns trust gun boom hit following the Nous.” The message received: “This vember elections, which was less dealer is on the list to get more than two weeks before the move products from this manufacturer to the bigger shop. as soon as they are available.” Strayer had started with enough In addition to the long-gun black rifles to put one representa- In a showcase of Springfield Armory XDs, the open carrying case gives challenge, Strayer experienced tive sample of each he had in stock this display a fuller look and sells the “package value” to customers. a run on semiautomatic pistols, into a large display, and refill that The showcase’2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=17http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=17Up The Value Factor A t Pro-Arms, one showcase is reserved for used handguns. Because the new shop had not been open long enough to take in many trade-ins, it had some space to fill. Sales Tip: Include the used handgun’s accessories. This also helps with inventory control. Few secondhand guns come in with boxes and the storage of accessories can get awkward. Displaying the accessories with the gun solves this problem and saves inventory space, along with showing the potential buyer just how much value he’s getting with the pre-owned handgun. And, of course, it helps eliminate the empty space challenge. What about other shelf space that needs a “filled” look? Ammo works well in presenting the right message. At Pro-Arms, the bottom shelf under the used handguns is filled with self-defense ammo. Since the shelf is visible from above to prospective buyers, the foremost box is turned upward so its end-flap (with grain weight and other designations) is visible. Boxes of the same stuff are neatly arrayed in rows, with the last box pointed end-flap-up toward the salesman, to ensure he grabs the ammo the customer wants. This smart display technique works for the customer and Strayer. The bottom line is that whether your store is experiencing a sales slump or a sales splurge, the day may come when the shelves look empty. Being able to fill that space can help you get the truth across to the customers you serve: You are there to stay and will be there to get them what they need, now and later! 9 Be Able To Fill That Space This display helps “expand” the ammo offering until additional inventory arrives. ity. He planned on putting about 200 handguns in the showcase, but came up short of that. The solution? A handgun in its factory box fills significantly more space than a handgun displayed by itself. Because the single fastest-selling gun in Strayer’s smaller gun shop had been the Springfield Armory XD, one entire showcase was filled with those guns. No two were same. However, in the new showcases, there was a problem. One corner of the lower shelf was empty. The solution? One boxed XD, the BiTone version with silver-colored slide so the pistol would show up well against the dark gray background of the open box, was displayed to show Springfield’s XD Gear package of holster, double magazine pouch, second magazine and gun lock. The carrying case filled the space and illustrated that all this came with every other new XD pistol in the entire showcase! Great wordless “sale-supporting statement”? You bet. www.shootingindustry.com Circle No. 207 on Inquiry Card FEBRUARY 2009 172009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=18http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=18Ray Oeltjen Succeeding In Tough Times struggling economy and the likelihood of a fervently anti-gun administration has businesses across the spectrum of the shooting sports pondering a number of questions. What will this market look like by the end of the year, or two or three years from now? Will the extraordinary buying spree of firearms and ammunition continue or subside? Will all sales decline gradually or come to a sudden stop? Will the national economy continue to spiral downward? Should businesses scale back on expenses or should they pull out all the stops, while some segments of the market are hot? Any viable company in this industry must give serious consideration to the current situation and plan wisely for the future. Unfortunately, many executive teams find themselves being drawn in a direction that is neither prudent nor thoughtful. People, by their very nature, tend to be strongly influenced by negative news and the more negative the news, the more we are influenced. The time-worn media axiom, “if it bleeds, it leads,” is alive and well and our news sources relish the presentation of bad news because it “sells.” It is, A however, critically important to remember that the industry has been here before, survived and moved on to even greater sales and profits. The early ’90s found the shooting sports in an extended period of significant growth. Sales were up in every category of the Self-Fulfilling Prophecies “Any viable company in this industry must give serious consideration to the current situation and plan wisely for the future.” business and then, suddenly, in 1996, the market soured and the industry found itself in a serious downturn that had a profound impact on manufacturers, distributors and dealers across the country. Longstanding backorders were quickly filled before they could be cancelled, and inventories began stacking up in warehouses everywhere. Virtually overnight, many companies went from euphoria to something very close to panic. Fortunately, the companies that made up the heart and soul of the industry stayed the course, continued to create new products, maintained their advertising and promotion — and survived. It is sad and ironic that many businesses created their own self-fulfilling prophecies in the ’90s. Those who believed business would be bad in the future moved to cut expenses, including employees, advertising, promotions and product development. This made it more difficult for them to serve the very customers who paid their bills, and in an amazingly short time, their prophecy came true. Their business truly did decline, often causing them to feel justified in making the cuts they made, so they made more, which resulted in their ultimate demise. The counterpoint to companies pulling back during the last recession was companies that forgot the history of the market, and, for lack of a better term, “outran their headlights.” They were the manufacturers, wholesalers and dealers who thought the boom would never end and they overextended, especially in inventory. Many businesses failed because of a lack of prudence and historical perspective. Great Opportunity To Increase Market Share he harsh reality is that some companies will fail, or at best falter in 2009 and 2010. However, those companies that exercise common sense and do what they do best, better than they ever have before, will capture a much larger market share and come out of the recession in a more commanding position than they were before it started. One could make the argument that the next two years offer the greatest opportunity good companies have had in more than a decade to increase their market share. To be blunt: In tough times, winners win and losers lose. Calm, thoughtful, strategic planning, with a good understanding of history, can go a long way in avoiding “kneejerk” reactions to the existing business climate. It is critical for a business to understand their place in the market and what brings customers to their do2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=19http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=19and promotions, or cutting back on vital personnel is not the answer, and will almost guarantee business failure — sooner or later, and generally sooner. One sure way to maximize potential is to place a strong emphasis on quality. Consumers are looking for value in this business climate and it is more critical than ever to differentiate your company from others and to publicize the exceptional aspects of your products, your service and your personnel. Every company in the shooting sports should be looking for ways to get their message of quality, performance and value out to the market. The best products and service in the world mean nothing if no one knows about them and good companies will utilize every professional communication tool they can find to ensure their business growth into the future. The shooting sports market is extremely competitive and the quest for market share is a major objective for everyone. Businesses who come out of this recession with more market share will be the ones who took advantage of the opportunity to gain ground on their competition. Companies that manage their business wisely and prudently through these tough times will look back and realize that it was, in the words of the great Winston Churchill, “their finest hour.” 9 Finest Hour Circle No. 205 on Inquiry Card The Hunt is Over! For the Ultimate Gun Care System Tetra® Gun care’s new limited edition Cleaning Pack is the only complete chemical cleaning set available for the true firearm enthusiast featuring high-performance fluoropolymer based lubricants and non-etching highstrength barrel solvent. The 2009 limited edition Cleaning Pack is value-priced and peg-boardable in an attractive clamshell package, and for a limited time, includes a FREE ‘Tips From the Pros’ Gun Cleaning Made Easy DVD! Ray Oeltjen Oeltjen, a Shooting Industry senior contributing editor, has more than 30 years of experience in the shooting sports, including positions in retail, wholesale and manufacturing executive management. He is the owner and president of High Sierra Consulting LLC. Contact him at (503) 648-9364, e-mail: rayhighsierra@ comcast.net. www.shootingindustry.com Circle No. 210 on Inquiry Card FEBRUARY 2009 192009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=20http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=20Lisa Parsons-Wraith Browning Maxus Tames The Recoil Beast “L ightweight, but comfortable to shoot” is the holy grail of firearm design, and new technologies are making this seemingly impossible goal a reality. The day is fast approaching when women will no longer have to weigh the cost of a gun that’s comfortable to carry all day against the recoil they will experience when shooting. A shotgun recently introduced by Browning is the perfect solution to this age-old problem. Browning’s Maxus autoloading shotgun is loaded with features that are sure to make it one of the most comfortableto-shoot and easiest-to-use guns ever. First and foremost, Browning’s shotgun designers used a combination of innovative technologies to make the “Maxus deliver up to 18-percent less felt recoil for greater comfort, 44-percent less muzzle jump for more accurate follow-up shots, plus 19-percent faster bolt speed and 24-percent faster locktime than the nearest competitor.” All of this new technology fired up the public’s imagination, according to Scott Grange, Browning’s public relations manager. “We’ve created quite a stir amongst consumers, and we’ve had tremendous hits on our Web site,” Grange said. “Those who have shot the Maxus can’t believe a gun that weighs under 7 pounds is so manageable.” The Maxus weighs only 6 pounds, 7 ounces, and this is just one of the things that will make the shotgun attractive to women. Another feature is the Inflex Technology recoil pad, which has been engineered with directional deflection to pull the comb down and away from the face of the shooter for even greater comfort and faster follow-up shooting. “It will be a very manageable gun for lady shooters,” Grange said, adding that women will appreciate its light weight and noticeably less felt recoil. The Maxus — seen in the Stalker Model -— weighs less than 7 pounds and utilizes new technology to reduce felt recoil. New, Patent-Pending Features J ust about everything on the Maxus is new, say Browning officials, from its Power Drive Gas System with larger exhaust ports to dump gases faster on heavy loads, to the Lightning Trigger System, offering a smooth, crisp feel with minimal travel. Other innovations include a Vector Pro Lengthened Forcing Cone that is 2" longer than other systems, and the Speed Lock Forearm, a lever-operated system that replaces the traditional screw-on magazine cap found on most shotguns. The Maxus’ innovations are rounded out with a patent-pending feeding system that sends the first shell loaded into the magazine directly into the chamber, and a speed unload feature that makes emptying the magazine fast and easy, without having to cycle and chamber every “Just about everything on the Maxus is new.” shell with the bolt handle. Finally, the Turnkey Magazine Plug, another patent-pending innovation, makes removing the plug simple by using any vehicle key. Combined with the Speed Lock System, the magazine plug can be removed from the Maxus in seconds. The 12-gauge Maxus comes in a Stalker Model and a Mossy Oak Duck Blind Model with 26" and 28" barrels. The receiver is made of strong, lightweight aluminum alloy. The barrels have a lightweight profile design with flat ventilated rib. The composite stock has a closeradius pistol grip with in-molded textured gripping and Browning’s Dura-Touch Armor Coating for all climate conditions. Grange said the Maxus is available in a hunting configuration, and clays enthusiasts can look forward to a target version in 2010. Visit www.browning.com for more information. Galco’s High-Fashion Holsters N othing catches a woman’s eye like a beautiful handbag, and Galco continues to make the cream of the crop in purse holsters. Their latest model, the Frisco, is enough to cause even the most budget-conscious lady to splurge on this high-quality and highly fashionable gun accessory. The Frisco is made entirely of calfskin leather and sports nickel-plated, solid brass buckles as fashion accents. This roomy bag is struc2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=21http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=21Liv Circle No. 206 on Inquiry Card The holster pocket on both the Frisco Good Window Advertising The relatively high price-point on both and the Paige is located on the side and is big enough for most defensive handguns. of these purse holsters means most dealers The holster portion is separate from where can’t afford to have a huge stock of them other belongings are kept, which keeps the lying around on the shelves. Consider, howgun in a ready-to-draw position and free of ever, that having one or two elegant purse entanglements. As with all Galco purse hol- holsters in your store is excellent advertissters, the Frisco and the Paige have a lock- ing. By placing one of these purses in your front window, you immediately convey to ing zipper to prevent unauthorized access. CLIENT: PUBLICATION: AGENCY: DIGITAL RETOUCHING: women that they are welcome in your store To protect your customer’s investCrimson Trace Shooting Industry Advertising Expeditions Bruce Harris and you stock something want to ment, five small nickel-plated, TITLE: Gunssolid Dan they Cox,may 503.780.0963 PRODUCTION: buy. Females who might have ordinarily brass feet stop wear and tear on the Handgunner BACK American ART DIRECTOR: Lenore Prato, 503.758.9156 bypassed your store may stop in for a look. bottom of both bags. These fantasticFILENAME: LIVE: Matt Warner CT_Back_7x6.67 7" x 6.67" COPYWRITER: Weigh the cost of advertising against The Frisco purse holster, from Galco, looking purse holsters are available in Dan Cox placing one or two purse holsters — that combines fashion with personal safety. black only. sell — in your winVisit www.usgalco.com for more you will eventually PHOTOGRAPHER: John Mulligan dow. This is a low-budget, tangible way to reach out to women. 9 information. www.shootingindustry.com FEBRUARY 2009 21 Liv2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=22http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=22Commander Gilmore It’s Just My Hood Ornament, Officers E lio Valera almost made it. He was just pulling up to a metal recycling center on Miami’s Northwest Seventh Avenue when he was pulled over by a Miami PD cruiser. We’re thinkin’ the officer’s curiosity was probably aroused by the 40-foot long aluminum highway light pole roped an’ strapped to the roof of Valera’s groaning minivan. Yup, it was your standard Florida Department of Transportation light pole complete with horizontal light arm, mounts and brackets — everything except the light itself. Valera even had red rags tied to each end of the pole to warn other motorists of his too-long cargo. Amazingly, Valera had driven several miles without hitting another vehicle or sweeping pedestrians off their feet at street corners. He told police the light pole had just been lying there on the ground for a while, so finders keepers, right? While officers were taking Valera’s statement and waiting for Florida DOT to arrive and reclaim their hood ornament, they noticed another guy approaching the recycling center with something like a really huge, heavy coin under his arm. It was a manhole cover. They had another set of handcuffs for J o s e p h Montiz, 39, who may have found that manhole cover “just layin’ around.” Like maybe over a manhole, ya think? Illustration by Nick Petrosino Sometimes justice is swift, very swift. A dispatch from Belgrade chronicles the attempted bombing of a rival gang member that went wrong — or right, depending on which side of the law you reside. It seems a 23-year-old member of a Sabac-based criminal gang, who was wanted on armed robbery and murder charges in Serbia, slipped from the shadows one night, toting an explosive device. Spotting his victim, who had just parked his Mercedes ML and walked away, the bomber approached the target’s Mercedes and placed the explosive device under the car, near the exhaust pipe. A couple of things come into play here. One, most bombs made by said criminals are not very sophisticated, but rather crude and, let’s say, sensitive to movement and heat. Ah, the picture becomes clear, doesn’t it? Moments after Mr. Bomber placed the bomb, it boomed. Since the explosion occurred near a police headquarters, officials 22 FEBRUARY 2009 Crime & Punishment were on the scene quickly. They report the area was littered with a wide array of debris from the Mercedes and the bomber. Mr. Bomber was rushed to an emergency center with severe head and arms trauma. He died the next morning. Case closed. Okay, you may want to grab a pencil and paper — it will help keep track of this series of blunders. It all started when an international student in Australia was caught on a Brisbane train without a $3.80 ticket. No big deal, right? Ah, that would be a big “no.” Since the 25-year-old student couldn’t produce a ticket, he was escorted by police off the train, and a standard check of records was conducted. That showed he was in Australia past the allowed date on his visa. Handcuffed and placed inside a police van, Mr. Brains became Mr. Violent, rocking the vehicle as it traveled to a lo- Scorecard Needed cal police station, causing it to swerve. During this outburst, Mr. Ph.D. kept yelling, “I am a police offer, I am not going with you!” Once inside a cell, he yelled that he was an American FBI agent and beat his head against the bars. That got him transferred to a padded cell. During the trip to his new digs, Mr. Genius bit a police officer’s wrist, drawing blood. See, I told you, you’d need a pencil and paper. It was during his brief stay in the padded cell that Mr. Scholar offered police $50,000 to “forget what happened.” Oh, that will work! In court, Mr. Bruised Head pleaded guilty to a long list of charges, including assaulting police, willful damage, traveling without paying a fare and bribery. The judge took this all in, likely keeping score with a pencil and paper, and sentenced Mr. Inmate to six months in jail, followed by a deportation2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=23http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=23Circle No. 231 on Inquiry Card2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=24http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=24Getting A Jump 2009 On By Ray Oeltjen Scott Blackwell (seated, center left), Remington president, and Hewitt Grant (seated, center right), Ellett Brothers CEO, talk business at NASGW. NASGW Expo Productive, Critical To Industry’s Business timistic. Wholesalers reported strong sales across all categories, especially in handguns and ammunition. Concerning the future, Walter Frederick, executive vice president of Sports South, said, “I think we’ll have two more strong quarters and then it will depend to some degree on any new legislation that may impact the industry, or the economy.” Bob Morrison, CEO of Taurus, said, “This is the strongest selling opportunity we’ve had in years. Although I would have definitely liked a different outcome T he 35th annual National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers (NASGW) Expo began Nov. 5 in Atlanta, Ga., the day after the 2008 presidential election. Shooting sports wholesalers and manufacturers from all over the country and the world gather at the event every November to review new products, pricing and programs, and to discuss strategies for the future. The outcome of the election was not what the majority of attendees had hoped to see; however, the business atmosphere at the show was upbeat and guardedly opFEBRUARY 2009 in the election, I see no reason for this industry to be depressed. At Taurus, we are investing heavily in the future and have no intention of scaling back. Taurus is a strong supporter of the NASGW and this year’s show is particularly meaningful for the manufacturers, wholesalers and the entire industry.” JoAnn Weisenford, recently promoted president and CEO of RSR Group, said, “RSR has a major commitment to the NASGW and to this show. The NASGW is more productive than many shows because it affords us a head start on the upcoming year’s 24 Read SI DIGITAL www.shootingindustry.com Russ Thurman2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=25http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=25pricing, programs and products, and helps us build stronger relationships throughout the distribution channel. Everyone at RSR looks forward to the information coming out of this show, as it is critical to our strategic planning as we move forward.” Major manufacturers from across the shooting sports attend the expo to meet with key wholesalers, but the NASGW show is not just for older, more established manufacturers. Grovtec, a manufacturer of sling swivels and nylon rifle slings, attended the show for the second year. “The NASGW Expo gives us the oneon-one exposure to wholesalers we may not get by traveling around the country,” said Kim Graham, national sales manager. “We are excited to introduce our new EZ-Clean bore cleaner at this show. The response to our entire product line and our 10-percent show special has been very encouraging.” This was the first NASGW Expo for Kruger Optical, where the company introduced a new line of binoculars, riflescopes and spotting scopes. “As a new vendor, we’re very encouraged to find that wholesalers are excited about our new, innovative products,” said Dan Callen, vice president of sales and marketing. “This show gives us the opportunity to meet with key wholesalers to show what we can offer the industry, and the response has been great.” Another first-timer at the Expo was ADG Sports, manufacturer of electronic home and office safes, and hard cases for firearms and bows. “This show gives us the opportunity to grow our business by working with the key players in two-step distribution, and it is a great preparation for the SHOT Show,” said Pam Bradford, sales director. “Because of the knowledgeable people in attendance, this show gives us a great forum for new product development for the future.” Carlo Fiocchi, sales and marketing manager of Fiocchi Ammunition, said the NASGW’s stringent monitoring of attendees’ credentials directly impacts the added value of the expo. “The NASGW Expo is an incredibly valuable show for manufacturers and distributors in terms of pure order-writing. We had a constant stream of distributors visiting our booth ready to place orders,” Fiocchi said. Wayne Smith, president of the NASGW, was pleased with the attendance and the dynamic nature of the show. He was especially happy with the response from the wholesalers to the new technological advancements made to the NASGW comwww.shootingindustry.com Savage Arms’ new products draw a crowd. Ray Oeltjen Dan Callen (second from right), of Kruger Optical, explains the features of the company’s line. ASGW launched its newest service at the expo: ADbuilderHQ. The program allows NASGW members and the industry’s dealers to create immediate, customized advertising and marketing materials through an online portal at www.ADbuilderHQ.com. Through a simple, five-step process, ADbuilderHQ users can create professionalquality marketing materials from numerous templates and the thousands of product images in NASGW’s ItemHQ database. The new system offers the industry’s dealers and others who need immediate marketing support a complete advertising toolkit at their fingertips. Window signs, fliers, bag stuffers, hang tags, spec sheets and shelf-talkers designed specifically for the hunting and shooting sports industries can be quickly and efficiently created using ADbuilderHQ. Retailers will also have access to a wide array of manufacturers’ promotional materials. To learn more, visit www.ADbuilderHQ.com. FEBRUARY 2009 25 N ADbuilderHQ Offers Dealers Ad Toolkit Russ Thurman2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=26http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=26Deals are made at the Hornady booth. Deals are made at the Hornady booth. munication system. “The new AdBuilderHQ customized retailer advertising interface will provide a faster and more economical way for wholesalers to get their message out to the retailers,” Smith said. “As our membership continues to grow, we are able to provide better services, not only to wholesalers, but to the entire shooting sports retail market.” The new service is part of NASGW’s commitment to the industry, Smith said. “It’s no secret that our member wholesalers invest a lot of funds and time in designing better distribution systems and electronic services in order for the industry to be more efficient, which means more business for vendors and less difficulty for dealers,” Smith said. “If you visit any of our members’ Web sites, you’ll immediately know that more product and promotional info can be found there then on most manufacturers’ Web sites. That’s what our member wholesalers do to in- Russ Thurman crease business for everyone.” During the expo, NASGW presented its Industry Achievement Awards. The annual awards honor the association’s top four manufacturers in key categories, including two-step distribution policy, partnership with distributors, marketing, promotions and sales, logistics and operations, and NASGW and industry support. “It is wonderful to see so many companies striving to continue to set the bar ever higher for achievement. Each winner exemplifies the true meaning of excellence and sets the benchmark for innovation and collaboration between the wholesale members and the manufacturing element in our industry,” said Mike Brown, NASGW board of directors chairman. The NASGW Chairman’s Award for Industry Leadership honors was presented to Glock. “Before we implement any new program, we talk to our major distributors to make sure they’re in line with what we’re planning,” said Craig Dutton, Glock director of sales. “We don’t want to do anything Honoring Manufacturers Smith & Wesson QuickDraw Smith & Wesson High-Security Briefcase F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N : 888-321-VAULT www.truckvault.com/smith-wesson OR VISIT YOUR LOCAL SMITH & WESSON DEALER TO PURCHASE YOURS TODAY! Smith & Wesson is a registered trademark of Smith & Wesson Corp, used under license by TruckVault Circle No. 232 on Inquiry Card 26 FEBRUARY 2009 Read SI DIGITAL www.shootingindustry.com2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=27http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=27Bear Enthusiast Marketing Group Craig Dutton (left), Glock director of sales, accepts the Chairman’s Award for Industry Leadership from Michael Brown, NASGW chairman. Mike Fifer (left), Ruger CEO, and Chris Killoy (right), vice president of sales and marketing, accept the Firearms Manufacturer of the Year award from Brown. to take money out of their pockets — we want to put money in! We want our distributors and our dealers to make as much profit as possible, so we keep a two-way open line of communication with them, and make sure that we go to great lengths to enforce our MAP (Minimum Advertising Pricing) policies to ensure their profitability. This is an awesome award for us to receive, especially since it’s voted on by our customers. It truly makes it special.” The Firearms Manufacturer of the Year award was presented to Sturm, Ruger & Co. “We are profoundly honored to receive such a prestigious award from the industry two years in a row,” said Ruger CEO Mike Fifer. “Our company has an ongoing commitment to meeting the needs of our customers — our wholesale partners. We would like to thank the NASGW and its members who selected us for this recognition, and appreciate the affirmation of our hard work and innovation in the market.” Winchester Ammunition was honored with the Ammunition Manufacturer of the Year award, along with recognition for 35 years of participation in the expo. “It’s always a surprise and an honor to receive this kind of recognition from your valued customers,” said Brett Flaugher, Winchester vice president of marketing and sales. “We find that there’s no better way to stay connected than through personal communication with our distributor partners, so we maintain close contact via one-on-one contact, through the Web, e-mail and other outlets. We stay highly involved in the process to keep lines of communication open both ways.” Winchester Ammunition has embraced NASGW’s new programs and is 100-percent compliant with the new ItemHQ PIMS system. “Our groups of distributors have become very technologically advanced over the last few years. We’ve embraced that new level of sophistication with them and changed our business model accordBear Enthusiast Marketing Group ingly,” Flaugher said. The award for Accessory Manufacturer of the Year went to Birchwood Casey, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary. The company was also recognized for its participation at the NASGW Expo for 35 years. “We are very honored to receive this award,” said Michael Wenner, company vice president. “It’s important to note that this was achieved through the collaboration of our entire team, from the factory, shipping, invoicing and purchasing — they’re the ones that really make it happen. We truly believe that our distributor partners are a big part of that team and we try to be progressive, while sticking to the fundamentals: attention to detail, delivering good products at a reasonable price, and staying ahead of the curve.” The 2009 NASGW Expo will be held Nov. 4-6 in Reno, Nev. For more information, call (772) 621-7162 or visit www.nasgw.org. 9 Bear Enthusiast Marketing Group Mike Ferguson (left), Winchester Ammunition sales manager, and Rick Papendick (right), Winchester Ammunition wholesale distribution manager, accept the Ammunition Manufacturer of the Year award from Brown. Winchester was also honored for 35 years of exhibiting at the Expo. www.shootingindustry.com From left, Todd Binsfeld, Birchwood Casey marketing manager, and Michael Wenner, company vice president, accept the Accessory Manufacturer of the Year award from Brown. Birchwood Casey was also honored for 35 years of exhibiting at the NASGW Expo. FEBRUARY 2009 27 Bear Enthusiast Marketing Group2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=28http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=28The FNP-45 from FNH USA features traditional double-action/single-action operation on a high-capacity polymer frame. SELF-DEFENSE By John Morrison Has The Wave Peaked? No! It’s Growing. SALES T o a great extent, general firearms sales are subject to the same fickle forces driving markets as varied as highfashion clothes, upscale sports sedans and even personal gadgetry. Last year’s colors are out and subtle changes generate fiery consumer interest. Even major firearms makers have learned if they put a “hot pink camouflage” synthetic stock on an otherwise pedestrian rifle, or add over-bright night sights, a bead-blasted finish and a “ninja” roll engraving on a base-model pistol, they will fly off the shelves while other passé FEBRUARY 2009 products sit and gather dust. In self-defense sales, however, things are not quite the same. In fact, in many cases, especially with inexperienced customers, buyers often equate a pug-ugly, plain-Jane appearance and lack of a hyped model name as evidence that “this is a serious gun that means business” — and that’s good for your business! It’s no mystery that firearm sales are hitting record levels. Data from the FBI’s NICS (National Instant Criminal Back- Sales Are Growing ground Check System) shows that 2008 was a record year in filings of Form 4473s. November background checks established a new monthly record, with 1,529,635 checks conducted, a 42-percent increase over 2007, followed in December with 1,523,426 checks, a 24-percent increase. Overwhelmingly, sales were led by firearms believed most likely to be restricted or prohibited by the Obama administration. In addition, dealers and distributors quickly sold out of all popular high-cap magazines and ammunition. Backorders were described as “mountainous.” 28 Read SI DIGITAL www.shootingindustry.com Joseph Novelozo2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=29http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=29So, is it “all over but the shouting” for sales of self-defense guns and gear? Not by a long shot, say industry experts. Manufacturers have ramped up production to fill towering stacks of backorders and to meet an anticipated and perhaps even greater demand for guns and gear less likely to be targeted by new laws. All objective signs indicate demand for self-defense products will continue to grow, and you could be ringing up those receipts just by following some time-proven strategies. To maximize self-defense firearm sales, consider offering “dual-duty” models for sporting and defense. Firearms that don’t normally fit into the “tactical” category present greater market flexibility. Consider Taurus’ Judge, a mega-best seller for the company. For 2009, the unique handgun is issuing a “stiffer sentence” as it handles .410 bore 3" Magnum and 2 1/2" shotshells, plus .45 Colt. Ruger LCP, voted by dealers in a Shooting Industry Internet poll as the best 2008 new product, continues to garner remarkable sales numbers. Springfield’s 9mm XDM joins the already best-selling .40 XDM, both sold in a (M)ulti-use carrying case, which is packed with added value. Cobra Firearms is establishing a solid reputation, this year introducing The Shadow in .38+P, with three color options. Charter Arms has seen tremendous growth in recent years, and sparked the “colored-gun” trend last year. Remember when women didn’t want a “pink” gun? No more. Pink and other colored guns are high on dealers’ top-selling lists. The sales of Smith & Wesson M&P pistols remain impressive, with S&W reporting a 45-percent increase in sales during the second quarter of 2008, compared to the same 2007 quarter. If you’re looking for a hot law-enforcement connection, the M&P is it. S&W says the pistol has been selected by 465 law-enforcement agencies. FNH-USA’s FN-45 is attracting a following, along with the company’s other handguns. As a bonus, FNH-USA has launched its 2009 FNH USA Pistol Pack Promotion for dealers. Call (703) 288- 1292 for details. Sig Sauer’s P250, with its multiple size, calibers and other options, is registering great attention. In rifles, DPMS’ Sportical packs plenty of features with a low MSRP. For those customers who want an AR but are “blackrifle challenged,” show them Remington’s R-15 all-camo rifles. Smith & Wesson’s M&P15 rifles are registering blistering sales, with the company reporting a 308-percent increase during its second quarter. S&W reports that 204 law enforcement agencies now use the M&P 15. Rock River’s Entry Tactical, with a 16" chrome moly R-4 barrel, has become a favorite with customers. Para has joined the AR market with its new Tactical Target Rifle, as has Charles Daly with its Rock River offers a number of self-defense rifles, including the Entry Tactical, which has a 16" barrel. new “Defense” line. FNH USA has an impressive stable of tactical rifles, includ- forcement agencies. Another long-established tactical and ing the new FNAR. And for solid sellers, don’t forget the offerings from ArmaLite home-defense shotgun is the Remington Model 870 pump. For 2009, Remington and Colt. has two new offerings, the Model 870 ExDual Duty, Full Tactical press Tactical with gray powder coat finish While there are plenty of tactical and the Model 870 Express Tactical with shotguns available, don’t overlook more XS Ghost Ring Sights. “standard” offerings, like Stoeger’s Condor over-and-under and the side-by-side Sell The Best The selection of self-defense and perCondor Coach Gun, both value-priced and sonal-protection ammo is vast, with Black effective home-defense designs. Beretta, Benelli, Browning, Reming- Hills, Cor-Bon, Extreme Shock, Federal, ton, Ruger and Savage offer a huge inven- Hornady, Remington and Winchester oftory of less-tactical-looking shotguns that fering premium loads. Most of the major companies offer fit into the dual-duty category. For those customers wanting full- law-enforcement-only ammo, with some fledged tactical sho2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=30http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=30Supreme Elite Bonded PDX1, the FBI’s primary service round, is now available for commercial sales. SABRE is offering its three-in-one self-defense spray in two new kits. Benchmade’s Model 9051AFO II has an improved push-button lock. This offering provides that all-important L.E. connection. Check with your local law-enforcement agencies to learn what ammunition they use and then determine if you can sell it or its equivalent. A display that’s highlighted with “Used by the _________” will stimulate sales. For your customers who want another layer of self-defense or those who aren’t ready for a firearm, offer them the many Other Self-Defense Options options in less-lethal products. In pepper spray, Security Equipment Corp. is offering new SABRE Home & Away Protection Kits. Tigerlight offers a Pepper Spray/Flashlight all-in-one, nonlethal defense product. Taser’s C2 self-defense electronic control device has a sleek design and is lightweight. Kimber’s Guardian Angel PepperBlaster, which launches pepper spray out to 13 feet, is small and easy to carry. In knives, the inventory is immense, as are the options. Consider focusing on midto higher-end brands and models. Done right, profit margins on add-on knife sales can eclipse your margin on handguns. Benchmade has just introduced the Model 9051AFO II, an advancement of the model used by many military personnel. Al Mar Knives’ Backup 1 and Backup 2 are just two of the many knives designed as “handgun-backup” and “weapon-retention” knives. Spyderco is likely to see a Circle No. 215 on Inquiry Card 30 FEBRUARY 2009 Read SI DIGITAL www.shootingindustry.com2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=31http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=31PURE POWER. Introducing IMR White Hots 6231 Robinson Shawnee Mission, KS 66202 pre-formed charges, the only white gunpowder. Put a new kind of speed and accuracy into your muzzleloader with the pure power of White Hots. For more information, visit www.imrpowder.com or your IMR dealer. TM Phone 913-362-9455 Circle No. 214 on Inquiry Card www.imrpowder.com2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=32http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=32boost in sales with the introduction of the Sage and C36 Military. The number of add-on and self-defense accessories seems endless, and provides a substantial profit base for dealers. Consider weapon-mounted and handheld tactical lights from BLACKHAWK!, Inova, Insight Tech-Gear, Streamlight, SureFire and branded lights from Smith & Wesson and Browning. In laser sights, Crimson Trace Lasergrips can be ordered OEM on many selfdefense handguns, and their new series, Laserguard, fits small semiautos. LaserMax now offers the Sabre laser for Glocks, and the Uni-Max Green laser, which attaches to any firearm with a Picatinny or Universal rail. Viridian is marketing a series of compact laser/light combos and is eager to work with dealers. Colt’s Grip Laser (CGL), built by LaserMax, mounts to any Mil-Std-1913 rail. Don’t neglect other enhanced sighting options from Aimpoint, EOTech, HiViz, Meprolight, Millett, Trijicon, Truglo and XS Sights. In holsters, there are many options Add-On Profits to cover all price points. Since a great deal of self-defense customers today are women, consider stocking the Galco line of purse holsters. Other high-selling, self-defense products include grips from Hogue and Pearce, accessories from CAA and TacStar and magazines from Mec-Gar, ProMag and Thermold. Also, check out Truck Vault’s new Smith & Wesson series at www. truckvault.com. Books and DVDs are big sellers in today’s market. Nationally, book and DVD companies reported a jump in sales during the 2008 holidays. It’s the same with self-defense-related DVDs, according to sales numbers posted by FMG Publications. The company’s series of Clint Smith’s Thunder Ranch Defensive Training DVDs hit record numbers during December 2008. The initial six-part DVD series is now joined by “Defensive Thinking: Logical Solutions for Home, Car and Carry.” Dealers interested in stocking the series should call 1-800-628-9818 or e-mail Randy Moldé at randy@ americanhandgunner.com. Education Sales Clint Smith’s Thunder Ranch Defensive Training DVDs are selling at record levels. Call 1-800-628-9818 for dealer information. There is no lack of products, promotions and opportunities for boosting your sales in the self-defense category. Beyond these, however, is the allimportant treatment of customers and attitude. During a buying frenzy, it’s easy Final Round A NEW LINE OF TACTICAL ACCESSORIES. A NEW LINE OF REVENUE. MAKE THE INTELLIGENT CHOICE. (866) 964-4822 • www.itacdefense.com Intelligent design. Proven performance.TM HOLSTERS • MAGAZINE POUCHES • AR MAGAZINES • SIGHTS • TACTICAL LIGHTS 32 FEBRUARY 2009 Circle No. 226 on Inquiry Card iTAC_SI_half.indd 1 Read SI DIGITAL www.shootingindustry.com 1/6/09 10:17:14 AM2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=33http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=33Circle No. 227 on Inquiry Card2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=34http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=34to make sales. However, it’s how you treat customers and your demeanor that will determine whether they will return for those essential add-on, bottom-line-boosting sales. 9 SELF-DEFENSE Aimpoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233 Al Mar Knives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234 American Ammunition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235 American Tactical Imports . . . . . . . . . .Feb09 . . . 236 185.25117 Shooting Industry ArmaLite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237 Benchmade Knives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238 Benelli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239 Beretta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240 Bersa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241 Bianchi International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242 Black Hills Ammunition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243 BLACKHAWK! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244 Blade-Tech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245 Browning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246 Buck Knives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247 Bushmaster Firearms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248 Butler Creek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249 CAA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 CCI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251 Charles Daly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252 Charter Arms . . . . . . . .Page . . . . .1 . . . . . . . . . 253 1/6/09 10:11 AM Once your customers discover the value of reloading with Starline brass, you know they’ ll be back for more. QUALITY Starline brass is American made and backed with a national marketing campaign. Customers ask for Starline by name. INNOVATION With more than 80 calibers to choose from, Starline offers your customers the standard favorites, as well as innovative and unique calibers. View a complete list of Starline calibers on our web site at www.starlinebrass.com. We ship directly from our manufacturing facility, so your order usually will go out the very next day. To find out how you can become a Starline dealer, call us toll-free at 1-800-280-6660 or visit our web site – SERVICE www.starlinebrass.com © 2009 Starline Brass Give your customers what they want. Give them Starline. Circle No. 230 on Inquiry Card Cobra Enterprises of Utah . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254 Cold Steel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255 Colt's Mfg . Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256 Columbia River Knife & Tool . . . . . . . . . . . 257 Command Arms Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . 258 Cor-Bon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259 Crimson Trace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260 DeSantis Holsters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261 DPMS Panther Arms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262 DSA Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263 EOTech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264 European American Armory . . . . . . . . . . . . 265 Extreme Shock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266 Federal Premium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267 Fiocchi Ammunition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268 FN-USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269 Fobus USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270 Galco International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271 Gerber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272 Glock Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273 Gould & Goodrich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274 Heckler & Koch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275 Hi-Point Firearms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276 HiViz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277 Hogue Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278 Hornady Mfg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279 Inova . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280 Insight Tech-Gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=35http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=35By Carolee Carolee Anita Anita Boyles Boyles By Selling Selling In In Challenging Times Times Ammunition These Six Tips Will Help You Continue Sales After The Buying Frenzy! ATK offered a rebate on its Fusion ammo in 2008. Look for similar promotions this year from ATK and other ammo makers to help boost sales. Hornady, along with most ammo companies, provides point-of-purchase materials to help draw customers’ attention. R etail sales in many gun shops are hitting record levels, or at least they were through December — driven by panic buying following the November election. But that’s not the case in most retail operations. It’s a tough time to be in retail. Sales continue to be down, in general, and no one can predict when the economy is going to turn around. For firearms retailers, the question is how long will the buying surge last. Along with firearms, one bright spot in gun shop sales is ammunition. “Our dealers aren’t giving us much negative feedback on sales,” said Bart Biedinger, dealer services manager at ATK. “Everybody’s fairly upbeat, although they’re very concerned about what’s around the corner. Some of the categories that are pulling the weight are ammunition, handguns and black gun-related items.” Mark Rutan, hunting manager at Bill Jackson’s in Pinellas Park, Fla., agrees. “Since the election, all sales, including ammunition sales, are really strong,” Rutan said. “In fact, I’d say sales are going nuts. I talked to one of my wholesalers last week, and he said that in three days, he had sold more than two million rounds of .223 ammo. These are the strongest ammunition sales we’ve had since Y2K.” Taking advantage of buying surges is one aspect of good retail; however, how do you continue those sales when the frenzy stops? Here is a six-tip checklist for continuing healthy ammo sales. “One common denominator of retailers who are successful at selling ammo today is their ability to build promotions,” Biedinger said. “Successful retailers don’t wait for seasons to roll in; they use every opportunity to create traffic flow in their stores.” Successful dealers also take advantage of every promotional opportunity manufacturers offer. “We typically offer promotions throughout the year,” said Jason Gilbertson, Winchester Ammunition marketing communications manager. “Some are cash rebates, and some are more product specific, such as a (free) blaze orange vest.” FEBRUARY 2009 35 Promote, Promote, Promote www.shootingindustry.com2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=36http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=36Remington’s Ultra Mag. line offers dealers a wide range of options to meet their customers’ needs. The advantage of ammunition rebates is you can advertise the after-rebate price, which gets the customer’s attention — although, you must specify that the stated price is after the manufacturer’s rebate. “Every year at ATK, we offer consumer rebates, so we have a pull-through program that helps dealers sell ammunition,” Biedinger said. “We have rebates on most rifle and shotgun ammo.” Most manufacturers provide rebates every year. In 2008, Remington offered rebates on centerfire rifle ammunition and several kinds of shotshells. ENVIRONMetal offered mail-in rebates of up to $50 on its Hevi-Shot waterfowl ammunition. In the past few years, the cost of the raw materials necessary to make ammunition — brass, copper, lead and steel — has skyrocketed. As a result, manufacturers have been forced to raise the price of all ammunition, sometimes by a good bit. “There’s been some sticker shock from customers,” Biedinger said. “Dealers should be able to explain to customers what’s going on with the price of those metals, and tell them that the market just can’t bear low prices anymore.” Education is crucial, which means you need to be educated so you can educate your customers. Talk to your sales reps and have information on hand from manufacturers. Every ammunition manufacturer has “good, better and best” lines of ammuni36 FEBRUARY 2009 Explain The Rise In Ammo Prices tion. Target selling the “best” first. “When a customer comes in who has a hunt planned, he’s looking for ammunition, optics and maybe even a gun,” Biedinger said. “On the ammo side of things, everybody makes more money on premium product.” These include Federal Premium, Remington Gold Box or Premier Nitro, Black Hills Are you prepared to meet your customers’ ammo-buying Gold or Winchester Su- needs? Sprague’s Sports in Yuma, Ariz., is, with this promotion of Federal ammunition. preme Elite. However, the customer may resist purchasing premium ammuni- into Super-X, or if he prefers Remingtion because of the price. ton, offer him Core-Lokt or Promotional “Retailers who are good at selling am- Game Loads. munition show the customer good, better If your customer simply isn’t going to and best,” Biedinger said. “They ask the purchase premium or mid-range ammo, and customer where he’s going to hunt and get just wants a box of ammo, then move to the a feel for what he’s going to do.” “good” level of ammunition. For ATK this is Then the smart retailer says something the Power-Shok line; for Winchester, USA like, “When you really think about the cost Brand or Xpert; for Remington, UMC. of the hunt, the price of the gas, the cost of the lodging and trophy fees, is $39 for a Sell Your Customer Enough Ammo Whether you’re selling your customer box of ammo — which is really the only thing between you harvesting your game good, better or best ammo, be sure you sell him enough. Find out what he’s going or losing it — such a big cost?” When presented that way, it’s much more to use the ammo for and “fit” the sale to difficult for the customer to buy less-expen- where the customer is going. “Smart retailers sell customers two sive ammunition. Some customers still will resist the high- boxes of ammo, no matter what they’re er price of premium ammunition. When buying,” Biedinger said. “The last thing you want to do is send your customer on a that happens, move to the next level. “If a customer resists buying Federal trip with only one box of ammo, because Premium, you can step down to the Fusion he may need to sight in his gun again when brand and point out the premium bullet with he gets where he’s going. If he’s in some great weight retention and superior accura- small town in a remote part of the country cy,” Biedinger said. “It’s in between Federal and the only store in town is a hardware Premium and our Power Shok brand, which store, that store probably isn’t going to gives it a lot of perce2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=37http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=37231.25070 Shooting Ind Feb09.pdfPage 1 12/9/08 2:54:51 PM ways needs an extra box of ammo on hand, and you need to be sure he knows that. The same is true for your target-shooting customers. Typically they’re going to want more than one box of ammo, but they may not “know” that — ask the right questions to sell the amount of ammunition they need. Shotgunners generally are going to buy multiple boxes of ammunition whether you encourage them to or not. You just need to be sure you have enough on the shelves to cover what these customers want. Following the successful integration of steel shot into waterfowl hunting, a number of manufacturers are looking at nontoxic alternatives to lead in bullets. For 2009, Winchester Ammunition is expanding it Xpert Game and Target Steel Shot line for upland hunting and target shooting. Citing increased customer demand, Winchester is also introducing a lead-free bullet for varmint hunting, the .223 Rem., along with expanding its E-Tip line of lead-free ammo with the addition of .270 Win., .300 Win. Mag. and 7mm. “Shooters and hunters require lead-free ammunition in various regions of the U.S., and it is our goal to make sure they have a legal, high-performance product,” said Glen Weeks, centerfire product manager for Winchester Ammunition. “Our goal with this new .223 Rem. product, as well as all of our lead-free offerings, is to make sure that shooters have a wide range of Winchester lead-free products available.” Barnes Bullets offers a highly frangible, powdered-metal, copper-tin core inside a guilding metal jacket for use in military and L.E. practice environments. MagSafe Ammunition has introduced pre-fragmented safety ammunition, which uses lead shotgun pellets for the bullet’s core instead of solid lead. One advantage of this type of ammunition is its effective power, but with pellets that don’t over-penetrate and a reduced number of ricochets. Sales reps can be an invaluable extra, much-needed help in your store. Many of them will offer to help you with merchandising and displays. Let them. “Reps can do a really good job during pre-season and in helping retailers with store sets,” Biedinger said. “Let’s face it: Dealers are busy, and if a rep is willing to come in and help them out, the retailers really can get some expert advice.” 9 Know Ammo Trends BWT Circle No. 204 on Inquiry Card CATALOG #31 Catalog #31 is the only source you’ll ever need for current, obsolete and military gun parts, gunsmith supplies, military surplus and shooting accessories. Order your catalog NOW! Our latest edition is over 1,344 pages and features more than 180,000 individual items, over 500 schematic drawings and parts lists, and a store brand name to original manufacturer cross reference. We carry products for hundreds of manufacturers, such as Heckler & Koch, Colt, High Standard, Ruger, Marlin, Mauser, Mossberg, Remington and Savage. Also SigArms, Uberti, AMT, Benelli, and the full line of Glock parts. ITEM#PU-31 $17.95 U.S. Orders: Shipped bulk mail. Shipping charges included. Foreign Orders: Shipped air mail (30 day delivery) or surface (90 day delivery). Shipping charges additional. Mail: 226 Williams Lane, P.O. Box 299, West Hurley, New York 12491 Order Toll-Free: 866-686-7424 • Toll-Free Fax: 877-GUNPART • Web: e-GunParts.com Circle No. 222 on Inquiry Card Take Advantage Of Your Sales Reps Reader Service See page 42 for Reader Service. www.shootingindustry.com FEBRUARY 2009 372009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=38http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=38The 2009 Masters will be a two-day shooting event! July 24-25, 2009 Hartford Gun Club East Granby, Conn. TIME TO STEP OUTSIDE And Shoot! We’re Calling You Out Limber up your trigger finger, practice your steely eyed stare and plan to join teams from inside the industry for the Seventh Annual Shooting Industry Masters. This three-gun shooting match features handgun, rifle and shotgun events. Shooters will be able to shoot in one of two classes: the Open Class for those who want to compete against professional shooters, and the Industry Class for everyday shooters who just want to have fun without the stress. A raffle of incredible items donated by companies throughout the shooting industry will be held during the event to raise funds for the NSSF’s Step Outside® Program. Susan Houde-Walter LaserMax CEO SPONSORED BY: SIGN YOUR TEAM UP TODAY! Steve Sanetti NSSF president, CEO BENEFITTING: National Shooting Sports Foundation’s For more information, visit www.shootingindustry.com EVENT SCHEDULE: Handgun, Rifle & Shotgun team events & lunch Masters Team Check-In at the Shooting Industry Academy of Excellence Awards presentation at The Hartford/Windsor Marriott 2009 MATCH ENTRY FORM EARLY BIRD BONUS: Enter your team, with payment by April 10, 2009 and pay only $1,250 for your four-man or $1,500 for your five-man team entry. You will also receive a free 1/4 page, 4C Shooting Industry Masters Challenge Ad in the June issue of Shooting Industry magazine. Early Bird Four-Man Team Entry $1,250 Early Bird Five-Man Team Entry $1,500 Friday, July 24, 2009 Friday Evening Saturday, July 25, 2009 Handgun, Rifle & Shotgun team events & lunch Contact Name: Company: Address: City/State/Zip: Phone: Payment Type: Card No: Exp. Date: Initial: $350 Individual MATCH FEE AFTER APRIL 10, 2009 $1,700 5-Man Team Entry $1,450 4-Man Team Masters Awards Banquet with Raffle to benefit NSSF’s Step Outside Program at The Hartford/Windsor Marriott Saturday Evening E-Mail: MC/Visa/AmEx/Dis Check Enclosed ® For additional information, including donating prizes, raffle tickets, area airport and hotel information, please contact Elizabeth Jarrell O’Neill at (800) 537-3006 ext. 279. e-mail: elizabeth@shootingindustry.com Mail or FAX with payment to: FMG Publications 12345 World Trade Dr. San Diego, CA 92128 FAX (858) 605-0247 No Gun? No Excuse. Loaner guns will be available for each event. Match Ammunition, Shooter’s Goody Bag, Match Lunch and Awards Dinner ALL Included with your Entry Fee!2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=39http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=39By Ray Oeltjen Money Reloading! In High Ammo Prices, Technology Combine For A Reloading Resurgence There’s “R R eloading is dead!” “It’s a waste of time and floor space because no one reloads anymore.” Gun dealers, have you heard these statements — or perhaps made them yourself? If so, you’re dismissing profits from a segment of the market that still has great potential. RCBS’ The Grand reloading Knowledge Is Key To Growing Reloading eloading ammunition is as much a part of the fabric of shooting and hunting as firearms, and it has evolved into an extremely sophisticated — yet simple — practice. In the past, shooting-range conversations about reloading equipment and loading recipes were as common as discussions about shotguns and rifles. The majority of competitive-level shooters reloaded their own ammunition. Today presents a different picture. Jason Hornady, Hornady Manufacturing, says the top two reasons people reload today are to save money and to create custom loads. The top two reasons shooters do not reload? A lack of time and a lack of knowledge. “Many shooters have At Jay’s Sporting Goods, there is a wide selection of reloading not been exposed to recomponents and salesmen with strong reloading backgrounds to loading and perceive it to be difficult, even danassist customers. gerous,” Horpress is a mainstay for nady said. shotshell reloaders. This perception is not true, Hornady says. Dealers play a key role in dispelling this misconception by sponsoring regular training clinics. Those who do, along with carrying a broad selection of components, consistently sell far more reloading products. Dave Kern, Mayville Engineering Company (MEC) executive, agrees that loading seminars are one of the keys to growing the reloading market. MEC has a trailer that travels to gun clubs and gun stores throughout Wisconsin and the upper Midwest hosting reloading seminars. “It is very rewarding to teach a young person or a newcomer how to load their first shotshell. Kids just light up when they see how easy it is and how much fun it can be, and they love to go out and shoot the shells they have personally FEBRUARY 2009 39 www.shootingindustry.com2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=40http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=40The companies listed have featured advertisements or products in this issue. Look to them first when you are ready to make a purchase. Companies ADVERTISERS Armalite Barnes Bullets Black Hills Ammunition Brownells Cobra Enterprises Crimson Trace DPMS Davidson’s Inc. FNH USA FTI Inc. Galco International HKS Products Hodgdon Powder Company Hodgdon Powder Compnay Kel Tec Lewis Machine & Tool MKS Supply MTM Molded Products NASGW NSSF NSSF Numrich Gun Parts Pro Mag Industries Savage Arms Scherer Supplies Sig Sauer Smith & Wesson Sports South Springfield Starline Trijicon Truckvault Circle # 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 Page 6 5 43 37 19 21 17 10 7 19 11 42 12 31 30 48 1 13 3 14 15 37 41 2 5 32 33 9 47 34 23 26 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 Companies Gerber Glock Inc. Gould & Goodrich Heckler & Koch Hi-Point Firearms HiViz Hogue Inc. Hornady Mfg. Inova Insight Tech-Gear Ka-Bar Knives Kahr Arms Kel-Tec Kershaw Knives Kimber Legacy International Laser Devices LaserMax Mace Security International MagSafe Ammunition Magtech Ammunition Mec-Gar Meprolight Millett Milt Sparks Mitch Rosen Gunleather Nighthawk Custom North American Arms O.F. Mossberg & Sons Olympic Arms Pachmayr Ltd. Para-Ordnance Pearce Grip ProMag Remington Arms Co. Rock River Arms Rossi Sabre Defence Safariland Safe Direction Savage Arms Security Equipment Corp. Sig Sauer Smith & Wesson SOG Speer Springfield Armory Spyderco Stag Arms STI International Stoeger Streamlight Strong Holster Co. Sturm, Ruger & Co. SureFire TacStar Taser International Taurus International Thermold Tigerlight Trijicon Truck Vault Truglo Viridian Wilson Combat Winchester Ammunition Winchester Repeating Arms Wolf Performance Ammunition XS Sights Circle # 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 Page 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 35 35 35 Companies Barnes Bullets Battenfeld Technologies Berger Bullets Berry’s Manufacturing Bismuth Cartridge Co. Black Hills Ammunition Black Hills Shooters Supply Bond Arms Brenneke of America B-Square CCI Cor-Bon Dakota Arms Dillon Precision Products Estate Cartridge Federal Premium Fiocchi Ammunition Forster Products Frankford Arsenal Fusion Ammunition Glaser Safety Slug Hodgdon Powder Co. Hornady Manufacturing IMR Powder Co. Lee Precision Inc. Lightfield Lyman Products Corp. MagSafe Magma Engineering Co. Magtech Ammunition Mayville Engineering Co. Midway USA MTM Case-Gard Co. NobelSport Norma Precision Nosler Bullets Old Western Scrounger Oregon Trail Bullet Co. Precision Ammunition Pro Load Ammunition RCBS Redding Reloading Equip. Remington Arms Co. Sierra Bullets Sinclair International Speer Starline Swift Bullet Co. Triton Ammunition Ultramax Ammunition Weatherby Inc. Winchester Ammunition Wolf Performance Ammunition Zero Ammunition Co. Circle # 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 380 381 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 390 391 392 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 Page 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 43 43 44 44 44 45 45 SELF-DEFENSE Aimpoint Al Mar Knives America2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=41http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=41Introduced in 2007, Barnes Varmint Grenade has become very popular. It’s available in a number of calibers and is sold in 100- and 250-bullet packs. Hodgdon’s Hybrid 100V combines two technologies: the chemistry of a spherical powder with the geometry of an extruded propellant. It is sold in 1- and 8-pound containers. loaded,” Kern said. Jeff Poet, president of Jay’s Sporting Goods in Claire, Mich., says basic economics and education will play a major role in the future of the reloading business. “The entrance of premium centerfire ammunition into the market slowed reloading down for a time, but as prices continue to rise on factory premium ammunition, the reloading business is coming back strong,” Poet said. Today’s bullet and propellant technology make it possible for anyone to duplicate whatever performance level they want, Poet says. “We conduct regular loading seminars and hire people with a strong reloading background to work in our loading department. It is also vital to carry a broad selection of components,” Poet advises. Stock An Array Of Components Though centerfire reloading remains strong, the shotshell reloading market has been depressed over the last few years. Research from American Sports Data indicates an enormous potential for retail growth in this segment, estimating the total participation base of the shotgun sports at 16.1 million shooters in 2006. This is a huge, largely untapped reloading market for every dealer. Ron Kesselring, Kesselring Gun Shop in Burlington, Wash., understands this and has long taken advantage of the reloading market. He has been selling a huge selection of reloading components to shooters throughout the northwest for decades. “The reloading business has been stable for the last several years because it is a great hobby, and it can be very therapeutic,” Kesselring said. Kesselring would like to see more young shooters getting into reloading and feels that better education is the key. “Retailers need to point out, in specific For 2009, Hornady introduces the Ammunition Concentricity Tool, “the first tool on the market to both identify and eliminate bullet runout.” www.shootingindustry.com Circle No. 223 on Inquiry Card FEBRUARY 2009 412009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=42http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=42for shooting, in general, it is good for business, overall. 9 AMMO & RELOADING Accurate Arms Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alliant Powder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . American Ammunition . . . . . . . . . . . Barnes Bullets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Battenfeld Technologies . . . . . . . . . . Berger Bullets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Berry’s Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . Bismuth Cartridge Co . . . . . . . . . . . . Black Hills Ammunition . . . . . . . . . . . Black Hills Shooters Supply . . . . . . . Bond Arms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brenneke of America . . . . . . . . . . . . B-Square . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CCI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cor-Bon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dakota Arms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dillon Precision Products . . . . . . . . . Estate Cartridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Federal Premium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fiocchi Ammunition . . . . . . . . . . . . . Forster Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Frankford Arsenal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fusion Ammunition . . . . . . . . . . . . . Glaser Safety Slug . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hodgdon Powder Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hornady Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . IMR Powder Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lee Precision Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lightfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lyman Products Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . MagSafe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Magma Engineering Co . . . . . . . . . . . Magtech Ammunition . . . . . . . . . . . . Mayville Engineering Co . . . . . . . . . . Midway USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MTM Case-Gard Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . NobelSport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Norma Precision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nosler Bullets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Old Western Scrounger . . . . . . . . . . Oregon Trail Bullet Co . . . . . . . . . . . . Precision Ammunition . . . . . . . . . . . Pro Load Ammunition . . . . . . . . . . . RCBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Redding Reloading Equip . . . . . . . . . Remington Arms Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sierra Bullets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sinclair International . . . . . . . . . . . . Speer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Starline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Swift Bullet Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Triton Ammunition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ultramax Ammunition . . . . . . . . . . . Weatherby Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Winchester Ammunition . . . . . . . . . . Wolf Performance Ammunition . . . . . Zero Ammunition Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 380 381 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 390 391 392 393 394 395 396 397 Frankford Arsenal offers numerous reloading products, including the Case Neck Lubricator. terms, the price differential between new and loaded ammo. The key is to carry a broad selection of components, and hire employees who are very familiar with all aspects of loading. Those two factors can make all the difference in selling reloading products,” Kesselring said. Bob Nosler, president of Nosler, Inc., says dealers sometimes miss the boat by not stocking a wide array of components. “Technology has enhanced the opportunity to create custom loads, and reloaders love to experiment with new bullets and propellants,” Nosler said. Nosler also emphasized the need for knowledgeable salespeople. “Dealers who understand and have a connection with reloading consistently outperform those with less knowledge and experience. This is a fun hobby, but someone needs to show the consumer how to get started,” Nosler said. In the past, ammunition manufacturers were reluctant to sell reloading components, thinking that if consumers began reloading, it would diminish their sales of m2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=43http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=43Text First Line See Your Product Here! If you are a manufacturer, importer, distributor or entrepreneur with a newsworthy, new or revised product available to dealers or distributors, let us know! We have room for about 80 words. Pictures Company should Phone #be color, if possible. Electronic images, transparencies and glossy prints are acceptable. Website Product releases are printed on a space-available Text Address all releases to: New Products Editor SHOOTING INDUSTRY MAGAZINE 12345 World Trade Dr. San Diego, CA 92128 SHOOTING INDUSTRY MAGAZINE www.shootingindustry.com FMG Publications Text First Line Defensive Thinking DVD Text New for 2009, firearms training expert Clint Smith, of Thunder Ranch training facility, teaches “Defensive Thinking: Logical Solutions for Home, Car and Carry.” This two-disc set includes Mental Preparation and Logic Lecture; Home Defense, including Locks, Lights, Guns and Brain Power; Vehicle Defense; and Concealed Carry Options, including guns, platforms and drawing techniques. Filmed at Thunder Ranch in Oregon, “Defensive Thinking” is full of tips, techniques and Clint’s personal observations about the tactics and gear that work best. Circle # 000 basis at the discretion of the editorial staff. Text First Line Text Tipton Gun Butler Company Tipton Battenfeld Technologies’ Gun Butler gun-cleaning caddy, manufactured under the Tipton brand of gun cleaning products, is an all-in-one cleaning/carrying/storage unit. It has two removable non-marring forks (which snap into the base for storage) to hold the gun securely in place. Compartments and slots hold bore solvent, jags, brushes, mops, a cleaning rod, spray lubricant and tools, and the caddy has a carrying handle. Phone # (573) 445-9200 Website www.tiptoncleaning.com Company FMG Publications Phone # 1-800-628-9818 Website www.americanhandgunner.com 398 Circle # 000 399 Circle # 000 When everyone is counting on you. You can count on us. BLACK HILLS AMMUNITION INC. PO BOX 3090 RAPID CITY, SD 57709 Circle No. 203 on Inquiry Card Phone: 605.390.5150 Fax: 605.348.9827 www.shootingindustry.com FEBRUARY 2009 432009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=44http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=44Blue Book Publications Black Powder Revolvers Written and photographed by Dennis Adler, Black Powder Revolvers — Reproductions & Replicas covers the wide variety of reproduction black powder revolvers manufactured since 1959. Included are second- and third-generation Colt revolvers and variations, along with reproductions from Uberti, Pietta, Remington and many others. Today’s modern reproductions of famous sixguns, and their evolution from the first cap-and-ball revolvers of the 1830s to the metallic cartridge firing models of the 1870s and 1880 are presented in eight fact-filled chapters with extensive photography. Security Equipment Corp. SABRE Home & Away Kits The SABRE Home & Away Protection Kit is equipped with two self-defense sprays, a home unit and key chain case. The Home unit has a glow-in-the-dark safety and a wall-mount clip to keep it out of the reach of children. The Away unit has a black key case, quick release key ring and clip attachment for immediate accessibility. Both Home and Away models deploy spray 8 to 10 feet and contain multiple blasts for protection against more than one attacker. The kits are available in two formulations: SABRE and SABRE RED USA. GB Diamond Grips 1911 Diamond Grips The handmade 1911 Diamond Grips are crafted from selected hardwoods and other durable materials. Each set is manually fitted, sanded and given a final hand-rubbed oil finish. Made in the USA. Blue Book Publications 1-800-877-4867 www.bluebookinc.com Security Equipment Corp. 1-800-325-9568 www.sabrered.com GB Diamond Grips 1-800-550-6251 www.gbdiamondgrips.com Circle # 400 Circle # 401 Circle # 402 What Your Customers Are Reading Now! hat trends are your customers pursuing? Which hot new rifle do they want? Chances are, it’s something they have read about in one of FMG Publications’ consumer magazines. Here’s a look at what’s hot in our four sister publications this month. “The World’s Most Stable Currency: Ammo” in the March/April issue of American Handgunner covers John Connor’s favorite “firearm-fodder & cannon-chow.” John’s “cartridge-credo is ‘the shot not fired is a sure miss’” and he explains why you should never be without plenty of ammo. “The American gun buyer has so many choices available that the decision as to what type of self-loading 5.56 rifle to purchase can be a bit daunting.” American COP’s January/February issue reports on two new models from Rock River Arms joining the mix in “Rock River Elite Comp and LAR-15 Pistol.” The March issue of GUNS Magazine features “Pheasants Forever!” which profiles Smith & Wesson’s 1000 series of semiautomatic shotguns. Writer Mark Hanten and his daughter put the 1012 and the 1020 to the test. The American Handgunner Personal Defense 2009 Special Edition features “Non-Gun Personal Protection” — often the only option for the ladies in your life who don’t want to carry a firearm on their person at all times. Former cop Richard Mann covers effective sprays and lights. Dealers, to stock these FMG titles in your store, contact FMG’s Distribution Manager, Sergio Jauregui, at 1-800-597-8065. For a look at the magazines, visit www.fmgpublications.com. W2009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=45http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=45ACCESSORIES Winchester Smokeless Propellant AUTOCOMP Winchester’s AUTOCOMP power, for the “discriminating competition pistol shooter,” was developed for the .38 Super, 9mm, .45 ACP and .40 S&W. Its characteristics include clean-burning, low-charge weights for economic loading, and flawless metering through progressive loading machines. It’s packaged in 1- and 8-lb. containers. AUTOCOMP data is available online in the Reloading Data Center at www.wwpowder.com. BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES Consider all your employment options in the shooting, hunting, knife, and outdoor industries. Industry specific, key employee search firm. Candidate contact encouraged, confidential, free. All fees paid by employer. Shooting Search, Inc. 407-321-5822 www.shootingsearch.com search@shootingsearch.com Classified ads are: $2.00 per word per insertion with a 20word minimum OR $1.50 per word per insertion for three or more issues with a 25-word minimum. No charge for CAPS. Bold words add $1.00 per word. Copy and rerun orders must be accompanied by PAYMENT IN ADVANCE. NO AGENCY OR CASH DISCOUNTS ON LISTING OR DISPLAY CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING. All ads must be received with advance payment BY NO LATER THAN THE 15th of each month. EXAMPLE: Closing for NOVEMBER 2008 issue is September 15th. Ads received after closing will appear in the following issue. Please type or print clearly. PLEASE NOTE: NO PROOFS WILL BE FURNISHED. Include name, address, post office box, city, state and zip code as counted words. Abbreviations count as one word each. Mail to SHOOTING INDUSTRY CLASSIFIEDS, 12345 World Trade Dr, San Diego, California 92128. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING YOUR CLASSIFIED AD IN SHOOTING INDUSTRY MAGAZINE, CALL OUR SALES REPRESENTATIVE AT (858)605-0235. Winchester Smokeless Propellant (913) 362-9455 www.wwpowder.com Circle # 403 Ameristep Tom Taker The hub-style Signature Series Ground Blind, The Tom Taker features NS3 MicroTech fabric, which eliminates shine and excess noise. The blind has an extended vertical window system and reinforced, carbon-enhanced, shadow-guard laminated interior. Available in Realtree APG HD, the blind measures 77" square, is 70" tall and weighs 18.5 lbs. Sign Up For A Free Subscription To SI’s All-Digital Edition. Visit www.shootingindustry.com. Ameristep (810) 686-4035 www.ameristep.com Circle # 404 www.shootingindustry.com FEBRUARY 2009 452009-02-11T19:31:27+01:00http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=46http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/ShootingIndustry/Feb2009/?Page=46Russ Thurman A Good Start To 2009 S HOT Show 2009 last month in Orlando, Fla., provided a muchwelcomed boost to the industry’s morale, as dealers and buyers crowded booths and exhibitors reported solid order-writing. Total attendance at the show hit more than 48,000, with attendees accounting for 25,384 of that number. While not a SHOT Show record, it was a 3-percent increase over the event in 2007, the last time the show was held in Orlando. Just as important, the show is in sharp contrast to the trend in trade shows, which, except in rare occasions, are in steep decline. The attendance and the positive reports from exhibitors was, undoubtly, welcome news to Steve Sanetti, who, while a SHOT Show veteran, was attending his first show as the president of NSSF. “We are pleased with the overall attendance, which reflects the strength of the industry. The upbeat atmosphere and the business conducted is important as we face a challenging economy,” Sanetti said. Business at our FMG Publications’ booth was steady throughout the show, with peak times rated as “frenzy.” We gave away thousands of copies of our magazines: Shooting Industry, American Handgunner, GUNS Magazine and Ameri- “Salutes go out to NSSF and the industry, in general, for a welcome start to 2009.” can COP. Late on Friday, the second day of the show, we were in danger of running out of magazines, something that’s never happened that early in the show. We actually began limiting the numbers of magazines we placed on display. While not a scientific measuring tool, this is an indicator of the dealer attendance and enthusiasm for our products. The success of SHOT Show 2009 was in contrast to numerous speculations leading up to the show that dealers in huge numbers were canceling their attendance. In addition, shortly after the November national election, I received queries, asking if I’d heard that large numbers of manufacturers were canceling their booths at the show. In Orlando, the the-show-is-a-failure rumors continued, even as dealers and other buyers swept through the convention hall. On Saturday, I was asked if it was true that NSSF was opening the show to the public on the last day to “make the numbers look better.” All this fits into the fashion of the day, much of it driven by the Internet: bad news sells, good news doesn’t. We’d rather stick with “telling it like it is.” SHOW Show 2009 didn’t set attendance records, but it was a significant success, given the economy and an uncertain future. Salutes go out to NSSF and the industry, in general, for a welcome start to 2009. t the SHOT Show, we presented our all-digital editions of Shooting Industry and American COP to those visiting our booth and to others throughout the exhibit hall. The editions drew plenty of “wows” and more than a few stunned reactions. Yes, the digital editions are gaining a lot of attention as manufacturers, distributors and dealers learn the many features of these interactive publications. With our all-digital editions, FMG is reaching an ever-widening audience of online readers. The January/February issue of American COP was first posted online in mid-December 2008. Between Dec. 12 and Dec. 30, 2,950 visitors viewed 65,500 pages. “Those numbers are impressive — especially when you consider it’s only one-half month’s worth of data,” said American COP publisher and editor Roy Huntington. “The best part is we know real cops are reading the issues based on their e-mail comments.” A FMG Digital Editions Increase Circulation Shooting Industry’s online editions are enjoying similar success. From Dec. 12 to Dec. 30, Shooting Industry’s December digital edition attracted 1,950 visitors and received more than 47,000 page views. The October and November introductory digital editions have received 4,350 unique visitors and 39,700 page views since Oct. 1. Yes, we’re very pleased by the reaction to the digital editions. 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