Click here to download the catalog as a PDF file. To view this site you need Adobe Flash Player and your browser must allow javaScripts. Go here to get the latest Flash Player. Making Sales In The Northwest P ro Gun Services of Victor, N.Y., has a reputation for not only pulling in customers from the nearby metropolis of Rochester, but also from lots of smaller cities and towns in the region. While not impressive in size, Pro Gun is very impressive in the depth of its stock and the number of buyers who won’t go anywhere else. Pat Montanarella, an old hand in sales at the shop, gives a lot of credit for Pro Gun Services’ growth to Tim Kinton, the manager. “Tim’s always on the phone, finding what’s available and keeping us stocked better than others, especially when sup- plies are slim,” Montanarella said. “And we’re living proof of the saying that ‘He who pays his bills on time, gets the calls,’ meaning calls from distributors and makers rationing out small lots of products as fast as they can be manufactured or imported. When it comes down to deciding who is going to get today’s shipment, retailers with good, sound payment records are getting the goods.” Montanarella says the most in-demand products related to handgun sales are ammunition and spare magazines. “For them, you don’t even need a sales strategy — you just have to have some- Pro-Shot’s cleaning kits are highly recommended by Pat Montanarella at Pro Gun. thing to sell,” Montanarella said. Laser sights are always steady sellers, he said, with Glock owners preferring the internal guide rod laser from LaserMax, while most customers with 1911s and Smith & Wesson J-frames opt for Crimson Trace Lasergrips. Interest in the super-compact, rail-mountable Uni-Max laser from LaserMax is growing fast, and Pro Gun is starting to get in the powerful green laser model. Aftermarket sights are not a big draw at Pro Gun, but since installation is free for any sights purchased at the shop, sales are steady. The biggest sellers are night sights made by Trijicon, followed by the dual light-source, tritium-fiber optic T.F.O.s by TruGlo and sights by Meprolight. Sales of handgun cleaning supplies are led by Pro-Shot, and many of those sales are clinched through personal recommendation from Montanarella and other staff members. “They’ll last longer than I will. Even in tough times when supplies are tight, top-quality products and personal recommendations are what make sales,” Montanarella said. www.shootingindustry.com JUNE 2009 33