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. Winchester’s Super X3 Waterfowl 3 1/2" in Mossy Oak Duck Blind has a weather-resistant composite stock. In shotgun sales, Remington leads, with Mossberg in a close second. The Remington Model 870 has won the first-place award for shotgun sales at Total Firearms. At Total Firearms, Remington and Ruger rifles run neck in neck, but the store also does well with Browning and CZ-USA rifles. Starr is waiting to see if customers catch on to the new Browning X-Bolt, with its trimmer look and the Feather Trigger system. “Browning made a big splash with the X-Bolt and it looks like a nice rifle,” Starr Remington, Ruger Rule said. “At this point, it’s tough to predict sales, but with the improvements in the design, trigger and bolt-unlocking system, I believe it will get customers thinking.” Starr sees the current trend in singleshot rifles as a media-induced craze. “The big trend toward T/C and singleshot rifles comes from the various outdoor TV channels,” Starr said. “Still, it’s a good firearm for some hunters, because they can purchase one frame, such as the Omega or Encore, and use it for blackpowder hunting, rifle hunting and even as a shotgun for turkey hunting.” Although fall hunting seasons spur many long-gun sales, Starr also sees sales reflected in various seasonal activities. One of the best “off-seasons” is in the spring with varmint hunting. “The .223 and .22-250 are our biggest springtime sellers because of woodchucks and coyotes,” Starr said. “Farmers in the area especially hate woodchucks because they’re worried about dropping a tractor tire down a big hole and busting up machinery. Heck, I know farmers who pay guys to shoot woodchucks.” Long-Gun Sales Continue To Grow t Shooters of Columbus, in Columbus, Ga., Bob Bessinger, the general manager for 13 years of the store’s 14-year history, rates his long-guns sales as positive. “Firearms are often the last thing consumers buy when there is a true recession going on,” Bessinger said. “To date, I have not seen that, and sales continue to be brisk. In fact, we’re up in sales.” The political atmosphere is not a major factor in the buying trends, according to Bessinger. “Is it because a Democrat may win the presidency? There’s a lot of talk and thought in that, but it’s not the primary driving force behind the increase in sales. Our sales grow every year with substantial momentum, so I think it’s just a continuing trend,” Bessinger said. A Shooters is a 4,000-square-foot establishment with an indoor range. Bessinger keeps 1,000 firearms on hand at all times, in addition to offering special orders. In long guns, he stocks models from Browning, Benelli, Bushmaster, Marlin, Mossberg, Remington and Winchester. One advantage Shooters of Columbus does have that drives sales is its proximity to the Army’s Fort Benning, with an on-base active duty population in the thousands. The base is the largest overall employer in the area. “In this area, you truly don’t see anything that says recession,” Bessinger said. Shooters of Columbus caters to all long-gun users, but does especially well with the AR-style of rifles, which Bessinger believes is because of the proximity to the Army base. “Our main long-gun sales are defensivetype firearms, including rifles and shotguns, but by far the best seller is the .223,” Bessinger said. “Many of our customers come from the base and they want the same style of rifle they shoot while on duty.” Bessinger takes full advantage of the increase in the black-rifle market. “We carry a variety of brands and sell a good selection of all models, including Smith and Wesson, Olympic, DPMS Panther, ArmaLite and Bushmaster. It comes down to personal choices, but we try to provide a good selection for comparison,” Bessinger said. Another long gun that gets a lot of attention from civilians and military customers is the Springfield Armory M1A. Again, Bessinger believes the close military influence drives many of these sales, Ruger’s 77 Ruger Compact Magnums are chambered in .300 and .338 RCM, developed in conjunction with Hornady. Beretta’s 686 WHITE ONYX sporting, in 12-, 20- and 28-gauge, has a top-mounted bolt-lug design and satin nickel frame. 38 AUGUST 2008 www.shootingindustry.com