NSSF SHOT Business - December 2019 by SHOT Business

DECEMBER 2019

FYI: THE SECRET TO SELLING FLASHLIGHTS Pg. 22

WOMEN’S ISSUE FEMALE SHOOTERS ARE ON THE RISE. IT’S TIME YOU LEARNED HOW TO SELL TO THEM PG. 26

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE FIRING LINE

GOOD STUFF

Springﬁeld Armory’s new 1911 in 10mm is all business Pg. 23

TrueTimber’s Pulse takes goose down to new heights Pg. 48

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SHOT BUSINESS DECEMBER 2019 VOLUME 27, ISSUE 7

DIVING IN The best way to deal with the emerging women’s market is to plunge in to the deep end. BY JODI STEMLER

PERFECT FIT Want to earn women’s loyalty? Design clothing they can wear comfortably in the field. BY DICK MCNULTY

WOMEN WELCOME The face of the hunting and shooting market is changing. But with this change comes opportunity. Embrace it. BY KRIS MILLGATE

FROM THE COUNTER This Nebraska retailer keeps customers’ needs at the forefront, and works to create a comfort factor for all.

RETAILER TOOLBOX A variety of programs at SHOT University 2020 can help you learn to run a more profitable business.

NSSF UPDATE SHOT University Online goes live; NSSF launches The Gun Industry podcast; Democrats push for national firearms storage law; and a state legislative roundup.

EDITOR’S NOTE A seismic shift in customer demographics is coming to your store.

NEWS BRIEFS Federal’s new Shorty shotshells; Leatherman adds knives to its line of multi-tools; Tweed Media is an untiring advocate for its clients; and how to write a press release that actually gets read.

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FYI When it comes to flashlights, all lumens are not alike.

FIRING LINE Springfield Armory’s 1911 Range Operator Elite 10mm is all business. UNDERCOVER SHOPPER A woman looks back on her years of firearms

retail experiences—good, bad, and indifferent.

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WHAT’S SELLING WHERE

GOOD STUFF TrueTimber’s Pulse clothing is the real deal.

NEW PRODUCTS Kel-Tec KS7 bullpup shotgun; Ameristep Caretaker pop-up blind.

48 16

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EDITOR’S NOTE

NSSF

Seismic Shift The growing women’s market reflects a rapid change in customer demographics

ere’s something to think about: Women are the fastest-growing segment in hunting. According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, female hunter numbers rose from 1.8 million in 2001 to 3.6 million by 2018, an uptick in participation of 102 percent. Perhaps even more astounding: The number of women hunters 18 to 24 years old is growing faster than their male counterparts. Women are also embracing target shooting and, in increasing numbers, acquiring guns for personal defense. All this is great news for our industry, but not all retailers and manufacturers are on board. I’ve talked to too many women over the years who have walked out of gun shops in utter disgust, appalled at the way they were treated. And far too many have found a woeful shortage of products designed specifically for them. We’re way past the time when boys could build a tree house and put out a sign that says “No Girls Allowed,” and we’re way past the time when manufacturers should just “shrink it and pink it” and be done with it. True, men still dominate the market, but the size of the women’s market is growing, and you ignore this development at your peril. That’s the rationale behind this special issue on the importance of women in the shooting sports. In “Women Welcome Here” (p. 40) Kris Millgate notes that a seismic shift in customers poses challenges as well as opportunities for shooting sports retailers and manufacturers. When the market is small, it really doesn’t pay to cater to it. These early customers simply don’t move the needle on demand enough to warrant the cost of industrial investment. “But as their numbers grow, the industry must catch up with the significance of the movement or miss out.”

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DECEMBER 2019

SLATON L. WHITE, Editor James A. Walsh, Art Director Margaret M. Nussey, Managing Editor David Maccar, Senior Editor David E. Petzal, Shooting Editor Judith Weber, Digital Content Producer CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Larry Ahlman, Barbara Baird, Scott Bestul, Philip Bourjaily, Christopher Cogley, Jock Elliott, Shannon Farlow, Tim Irwin, William F. Kendy, Richard Mann, Peter B. Mathiesen, Brian McCombie, Tom Mohrhauser, Robert Sadowski, Robert F. Staeger, Peter Suciu, Wayne Van Zwoll Colin Kearns, Editorial Director ADVERTISING: 212-779-5316 Jeff Timm, Vice President, Sales Jeff Roberge, Advertising Director Katie Logan, Advertising Director Amanda Gastelum, Integrated Marketing Director BUSINESS OPERATIONS Tara Bisciello, Financial Director MANUFACTURING Kelly Kramer Weekley, Associate Group Director Keith Coville, Production Manager BONNIER Chairman, Lars Dahmén Chief Executive Officer, Eric Zinczenko Chief Financial Officer, Joachim Jaginder Executive Vice President, Bonnier Media, Gregory D. Gatto Executive Vice President, Bonnier Subscriptions, David Ritchie Chief Digital Revenue Officer, Sean Holzman Senior Vice President, Consumer Products, Elise Contarsy Senior Vice President, Events, Jonathan Moore Senior Vice President, Digital Operations, David Butler Senior Vice President, Managing Director, Corporate Sales, John Graney Vice President, Public Relations, Perri Dorset Vice President, Data Science and Analytics, Mark Crone Vice President, Enterprise Solutions, Shawn Macey General Counsel, Jeremy Thompson Human Resources Director, Kim Putman

And the numbers are growing. In “Diving In” (p. 26) Jodi Stemler reports that though progress is being made, “The industry as a whole is just scratching the surface. Overall, the industry investment has been tepid.” Her argument makes sense: “If the industry developed more women’s products, and recognized women as viable consumers, it’s fair to say that more women would get out hunting and shooting. Besides, shouldn’t our industry meet the needs of the one segment of the industry that’s growing?” The editors of SHOT Business couldn’t agree more.

Slaton L. White, Editor

SHOT Business (ISSN 1081-8618) is published 7 times a year in January, February/March, April/May, June/July, August/September, October/November and December by Bonnier Corporation, 2 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016-5695, and is the official publication of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Flintlock Ridge Office Center, 11 Mile Hill Road, Newtown, CT 06470 (203-426-1320). Volume 27, issue 7, Copyright © 2019 by the National Shooting Sports Foundation. All rights reserved. Editorial, circulation, production and advertising offices are located at 2 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016-5695 (212-779-5000). Free to qualified subscribers; available to non-qualified subscribers for $25 per year. Single-copy issues are available for $5 each. Send check, payable to NSSF, to: SHOT Business, c/o NSSF, 11 Mile Hill Road, Newtown, CT 064702359. SHOT Business accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts and photographs. All correspondence should be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Requests for media kits and advertising information should be directed to Katy Marinaro, Bonnier Corporation, 625 N. Michigan Ave., Ste. 1270, Chicago, IL 60611. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and at additional mailing offices. Printed in the USA. For Customer Service and Subscription questions, such as Renewals, Address Changes, Email Preferences, Billing and Account Status, go to: shotbusiness.com/cs. You can also email SBZcustserv@cdsfulfllment.com, in the U.S. call toll-free 866-6154345, outside the U.S. call 515-237-3697, or write to SHOT Business, 2 Park Ave., New York, NY 10016. For editorial inquiries, write to Slaton L. White, SHOT Business, 2 Park Ave., New York, NY 10016 REPRINTS: E-mail reprints@bonniercorp.com. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to SHOT Business, P.O. Box 6364 Harlan, IA 51593.

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KNOWLEDGE

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NEWS BRIEFS NEW S

Bits & Pieces XS Sights Names Tanya Gorin Vice President of Sales

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Federal Shorts the Market Federal’s new Shorty shotshells prove great things can come small packages

XS Sights has promoted Tanya Gorin to vice president of sales. Gorin has been with XS Sights for seven years, serving most recently as commercial sales manager. In her new role, Gorin will be responsible for all sales channels, partner relationships, and sales initiatives. “Tanya is a proven performer of Team XS who has demonstrated a passion for the shooting sports and strong advocacy of our Second Amendment,” says Kellie Brunn, co-owner of XS Sights.

Management Changes at CRKT Founder Rod Bremer and his wife, Peggy, CFO, are stepping away from the day-today operations of CRKT. They will remain with the company in high-level advisory positions. “We have been working hard for several years on our transition plan and, frankly, we feel like we’ve succeeded,” says Rod Bremer. “By bringing in the right talent to lead, run, and grow CRKT to the next level, it has become very obvious to us that now is the time to move into the next phase of our business and our personal lives.”

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ederal recently presented its 12-gauge 1¾-inch Smooth Bore Barrel cartridge and chamber designs—also known as Shorty shotshells—to the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (SAAMI) to be voted on for standardization. The specifications were approved, and the new cartridge has been officially recognized by the organization. Technical data and drawings of the 12-gauge 1¾-inch SAAMI Standards

are now published and available to the industry. “This is big news for our new Shorty shotshell ammunition,” says Rick Stoeckel, Federal’s shotshell product director. “The 12-gauge 1¾-inch cartridge has been around for more than a decade, but it was never brought to SAAMI to be considered by its Technical Committee. Once we decided to start manufacturing this load, we immediately submitted it to SAAMI for industry standardization. We’re excited about this approval, and we deeply appreciate SAAMI’s support.” Federal’s new Shorty shotshells have been designed to deliver performance

similar to that found in standard-size shells. “Although only 1¾ inches long, new Shorty shotshells offer patterns, energy, and accuracy similar to that of their full-size counterparts,” he says. “They are now available in No. 8 shot, No. 4 buck, and rifled slug loads.” That’s all well and good, but it begs the question: Why did Federal decide to run with this load in the first place? “Larger 12-gauge loads were invented a long time ago, when the 2 3∕4-inch length was required to fit the amount of powder needed to propel the payload of shot,” Stoekel says. “With newer, modern powders, we don’t need that much space, so air gaps in wads

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NEWS BRIEFS

“You can put more rounds in a vest pocket or b e lt p o u c h , a n d t h o s e w h o u s e a n o v e r / u n d e r will feel less recoil.”

SAAMI’s approval of the new cartridge was a crucial step in legitimizing it within the industry.

are used. Today, short shotshells are all you really need when using modern powders. It is way more efficient for the amount of materials needed to make modern shotshells. It just makes sense.” That kind of factory efficiency can go a long way to controlling—or lowering— the cost of production, which often translates into lower prices for consumers. Although Federal had plans to introduce Shorty shells a decade ago, it held off because it saw that the market to support the big sales necessary to justify the cost of production and distribution was not there. “So, we sat on that work until the time was right,” Stoekel says. And that time is now. “Recently, our customers have been asking for us to produce Shorty shells that can outperform loads available from our competitors,” he says. “We listened to those requests and are now delivering the loads they want.” And just who are those customers?

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“Customers who shoot speed competitions, like 3-Gun and others, often are concerned about magazine capacity,” Stoekel says. “They are looking for ways to speed up reloads and shoot more rounds before reloading. With Shorty shotshells, you can fit more rounds in the magazine.” Stoekel also notes that Shorty shells should appeal to sporting clays shooters as well. “You can put more rounds in a vest pocket or belt pouch. And those who use an over/under will feel less recoil. I think these shooters will also find that the rounds are a lot of fun to shoot. So, retailers will find that this shell will appeal to a broad group of their customer base.” That higher shell capacity should also appeal strongly to owners of selfdefense shotguns. As this shell design moves toward the mainstream, Stoekel says, the next step is up to shotgun manufacturers. “As the industry and marketplace already

knows, feeding of short shotshell ammunition in semi-auto and pumpaction shotguns is not guaranteed.” That’s because shotguns today are designed to feed and eject a 2¾-inch shell, not a 1¾-incher. “Shooters have been working around this with aftermarket modifications to the gun to help with function,” Stoekel says. “Ultimately, the market will have to rely on the gun manufacturers to adapt or design gun systems around the shorter designs. SAAMI’s approval of the cartridge was a crucial step in legitimizing it within the industry, paving the way for broader acceptance with the shooting public. Our hope is that SAMMI’s work will inspire shotgun manufacturers to purposely build pump-action and semi-auto shotguns that can specifically run 1¾-inch loads.” SRP: $11.95, No. 4 buck, box of 10; $11.95, rifled slug, box of 10; $5.95, No. 8 shot, box of 10. (federalpremium.com) —Slaton L. White

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Springfield Introduces High-Cap Micro-Compact Hellcat

pringfield Armory has jumped feet first into the handgun niche of subcompact defensive pistols with its 9mm Hellcat. The company is billing it as the “world’s highest-capacity micro compact,” and its round count is impressive. The diminutive Hellcat ships with a flush-fitting 11-round magazine and a 13-rounder that extends the grip. The gun is also available in an optics-ready variant so RMR sights—an increasingly popular optic choice for defensive firearms—can be attached right to the slide. With a 3-inch barrel, a

width of just 1 inch, and weighing just 18.3 ounces (unloaded), the Hellcat features rear slide serrations that cover the top of the slide for easy manipulation. It also has a standard accessory rail for a light or laser sight. A loadedchamber indicator and reversible magazine release round out the features, along with a flat trigger body with a nickelboron-coated trigger group. The irons that come on both the regular and opticsready versions of the Hellcat are a bit different—a highvisibility tritium and luminescent front sight with a Tactical Rack U-Dot rear

The new Springfield Hellcat features an 11+1 round flush-fit magazine and a 13+1 extended mag.

sight allow the user to quickly acquire a sight picture in all lighting condi-

tions. SRP: $569, standard model; $599, OSP Model. (springfield-armory.com)

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NEWS BRIEFS

On Target Tweed Media is an untiring advocate for its clients By Slaton L. White

egendary merchant John Wanamaker is considered by some to be a pioneer in modern marketing. Nearly a century after his death, he is still remembered for his prescient quote regarding the value of advertising: “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is, I don’t know which half.” You could say the same thing about public relations. Part of the problem for any company is finding the right partner to handle it. If it’s a poor fit, as with an ill-fitting shotgun, targets are going to be missed. Some companies avoid the issue by having public relations done in-house. But this tactic can also misfire if the designated employee is ill-suited to the task or is asked to handle P.R. while performing other duties. And given the specialized nature of many of the products found in the shooting sports industry, you can make a good case that hiring an agency that understands your company’s culture and products, and the market in which those products must compete, is money well spent. Established in 2009, Scotland-based Tweed Media International is a global public relations firm that specializes in the outdoor leisure and countryside lifestyle sectors, but with a particular focus on hunting and shooting.

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“Over the past decade, Tweed Media has grown from a small kitchen-table start-up in a sector that did not understand the power of public relations to a dominant international agency working with huge brands all over the U.S. and the world,” says managing director Selena Barr. She co-founded the agency with her husband, Simon, who serves as CEO. “At the beginning, it was tricky to convince businesses that they should consider appointing an external agency to handle their public relations.” In many cases when Tweed approached companies in the shooting sports sector, Barr discovered, they learned that tradition dictated that public relations be handled internally. “Invariably, we found that this person did not understand the subject matter because they weren’t a hunter or shooter. As such, their efforts would prove ineffective.” Another barrier Tweed encountered during pitches was a company’s previous experience with an outside agency. “When we talked to these CEOs, we learned that some companies had had their fingers burned by an agency that had over-promised and under-delivered,” Barr says. “We had to convince these CEOs that we were different, that we were accountable and transparent.” And just how did Tweed do that? “What set us apart is that we are passionately committed to the outdoors,” she says. “When we are not working, we are chasing deer

One of Tweed’s biggest assignments is organizing the Leica media breakfast at SHOT Show.

and fish, and camping in the wilderness.” Another key selling point was that the Barrs told these companies that Tweed is “always on.” “That means 24/7,” she says. “If a crisis hits at 10 p.m. on a Sunday, we are available. Always.” Future company goals for Tweed include continued expansion in the United States. “Tweed Media’s USP is helping American brands penetrate the U.K. and European markets, and vice versa,” Barr says. “We are currently pitching to some well-known household brands that I hope to announce as part of our portfolio very soon.”

Case Study Premium German optics brand Leica tasks Tweed Media with translating European-sounding and European-looking branding messages to the U.S. market. Tweed’s staff, now composed of 11 staffers (including writers, SEO experts, designers, and photographers), will rewrite, reshoot, and rework

the marketing collateral that comes from Wetzlar to make it relatable to the American market. “We have worked with Leica for the past seven years, so we understand their messaging and brand identity intricately,” Barr says. “In addition, our role is to secure Leica with as much editorial coverage in the U.S. as possible. One of Barr’s biggest tasks at SHOT Show is the annual Leica breakfast: “Organizing the Leica media breakfast on the Wednesday morning of SHOT Show is no small undertaking. There is so much competition for people to attend events. It takes an enormous number of manhours to secure the presence of the top editors, writers, bloggers, photographers, and influencers in one room. I think one of the reasons I always manage to pull it off is because I bother to send an email to every single attendee to thank them for their support. Without the support and respect of these people, Tweed Media would not be able to achieve all that we do.”

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LEATHERMAN ADDS KNIVES TO ITS FREE LINE Earlier this year, Leatherman Tool Group announced the launch of the Leatherman Free Collection, the most extensive product launch in Leatherman’s 35-year history. The tools use cutting-edge technology that integrates magnets into the design, making it easier for users to open, handle, and close the tools, and eliminating the need for nail nicks. In addition, the internal locking system reduces the wear-and-tear on the individual implements, which makes the Free tools even more durable than their predecessors. Now, Leatherman is expanding the concept with the new Free K Series of multipurpose knives. Designed for the folding-knife user who wants multipurpose functionality, the primary implement in this col-

Leatherman’s new Free K Series of multipurpose folding knives feature a 420 steel blade.

lection is a 3.35-inch 420 steel blade. Like the other tools in the Free line, the K series features epic haptics (technology that a provides distinct click to give auditory confirmation that the tool is open and ready for use), proprietary magnetic closures with a premium aluminum handle, and eight additional tools located within the handle. “There have long been conversations around creating Leatherman knives,” says Adam Lazenby, design engineer at Leatherman. “With that in mind, we made sure that the Free architecture would support knives. We wanted to create a knife architecture that would allow us to create many different variations.” SRP: $79.95, K2 and K2X; $89.95, K4 and K4X. (leatherman.com)

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NEWS BRIEFS

Mossy Oak Enters the Stream Mossy Oak GO streams outdoor content across varied platforms By Brian McCombie

eekly, it seems, yet another business in the shooting sports industry reports the same situation: Their company’s Facebook or Instagram page was blocked or even shut down over complaints that they had posted inappropriate content. Usually, “inappropriate” means the post concerned hunting or firearms, the life blood of our industry. When industry people get together and discuss this situation, invariably someone will say, “We should start our own media platform where we can share our videos without interference!” Actually, a number of companies have done just this, including Mossy Oak, a pillar of the outdoors industry. “The messaging from the shooting sports and the outdoors industries is continuously being hindered by an anti–Second Amendment and antihunting agenda,” says Ben Maki, Mossy Oak’s senior vice president and chief marketing officer. “And it has car-

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ried over into the realm of social media, with our posts scrutinized to no end by the social media companies themselves.” To help remedy this situation, Mossy Oak GO, an online streaming video provider for all things outdoors, was launched in 2018. Mossy Oak GO provides free, original outdoors video content suited for hunters, saltwater and freshwater anglers, land managers, conservation enthusiasts, and shooting sports aficionados. Campers, hikers, adventure seekers, culinary dabblers, and others interested in the outdoors will find content of interest to them at Mossy Oak GO, too. The site also offers a vast library of online videos for those who live the outdoors lifestyle. “Mossy Oak GO is a stand-alone network that enables Mossy Oak to produce and promote a wide variety of content, ranging from hunting and

fishing adventures to product reviews and everything in between,” Maki says. “All types of videos are posted, and while they serve their own purposes— providing outdoors entertainment, for example—they also prove that Mossy Oak is able to support its retail partners and its licensees digitally, without any consequences or limits from third parties.” At Mossy Oak GO, the outdoors and the Second Amendment are celebrated, in everything from outdoors television show episodes to short films. There are also original series, like The Obsessed and Honor. Mossy Oak’s Honor acknowledges the men and women who serve our nation and its people, telling their stories of heroism, bravery, and humility. One episode of the program featured Will Jimeno, a 9/11 survivor and Port Authority police officer who risked his life to help others on that terrible day.

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Mossy Oak GO also creates awareness for many different brands and products, and connects the audience to a destination for purchase, whether it be at brick-and-mortar storefront or online. The combination of social media, MossyOak.com, and Mossy Oak GO provides a way for brand licensees and retail partners to get their products in front of outdoor consumers like never before. Mossy Oak GO is available at no cost, eliminating the hassle of free trials, monthly fees, or restricted access. Mossy Oak GO is available on all streaming platforms, including Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Google Chromecast, and ROKU. The app is also available on mobile devices through the Apple App Store and Google Play. The app is supported across all smart devices without a subscription, allowing you to watch the best in outdoors TV anytime, anyplace. “With Mossy Oak GO, viewers don’t have to deal with expensive subscription rates or with being interrupted by redundant commercials,” Maki says. “We made it simple. Viewers download the app through a preferred streaming platform and start watching free, uninterrupted outdoors entertainment.” (mossyoak.com)

The Mossy Oak GO app is supported across all smart devices without a subscription.

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START SPREADING THE NEWS While mass media hypes bad news about the shooting sports, the fact is, there are many positive things to call attention to in the shooting sports and hunting industries, such as ongoing training, educational programs, support for veterans and charitable causes, plus all those hours of safe and enjoyable recreation. A news or press release can help move these messages—and call positive attention to your business. A proper press release can also help a business develop a stronger working relationship with local media members.

MAKE PLANS AND GET AHEAD Success in moving your message requires a strategic plan. This includes a yearly calendar with key deadlines noted, contacts who receive the releases, goals for each release—and tracking the results. Timing is critical; websites post news today, newspapers are often next week, and magazines are generally prepared months in advance. Think ahead. When writing a release, it’s important to choose your words carefully. You need to grab the reader’s attention in the first sentence or paragraph. You also—and this is critical— need to focus on one topic. A press release should always answer the basics: who, what, when, and where. Since releases are about facts, avoid using fluffy marketing quotes and general statements. When sending a release, include a quality hi-res image and if possible a company logo. Images grab attention and pull the casual reader in for the details. Goods releases are generally one page (no more than 500

words) and are in a standard font such as Times New Roman size 12. Place the text in the body of the message in case the recipient reads it on a cellphone. Next, target the places to receive the release. Push local news through local channels and regional news through those sources. Remember to also place the news on your company website and links on your social media channels. After a release is launched, consider using a spreadsheet to track the details: when it was released; who received it; who printed or posted it; and the results, such as customer comments and increased attention. You can also track the success of a press release with a Google search for the topic about two weeks after it is released.

INCLUDE THE DETAILS There is one golden rule for press releases: Content is king. The best releases begin as an outline, then fill in the details. Many of those details should be summarized in the first paragraph, because, unfortunately, this is often the only segment read by busy readers—including editors and webmasters. Keep sentences short and to the point, use action words, and if in doubt, use online text programs to scan your text and evaluate it. Many readers read at a 6th to 8th grade level, so avoid big words and complex phrases. Improve the acceptance of the release by keeping titles to about five words. Press releases continue to be a top method for calling attention to your business and events. Start spreading the news. —Michael D. Faw

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NEWS BRIEFS

Branching Out Otis adds guns to its inventory of cleaning products By Kris Millgate

he company designing the kits you use to clean your guns now has guns in its inventory. Otis Technology—a family business based in Lyon Falls, New York—recently acquired DRD Tactical. “DRD built a name for itself with its unique offering of firearms,” says Heather Pleskach, Otis Technology director of marketing. “The rifles have patented technology with quick breakdown of the barrel. In addition, the stock folds, but the rifle can be fired while the stock is folded.” “DRD Tactical completely aligns with our Americanmade, innovative culture and quality standards,” says CEO Larry Williams. “We’re excited for the future and growing DRD Tactical’s line of quick-take-down rifles.” The gun is now part of the Otis product line, which started with a guncleaning kit in 1985, which was a mud-inspired innovation. The company’s founder, Doreen Garrett, who was 16 at the time, fell on a deer hunt, dumping her grandpa’s Winchester in the mud. She left the field with a clogged barrel and an unpunched tag. The fall cost her the hunt but inspired an idea. “Her thought process was, I need to have something to carry in the field

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to clean-and-clear so this doesn’t happen again,” Pleskach says. “She called it the Whole Kit & Caboodle. It was everything you needed to cleanand-clear without disassembling the firearm. She put everything in a little shoe polish tin so she could carry it in the field.” The tin rattled, so Garrett modified the case with soft, quiet material, then started Otis with her three siblings and parents. Her family knew the family behind DRD Tactical from attending SHOT Show. When the opportunity to add the DRD family to her family developed, Otis was ready. “When we invest in machinery, we’re not doing things that just work for right now. We’re planning for the capabilities of expanded growth,” Pleskach says. “Our facility is poised for growth, and adding DRD Tactical is a good fit for growing our portfolio of products

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beyond our cleaning line.” With the acquisition of Shooter’s Choice in 2018 and DRD Tactical in 2019, Otis now has 125 employees. Otis bought those two companies for the quality products that already had brand recognition. That’s why they’re still listed by individual name but share space at the show in the Otis booth. Expect two new rifles this year, plus a new cleaning kit for long-term storage between hunting seasons or mission deployments. It’s called the Rust Stopper Long Term Storage Kit. Also look for the celebrated round, soft-case cleaning kit for in the field, which remains a mainstay of the company after all these years. “A kit like this doesn’t cross your mind as something you need to worry about until it happens to you,” Pleskach says. “It’s insurance. If you have it, you won’t need it, but that one time something goes wrong, you’ve got what you need.” (otistec.com)

DUNLOP UNVEILS NEW BOOT Combining Dunlop’s proprietary Purotex and Purofort technologies, the Snugboot is the result of more than 100 years of innovation. The Purotex material ensures a breathable and waterproof upper, while Purofort— with millions of evenly distributed air pockets—guarantees a lightweight, thermally insulated boot for long-lasting comfort. “We undertook the Snugboot project with the goal of addressing the two main issues of wearing boots, which are sweaty feet and heal slippage,” says Elroy Bongers, Dunlop’s director of innovation. “By pairing our trademark Purofort material with our new, innovative Purotex inner sock, we have created a lightweight thermo-regulating boot for all seasons. And, in order to resolve boot fit, we completely reinvented the manufacturing process with our new snug last, as well as our Stability Fix insert, which locks your foot in for biomechanical support with every step in any type of terrain.” The multipurpose Snugboot comes in three versions. The Pioneer ($149) is built for those who work on farms or spend a lot of time in gardens; the WorkPro Full Safety ($169) features lightweight, heavy-duty, metal-free protection for those who work outside; and the Wildlander ($179) wears Mossy Oak’s signature Break-Up camo pattern and is engineered for hunters. “We are excited to build off our innovation heritage with the launch of the Snugboot Collection,” says Colin Clark, Dunlop’s director of marketing. “The boot is engineered for comfort.” (dunlopboots.com)

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Nexgen Outfitters Occupies the Middle Ground

hose starting a new business can expect to spend countless hours behind a desk, making calls to suppliers and vendors, and working doggedly to grow the business. But the executive staff of Nebraska-based Nexgen Outfitters is also making sure to get out in the wild to personally test the products they’re selling.

Co-founder Jeremy Nesbitt believes that spending time in the outdoors is what sets the new online retailer apart from its competitors. “You can go to Amazon, if you know what you’re after,” he says. “But there are a lot of newcomers to the world of hunting, and we want to support them. We see that there is a huge gap in the market for someone who can provide crucial information and product data online to help those new customers make good choices. This builds trust, and they’ll remain customers as they acquire outdoor experience.” Nesbitt believes the company must inhabit a defining niche to be successful, and Nexgen’s ideal niche is to have “super-authentic people on the team. We’re down-to-earth in that we can provide information based on our experience. If you have a question, we are happy to chat and help you figure it out. There is a gap in the market for that sort of customer service, and that is one we’re happy to fill.” The other area in which Nexgen Outfitters seeks to stand out is product—specifically its own line of branded products. These products, Nesbitt says, will provide quality at a reasonable price point. He acknowledges that many companies have their own private labels. But, he says, it’s either expensive high-tech, top-end gear or cheap, low-quality knock-offs.

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Nexgen Outfitters believes there is a gap in the market for customer service that it intends to fill. It will also offer branded products under its own name.

“Neither approach really serves most customers,” he says. So, Nexgen is staking out the middle ground. “Our core branded products will solidly occupy the middle of the market by offering numerous features, but at a good price.” One example of this is the Whitetail Caddy Pack. Though designed for use in a treestand, it can be used in ground blinds as well. It’s also ideal for predator, varmint, and turkey hunters. “We have seen similar products for $200,” he says.

“We’re at $99.99, so it is a good price. It’s also far better quality than the $50 to $75 knock-off versions currently on the market.” As noted, each of Nexgen’s products gets realworld field testing. “What many people don’t realize about western Nebraska is that we have a lot of different species of animals and a lot of different kinds of terrain,” Nesbitt says. “It’s not all cornfields. We can test for just about every scenario, except high-altitude mountain hunting.”

The final differentiator for this new online retailer is what customers won’t see— the backend technology that makes it all work. “From the technology standpoint, it’s important that we’re solid there,” Nesbitt says. “Having a website go down isn’t an option, so we didn’t want to cut corners on our backend. We have been putting a lot of time, energy, and effort into our technology so that it can reliably support everything we do.” (nexgenof.com) —Peter Suciu

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by author UPD ATETH E COUNT FROM ER here

nebraska gun , lincoln , nebraska

Getting In Tune With the Needs of the Customer This retailer works hard to create a “comfort factor” for all

ocated in a blue 1890s barn, this small-city gun shop is on the edge of downtown Lincoln and one block from Kaplan University. Keeping an average of 250 firearms in stock, the store is staffed by its owner and one part-time employee.

This retailer sells a mix of new and used firearms in rotation with traditional hunting, defensive, and historic firearms. Open Monday through Saturday, it’s not the only gun shop in Lincoln, but the blue barn building is one of the last non-chain stores in the city.

LEARNING GUNS— AND AQUARIUMS? ➤ Owner Jeff McIntyre managed to find a job with a gun store right out of school, but his new employer’s gun shop shared space with an aquarium store in an old blue barn. “I’m sure I was born with a cork pop gun in my crib. I was completely driven to the

firearms business. When I had a chance to go to work at a gun shop, I took it—even though it turned out to be on the aquarium side of the business,” McIntyre says with a laugh. McIntyre’s first employer was a hobbyist who wanted to be in the sporting firearms and tropical fish business. He

believed retailing was about appreciating the customer and promoting social interaction. This was old-school friendly, even in the 1980s. It was the kind of store where the owner spent more time talking about firearms than selling them, and he was perfectly happy creating that retail environment. He

Nebraska Gun specializes in stocking niche inventory and offering expert gunsmithing services.

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encouraged regulars to hang out as long as they wanted. While McIntyre was refining his retail skills on the aquarium side of the store, he was able to observe the gun shop. It did fine but frequently just wasn’t up on new products. At times, it also wasn’t in tune with many of the customers’ needs. Still, McIntyre learned about the value of low margins and tightly competitive retailing. “There’s not a lot of money in selling guppies and water pumps. You need to learn quickly how to find the cash,” he says. FROM GUPPIES TO LANDLORD ➤ Over a period of years, McIntyre learned how to market guppies and survive in a tremendously competitive environment. He eventually became the landlord. “I had the chance to buy the blue barn for a reasonable price after I’d watched the slow decline of the aquarium and the gun store because of the passing of the owner,” says McIntyre. While keeping the property intact, McIntyre tightened his skills in the machine shop trade and went to work for another local firearms retailer. He found it was the polar opposite of his first retail experience. By 2006, McIntyre had amassed the vital skills to open the firearms store he’d always wanted. Today, he operates the blue barn as a full-service gun shop. His emphasis is on rare firearms.

LIVING OFF THE TABLE SCRAPS—AND PICKING UP WHERE OTHERS LEAVE OFF

In recent years, the retail landscape in many towns has moved to a big-box mentality. McIntyre’s philosophy is simple: “I live off the table scraps,” he says. ➤

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Those scraps include stocking specialized inventory, offering expert gunsmithing services, and providing an environment that truly welcomes its customers. “Will we sell someone a Ruger LCR if they ask for it? Yes, and I’ll get it for them quickly at a very good price. That’s part of being a good retailer. But I’m not going to keep one in stock when they’re heavily discounted across town.” he says. One door of opportunity that recently reopened was AR-style rifles, or modern sporting rifles (MSRs). “We had a good stock of MSRs when we opened. However, the competitive environment became a race to the basement. Today, the landscape is changing. As our local chain retailers are walking away from those sales, we’re stocking more MSR inventory,” he says. McIntyre also notes that in addition to welcoming his regular “insider” customers, he takes deliberate steps to welcome new customers. CHECKING IN ON THE RACK OF SHAME ➤ When someone brings Nebraska Gun a firearm that’s old and in disrepair, the guns are often repaired. Sometimes, though, they are passed to the Rack of Shame. “If I can get the gun cheap enough, I’ll buy any gun. These unwanted or often antique firearms are frequently sold for parts or display. There’s always a market for them—you just can’t pay very much,” he says. McIntyre adds that keeping the rare firearms on display in both working and non-working condition is one of the reasons customers regularly check in.

Selling the past is a big part of this store’s sales strategy. Older firearms uniquely tug on the emotional strings of many of its customers. “So often someone comes in and sees a gun from their past. Perhaps it was like their grandfather’s. Just seeing the gun triggers a memory and creates an instant emotional response,” he says. In this store, one of the trending firearms with shooters under 40 are older bolt guns. “Someone sees a gun on the rack that’s often been used hard and isn’t very expensive. If they recognize it as their grandfather’s gun, most customers want to buy it,” he says. “I find it interesting they almost never say it was their father’s gun,” he adds. “But I hear them talk about their grandpa all the time.” McIntyre surmises it was the grandparent who showed them the joy of hunting in the field, as opposed to their father, who most likely was “all about the rules.” McIntyre says even the grandparent’s caliber of choice is an emotional trigger. “Sometimes it’s just about feeling that connection to their past that can create a swift emotional purchase. I can’t sell an older bolt gun unless it’s a .30/06, because that’s the caliber of the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s,” he says. LESSON LEARNED FROM THE COUNTER

This retailer was fortunate to experience several management levels in diverse retail environments. In combination, he was provided a unique perspective he needed to open his own store. He learned how to differentiate his store from competitors’ and how to welcome customers and listen to

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by peter b . UPDATE

mathiesen

his clients’ stories to move them toward a sale. Love Your Customers—But Not Too Much Customers want a

supportive, friendly environment to shop in. They want to be a part of a tribe. They seek a place where they belong. McIntyre is careful to be welcoming, supportive, and friendly, but not to a point where a new customer is uncomfortable. Sell What Others Don’t It seems obvious, yet many retailers overlook this adage. Distance your store from your competitors’ “on-sale” items. Develop your specialized niche as the go-to store. Customers don’t need to enter a chain store to see what’s on sale. Smaller, specialized retailers attract a loyal following who drop by as an experience—not just for a purchase. Cater to the Emotional Sale

Focusing on the past and regional hunting traditions lays the groundwork for customer conversations that evoke an emotional response. Engaging in a client narrative is comforting. It draws out memories of relatives and friends while making the register ring. From the Counter works to identify and highlight innovative marketing strategies to help retailers compete more successfully. Lessons learned are drawn from an array of regions with diverse market economies.

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by by john UPD ATE T OOLBOX RETAILER

mcnamara , nssf senior director , retail

range services

2020 SHOT University Has a Stellar Seminar Lineup A variety of programs can help you run a more profitable business

ach year, on the day before SHOT Show opens, NSSF hosts its premier educational event for firearms retailers and range owners: SHOT University. The forum holds something for every business owner in this sector of our industry, whether they’re in the startup phase and seeking compliance guidance or one with decades of experiencing looking for ways to keep things fresh. Here’s a look at what’s on tap for 2020. teaches how embracing this new technology is one of the smartest ways today to stand out from the competition.

CHAMPION SHOOTER JULIE GOLOB

When it comes to championing the firearms industry, there’s almost no one to whom the word “ambassador” applies as much as it does to Julie Golob. She is dedicated, passionate, and, most of all, genuine about what she does. Today, that includes talking about the +ONE Movement, NSSF’s flagship shooter and hunter recruitment initiative. Golob’s keynote address will speak to the potential of this initiative and detail how you and your business can be a part of turning it into reality—and profits.

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MORNING LEARNING TRACKS

For 2020, SHOT University will feature four morning learning tracks with two sessions each. Those registered to attend the event can focus on one learning track or choose from sessions across the tracks. ➤

MEMBERSHIP TRAINING AND EVENTS TRACK ➤ 9:30–10:30 a.m., Integrated Staff Training Programs Help Meet Your Customers’ Needs:

Training programs must be a part of your range’s business and operational plan—but “integrated” training programs mean these programs support and are supported by

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other aspects of the business. In this session, firearms educator Rob Pincus explains why your firearms training staff, including visiting instructors, should work with your retail staff to educate them about the type of gear they should be recommending for various classes, how range managers should motivate their retail staff to participate in your training classes, and how education as part of your membership program can create an interest in future training. 10:45–11:45 a.m., Engaging Range Technologies: Focusing on the

entertainment value in shooting is an effective way to attract new customers and motivate your current customers to visit more frequently. New technologies such as video projection systems and target scoring cameras can be an easy way to “gamify” your range so your customers have more fun—boosting your revenue as they do—while new developments in range management software help manage store operations, predict maintenance, and reduce customer wait times. Led by range design expert Bryan “B.A.” Stear, this session

ECOMMERCE AND SOCIAL MEDIA TRACK ➤ 9:30–10:30 a.m., Instagram Masterclass: Has engage-

ment with your Instagram account been declining? Then come to SHOT University’s Instagram Masterclass, where social media expert Michell Scheuremann will review real-world case studies of this platform’s use by the outdoor industry and reveal what’s moving the needle today. You’ll leave this class with solid ideas to immediately implement during SHOT Show and an “Instagram Masterclass” handbook for you to use and reference. 10:45–11:45 a.m., Using Technology to Amplify Your Sales Efforts: In this session,

Karrie Christen and Colin Binion from The Client Attraction Formula and FFL consultants will walk you through technologies that can increase your ability to reach more clients—without needing more man hours to make that happen. COMPLIANCE TRACK ➤ 9:30–10:30 a.m., Protection from Lead and Noise: OSHA and Today’s Firearms Ranges: This

seminar provides range owners and operators with key concepts and methods for protecting employees from lead and noise exposure by meeting OSHA requirements. Expert Jason Smith will discuss triggers for OSHA-compliance tasks, best methods for training employees, selecting personal protective equipment, and more, and you’ll learn about NSSF’s resources for staying OSHA-compliant. 10:45–11:45 a.m., ATF Inspections and NFA Compliance: NSSF

Compliance Consultant Team members Wally Nelson and Harry McCabe, both retired ATF Deputy Assistant Directors with more than 90 years of ATF and NSSF consultant experience between them, will cover some of the top issues regarding the Gun Control Act and National Firearms Act inspections, and records and business practices affecting today’s FFL retailers. Resources available through NSSF’s Premium Retail membership will also be detailed. Startup FFL employees and new staff members of established FFLs are particularly encouraged to attend this session. CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE TRACK ➤

9:30–10:30 a.m., Enhancing

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by by john mcnamara , nssf seniorby director john m,c namara retail & , nssf rangesenior services directorUPDATE , retail & range services

the Shooter Experience:

Range design, marketing, and sales experts Chris Hart and Aaron Ludwig lead this engaging session that details the work range and firearms retail store owners need to do to get customers through your doors, with a focus on the look, feel, and experience today’s shooting sports customers are seeking. Like the Field of Dreams line says, “If you build it, they will come.” 10:45–11:45 a.m., Retail Showroom Space: Profit-maker or profitsinker? The retail showroom

exists as one of the greatest expenses in your business. In this session, retail expert Hank Yacek will discuss the key elements to maximizing your showroom’s return on investment, covering concepts such as “profit density,” “assortment optimization,” and “customer-flow dynamics.” You’ll come away seeing your showroom from a whole new perspective and head home with a fresh set of tools to develop a profit-making strategy. AFTERNOON TRAINING SESSIONS ➤ New for 2020, all industry professionals attending SHOT University will collectively take part in three afternoon sessions being offered. 1:00–2:30 p.m., Media Training: At some point or another, your range or retail business will be approached by a member of the media. This could be in the promotion of an event, an interview for expert opinion or in response to a tragedy. Learning the most appropriate ways to respond to media inquiries presents an opportunity to show the positive side of the firearms business, and this session, led by award-winning reporter Terri Watkins, delivers just what it takes to accomplish that.

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2:45–4:15 p.m., The Convenience Revolution: Today’s consum-

ers want a convenient and frictionless shopping experience. Companies like Amazon and Uber disrupted their respective industries by being more convenient. Thankfully, you don’t have to disrupt your entire industry—just your competition. Customer experience expert Shep Hyken will reveal six compelling strategies to fuel your own customer-convenience plan. 4:30–5:30 p.m., The Business of Freedom: In this highly engag-

ing presentation, SHOT Show favorite Maj Toure, cofounder of Black Guns Matter, lays out a comprehensive plan for using business as a tool for ending the current state of tyranny and attack on the Second Amendment. Toure will discuss how he’s working to better engage urban communities in the Second Amendment fight, and explain how companies and organizations can support the Black Guns Matter mission. In addition to SHOT University, NSSF is offering 18 Retailer Seminars. These shorter sessions (most are just an hour) take place Tuesday through Thursday, Jan. 21-23, and cover a wide variety of topics, from influencer strategies and how ranges can profit from their metals waste to dealer liability, organic Facebook marketing, and using secret shoppers to improve your customer service. To attend SHOT University or take part in any Retailer Seminar, go to SHOTShow.org. Both forums are listed under the “Education” tab. Once you’ve registered to attend the show, simply add SHOT University and/or the Retailer Seminars of your choice to your shopping cart.

aaron ludwig

BRYAN STEAR

chris hart

julie golob

shep hyken

harry mccabe

maj toure

wally nelson

karrie christen

Retailers attending the 2020 SHOT Show should take advantage of SHOT University as well as the many Retailer Seminars offered by NSSF.

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UPD ATE

by author here

SHOT University Online Goes Live!

he National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for the firearms industry, is pleased to announce the launch of its all-new SHOT University Online education resource. Available at no charge to NSSF members, SHOT University’s easy-access curriculum allows members to take advantage of industry-

leading educational content when it’s convenient to them, wherever they choose to use it. Provided by experts in retail strategies, marketing, security and technology, regulatory compliance, and a host of other relevant topics, some of the numerous courses being offered include:

we have seen an increase in the demand for the specialized content we provide across the host of educational events nssf holds.

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• Inventory Management and KPIs • Range Training Equipment and Program Design • Marketing Range Training Programs • The Guide to New Range Start-Ups • Membership Trends • Social Media 101

“We have seen an increase in the demand for the specialized content we provide across the host of educational events NSSF holds throughout the year,” explained Mike Vrooman, NSSF Managing Director, Member Services. “We have a wealth of resources that help our retailers and range owners do business better, from regional ATF training sessions and live webinars to

forums such as our Industry Summit, Import/Export Conference, and our annual in-person SHOT University at SHOT Show. But we wanted to create a one-stop resource that was both comprehensive and more readily available. SHOT University Online’s 24/7–365 presence accomplishes that, while putting convenience and ease of access in sharp focus.” SHOT University Online is only available to NSSF members. To learn more and view the courses, visit nssf.org/ education. New courses will be added regularly. Need to join NSSF to take advantage of this new resource, in addition to the many other benefits NSSF members enjoy? Simply visit NSSF.org.

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by author here

UPDATE

STATE LEGISLATIVE ROUNDUP

NSSF LAUNCHES THE GUN INDUSTRY SPEAKS PODCAST

SSF in early October unveiled a new podcast series, The Gun Industry Speaks, to help inform the national conversation on firearms. NSSF developed the series in part as a response to the lack of information being shared by the media on everything from background checks and trends in gun crime to suicide prevention and bans on certain types of firearms. The podcast is also meant to articulate the industry’s position that it is possible to enhance public safety and protect Americans’ rights simultaneously. The Gun Industry Speaks is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and NSSF’s Real Solutions website.

DEMS PUSH FOR NATIONAL FIREARMS STORAGE LAW

.S. Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) introduced the Safe Gun Storage Act, which would “direct the Consumer Protection Safety Commission to establish safety standards for firearm safes and firearm locks,” according to a joint news release. The legislation is similar to a Seattle-area ordinance that was recently rejected by a state Superior Court. NSSF advocates locking firearms when they’re not being carried or in use, but rejects one-sizefits-all solutions that aren’t practical for different lifestyles or storage needs.

MASSACHUSETTS: NSSF has filed an amicus brief in Worman v. Healey seeking U.S. Supreme Court review of the Massachusetts ban on certain semi-automatic firearms and magazines. NSSF is arguing that the courts of appeal are applying varying standards of review, wrongfully using “intermediate scrutiny,” which has no foundation in the 2nd Amendment, and that the courts are relegating the 2nd Amendment to a second-class right. Massachusetts banned certain modern sporting rifles (MSRs) and standard-capacity magazines. The law was modeled after the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban and signed by then-Gov. Mitt Romney, who declared that MSRs weren’t made for recreation or self-defense. The landmark 2008 Heller decision affirmed that firearms in common use for lawful purposes cannot be banned. More than 16 million MSRs are in private possession today. MICHIGAN: Legislation to do away with state concealed-carry licensing has been voted out of the Michigan House Military, Veterans, and Homeland Security Committee. The main bill, House Bill 4770, would eliminate current restrictions on carrying concealed weapons and storing them in vehicles, and make a concealed-pistol license unnecessary. (Gun owners still could opt to get the license for reciprocity purposes.) A related bill, House Bill 4771, would eliminate gunfree zones, except in schools. The bills need to clear the House and the Senate, and be signed by Dem. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who opposes the legislation, to become law. PENNSYLVANIA: A bill to allow Sunday hunting the Keystone State cleared the House of Representatives in an overwhelming 144-54 vote. It now heads back to the Senate for a concurring vote before heading to the governor’s desk. The bill would legalize hunting on one Sunday during archery season, one during deer rifle season, and one to-be-determined Sunday. Pennsylvania is just one of

three states with remaining bans on Sunday hunting, along with Massachusetts and Maine. Several other states still restrict hunting to private properties or county-by-county decisions. Removing barriers to hunting has been a priority of NSSF, which leads the Sunday Hunting Coalition. MONTANA: The Montana Supreme Court struck down a Missoula ordinance that required universal background checks for all firearms sales, including private sales between individuals. The court decided the ordinance violated state law, reversing an earlier ruling that upheld the storage law. NSSF opposed the law when it was introduced in 2016, telling city council it was “ill-advised and is premised on flawed legal reasoning that will not survive a legal challenge.” VIRGINIA: Dem. Gov. Ralph Northam released a video just two weeks before state elections in which he promised to bring about gun control legislation, including bans on MSRs, standard-capacity magazines, and suppressors; universal background checks; extreme risk protection orders; and limiting gun sales to one per month. The legislature is narrowly held by Republicans, who rejected his proposals at the beginning of the session and again at a special session. Gun control groups, including Everytown for Gun Safety and Giffords, flooded Virginia with money to turn the state for gun control. WASHINGTON: Edmond’s city council plan to enact its own firearms storage laws just got rained on by state Superior Court Judge Anita Farris, who struck the city’s requirement to lock up guns in a home. She ruled the local law violated the state’s preemption law, meaning only the state has the right to regulate firearms and not local cities and towns. The judge left standing, though, the penalties associated with violating that law. Since the law has yet to be prosecuted against an individual, there is no one with standing to challenge that portion.

©2019 National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. All rights reserved. SHOT BUSINESS®, SHOT SHOW®, and all other trade names, trademarks, and services marks, registered and unregistered, of the National Shooting Sport Foundation appearing in this publication are the sole property of the foundation and may not be used without the foundation’s prior express written permission. All other company and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

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DECEMBER 2019

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FYI

BY ROBERT F . STAEGER

Stocking flashlights that meet PLATO’s specifications means your customers get a product that works as advertised.

A Measure of Quality Our eyes can be fooled. That’s why standards exist to measure the true light output of flashlights

“Y

ou can’t tell 500 lumens from 700 lumens just by shining a light on a wall,” says Michael Hess, vice president of marketing at ASP, which makes flashlights and other tactical equipment for law enforcement. “There are so many variables—reflectors and so on.”

There’s a quantifiable difference, but the visible difference is not immediately apparent, which is why lanterns and flashlights list lumens and candela on their packaging. But even those measurements can be misleading; testing can be done inconsistently, if at all. According to Hess, some manufacturers just slap a high number on the packaging and call the light “tactical.” This need for standards and measurements—and even more, for consistency in testing and reporting them—was the reason the manufacturing group PLATO was formed almost 10 years ago. What’s more, Hess knows

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what’s at stake by adhering to these standards. “It’s easy to dismiss a flashlight as, ‘A flashlight is a flashlight is a flashlight,’ ” he says. “But put yourself in the shoes of the people who sports-firearms retailers sell to. How many situations are there where having a light fail on you would be anywhere from a significant problem to catastrophic?” Backcountry hunters need a dependable light for packing out an elk in the dark or just for getting back to camp safely. And then there’s ASP’s target customer—law enforcement officers. If their lights fail, lives could be on the line. That’s why PLATO has out-

lined exacting standards to test manufacturer claims on lighting products—not just lumens and candela, but water resistance, drop height, impact resistance, runtime, and more. “There’s actually a bound, hardcover book that PLATO put together that gets into very wonky detail about how to properly test light,” says Hess. “Everybody is bound as a member to follow those testing procedures and represent them accurately in the icons and text and materials.” Aside from ASP, PLATO member companies include 5.11 Tactical, Battenfeld Technolog ies, Coast, Coleman, Energizer, J-5 Tactical, Ledlenser, Lux-Pro, Nightstick, Nite Ize, Petzl, Streamlight, Surefire, and

more. All the testing is done at the manufacturers’ own facilities. “We have an entire section of our facility in Wisconsin dedicated to the light-testing lab,” says Hess. “Lumens in particular is a very abused term, and there’s a very specific way to test for them,” says Hess. Lumens have to be measured over time, because after that first blast of brightness, they drop off significantly. Hess likens the effect to early models of the xenon car headlights— they would be extremely bright when turned on, but would soon settle into their actual running brightness. With lumens, a less-thanscrupulous manufacturer might measure the initial brightness, not what it settles down into. The PLATO book requires that the light be on for 30 seconds before measurements begin, and then to measure the average output over the next 90 seconds, dismissing any spikes. Another important standard is that the flashlight being tested has to be powered with the same batteries as are offered with the light for sale. “The power supply must be the same type, chemistry, and brand as those offered for sale with the product,” says Hess. “You can’t supply cheap batteries and test it with better batteries and claim that it performs better, because that’s not what the customer is buying.” Once everything is tested, PLATO members can use the clear, consistent iconography on their products to show exactly how their lights perform. When you stock products that meet PLATO’s specifications, your customers will get a product that works as advertised. That’s good for them, of course. But it’s also good for you.

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BY TOM M C HALE

FIRING LI NE

Getting the Job Done Springﬁeld Armory’s 1911 Range Officer Elite Operator 10mm is all business

o, if 9mm is light and fast, and .45 ACP is heavy but slow, what, then, is heavy and fast? That would be the 10mm. Using the same-diameter bullet as the .40 S&W, this caliber has a distinct history and reputation of boom! In fact, at one time, the FBI issued it to its agents, but the blast and recoil proved to be a bit much for some of them, so the bureau downsized to the tamer and more controllable .40 S&W. More recently, they’ve continued that trend and have returned to the 9mm.

However, if you care about velocity, bullet weight, and foot-pounds, then the 10mm is hard to beat, and Springfield Armory recently produced the winning ticket—the 1911 Range Officer Elite 10mm pistol. It’s a classic 1911 decked out with all the expected modern accoutrements. Previously chambered in both .45 ACP and 9mm, these 1911 pistols have earned a reputation for nononsense performance. They have the features that are important, but don’t waste mechanical real estate on costly, non-performing bells and whistles. The new 10mm model is no different. The slide, frame, and barrel are all forged, not cast. The match-grade barrel features a fully supported ramp for a lifetime of safe, high-pressure 10mm ammo use. The slide features grooved cocking serrations on both the front and rear for easy press checks. There’s also a rail segment for a light or laser attachment. The frame, slide, and controls are treated with Springfield Armory’s Black-T finish, the same treatment used for FBI SWAT and Hostage Rescue Team pistol contracts. It’s not only durable, but offers natural lubricity to improve reliability. As a service pistol, the Range Officer Elite Operator

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The 1911 Range Officer Elite in 10mm from Springfield Armory offers no-nonsense performance with a variety of loads.

includes an ambidextrous safety. The lever on the right side is a shade narrower but still adequate for positive engagement. The grips are thin G-10 material with an aggressive texture and gray pattern. The pistol comes with two 8-round steel magazines, for a total loaded capacity of nine. The sighting system is all business. The front-sight body houses a red fiber-optic tube. Those are easy to swap if your eyes prefer other colors. As is, it’s highly visible, as the steel sight housing exposes the top and sides of the tube to daylight. For maximum contrast, the rear sight body is simple and mostly black. The rear notch is flanked by two white (non-illuminated) dots for quick alignment and is intentionally less visible than

the front to facilitate fast acquisition of the forward fiber tube—that red dot leaps into view. The sturdy rearsight body features a flat forward edge to facilitate onehanded racking on a belt or other convenient surface. The rear surface is also lightly serrated to reduce glare. Both front and rear sights are dovetail-mounted for simple windage adjustment. So how does the new 10mm Range Officer Elite perform on the range? The first thing you’ll notice is the new Gen 2 service trigger. My sample pistol broke at a consistent 4.5 pounds with no detectable grit or stacking. It’s a smooth and crisp break with a very short and tactile reset. I tested this pistol with a variety of loads, including

SIG Sauer’s 180-grain FMJ and V-Crown, and four different options from DoubleTap Ammunition, ranging from 135-grain Controlled Expansion JHPs to 200-grain hard-casts. The easiest of the bunch on the shooter was the DoubleTap 135-grain Controlled Expansion hollowpoint. I clocked this one at an average of 1494 fps. That generates a whopping 669.5 foot-pounds of energy. Even with that energy level, the recoil was moderate and felt more like a .40 S&W. I found the accuracy performance to be exceptional. From 25 yards, shooting multiple five-shot groups per load, almost every ammo variety printed groups of less than 2 inches. SRP: $1,145. (springfield-armory.com)

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UNDERCOVER SHOPPER

Undercover Shopper Revisited Selling to women doesn’t require a magic elixir—common sense and courtesy will do nicely By Barbara Baird

’ve been doing Undercover Shopper assignments for almost a decade, from sea to shining sea: Charlotte to Seattle and on to San Jose, and from Sioux Falls to New Orleans and Albuquerque. When the editor at SHOT Business asked me to summarize my Undercover Shopper experiences, noting the highs and lows, it didn’t take me long to come up with what he wanted.

Going The Distance of the best experiences I had as an undercover shopper occurred in Seattle, Washington, where I went on a quest for a hunting handgun. On my first stop, two sales associates tagteamed me to find out what I wanted. They showed me Smith & Wesson revolvers and another workhorse—a Ruger Blackhawk .454 Casull. They made it so easy, and even offered to put a rail and a scope on the gun when it came in. They knew what the gun

needed to do the job and walked me through my options, and they asked me if I’d ever shot one before or if I wanted to try it on their range. When I attempted to purchase a 1911 in Birmingham, Alabama, I received immediate attention at one store where the sales associate listened to me and made worthy recommendations, such as considering the purchase of a 1911 with a more upturned and flatter beavertail on the grip safety. He also said they could install different sights imme-

diately if I purchased the gun. But the most important thing he discussed with me was how much I wanted to spend. That was the first time anyone had asked that question, and there’s a valid reason that inquiry should be part of the sales patter: 1911s can run from $500 to $2,500 in Birmingham-area stores, just as prices for firearms run the gamut across nearly every genre. In San Jose, California, where I was looking for a competition .22-caliber pistol, a sales associate went the dis-

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tance, even checking used inventory for a High Standard target pistol. Because the store didn’t have any in stock, he called two competitors to see if they carried High Standard. In addition, he gave me a printout of local ranges, including a plinking range complete with tin cans, and he suggested I look online at the California Department of Justice and its Bureau of Firearms page, where I could see the types of firearms allowed for purchase in that state. He added that he could order any gun for about 5 to 10 percent below SRP, and if I did not want the gun when it came in, no problem. He could sell it to someone else.

Awkward Moments It happened in Charlotte, North Carolina, in a scenario where we set up my daughter-in-law as a new mom who wanted to buy a concealed-carry gun. We took along her baby in a pumpkin seat and plopped that seat, baby included, on four gun counters that day so we could see the reactions of the sales associates. The salesman at one store showed our new mom a Ruger .380 semi-auto, then just quit offering guns for her perusal. She asked to see revolvers. When she recoiled after the fifth time he covered her with a muzzle while showing her a gun, he said, “Don’t worry. It’s not loaded.” As we walked out the door, the representative, an admitted grandfather, said, “Do you wanna trade that little boy for a gun?” Uh, no. And, thank you, the baby had a pink blanket tucked in around her. On to Albuquerque, New Mexico, looking for a pocket pistol. As I waited my turn at the counter, a woman younger than I, with long blonde hair, walked in and presented layaway tickets from her ex-husband. It took a while to sort out that business. When the sales associate finished figuring out the lady couldn’t legally claim her ex’s property, he finally turned to me and laid out three guns on a counter pad, then started to walk away to do something else. He said I’d probably want a .380, but, then again, maybe I’d like a .40 or .45? Did he think I wanted a pistol for my cargo pants’ pockets? Just how big a

QUOTE ICON BY ADRIEN COQUET FROM THE NOUN PROJECT

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“ M o s t i m p o r ta n t, h e d i s c u s s e d h o w m u c h I w a n t e d t o s p e n d . T h at w a s t h e f i r s t t i m e a n y o n e h a d a s k e d m e t h at. ” pocket did he envision here? It was obvious I wasn’t his type, so he wasn’t about to spend time with granny and discuss her interest in buying a gun. Lest you think it’s only salesmen guilty of being poor sales associates, let’s go to Phoenix and Sun City West to see what happened with a saleswoman who immediately took offense, for some reason, with my father. My little old professor dad, who holds a CCW permit, was refused the sale of a gun because he told the sales associate—after she asked him directly— that, yes, he was prepared to defend himself. She told him she couldn’t sell him a gun because he answered her question in that way. Weird. She would only sell him pepper spray. And this from a woman who had been showing handguns to a young guy openly carrying. Meanwhile, in Lynchburg, Virginia, while looking for a personal-defense shotgun, things went south when a sales associate’s enthusiasm took us into the world of pistol-grip shotguns (Mossberg Cruisers, specifically), stored behind the cash register. I asked him how you shoot one of those guns, and he told me to point it in front of my face and sight down the barrel. Right. I know better than that—and so did the guy at the cash register, who asked me if I’d ever had my nose broken. It made for an awkward moment between the two salespeople, and, seriously, had he just set me up for failure?

Touchy Situation ➤ The

“chesty experience” happened in Springfield, Missouri, where throughout the conversation, I noticed that the sales rep had stared at my chest the entire time. I should have worn a T-shirt that read, “My eyes are up

here,” with an arrow pointing up. Even worse than a chest stare, it should be noted that a sales associate does not need to put his hands around a female customer’s hands, such as happened in Charlotte, North Carolina, with my daughter-in-law, and again, in Savannah, with my friend in a low-cut sundress. In a toplevel squirm-inducing encounter in Charlotte, the salesman came out from behind the counter and stood close behind my daughter-in-law as he wrapped both hands around hers— and then appeared to sniff her hair as she pointed the gun. Customers don’t need instructions on how to hold a gun conducted in this manner. You can show them how to properly hold a firearm without touching them. As cringe-worthy as the Charlotte and Savannah encounters were, my most bottom-of-the-barrel experience occurred in a pawn shop in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The tattooed sales associate, called Frog, twirled his barbell tongue piercing at me again and again throughout my visit. It was an appalling display of inappropriate behavior.

Takeaways If a gun store wants to offer great experiences to its customers, it needs to do the following: • Everyone behind the counter needs to know the inventory and how to manipulate any gun safely. • Know the difference between selling to a man and selling to a woman. If you wouldn’t touch a man in a certain way, you shouldn’t touch a woman that way, either. • Have respect for your customer, regardless of gender. • Oh, and never forget to compliment a new mother on her baby.

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PHOTO BY JUSTIN MOORE

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the women’s market

Diving ng In The waters in the emerging women's market are just fine — By Jodi Stemler

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the women’s market

The concept of form meeting function is not new in the hunting and shooting sports industry. Manufacturers have been designing equipment, apparel, and product to meet specific needs in the field or on the gun range for years, enabling them to tap into niche markets. However, even with this innovation, the womeǹs market has lagged behind other segments.

Catering to the Women’s Market Fit and Function Krissie Mason with a whitetail deer taken with Weatherby’s Vanguard Camilla, a rifle designed by and for women.

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The women’s market now includes a number of companies offering women’s range and field apparel, concealed-carry products that recognize that women carry differently than men, as well as women’s firearms, boots and waders, packs, and other gear. These companies are succeeding because they have taken the

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PHOTO BY JUSTIN MOORE

Perhaps this isn’t surprising, given that just a generation or two ago, it was far more uncommon for women to be part of these traditions; shooting and hunting were for men, we were told. I have heard too many times from women who now hunt and shoot that they had asked their father if they could go with them, only to be told no while dad took their brothers afield. Women who did head out hunting or shooting used the gear that was available to them. We would adapt our shooting techniques to accommodate ill-fitting guns or, if we were very serious, we would pay big bucks to customize firearms to fit. With poor-fitting and less technical apparel, we often wound up like Goldilocks— everything was too hot, too cold, too big, too small, nothing that was “just right.” None of those scenarios line up for good experiences that encourage continued time in the field. That was then. Over the last couple of decades, there has been a shift. More women now recognize that they are the best, and perhaps only, person they can trust to protect themselves, and they have started shooting and carrying firearms for self-defense. Women, who are often the decision-makers about the food available to their families, have started to hunt as a way to have a greater connection with where their food comes from—even if no one in their family has ever hunted before. Women, too, are heading to the range to try shooting sports because handling a firearm is empowering, not to mention a lot of fun. What we are learning is that when Mom hunts and shoots, the whole family spends time in the field or on the range. The shift is noticeable enough that women are the only demographic group in the outdoor industry that has shown increasing participation over the last decade. The industry took note, but early efforts focused on offering smaller products and adding “feminine” colors in an attempt to appeal. After a backlash against the shrink-it-and-pink-it school of design, there is now a growing group of visionary companies that are diving head-first into the deep end of providing technical products dedicated to women in the outdoors.

PHOTO BY JUSTIN MOORE

"Every year there are more professional women in the shooting sports industry, many of them able to influence product development."

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the women’s market

Industry Growth Julie Golob (left, and seated center below left) is a world and national shooting champion. She says she is beginning to see more women-owned businesses in the shooting sports industry.

specific shotguns that it required its own unique brand. Similarly, the inspiration for Kryptek’s women’s hunting line was because company co-founder and CEO Butch Whiting’s wife and daughters enjoy hunting with him, and he saw the difficulty in finding technical apparel that fit them well. In general, the growth in the women’s outdoor market has tracked alongside a shift in the workforce. Every year, there are more professional women in the shooting sports industry, many of them able to influence product development while also enjoying hunting and shooting in their spare time. Inspirations for new product lines come because these women have been limited in the gear available to them. ALPS OutdoorZ launched the Monarch X women’s big-game pack because its former head of marketing and public relations, Sarah Heidmann Brune, was heading out to her first elk hunt and needed a meat-hauling pack that fit her smaller frame. Professional shooter Julie Golob notes, “There is a sense of ‘women can’ more generally, and not just within this industry. Some of this shift is because of more women-owned businesses and companies that have women in key positions helping design or develop product lines. For instance, Dene Adams, a woman-owned concealed-carry company, developed attractive, compression-style corset, tank, and thigh holsters that allow women to carry beneath more form-fitting clothing.”

women’s market seriously, and because there’s a growing market of savvy outdoorswomen looking for quality products. While it is a growing market, and women are the only participation demographic on the rise in the hunting and shooting sports, many companies with women’s lines did not take the plunge based solely on data research. Sitka Gear released the first full system of technical performance hunting apparel for women in 2016. According to founder Jonathan Hart, “We didn’t enter the women’s market because of the numbers, or because of the headlines that this is the fastest-growing segment. We are a brand that is committed to hunting. To us, it is about family and traditions, and we make these products because women are part of our tribe.” For Wesley Lang, president of Caesar Guerini, it was a wakeup call when he took his wife shooting with him. He tried to customize a traditional stock and realized that just cutting it down and making it smaller didn’t work. To truly fit a gun to a woman required a smaller grip, changes to the pitch and cast of the stock, and other alterations. In 2014, Caesar Guerini launched Syren, believing enough in the need for women’s-

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What goes into designing gear for women who shoot and hunt? The companies innovating within this space are using focus groups and questionnaires, as well as bringing in experts from different industries that have more experience designing for women. According to Kelli Thornton, who worked with both Sitka and Kryptek on their women’s lines, the companies brought in designers from outdoor brands like Patagonia and Marmot. Thornton says these were “quality designers who knew what they were doing and knew how to design for women.” Other companies, like Huntworth, have taken inspiration from yoga and women’s athletic apparel companies. Having active outdoor women on staff as part of the process in determining gear needs and fit helps. Many of the product designers are women, but they don’t need to be, as long as women are actively involved in testing the products for fit and function. ALPS OutdoorZ worked with Karen Butler of Shoot Like A Girl when it designed its latest women’s pack, the Allure, which launched in spring 2019. ALPS developed an online survey for Butler’s membership and received more than 2,100 responses that

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PHOTOS FROM JULIE GOLOB

Designing Women

Appealing Product

PHOTO FROM ALPS OUTDOORZ

The Allure pack from Alps Outdoorz has been specifically designed to fit the contours of a woman’s body.

spotlighted the importance of price point, the need for organization, and easy access to gear, while recognizing the wide range of shapes and sizes for women. Using the survey’s feedback, production designer Heather Scheidegger developed a feature-rich pack that provides a lot of function for the price. “We had to show value, and we needed to exceed expectations for quality and performance in gear that is affordable,” says Heidmann Brune. A leader in women’s range-wear, 5.11 Tactical is also taking women’s needs into consideration as it adds to its product line. Chief marketing officer Debra Radcliff says, “One of 5.11’s greatest differentiators as a brand is our commitment to our consumers and using end-user feedback in order to produce our final product lines. We are in the process of utilizing this same approach with our women’s business. We are talking to current and potential customers and conducting extensive market research to determine who our ‘5.11 woman’ is, and how we can best meet her apparel and gear needs. We are excited to see the outcome and look forward to watching the business develop accordingly.” Golob says she has watched the industry shift in its thinking about how to design products for women from simply making

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“smaller, daintier” products with traditionally feminine colors to a focus on promoting features. Polymer frames on handguns, for instance, can more easily be sized to fit a variety of hands. The Team Smith & Wesson captain also points out that S&W’s M&P 380 Shield EZ is feature-rich and specifically designed to be easier to load, to rack, and to clean. When Weatherby designed the Vanguard Camilla rifle in 2016, the company requested online feedback through its “Women of Weatherby” community and brought in a group of women to talk about what features they wanted. Using that feedback, Weatherby designed a stock intended to meet those needs in a production rifle. The big focus was to allow women the ability to easily shoulder a rifle and quickly acquire a line of sight through a scope. Although not a custom fit, which would require a heftier price tag, Weatherby created a rifle that is strategically built for women in form and function. Girls With Guns co-founder Jen O’Hara is also seeking a fit for “every woman.” The 10-year-old company now offers a variety of hunting and range apparel, and its pants all have notable design features: adjustable waist and inseams, fabric with

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stretch, and a higher rise in the back. “Our goal has been to create apparel that is designed by women for women, regardless of size, shape, or ability,” O’Hara says. “One thing that has always been important to us is to be able to offer our apparel at an affordable price point, to remove any barriers to the sport.”

Tough Sell? To some, women have a reputation of being a tough sell. What that really means is that women are savvy consumers who want value for their money, and want products that do what they are designed to do. In order to reach that market, many companies are recognizing that marketing to women

Leading the Way A leader in women’s range-wear, 5.11 is now using customer feedback to develop product lines that will appeal strongly to its base of women customers.

needs to look a little different. “Women can market to other women better than men,” says Golob. “Women professional shooters are sharing gear when they go to the range and are acting as ambassadors.” Sitka’s Hart agrees. “Word of mouth is the best way to connect. We make a great product, and when we get our gear into the hands of the right influencers, word spreads quickly. “Happy customers are our best ambassadors and most compelling marketers. Women have been very quick to share their good experiences with our products—and that’s much more effective than spending a lot of money on marketing campaigns that may have limited return on investment.” Finding influencers who use the gear in the field and can honestly answer questions about form and function helps convince women of the value of these products. Retailers and ranges have helped spread the word by hosting “Ladies Night” events with speakers or partnering with manufacturers to showcase their available women’s products. Women turn to social media, too, to learn about products and to take part in supportive learning discussions and tips for outdoor activities. Another tactic is ensuring that women have the chance to try out gear to see the differences in the design. “Our No. 1 priority is getting the guns in the hands of women and letting them shoot. That’s what sells the guns,” says Syren brand manager Lynne Green. “We have nearly 20 women around the country as pro staff and dealers, and hosting events and supporting organizations where there is one-onone time with the women is key.” Some brands are partnering with companies that offer trips or learning experiences for women hunters and shooters. The Sisterhood of the Outdoors has been organizing women’s hunting and shooting trips since 2010, offering 12 to 15 a year, with as many as 150 women booking trips and more than 2,000

Firm Footing Footwear companies, such as Irish setter and others, are learning that designing boots for the women’s market is good business.

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IRISH SETTER PHOTO BY JODI STEMLER; 5.11 PHOTO FROM MANUFACTURER

the women’s market

Pull! Grace Callahan and Diane Jecker take a look at a report pair at a Syren sporting clays event. The Syren line of shotguns is designed exclusively for women.

No. 1 Priority Syren Brand Manager Lynne Green (right) says getting guns into the hands of women to shoot is the key to selling product.

interacting with the company’s pro staff. The pro staff who organize hunts and events become a knowledgeable source of information about the entire experience, offering recommendations and a chance to test out or try on gear. Partnering with conservation organizations and agencies in their R3 (recruitment, retention, and reactivation) events is also good marketing. In 2018, Sitka was a sponsor of a Wyoming women’s antelope hunt, providing its Women’s Jetstream Jacket to all the hunters. Weatherby has also sponsored the hunt, as well as partnering with Sisterhood of the Outdoors and sponsoring Candy Yow’s Ladies Hunting Camp in an effort to get its Camilla rifles in the hands of more women. Overall, the number of women-focused events is increasing every year, providing new opportunities to market to an audience looking for products that will make their outdoors experience better. Still, more aggressive, targeted marketing to women needs to occur, and many companies are recognizing they need to rethink the development of creative elements so women can see themselves in the advertising. Danner/LaCrosse’s Erin Braun has been pioneering the field-testing and content capture of its new women’s hunting boots and waders. ALPS’ Heidmann Brune agrees, saying that it sees much better engagement with a higher percentage of women clicking through on ads with women in them.

PHOTOS BY SYREN

What’s on the Horizon? The companies that have jumped into the deep end of the women’s market are seeing results and looking forward to new products and opportunities. Weatherby launched the Camilla with a “let’s see” attitude and now has more than five models for women. The Vanguard Camilla was the company’s bestselling model of all its guns in 2017. “Weatherby’s focus is to continue to develop innovative features for women specifically and not just fill the gap with stuff called women’s,” Brenda Weatherby says. “In addition, we see the importance of giving gals choices and not just one model.

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If any company says it has a product that fits every woman perfectly, I think it is missing something. Men have a lot of choices in style and fit, and women expect that same thing.” At last year’s SHOT Show, Sitka Gear announced it would be adding a comprehensive women’s waterfowl line, as well as a women’s hunting pack, to its product list (see “The Perfect Fit,” p. 34). Girls With Guns also is offering three new product lines, including the Highland upland collection, the Apricity early-season hunting line, and the Summit late-season line. In addition, Sisterhood of the Outdoors is working with Paramount Outdoors on women-engineered hunting apparel using Mossy Oak’s camouflage; it will be offering the first comprehensive women’s turkey hunting line at the National Wild Turkey Federation’s annual convention in February. Syren, which already offers more than 70 options within its product line, also plans to launch “exciting new models and accessories in 2020,” according to Lang. Even with these growing product lines and innovative companies, the industry as a whole is just scratching the surface. Overall, the industry investment has been tepid. “We’ve come so far. There are more options available for women, and they just keep getting better,” says Sisterhood of the Outdoors owner Amy Ray. “Women are responding and buying the gear, but there’s still room for growth.” If the industry developed more women’s products, and recognized women as viable consumers, it’s fair to say that more women would get out hunting and shooting. Besides, shouldn’t our industry meet the needs of the one segment of the industry that’s growing? As it was in a Field of Dreams, build it and they will come.

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Shot Business — the women’s market

WOMEN HUNTERS ARE ON THE RISE, AND BRANDS ARE TAKING NOTICE— AND CAPITALIZING ON IT

By Dick MCNulty 34

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But then she fell in love with the thundering bugles of rutting bull elk and even more so with waterfowl, so much so that she now professionally trains gun dogs in East Texas and spends most of duck season in Oklahoma, passionately pursuing mallards with her Labs and a driven Jack Russell terrier, Gator, she trained to retrieve. What she found surprising, after getting into American big-game hunting and wingshooting, was that clothing for women hunters was nonexistent. In Africa, all you needed was a pair of khakis and a collared shirt, which she could find in most any department store. But for elk and ducks, hunters—of either sex—require next-toskin layers, jackets, pants, and bibs. And for women,

that was only a fantasy. “I was on the team that helped develop Sitka’s women’s waterfowl line,” Brittingham says. “They told us to bring the clothing we wear during hunting season. Most of the ladies had all this camo and some of their favorite [male] pieces from Sitka. I had all different kinds of clothes no one else had. I laid a pair of jeans on the table, and Jim Saubier, Sitka’s waterfowl product manager, asked, ‘What are those for?’ I said, ‘That’s what I wear under my waders,’ and then he laughed so hard and said, ‘We are going to change that.’” Women are the fastestgrowing segment in hunting. According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the number of female hunt-

Trail Blazer Danner’s Wayfinder is the company’s first boot designed explicitly for the female hunter. As such, it is tailored to specifically fit the shape of a woman’s foot and better accommodate a narrower heel.

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PHOTO FROM DANNER

the women’s market

ers rose from 1.8 million in 2001 to 3.6 million by 2018, an uptick in participation of 102 percent. Perhaps even more astounding: The number of women hunters 18 to 24 years old is growing faster than their male counterparts. As female numbers continue to grow in the sport, so has the clothes and gear specifically made to fit them. Brands like Browning, Danner, LaCrosse, Sitka, and others have worked with female hunters to create lines of clothing and footwear for women. Even gunmakers— Franchi, Syren, and Weatherby, just to name a few—are building rifles and shotguns with shorter stocks and higher combs to better fit women. You can expect more bow makers to join the ranks with smaller compounds at lighter draw weights. “The hunting market is challenging to start off with, and women hunters are an even smaller niche,” says Saubier. “But we believe in the hunt space and want to bring more entrants in, like women and youth. Creating a women’s line certainly plays into that.”

PHOTO FROM BROWNING

Upland Special Male hunters choose Browning clothing for a reason: It’s versatile and durable. The brand has made more specialized products, like the Hell’s Canyon line, and its waterfowl products received an upgrade this year. The folks in Utah are also taking on the women’s market. Browning worked with Pheasants Forever to create

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a line for the female upland hunter. Designers convened in Minnesota, where Pheasants Forever is based, with a group of women who spelled out what they needed in performance garments. Several hunting trips later, Browning feels the line is field-tested and ready for consumers. “We saw a need for women’s apparel in upland, which most know is near and dear to our hearts here at Browning,” says product line manager Brian Hobert. “Some of the most dedicated upland hunters we could find told us pants and shirts for women were an afterthought for most brands. This was a great opportunity for Browning to grow in the space and create functional clothing for female hunters.” Women will be able to outfit themselves for upland forays with a lightweight shirt constructed from ripstop fabric, the shirt complemented by an upland pant made of 10-ounce cotton with briar-resistant overlays and a four-pocket design. “My background before coming to Browning included women’s golf clothing, buying specifically for women’s products,” Hobert says. “Keeping someone dry and warm in golf is much like keeping them warm in hunting, though the materials must be more rugged. And then you have the added element of quiet materials for big-game hunting.” Browning decided to come out with apparel for females fond of chasing ungulates, too. It’s a specialized line that is currently being sold only

"We saw a need for women's apparel in upland, which is near and dear to our hearts here at Browning."

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the women’s market

Teamwork

at Academy Sports and Outdoors; consumers cannot buy any of the items on the Browning website, unlike with its upland clothing. The reason for the launch of this secondary line came at the request of Academy. The retailer, which has 250 stores in 16 states, had an abundance of interest from women hunters looking for big-game and whitetail wear. Some of the items will be crossover clothing women can wear in the field, for workouts, on hikes, and the like. “Our women’s legging is shaped and contoured to fit like a running pant, but we added scent control and

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camouflage to it,” Hobert says. “As a brand, we want to be inclusive, and we saw an opportunity to make a product that encompasses more hunters.”

Ahead of the Curve Sitka is probably the hunt brand paying the most attention to clothing female hunters, with SKUs across three niches—big-game, whitetail, and waterfowl. Like Browning, the folks in Bozeman, Montana, engaged female hunters from all over the country to get a feel for their apparel needs. But they also assem-

DECEMBER 2019

bled a women’s design and product development team, since each category has a dedicated male product manager and marketer. “We brought in female hunters, from different regions of the country, who pursued waterfowl differently, and were all different ages and sizes,” says category marketer Ryan Bassham. “We put the women in a room, and Jim [Saubier] and I just sat back and said nothing.” That approach led to one of the foremost technical lines of clothing for women in the outdoors. You can see the thoughtfulness and functionality behind even the smallest items, like the bean-

ies, which feature a “ponytail port” in the back for long hair. And the new waterfowl bib was designed with a zip-out bottom, so it’s no longer a struggle for ladies when nature calls. Sitka is well aware of the challenge women’s clothing presents in the marketplace: It’s an extraordinarily tiny niche inside the hunting clothing industry, which also has a minute customer base (only 5.5 percent of Americans hunt). “Women are the fastestgrowing segment in hunting, but it’s still a pretty small piece of Sitka’s business,” Saubier says. “We certainly didn’t do this for market

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PHOTO FROM SITKA

Sitka assembled a women’s design and product development team to determine the particular features that women waterfowlers really wanted.

Partners Browning partnered with Pheasants Forever to create a line of upland clothing for the female upland hunter. It’s now been field-tested and is ready for consumers.

share or because of volume. Waterfowl is in year one of its program, so it’s new. How we reach our end user is new, because there are not a lot of business models out there.”

PHOTO FROM BROWNING

Boots on the Ground Since the 19th century, LaCrosse has been putting boots on the feet of outdoorsmen. The company is unable to pin down the specific time it started making footwear for women, but hunt-specific rubber knee boots for ladies, like the women’s Alphaburly Pro and Switchgrass, are relative newcomers. But if you want to talk

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ultimate niches, look no further than women’s waders. LaCrosse makes two: the Neoprene Estuary and the insulated but breathable Hail Call. Think about the number of women you have seen not only duck hunting, but duck hunting in chestdeep water? Probably not too many. LaCrosse is betting there will be more. “When I was a kid, my dad would bundle me up and float me through the flooded timber on a decoy bag, then set me on a dog stand. That’s how I grew up hunting,” says Cara Harper, a Nebraska duck hunter by way of Arkansas. “With the Hail Call, it makes such a differ-

ence walking into the duck hole because the boot is cut for women, so my feet don’t slip out in the mud. It also has straps on the sides to adjust the fit of the waders no matter your body type.” Danner, which is owned by LaCrosse, went after the female market last year, coming out with the Wayfinder, an ultra-lightweight, waterproof backcountry boot built more narrowly and with higher arches to better fit a woman’s foot. Sierra Langbell, along with a host of female hunters, including Harper, Alex Templeton, and Nicole Belke (to name a few), put the Wayfinder to the test, chasing bear, elk,

and deer from Illinois to Hawaii before Danner brought the boot to market. Women have raved about its durability and comfort. And there are likely more offerings coming from both brands for big-game and whitetail hunters in the near future. “From the last two weeks of August through October, I hunted elk in that boot the entire time. It kept my feet warm when they needed to be and cool when they needed to be,” Langbell says. “I think it is so cool to see so many brands start catering to women, because for so long they didn’t think it was worth their time.”

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the women’s market

women welcome here A seismic shift in customers poses challenges as well as opportunities for shooting sports retailers —

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PHOTO FROM SITKA

By Kris Millgate

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the women’s market

Most women in gun shops a few decades ago were there because their husband or boyfriend was into guns. That’s not the case today. Women are in gun shops now because they’re into guns. Female interest in firearms is expanding industry opportunity, but it comes with challenges, and the market has to change its sales approach if it wants ladies to keep looking its way. 42

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DECEMBER 2019

“The role women played as homemakers in the 1950s has changed,” says Jennifer L.S. Pearsall, National Shooting Sports Foundation public relations director. “We pay bills, we work, we make decisions, and we don’t do something anymore just because our husband does.”

Change O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc., is the oldest family-owned firearms manufacturer in America. The company turned 100 in 2019, and its purpose still holds true: Build reasonably priced guns for all so anyone can be involved in hunting and the shooting sports. Mossberg’s founder, Oscar Frederick Mossberg, championed three principals: Take care of employees, listen to customers, and embrace change. Imagine the changes this company has adjusted to over the last century, with the most recent change being customer demographics. “Right now, the biggest change in hunting and shooting is the female market,” says Linda Powell, Mossberg director of media relations. “We’re seeing the industry as a whole become more aware of that, and it’s shifting the way we market.” The face of the firearms industry is changing. Study the ads when you flip through a gun or sportsmen’s magazine. The models don’t all have beard potential anymore, and you see women and kids participating in sports traditionally represented by men. “Go back a few years and most of those same ad campaigns primarily featured men,” Powell says. “Sometimes men with sons, but rarely did you see women or young girls in ad campaigns.” Family dynamics are changing too, and that’s reflected in everything from fabricated advertising to real-life ambitions. Powell was a single mom raising a son at the turn of this century. Her son didn’t have a father or grandfather who hunted, but he had a mom who did. That wasn’t the norm, but Powell treated it like it was. She took her son on his first turkey

hunt in 2001, traveling from North Carolina to South Dakota to hunt in the Black Hills. Powell’s son, Jake, killed a turkey. It was the first animal he’d ever harvested, and his mom helped him. “When people ask me, ‘What’s your favorite hunt?’—no question, it’s that turkey hunt with my son,” Powell says. “When you can introduce someone else to hunting and the shooting sports, that’s a great accomplishment. But when you introduce someone in your own family, there’s no greater pride. It was a tremendous bonding experience.” Mossberg shares that pride, and it shows in its products. For its 100th anniversary, the company released a new pistol. The design team focused on the grip first and then overall dimensions. They wanted a gun that would sell to a variety of hand sizes, including women’s, and there are more options across the whole line. “Women like options. Look at shoes!” Powell says. “That’s more of a female thing. Men have work shoes, tennis shoes, and dress shoes. Women have all kinds of shoes. As our market has expanded, so have the options.” Options lag slightly behind demand, and that has a lot to do with cost. As new gun owners contribute to the industry, they don’t move the needle on demand when their presence is small. As their numbers grow, industry must catch up with the significance of the movement or miss out. “Years ago, when the women’s market was small, making product for that market was cost-prohibitive,” Pearsall says. “Companies couldn’t tool up an entire line of clothing or firearms for women and have it be profitable. The industry has overcome that to a large degree now, but there’s still room for improvement.”

Challenge Laurie Aronson didn’t recognize the change when she was a little girl, but she sees the challenge of a shifting market now. She agrees with Pearsall: There’s room for improvement.

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Proper Placement One way to attract more women customers is to place women staffers behind the sales counter.

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Aronson grew up in a sporting goods store started by her grandfather in 1943. Her father ran the business when she was young. Steinberg’s Sports Center had four retail locations in Louisiana, but they weren’t just gun shops for men. They were destinations for families. Aronson worked there every summer until the stores were closed when the family business model switched from retail to wholesale in 1977. She is now president and CEO of Lipsey’s. “This [the retail store] was an everyone-included place,” Aronson says. “It was like going to an amusement park on the weekends, and a lot of it had to do with culture. There was a culture created that was inviting. It was something for everyone.” Aronson doesn’t see the same offered in retail today. True, the retail gun shopping experience has come a long way in improving its welcome for women, but she’s expecting more—and so are other women. “What happens oftentimes is a female goes into a firearms store and gets ignored or called ‘little lady,’ ” Aronson says. “Sometimes there’s a bit of ego behind the retail sales counter that I

wish wasn’t there. Not every retailer is like that, but improvements need to be made to welcome in a whole new group of consumers into gun retail. We need to recognize we are doing ourselves a disservice by not treating everyone the way they should be treated.” The firearms industry isn’t alone in this challenge. Aronson sees the same behavior in the hardware store. Employees ask her husband what he’s looking for when she’s clearly the one looking for parts. Pearsall can relate. “We encourage everyone to adjust,” Pearsall says. “Women are a viable market that continues to grow. Don’t miss the opportunity to take advantage of it.”

Opportunity Katie McKalip is part of that viable market. She’s included in this country’s growing firearms owner demographic. She also represents a future business opportunity. She bought her first gun in 2005, a single-shot youth model shotgun she found at a local sporting goods shop in Missoula, Montana. Youth-size models fit her reach better than those customarily made for the body of a man.

“It kicked terribly,” McKalip says. “I still have it, but I upgraded a few years later to a Remington 870 20-gauge. I bought a youth model again, but women’s models have come a long way since then.” So has the organization for which McKalip works. She’s the communications director for Backcountry Hunters and Anglers. BHA formed around a campfire in 2004. McKalip joined its staff in 2015. The non-profit organization has nearly 40,000 members who hunt and fish, and the organization’s focus is on making public lands available for all. That means BHA isn’t a boys’ club. It’s families and females, too. McKalip filled her last two deer tags with her favorite hunting buddy, a woman named Vickie Edwards. “How could it not be a good thing? I love that I’m able to hunt in the fall and fill my tag with a whitetail buck in the back of my rig,” McKalip says. “My kids see that. For them, there is nothing remarkable about the fact that their mom came home with meat to eat. It’s just part of their life, and I think that’s pretty cool.” Pretty cool for the firearms industry too. Adding new gun handlers to the market adds opportunity for retailers and manufacturers. Ladies, who can also be moms, share their sports with their kids, so growth is exponential. The youth model McKalip uses will eventually go to her young son, Charlie, when she buys herself her first women’s model. Her shooting vest will be handed down, too. “My upland vest is a boy’s large,” she says. “Women options weren’t nearly as vast 10 to 15 years ago as they are today. I’m not talking just shrink-it-and-pink-it. Well, maybe the shrink-it part, because that’s important in gun fit, but the gun industry is making progress. It’s reflective of what’s happening on a larger scale within society.”

Ready to Serve When you provide women hunters with first-class customer service and expert advice, they’ll come back for more.

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PHOTO FROM WEATHERBY

the women’s market

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W H AT ’ S S E L L I N G W H E R E

Guns, AKChimo Wasilla

Keeping close to 400 firearms in stock, this fullservice gun shop lies 30 miles north of Anchorage in the suburban Mat-Su Valley. Handgun sales are steady. “When it starts to get cold, our handguns sales always improve,” said counter salesperson Kelly Mears. Top handgun sellers include Glock 43Xs and Springfield Hellcats. Other strong movers include SIG Sauer P365s and P320s. Although sales of bolt-action rifles are slowing, it has been a strong fall season. Bergaras and Ruger Americans hold the top spots, followed by a few Kimbers, predominantly in .300 Win., .30/06, and 6.5 Creedmoor.

City Guns, KSBull Alton

Located on Highway 24 in north-central Kansas, this nearly 10,000-squarefoot independent keeps more than 3,000 firearms in stock. With farm and oil prices lower than average, this retailer is experiencing a slow fall season. That said, a good number of Glock 19s and 43Xs have crossed the counter. S&W Shields are still turning, as are a few FNS 9 Compacts. Sporting clays guns, especially Browning Citoris, are moving. So are a few Browning trap guns. Winchester Super X-4s and Remington 870 Expresses are seeing some action as well. “Our slower economy has presented challenges, but online sales create the

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DECEMBER 2019

Northwest CA Sporting Goods, Willits

Located two hours north of San Francisco, this small-town general sporting goods store sells a wide range of team sports, camping, fishing, and hunting supplies, along with soft goods and hot tubs. Fall sales are peaking for deer rifles, with a good number of turns on Ruger Americans and Remington 700s, mainly in .30/06 and .308. While ammo used to be a large draw, recent California ammo restrictions have cut sales dramatically. “Today, we can’t sell ammo to anyone who hasn’t been in the state database less than four years. If it’s less, the purchase requires a full background check and a $19 added charge. It can take up to six

most competition,” said owner Brice Ballard. Sales of MSRs have remained flat.

Hair Trigger MN Gun Shop, Zimmerman

Located just a mile from Lake Freemont in the center of Zimmerman, this smalltown recreation destination shop keeps about 400 guns in stock, with an even mix of hunting and home defense. Pre-deer season demand is helping to turn high numbers of package guns from Howa and Savage. The most popular caliber continues to be .30/06. “These package guns just keep getting better every year. The Howas are really impressive, with minuteof-angle performance right out of

weeks,” said manager David Lamprich.

Arms, COTacticool Greeley

Located on the north side of Greeley, this store has three employees and about 150 units in stock. It specializes in custom MSR rebuilds and sales. Sales of modern sporting rifles have been steady, with a healthy mix of starter guns and higher-grade customs. ”We get a lot of first-timers in the store, and we almost always start them with a factory-complete MSR,” said manager Josh Chavez. Starter guns are a mix of Smith & Wesson Sport M&P IIs or Ruger 556s. Sellers at the higher end include BCM, Daniel Defense, and the store’s own brand, Tacticool.

the box,” said owner Rick Snook. Additional fast sellers include Savage 220 bolt-action shotguns, Remington 870s, and Benelli Novas. Handguns sales are steady.

Guns, Iowa IAMike’s Falls

Keeping about 150 new and used guns in stock, this small mom-and-pop store is reporting lagging fall sales. Sales of deer season shotguns are the lowest they’ve been in years, with only a few Mossberg combos and Remington Deer Slayers crossing the counter. A few bolt-action rifles are selling, primarily Mossberg Patriots and Ruger Americans in .243 and 6.5 Creedmoor. MSR sales are slow. The biggest movers are Ruger 556s and DPMSs.

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BY PETER B . MATHIESEN

Tactical, NYAX Yorkville

Located in the heart of Upstate New York, this retailer/manufacturer has an online presence and a storefront in suburban Utica. Handgun sales are strong, and there is high demand for Glock 43Xs and SIG P365s. MSR sales are steady, and the facility is seeing a growing demand for its products. “Right now, our strongest seller is our own AX Vulcan X15. We make them New York-compliant and in other formats for national distribution,” said director of operations Constance Fedoro. While this retailer sells numerous Remington 700s and other traditional rifles, its custom work filters down to the counter. “Our modified products let a shooter come in and

Bullet Hole, FLThe Sarasota

This retailer displays up to 800 firearms. Sales have been strong, and handguns continue to make this retailer’s register ring. Glocks and SIGs are about even, with a mix of P320s, P365s, 43Xs, and 42s. Smith J-frame revolvers continue to be a popular alternative for this store’s customers, especially the 642. Sales of MSRs are ticking up, with turns averaging one per day. “We carry nearly 300 MSRs. While they have slowed, I see our sales improving as area demand is increasing,” said owner Francis Misantone. The store is seeing renewed interest in classic shotguns such as the Beretta 632.

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tweak various changes in our long guns and pistols.”

Delta Arsenal, Meriden Specializing in

tactical and police weapons, this retailer offers extensive firearms training for beginners, as well as experienced law enforcement personnel. Delta Arsenal’s facility includes three ranges with 18 lanes and an additional 50-foot open training area. There is also 2,000 square feet of retail space. Handgun sales are particularly busy. Glock 43Xs sit in the highest sales position, followed by SIG P365s and H&K VP9s. “Fall always sees increased traffic at the handgun counter. This year, it’s especially busy,” said John Escalante, coun-

ter salesman and range officer.

MENortheastern Firearms, Turner This rural central Maine gun shop is 20 miles north of Lewiston. The store has approximately 2,000 square feet of space, with a wide mix of hunting and home defense firearms. Deer season is underway and driving strong sales of the Savage Axis, Ruger American, and Browning X-Bolt. The most popular calibers are .308 and .243. This store lists every used gun on its website with daily updates. “It’s an impressive traffic builder. We list a gun at night, and it’s sold the next day, with two people coming in to see it,” said counter salesman Mark Wilcox.

Woods and Waters, TNCrazycaches Tactical, Kingsport ALTuscaloosa This eastern Tennessee specialty retailer relies on a combination of its website and a small storefront. Keeping roughly 50 guns in stock, the owners divide their inventory between accessories, police supplies, and home-defense items. Normally, fall is Glock time for this retailer, but not in 2019. “Usually Glock is the only handgun we can sell before Christmas. But this year, it’s been changing to SIG,” said co-owner Bo Perry. The SIG M17 has now captured the top spot. Glock 43Xs are turning, based on availability. Ruger LC9s are moving quickly, too. Long gun sales included a few custom Daniel Defense orders.

This large independent fishing, hunting, and sports apparel store mixes storefront sales with a strong web business, inventorying more than 3,000 products online. Handgun inventories are flush, with daily sales of Springfield Hellcats, SIG P365s, and Taurus Judges. The store is seeing higher-thanusual traffic for bolt-action deer rifles. “There’s a real demand for specialty calibers in higher-priced bolt guns. This is the year of everyone getting a new bolt gun at our store,” said counter salesman Greg Lee. Browning X-Bolts and Tikkas in 6.5 Creedmoor and 28 Nosler are seeing serious interest. Shotgun sales are improving daily.

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GOOD STUFF

BY BRAD FITZPATRICK

Equal Measures TrueTimber’s Pulse clothing offers a good balance between warmth and light weight

inding the right clothing can be critical to the success of a hunt, and TrueTimber’s new Pulse Packable Down jackets, pants, and vests are great options for hunters because they are engineered to be both warm and light. All three garments are insulated with a blend of 90 percent Allied duck feather and 10 percent down. Because of its three-dimensional structure, down has more loft than competing synthetic materials, and it creates pockets of still air that retain heat. In addition, down is breathable and wicks moisture, and it also molds better than rigid synthetic materials, offering a more comfortable fit.

TrueTimber’s Pulse Packable Down jackets, vests, and pants are designed to keep hunters warm even in severe weather conditions.

Down also offers one other important advantage over synthetics—it’s extremely quiet. Whether you’re in a stand or stalking game, TrueTimber’s Pulse Packable Down doesn’t generate excess noise when you move.

Maximum Versatility When you’re in the field carrying game calls, rangefinders, hunting licenses, and other assorted items, having pocket space to store all of

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DECEMBER 2019

your gear is critical. Pulse clothing offers plenty of pockets for all your essentials. The Lightweight Packable Down Hooded Jacket comes with two hand-warmer pockets and one chest pocket, and there’s an internal adjustable shock-cord system hidden in the hand-warmer pocket that allows you to customize the fit of the garment. The Lightweight Packable Down Pants come with generous hand-warmer pockets, too,

and the Lightweight Packable Down Vest features dual hand-warmer pockets and a chest pocket just like the hooded jacket. Another clever feature: All of these garments can be packed within their own pockets for ease of portability. If you are getting too warm, simply pack the garment inside the storage pocket (chest cargo sleeve for the vest, left zipper pocket for the pants, and left hand-warmer pocket on the jacket), and the clothing can be easily stored. TrueTimber is best known for its popular camo pattern options, and the Pulse jacket, vest, and pants are available in Kinati or Strata camo patterns. All of these garments use durable YKK zippers, and they all have polyester shells that are soft, quiet, and robust. Considering the level of versatility these garments offer, they’re also a very good bargain (SRP: $79.99, vest; $89.99, pants; $129.99, hooded jacket). All three garments are available in sizes ranging from medium to 2XL, and they’re all machine-washable.

In the Field I had an opportunity to test these products on a late-season whitetail hunt in Kansas. Weather on the Great Plains can be unpredictable, but one

constant during my hunt was wind. Each day, steady breezes rushed over the open prairie and down the cottonwood draws where I sat on stand, and it doesn’t take very much wind to rob body heat. The minimal bulk of the clothing makes layering easy, and even while wearing the pants, vest, and jacket, I was able to move freely. There really is no substitute for down, and being able to sit for extended periods in the face of a steady wind and near-freezing temperatures allowed me to spend more time in the field. I tagged my whitetail on the third day after long hours spent on stand, but I was comfortable throughout the day, thanks to these clothes. Pulse Packable Down clothing is perfect for hunting from a stand or blind where game might be close and any noise could potentially spook the animals. These clothes will also serve high-mountain hunters well since they are light and can easily be stored in a pack without taking up much room. These clothes aren’t meant for busting brush, but for most hunting situations—especially where your primary challenge will be long hours in cold conditions—these garments really shine. (truetimber.com)

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NEW PRODUCTS

Firearms Business Insurance

(Continued from page 50)

Mossberg’s Patriot Predator uses a twin-lug, push-feed action fed from a lightweight-polymer, four-round box magazine.

Mossberg ➤ The

suppressor- and optics-ready Patriot Predator bolt-action rifle houses the 6.5 PRC (Precision Rifle Cartridge) in a durable Flat Dark Earth (FDE) synthetic stock with matte blue metalwork or True Timber Strata camo synthetic stock with a Patriot Brown Cerakote metal finish. The Patriot Predator uses a twin-lug, push-feed, machined-steel action fed from a lightweight-polymer, four-round box magazine. The free-floating 24-inch barrel has a 1:8 twist and straight-edge fluting, and is threaded (⅝-inch, 24 threads per inch) for a suppressor. A protective muzzle cap is included. Every Patriot rifle features Mossberg’s patented LBA (Lightning Bolt Action) useradjustable trigger with a 2- to 7-pound range of adjustment. A top-mounted Picatinny rail provides ease of optics mounting and repositioning. Other features include an oversize bolt handle, a spiral-fluted bolt, and sling-swivel studs. SRP: $441 to $524. (mossberg.com)

Ameristep ➤ Ameristep’s new Care Taker Kick Out portable, pop-up, 15-pound ground

Ameristep’s asymmetrical Care Taker Kick Out pop-up blind blends naturally into the environment.

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blind makes setting up near bedding areas, along travel corridors, or on the edge of a prime feeding spot quick and easy. The blind also features a design element missing from most blinds of this type—an asymmetrical shape (no hard edges) that more naturally blends into the background. Other features include patented dual-floor kick-outs that create more interior space for equipment, bags, and hunters; a tension-relief zipper design that helps make setup and takedown easier and faster; shoot-through mesh windows that maximize concealment without hindering the trajectory of a shot; and a single-hook window design that allows windows to be opened and closed silently and quickly. Available in Realtree Edge camo. SRP: $199.19. (ameristep.com)

Thiessens ➤ Thiessens’

V1 Whitetail Midweight System includes a jacket, vest, hoodie, and pant. Each item comes in Realtree Edge camo, and the fabric construction allows for quiet movement in the stand. The jacket, vest, and pant use Thiessens’ Wind Defense technology, providing a windproof barrier, and a waterresistant treatment on the outer shells beads away rain (seams are not taped so are not 100 percent waterproof ). The jacket features an adjustable, removable hood designed not to obstruct peripheral vision. Articulated sleeves allow for full-range, unrestricted movement, and ample pockets accommodate gear such as calls, a rangefinder, and a cell phone. The vest can be worn as either a mid or outer layer, and features several pockets for storage and a mock collar to keep the neck warm. The pant also feature several gear-storage pockets. SRP: jacket, $79.99; vest, $59.99; pant, $59.99; hoodie, $49.99. (thiessens.com)

Wholesalers & Distributors Retail Sales Manufacturers & Importers Ammunition & Bullet Manufacturers Indoor & Outdoor Ranges Gunsmiths Firearms Instructors

31 Parker Road • Elizabeth, New Jersey 07208

800.526.2199 • info@jcinsco.com • www.guninsurance.com

U.S. POSTAL SERVICE STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, AND CIRCULATION (Required by 39 USC 3685) 1. Publication Title: Shot Business 2. (ISSN 1081-8618) 3. Filing date: 10/1/2019. 4. Issue frequency: Bi-monthly except January and December. 5. Number of issues published annually: 7. 6. The annual subscription price is $25.00. 7. Complete mailing address of known office of publication: Bonnier Corporation 2 Park Ave., 28th Floor New York, NY 10016. Contact person: Kolin Rankin. Telephone: 305-859-0020 8. Complete mailing address of headquarters or general business office of publisher: Bonnier Corporation 2 Park Ave., 28th Floor New York, NY 10016. 9. Full names and complete mailing addresses of publisher, editor, and managing editor. Publisher: Greg Gatto 2 Park Ave., 28th Floor New York, NY 10016. Editor: Slaton L White 2 Park Ave., 28th Floor New York, NY 10016. Managing Editor: Margaret M. Nussey 2 Park Ave., 28th Floor New York, NY 10016. 10. Owner: Bonnier Corporation PO Box 8500 Winter Park, FL 32790. 11. Known bondholders, mortgages, and other Securities: None. 12. Tax Status (for completion by nonprofit organizations authorized to mail at nonprofit rates): Has Not Changed during Preceding 12 Months. 13. Publication Title: Shot Business. 14. Issue date for circulation data below: Aug/Sep 19; 15a. Total number of Copies: 22,645 (Aug/Sep 19: 23,155). b. Paid Circulation. (1). Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541: 21,835 (Aug/Sep 19: 22,382). (3). Paid Distribution Outside the Mails Including Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and Other Paid Distribution Outside USPS: None (Aug/Sep 19: None). c. Total Paid Distribution 21,835 (Aug/Sep 19: 22,382) d. Free or Nominal Rate Distribution. (1) Free or Nominal Rate Outside-County Copies Included on PS Form 3541: 182 (Aug/ Sep 19: 182). (4) Free or Nominal Rate distribution Outside the Mail: None (Aug/Sep 19: None). e. Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution 182 (Aug/Sep 19: 182). f. Total distribution: 22,017 (Aug/Sep 19: 22,564). g. Copies not Distributed: 628 (Aug/Sep 19: 591). h. Total: 22,646 (Aug/Sep 19: 23,155). i. Percent paid: 99.17% (Aug/Sep 19: 99.19%). PS FORM 3526: a. Requested and Paid Electronic Copies: None (Aug/Sep 19: None). b. total Requested and Paid Print copies & Paid Electronic copies: 21,835 (Aug/Sep 19: 22,382). c. Total Print Distribution & Paid Electronic copies: 22,017 (Aug/Sep 19: 22,564). d. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation: 99.17% (Aug/Sep 19: 99.19%). 17. Publication of statement of ownership for a Requester publication will be printed in the Jan 20 issue of the publication. 18. Signature and title of editor, publisher, business manager, or owner: Sally Murphy. I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanction and civil actions.

NEW PR ODU CTS

This Kel-Tec KS7 bullpup shotgun includes a number of aftermarket modifications: an extended pre-

cision Picatinny top rail; Steel Defender muzzle brake; mini side-angle rail and nylon 7-shell card from Hi-Tech Custom Concepts; a hivis orange follower and

grip plug with spare shell from M-Carbo; a Limbsaver slip-on recoil pad; and a Crimson Trace Railmaster Pro combo light and laser sight.

Loaded with Federal Shorty shotshells, the pump gun has an 11+1 round capacity. SRP: base gun, $495; accessories and mods, $654. (kel-tec.com)

DAVID MACCAR

Kel-Tec

(Continued on page 49)

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SHOT BUSINESS

❚

DECEMBER 2019

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SHOTBUSINESS.COM

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NEW V3 WATERFOWL PRO H AR D C O R E WATE R F OW LI NG H A RD WARE .

F E AT U R E S

THE

A D VA N TA G E V3 VS. COMPETITOR PRODUCTS

OVERSIZED CONTROLS

The softest-recoiling auto in the ﬁeld.

ENLARGED LOADING PORT

400

CERAKOTE RECEIVER AND BARREL

300

AVAILABLE IN:

COMPETITOR 2

FORCE ( lbs.)

HI-VIZ FIBER OPTIC FRONT SIGHT

COMPETITOR 1 COMPETITOR 3 COMPETITOR 4 COMPETITOR 5

200

REMINGTON V3 100 000

0.01

0.02

0.03

TIME (seconds)

0.04

The American-built V3 that’s taken the autoloader world by storm is now a super-tuned force of nature on the ﬂyways. Driven by the ultra-soft-shooting VersaPort action, its new oversized controls and loading port promote ease of use with gloves. Its Cerakote ﬁnish provides ultimate protection against abuse and corrosion. The new V3 Waterfowl Pro is ready for anything you are, and more. Only from Remington.

NITRO STEEL Ultra-round zinc-plated steel pellets deliver high velocities and tighter, more consistent patterns.

WE'RE PROUD SUPPORTERS OF