SHOT Business - Dec. 2016

THE E M PLOYEE B EN EF I T T H AT A LSO B E NE F ITS OW N ERS H I P Pg. 34

DECEMBER 2016

RICH APPEAL MODERN EUROPEAN HUNTING RIFLES COMMAND A SECOND LOOK PG. 24 BIG-BORE AIRGUNS FOR NUISANCE WILDLIFE CONTROL, THESE LARGECALIBER RIFLES CAN’T BE BEAT Pg. 39

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE FIRING LINE

GOOD STUFF

The mythical twomission shotgun actually exists Pg. 20

Meopta: Superior performance, affordable package Pg. 44

SHOT BUSINESS DECEMBER 2016 VOLUME 24, ISSUE 7

RICH APPEAL The rich heritage of European rifles isn’t just for hunters on the Old Continent.

There’s plenty for North Americans to like as well.

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BY WAYNE VAN ZWOLL

TAKING STOCK Employee stock ownership plans benefit employees and owners alike. But there are pitfalls for the unwary. BY MARK E. BATTERSBY

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FROM THE NSSF How to use NSSF’s numerous resources to help you navigate and conduct business at this year’s SHOT Show.

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YOU SHOULD KNOW NSSF’s new Executive Management Seminar at SHOT delivers the latest toplevel marketing intelligence.

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NSSF UPDATE Disaster relief for retailers; NSSF offers new Firearms Industry Health Advantage.

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RETAILER TOOLBOX A schedule of educational events at SHOT Show in 2017.

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EDITOR’S NOTE European bolt-action hunting rifles aren’t fit only for a king.

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NEWS BRIEFS Lew Danielson, founder of Crimson Trace, retires; Remington launches the RP, a new polymer-frame pistol; Gamo acquires Daisy.

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BIG PROBLEM, BIG SOLUTION Big-bore airguns are ideal for wildlife control. BY JOCK ELLIOTT

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FIRING LINE The Stevens 320 is a two-mission shotgun with a price that will make it fly off the shelf.

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UNDERCOVER SHOPPER Finding a target pistol in Louisville, Kentucky, is a bit harder than it should be.

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GOOD STUFF Meopta’s B1 compact bino delivers superior performance at an affordable price.

WHAT’S SELLING WHERE

NEW PRODUCTS Stanley QuadVac; Gerber Center-Drive.

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COVER PHOTO: TIM IRWIN

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DECEMBER 2016 ] SHOT BUSINESS ] 3

EDITOR’S NOTE

NSSF

Game Plan European bolt-action rifles aren’t just for royalty

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he European hunting model, in which the game belongs to the landowner, is vastly different from the model in place in the United States. Here, though the land may belong to a person, the game belongs to the state. The twin tenets of the North American Wildlife Conservation Model are: 1) fish and game belong to the people; 2) fish and game need to be managed in such a way as to be sustainable in perpetuity. That’s why even holders of vast Western ranches must abide by state hunting regulations regarding bag limits and method of take.

SLATON L. WHITE, Editor James A. Walsh, Art Director Margaret M. Nussey, Managing Editor David E. Petzal, Shooting Editor Mike Toth, Special Projects Editor Judith Weber, Digital Content Producer Hilary Ribons, Editorial Assistant CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Larry Ahlman, Barbara Baird, Scott Bestul, Philip Bourjaily, Christopher Cogley, David Draper, Jock Elliott, William F. Kendy, Mark Kayser, David Maccar, Richard Mann, Peter B. Mathiesen, Brian McCombie, Tom Mohrhauser, Robert Sadowski, Robert F. Staeger, Peter Suciu, Wayne Van Zwoll

ADVERTISING: 212-779-5316 Gregory D. Gatto, Vice President, Publishing Director Jeff Roberge, Advertising Director Brian Peterson, Western Sporting Goods Sales Katie Logan, Southern Sporting Goods Sales David Hawkey, Northeast Sporting Goods Sales Elizabeth Burnham Murphy, Chief Marketing Officer Ingrid Reslmaier, Marketing Design Director

BUSINESS OPERATIONS

In olden days on the Old Continent, to be found hunting the “king’s game” was tantamount to a death sentence. This history has given rise to the notion that hunting in Europe is reserved solely for royalty and the titled classes. It’s not. That said, public hunting, as Americans understand it, does not exist. The system under which Germans hunt can get a bit complicated, but in a nutshell, there are two major lease systems. The first is the Revier System, also known as the hunting-estate system. The second is Pflicht zur Hege (game management duty of the hunting-rights owner), the aim of which is to cull animal populations to keep the herd healthy and in balance with the surrounding agricultural industry.

Hunting in Germany has a rich tradition; the same can be said about the continent’s classic rifles, some of which come from manufacturers founded hundreds of years ago.

Contributing editor Wayne Van Zwoll has hunted throughout Europe, and that experience, along with his knowledge of European firearms, led to this issue’s cover story: “Rich Appeal” (p. 24).

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Europe’s gunmakers are well known for beautifully designed products, the prices of which would bankrupt a prince. As Van Zwoll notes, some models came with “sloping combs, fish-scale grips, and intricate set triggers. QD scope mounts of Teutonic complexity listed for more than box seats at the Super Bowl. And yet, these manufacturers also offer a variety of handsome, yet affordable, models that will appeal to many North American hunters.”

This rich history, which Van Zwoll details, is part of the appeal of these newer designs, and the smart retailer will know enough about a particular rifle’s heritage to whet the appetite of a potential customer.

European rifle manufacturers can’t compete with American-made products that retail for between $400 and $600. But some fine boltactions can be had for only a couple of hundred dollars more, and several fall into the $1,500 to $2,000 range, providing a nice margin for the retailer.

Slaton L. White, Editor

Tara Bisciello, Business Manager

CONSUMER MARKETING Robert M. Cohn, Consumer Marketing Director Barbara Brooker, Fulfillment Manager

MANUFACTURING Michelle Doster, Group Production Director Stephanie Northcutt, Production Manager

BONNIER Chairman, Tomas Franzén Head of Business Area, Magazines, Lars Dahmén Chief Executive Officer, Eric Zinczenko Chief Financial Officer, Joachim Jaginder Chief Operating Officer, David Ritchie Chief Marketing Officer, Elizabeth Burnham Murphy Chief Digital Revenue Officer, Sean Holzman Vice President, Integrated Sales, John Graney Vice President, Consumer Marketing, John Reese Vice President, Digital Operations, David Butler Vice President, Public Relations, Perri Dorset General Counsel, Jeremy Thompson

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 24, issue 7, Copyright © 2016 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 06470-2359. 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 866-615-4345, 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

National Shooting Sports Foundation®

NSSF Works for Me

has been integral to our “NSSF success. We recent ly added a

shooting range to our retail facility and NSSF’s research, range exper ts and affinity benefits par tners are invaluable resources.

”

NSSF Premium Range Member Joe Keffer, Owner, The Sportsman’s Shop, New Holland, Pa

Visit us at booth L231

Premium Range Members like Joe receive benefits such as: • Legal defense fund • OSHA Mock Audit • Lead Management Program • Hearing Conservation Program Template • Hazardous Communication Program Template • Medical Surveillance Guidance • General Industry Checklist

• OSHA Compliance Program Review • 24/7 EPA & OSHA Compliance Hotline • Media Consulting • NSSF Star Rating Range Program Benefit • Industry Research • SHOT Show Benefits

Go to nssf.org or call 203-426-1320 ext. 209 for more information on membership categories and find out how NSSF can work for you.

NSSF.ORG/PREMIUM

NEWS BRIEFS

Bits & Pieces Timney Announces 2016 Customer’s Choice Offering Timney Triggers has been asking shooters and hunters, “What trigger would you like us to build next?”

Thanks to customer involvement, Timney recently announced the 2016 Customer’s Choice: a two-stage, self-contained, drop-in trigger for the Ruger Precision Rifle.

The pull weight is factorycalibrated for a ½-pound first stage and a 1-pound second stage. The first stage is useradjustable from a ½ pound to 1 pound, and the second stage is user-adjustable from a ½ pound to 2 pounds. The trigger is offered in straight and curved trigger-shoes models.

The trigger housing is constructed of a military-grade 6061 T6 alloy and is anodized for superior durability. The trigger is heat-treated as well. The sear is wire EDM cut, heattreated to 58-60 Rockwell, and Teflon-nickel-coated for longlasting service life. SRP: $219.95. (timneytriggers.com)

Remington Launches Polymer Pistol Remington is launching the RP, a new full-size, striker-fired, polymer-frame pistol. The semi-automatic will feature interchangeable backstraps (small, medium, and large), a reversible magazine release, and an undercut trigger guard to allow for higher hand hold to better increase overall control. In addition, the slide has been designed for easier manipulation, and the pistol can use double-stack magazines. Available calibers will be 9mm and .45 Auto. (remington.com)

NEWS

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PROMOTIONS

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AWARDS

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OUTREACH

After more than two decades as an industry leader, Lew Danielson, founder of Crimson Trace Corp., has announced his retirement.

Crimson Trace Founder Announces Retirement

N

early everyone who owns a firearm has heard of Crimson Trace, the shooting-sports industry leader in laser-sight design and manufacturing. Many of those firearms owners have also heard of the man behind the iconic company and brand—Crimson Trace’s founder, Lew Danielson. After more than two decades as a leader in the company and the industry, Danielson has announced his retirement.

“I am very proud of what Crimson Trace has become and what we have accomplished in the laser-sighting industry, with the many innovations we’ve introduced to the marketplace,” says Danielson. “I’m also proud of the team of employees who have worked hard to make our company the industry leader that it is today.”

This product is from sustainably managed forests and controlled sources.

Danielson, a trained engineer, cofounded Crimson Trace in the back room of an Oregon machine shop in 1994. He is known for the simple 18-point business plan—handwritten on a piece of standard yellow notepad paper—that became the map for the fledgling company’s success.

“Lew is a one-of-a-kind guy who believed in an idea and had the tenacity and foresight to take risks and follow his dream,” says Lane Tobiassen, president of Crimson Trace. “Everyone at Crimson Trace wishes Lew well in this new chapter of his life, and we thank him for the opportunity the DECEMBER 2016 ] SHOT BUSINESS ] 7

NEWS BRIEFS

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800-264-2493 crowshootingsupply.com

company has provided to the more than 120 employees who work here.”

Among Danielson’s many recognitions and awards is the National Rifle Association’s prestigious Golden Bullseye Pioneer Award. That award noted that Danielson was “fundamentally responsible for the invention, development, marketing, and/or promotion of products that gained widespread use and which fundamentally changed some aspect of shooting-sports equipment or related products for the better.” Those words referenced Danielson’s establishment of America’s premium brand of laser-sighting systems for firearms.

The company is widely recognized for bringing more than 250 laser-sighting products to market, including the new LiNQ wireless light and laser sight for modern sporting rifles. Crimson Trace is

also widely recognized for supplying sighting systems to military and law enforcement units in America and around the globe.

The first Crimson Trace laser sights were designed for Glock handguns.

Originally a customer would send his pistol to Oregon for machining and installation of the laser sight. Today, Crimson Trace offers more than a halfdozen distinct product lines and offers them to consumers directly and through numerous retailers. Crimson Trace also works with more than a dozen firearms manufacturers to provide laser sights as pre-installed systems direct from those manufacturers.

Danielson was inducted into the Oregon State University Engineering Hall of Fame in 2013. His name is on many of the patents held in Crimson Trace’s product portfolio.

“I am very proud of what Crimson Trace has become and what we have accomplished in the laser-sighting industry.”

—LEW DANIELSON, FOUNDER, CRIMSON TRACE CORP.

Team Bianchi’s Kenda Lenseigne Wins Big

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fter setting not one, but two world records at the 2016 Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association (CMSA) National Championship in May, Team Bianchi’s Kenda Lenseigne added another record to her impressive repertoire at the CMSA World Championship in Amarillo, Texas, recently. In a worldrecord run, Lenseigne won the Cimarron Eliminator CMSA World Champion Cowgirl title.

As one of Cowboy Mounted Shooting’s most renowned competitors, Lenseigne held numerous titles and records prior to this victory, including winning this event four times before on her champion horse, Justin, between the years of 2005 and 2014. However, this is Lenseigne’s first World Championship win on her mare, Sparky, since retiring Justin last year.

“This win is incredibly special to me,” says Lenseigne. “I knew I could trust in my equipment to perform perfectly, but it is a big feat to be the World Champion in a first-year partnership between rider and horse.”

Lenseigne finished the competition in 10.764 seconds, which was 0.12 second faster than the previous world record.

Beating out the other 163 competitors entered in this category, Lenseigne ended with the overall fastest time for women.

“We are thrilled to congratulate Kenda and Sparky,” says Scott Carnahan, vice president of Safariland and Bianchi. “We are so proud of their accomplishments together, and we thank Kenda for continuing to be an incredible ambassador for our brand and the sport.”

Team Safariland members are an integral part of the company’s product development process who regularly test Safariland materials and products to ensure design and development. During the championship, Lenseigne utilized her Bianchi exclusive Kenda Lenseigne Signature Series Smokechaser Cowboy Holster.

Kenda Lenseigne and Sparky at work, earning another world champion title.

NEWS BRIEFS

COLT DEVELOPS NEW CARBINE The Colt Combat Unit carbine utilizes a new mid-length gas system.

THIS IS MY NEW UPPER HAND. THE WORLD’S FIRST WIRELESS LASER & WHITE LIGHT SYSTEM Get a firm grip on the next level of ready with LiNQ: a secure, wireless laser and light system designed for modern sporting rifles. Instinctive Activation™ ensures the moment your hand engages the pistol grip, a green laser sight and 300-lumen LED white light energizes, shaving off critical seconds, giving you the ultimate illumination and targeting solution.

See LiNQ in action at thelinqsystem.com

The Colt M4 continues to be the platform of choice among military, law enforcement, and firearms enthusiasts alike. Now Colt is offering yet another option for enthusiasts looking for that robust and well-fielded platform—the Colt Combat Unit carbine, featuring Colt’s new midlength gas system.

The Colt Combat Unit carbine offers many of the features shooters love about the Colt M4 platform, but now Colt is introducing its first production mid-length gas system. “Producing a mid-length gas system was the logical next step for us, and it’s long overdue,” says Justin Baldini, director of product marketing. “Shooters will find that by moving the gas block closer to the muzzle, as this mid-length gas system does, the felt recoil is more consistent with what is fielded by our troops carrying a 14.5-inch barrel M4.”

The Colt Combat Unit is a team of sponsored shooters and product advisors with whom Colt has worked closely to develop the Colt Combat Unit line of firearms that are tailored to the needs of today’s more savvy operators, law enforcement, and firearms enthusiasts. “When we decided to put together the Colt Combat Unit team, we sought out the upper echelon of the world of elite operator training.

These are all former Special Forces trainers who are helping us understand what the folks in the field want from their firearms, which has been proven with the success of the Colt Combat Unit Rail Gun.” The Colt Combat Unit carbine features a Magpul SL buttstock and pistol grip, as well as an MOE trigger guard. The carbine is the first to feature Colt’s new midlength gas system. It has a low-profile gas block that allows for the use of its M-LOK-capable Centurion CMR freefloated forend. SRP: $1,299. It is available exclusively from TALO Distributors. (taloinc. com)

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JANUARY 17–20, 2017

SANDS EXPO CENTER | LAS VEGAS, NEVADA With the most in-demand firearms, ammunition, safety equipment, accessories, and the latest industry news and regulations, the SHOT Show provides everything a retail owner or range operator needs to build your business and wow your customers.

INVENTORY | CONNECTIONS | EDUCATION AN OFFICIAL EVENT OF:

REGISTER TODAY! SHOTSHOW.ORG/SB The SHOT Show is a trade-only event.

Professional affiliation is required.

NEWS BRIEFS

GAMO ACQUIRES DAISY Gamo Outdoor SL, along with its U.S. subsidiary Gamo Outdoor USA, recently acquired Daisy Outdoor Products, maker of the famous Daisy Red Ryder BB gun as well as other airguns and outdoor equipment. In announcing the acquisition, Keith Higginbotham, president of Gamo Outdoor USA, said, “We believe this to be a great relationship with complementary brands. Gamo’s roots run deep in the outdoors, while Daisy is a part of Americana. We both share a passion for the shooting sports and are excited for the future, with a vision to grow the Daisy brand and recreational shooting for generations to come.”

Higginbotham, who has been at the helm of Gamo Outdoors USA for about two years, added, “When I first joined Gamo, we identified Daisy as a target acquisition, a very complementary acquisition, since Gamo had basically nothing in the youth market and Daisy had relatively little in the adult market. When the opportunity to acquire Daisy came along, we pursued it enthusiastically.”

When Gamo looked at it strategically, they saw a perfect fit. “Daisy has a foothold in the youth market, mainly because of the movie [the iconic Christmas Story], as well as the

heritage, the 130-year history,” Higginbotham said. “We can now go from teaching a young child how to shoot and carry them through equipment into their adult years. We’re com-

mitted to the shooting sports and its safety education. Now we can meet the needs of all consumers, from BB guns to high-accuracy precharge pneumatics.”—Jock Elliott

The famous Red Ryder BB gun is now part of Gamo Outdoor USA. It gives Gamo entrée into the youth market.

U P D AT E

BY MELISSA SCHILLING, NSSF DIRECTOR, EXHIBITIONS & CONFERENCES

FROM THE NSSF

Do SHOT Like a Pro Use our numerous resources to help you navigate and conduct business at the show

B

y the time this issue hits your mailboxes and email inboxes, we will be just a few weeks away from the 2017 SHOT Show. We know many of you are finalizing travel plans and squaring away meeting times, dinner reservations, and tickets for the many entertainment opportunities for which Las Vegas is so famous.

As you make these plans, we encourage you to include the following resources in your agenda.

³ INTERNATIONAL

BUYERS PROGRAM. If you

have not looked into participating in the International Buyers Program (IBP), coordinated by NSSF with the U.S. Department of Trade, you need to add this to your SHOT Show Planner.

Through the U.S. Commercial Service’s network of offices in U.S. Embassies and Consulates worldwide, the IBP recruits pre-screened foreign buyer delegations and brings them to selected trade shows in the United States, connecting U.S. companies with international buyers. Visit export.gov for more information, as well as SHOTShow.org, where you’ll find a video about how the program works. Simply go to the show’s homepage, hover your cursor over the “Attendees” heading at the top, and choose “International Attendees” from the drop-down menu. ³ 2017 SHOT SHOW

MOBILE APP. Every year we improve this app, thanks to feedback from everyone attending the show, and every year it grows as the must-have app for exhibitors, buyers, and media alike. This year’s SHOT Show Mobile App lets you: STAY ORGANIZED with up-tothe-minute exhibitor, speaker, and event information.

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But the “Hotel & Travel” page of SHOTShow.org is more than just a way to find a place to sleep. You’ll also find: AIRLINE DISCOUNT CODES

SYNC THE APP across

all your mobile devices with the “multi-device sync” feature.

RECEIVE important real-time communications.

BUILD a personalized schedule and bookmark exhibitors you need to meet with.

TAKE NOTES and download event handouts and presentations, reducing the paperwork you need to take back home.

RATE the sessions you attend and comment on them, too.

INTERACTIVELY LOCATE sessions and exhibitors on the Sands Expo maps, helping you efficiently get from one meeting to the next and locating those exhibitors and new products on your must-see list.

VISIT your bookmarked exhibitors with the new “Quick Route” feature.

FIND ATTENDEES and connect with colleagues through the “Friends” feature.

STAY IN-THE-KNOW and join in on social media with the #SHOTShow hashtag.

WATCH SHOT Show videos.

FIND all the hottest Las Vegas places to visit. ³ NEXT PAVILION. Make sure to visit with the new exhibitors in our NEXT Pavilion. Building on the huge success of this feature, added for the first time to the 2016

show, NEXT highlights more than 100 exhibitors brand-new to SHOT Show and waiting for full exhibitor space on the main show floors. NEXT is located on Level 3 of the Venetian, right at the top of the escalators and filling the hallway in front of the NSSF Member Lounge and Press Room, providing an intimate setting in which you’ll have the opportunity to see some of the hottest products coming to market and the innovators behind them. ³ HOTEL AND TRAVEL

ASSISTANCE. NSSF wants to make sure your stay in Las Vegas is as enjoyable as it is productive. Hopefully you’ve booked your hotel room by now, but if not, go to SHOTShow.org and click on the “Hotel & Travel” heading.

There you’ll find a comprehensive list of available hotels and their rates, and a quick booking link through onPeak, our housing partner for the show.

Remember, these are the official hotels of the show, which means we’ve already coordinated the best rate for you and put in place features that make booking and changes virtually pain free (and as we always caution you, beware of offers from hotels that are not on this list).

from Delta and United, as well as a discount code for Dollar car rentals.

DISCOUNTED TICKETS for the Las Vegas Monorail, which allows you worry-free transit along The Strip. You can even purchase your tickets before you arrive via a link on the “Hotel & Travel” page.

LASXPRESS, a new ground transport reservation system that allows you to skip the long taxi lines and gets you from McCarran International to your hotel fast and at rates that provide a significant savings over traditional cab service.

We look forward to putting on an exceptional SHOT Show for 2017. Every year we seek to capitalize on the latest trends in marketing, communication, and show features that produce the greatest benefit to those who make the journey to Las Vegas. This is especially true for those who have traveled the farthest, our thousands of international attendees. Please reach out to us through SHOTShow. org (including the new real-time “Questions?” in yellow at the side of the home page), and please be sure to visit us in the Press Room and NSSF Membership booth!

Melissa Schilling, NSSF Director, Exhibitions & Conferences

B Y J I M C U R C U R U T O , N S S F D I R E C T O R , I N D U S T R Y R E S E A R C H & A N A LY S I S

U P D AT E

YO U S H O U L D K N O W

Executive Privilege SHOT Show’s newest education forum delivers the latest top-level market intelligence to industry professionals

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HOT Show is as well-known for its educational forums as it is for its thousands of new products gracing the show floor.

NSSF spends a great amount of time throughout the year honing in on the needs of today’s many different industry professionals and creating seminars that truly answer those needs, and this year I’m proud to announce the first-of-itskind Executive Management Seminar.

This seminar will address yet another segment of industry professionals, those at C- and V-level as well as other up-andcoming directors and managers. These individuals understand the guts of their companies and the marketplace, and have all the processes in place that work to maximize profits and control costs. But their world is constantly changing, and keeping one step ahead of the next big technology break, consumer trend, and resource management strategy is an ongoing challenge. Taking place the day before the 2017 SHOT Show opens, the fivehour Executive Management Seminar will tackle several of the most pressing issues facing upper-level management professionals today.

OUR FIRST SESSION will tackle a relatively new and perhaps misconstrued catchphrase.

“Voice of the Customer—The Most Misunderstood Term in All of Marketing” will be presented by Gerry Katz, vice chairman of Waltham, Massachusetts–based Applied Marketing Science. Katz is a recognized authority in the areas of innovation, new product development, and market research, with more than 40 years of consulting experience.

During his session, you’ll learn how the Voice of the Customer

has become one of the most popular and widely used methodologies for capturing customer expections, and how to tailor your products, services, and delivery methods to meet them.

NEXT YOU’LL HEAR from Dan Coates, president and cofounder of New York City– based Ypulse, the leading authority on youth and millennial marketing and research.

The firm provides syndicated and custom research to marketers by surveying tweens, teens, and 20-somethings. During his session, “Managing Multiple Generations to Get the Most Out of Your Staff,” you’ll see how today’s U.S. workplace is precariously balanced between three generations—Boomers, Xers, and Millennials. With each generation convinced the others “just don’t get it,” today’s executive faces a new challenge in ensuring the goals of the organization are aligned with the values of the team members, regardless their generation. Coates will explain how his research works to provide strategic management guidance that produces generationally attuned solutions and how it can improve attracting, retaining, and rewarding high-potential team members while allowing you to do away with a onesize-fits-all management approach that no longer works.

AFTER THE LUNCH BREAK,

you’ll hear from Bill Adams, faculty lead for the Center for Creative Leadership’s (CCL’s) government sector. Adams spent 25 years as a career military officer, with 11 of those years spent teaching at the U.S. Military Academy and Duke University. He later served as the director of West Point’s Center for Enhanced Performance. In his work with CCL, Adams has designed and implemented a suite of highly regarded programs for the intelligence community, military, and other federal agencies, in addition to working with private sector Fortune 100 companies. His session, “Keys to Peak Performance,” offers a variety of cognitive and behavioral techniques you can use to cultivate confidence, mental toughness, and resilience. You’ll learn how the application of mental models used by elite athletes to succeed can enable you to improve focus, and the impact affirmations and control selftalk can have on productivity.

OUR FINAL SPEAKER of the day will be Ken Schmidt, former director of communications for Harley-Davidson. His marketing acumen and expertise in corporate positioning took the motorcycle maker from a struggling enterprise in 1985 to the thriving, iconic

brand it is today. Schmidt is one of the country’s most soughtafter corporate speakers and consultants. His presentation, “Make Some Noise: Open the Throttle and Dominate Your Marketplace,” tells the fascinating story of how businesses of any size and scope can, by focusing on understanding and harnessing the most basic drivers of human behavior, improve competitiveness and avoid margin-killing commoditization. He’ll teach you how to build a fanatically vocal customer base, create a passionately loyal corporate culture, and develop leaders who inspire and motivate.

REGISTRATION for the 2017 SHOT Show Executive Management Seminar is now open. Once you’ve successfully registered to attend the show, simply add this seminar to your shopping cart. The seminar will run from 9:45 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., and a networking meet-and-greet session will immediately follow the conclusion of the speaker presentations. The event is open to both NSSF members and non-members, and members receive a substantial discount on the registration fee. For details, visit SHOTShow.org, click on “Education” at the top of the page, and choose “Executive Management Seminar” from the drop-down menu.

DECEMBER 2016 ] SHOT BUSINESS ] 15

U P D AT E

“Dirty Jobs” Mike Rowe to Headline State of the Industry Dinner

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very year NSSF strives to provide the best in entertainment for the finale of the annual State of the Industry Dinner—and this year we think we’ve outdone ourselves. Gracing the stage will be one of America’s favorite television hosts, entertainer Mike Rowe.

Mike Rowe is best known as the “dirtiest man on TV,” a title he earned on the hit TV series Dirty Jobs, in which he completed 300 different jobs traversing all 50 states and transformed cable television into a landscape of swamps, sewers, and coal mines. He has narrated hundreds of documentaries about space, nature, dinosaurs, serial killers, and how stuff works. Most recently, Rowe launched “The Way I Heard It,” a weekly fiveminute podcast of mysteries for the curious mind with a short attention span. He has also forged a handful of partnerships with iconic brands and filmed a boatload of Ford commercials.

As CEO of the mikeroweWORKS Foundation, Rowe speaks regularly about the country’s dysfunctional rela-

tionship with work, the widening skills gap, and challenging the persistent belief that a four-year degree is automatically the best path to take for most people. The mikeroweWORKS Foundation is a 501(c) (3) public charity that provides financial assistance to people getting training for skilled jobs that are in demand. Through scholarship programs, like the Work Ethic Scholarship Program, the Foundation has helped grant more than $3 million in technical and/or vocational education for trade schools across the country.

NSSF’s State of the Industry Dinner hosts more than 2,400 guests and always sells out.

The event will take place on the first evening of SHOT Show, January 17, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., and will include presentations by NSSF’s President

Mike Rowe, the “dirtiest man on TV,” speaks often about America’s dysfunctional relationship with work.

and CEO Steve Sanetti and the presentation of the annual POMA-NSSF Grits Gresham Shooting Sports Award. This event is nearing sell-out as this issue of SHOT Business goes to press, so NSSF encourages everyone who wishes to attend to purchase tickets now.

Individual tickets to the State of the Industry Dinner are $125 for NSSF members and $145 for non-members.

Tables of 10 can be purchased for $1,150 by NSSF members and $1,350 by non-members.

For more information, visit shotshow.org.

FIREARMS RETAILERS, NSSF FILE FEDERAL SUIT AGAINST ATTORNEY GENERAL HEALEY’S OVERREACHING ‘ENFORCEMENT NOTICE’ Four federally licensed Massachusetts firearms retailers and the National Shooting Sports Foundation filed action in United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts in late September to challenge on constitutional grounds the “Enforcement Notice” issued by state Attorney General Maura Healey.

The lawsuit states that her office overstepped its

legal authority and deprived the retailers of their due process protections guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution. The action seeks declaratory relief and a permanent injunction enjoining enforcement.

The retailers are Pullman Arms, Inc., of Worcester; Guns and Gear, LLC, of Agawam; Paper City Firearms of Holyoke; and Grrr Gear of Orange.

“Attorney General

16 ] SHOT BUSINESS ] DECEMBER 2016

Maura Healey’s actions were unconstitutional,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General

Counsel. “Because criminal penalties can result due to Attorney General Healey’s unilateral reinterpretation of a state statute done without administrative process or input from affected parties, her office exceeded its lawful authority and retailers were deprived of their due process protections under the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments.

In addition, if the Attorney General’s

Enforcement Notice is understood as applying to all semi-automatic firearms, it violates the Second and Fourteenth Amendments to keep and bear arms.”

Representing NSSF and the retailers are the Boston-based law firm of Kenney and Sams, P.C., and Michael Sullivan of the Ashcroft Law Firm, former U.S. Attorney and former ATF Acting Director.

Disaster Relief for Retailers

N

atural disasters can strike at any time, and when they do, no one goes unaffected. This year, extensive flooding in Louisiana and the devastation of Hurricane Matthew in the South impacted a number of our member retailers, ranges, and manufacturers. To help those businesses recover, NSSF’s Board of Governors made financial aid available for member companies damaged or destroyed by the late-summer floods in Louisiana and after Hurricane Matthew made landfall on the East Coast in October. “We want our member companies to know their trade association stands with them, and that this assistance is another benefit of membership,” said Bettyjane Swann, NSSF Director, Member Services.

NSSF is offering financial help to retailers hurt by late-summer floods in Louisiana and after Hurricane Matthew made landfall.

HUNTING WORKS FOR AMERICA WELCOMES MICHIGAN, ALABAMA Hunting Works for America is a highly successful grassroots effort led by NSSF that connects hunters with business leaders, workers, and nontraditional hunting entities such as chambers of commerce, convention and visitors bureaus, and other trade associations. Through these connections, hunters gain a powerful and united voice speaking to the economic benefits of hunting when hunting-related matters arise in their local and state legislatures.

Alabama joined this powerful program in September,

followed by Michigan in October. Each state boasts more than a half-million hunters. In Alabama, those hunters contribute more than $100 million in local and state taxes, in excess of $1 billion in hunting retail sales, and 27,000 jobs that pay out $613 million in state salaries and wages. Michigan hunters boost their state’s economy with more than $280 million in taxes, over $2 billion in hunting retail sales, and produce more than 34,000 hunting-related jobs that generate $1.2 billion in salaries and wages.

FIREARMS INDUSTRY HEALTH ADVANTAGE—DON’T MISS OUT! NSSF now offers a new way to save our industry’s members hundreds of dollars in missed earnings, medical copays, and time off the clock for missed work and doctor’s office visits.

The Firearms Industry Health Advantage (FIHA) is not an insurance policy. Rather, it is a program designed to supplement existing insurance plans. FIHA covers business owners, staff, and the family members of those participating. It’s also available to part-time employees who may not have other healthcare coverage. FIHA

provides Telehealth, a free 24/7 phone or online consultation with board-certified physicians and registered nurses who provide help for things like cold and flu symptoms and joint sprains—you no longer have to take time off from work.

Coverage starts at $8 a month.

FIHA provides so many benefits, we created a YouTube video to help explain them. Go to youtube.com/ watch?v=nwnY9u0dvXI to see it. Ready to enroll?

Go to nssf.org/health advantage/.

New Audience for Project ChildSafe

N

SSF’s Project ChildSafe joined with The Well Armed Woman organization at its September National Leadership Conference in Jacksonville, Florida, where the program’s representative spoke at “The Next Generation” seminar. Project ChildSafe’s message about the growing role of women and mothers in leading discussions on firearms safety was well received. Fifteen chapter leaders signed up to become PCS supporters on the spot. For more information on Project ChildSafe and “Own It? Respect It. Secure It.” and how you can support these programs, visit nssf.org and click on the “Safety” heading at the top of the page.

Project ChildSafe promotes firearms safety through the distribution of safety education messages and gun safety kits.

© 2016 National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. All Rights Reserved. SHOT Business®, SHOT Show® and all other trade names, trademarks and service marks of the National Shooting Sports 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.

DECEMBER 2016 ] SHOT BUSINESS ] 17

U P D AT E

R E TA I L E R T O O L B O X

Load Up on Learning The 2017 SHOT Show features a variety of education events for retailers, tailored to today’s ever-changing marketplace

A

s a retailer attending SHOT Show, you undoubtedly know that we go to great lengths to provide you with continuing education forums that you can participate in both before and during the show. Every year we strive to address the latest selling trends, marketing and business planning techniques, compliance updates, and other topics that affect your day-to-day business, and the 2017 SHOT Show is no exception.

The two most important learning centers for our retailers are our annual SHOT Show University, taking place the day before the show opens, and the series of Retailer Seminars that take place throughout the show week. This year we’ve also added a new Executive Management Seminar that will also take place the day before the show. This fresh addition is ideal for those veteran retailers and larger enti-

ties with multilayer staffing who have attended previous SHOT Show Universities and are looking for something new, as well as for those retailers who are sending multiple staff members to the show and can direct them to each of the pre-show educational events and spread the learning around. (See NSSF’s Jim Curcuruto’s column on this event on page 15.)

With just a few weeks left before we all meet in Vegas, here’s the rundown of the courses available to our retailers and range owners.

Just a reminder: These classes are reaching capacity and will sell out, but it’s not too late to add any of them to your schedule. Simply go to SHOTShow.org, log in to your dashboard, and add the courses you need to your shopping cart. You can also

NSSF is providing classes before and during the SHOT Show that address issues specific to the firearms industry.

18 ] SHOT BUSINESS ] DECEMBER 2016

read the course description and about each of the expertmatter speakers we’ve lined up. Let’s take a look!

SHOT SHOW UNIVERSITY JANUARY 16 ³ NSSF’s premier education

event, SHOT Show University consists of four learning tracks, each with multiple sessions and expert speakers designed to address the needs of retailers and range

B Y PAT R I C K S H AY, N S S F D I R E C T O R , R E TA I L D E V E L O P M E N T

owners of every experience level. Stay with one dedicated track, or mix and match sessions to suit your needs.

NSSF member registration fee is $249. (Premium Retail Members should contact me at pshay@nssf.org for the discount code that provides their complimentary ticket to this event.) Non-member registration fee is $500.

The schedule as follows: WELCOME ADDRESS Patrick Shay, NSSF Director, Retail Development; 8:00 a.m. to 8:15 a.m.

STATE OF THE INDUSTRY

Steve Sanetti, NSSF President & CEO; 8:15 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

OPENING KEYNOTE ADDRESS SEVEN TRAITS OF SUCCESSFUL LEADERSHIP

Nancy Friedman; 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

NEW OPERATOR TRACK For those retailers and range owners with newly established businesses, those in the start-up phase of a new business, and those retailers with staff members new to the industry.

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES: HOW TO GET IT ALL DONE Carla

Neer; 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.

FORMALITIES: FORM, BUY, SELL, MERGE FINANCE

Joe Kavan; 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

MANAGING IN THE MULTI-GENERATIONAL WORKPLACE Dan Coates;

1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

SIX STEPS TO DOUBLING YOUR PROFITS IN THREE YEARS Robbie Brown;

Christopher Zane; 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

RETAILER SEMINARS COMPLIANCE TRACK ³ Appropriate

for FFLs of any experience, this track focuses specifically on ATFrelated compliance for firearms sales.

ATF FORM 4473 REVIEW

NSSF Compliance Consultant Team Members Jean Zabel and Harry McCabe; 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.

ACQUISITION & DISPOSITION BOOK: KEYS TO COMPLIANCE

NSSF Compliance Consultant Team Members Jean Zabel and Harry McCabe; 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

STRAW PURCHASES AND NEGLIGENT ENTRUSTMENT: A PROBLEM YOU DO NOT WANT TO HAVE NSSF Compliance

Consultant Team Member Wally Nelson; 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

COMPLIANCE FROM BEHIND THE COUNTER Adam Gal-

Rimes; 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

braith; 2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.

MAKING MONEY FROM DAY NO. 1: SURVIVING THE FIRST TWO YEARS Robbie Brown;

RANGE TRACK

1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

³ For the second year, SHOT

³ Created specifically to address the needs of those retailers with extensive business history and background in the firearms industry.

CLOSING KEYNOTE ADDRESS: REINVENTING THE WHEEL: THE SCIENCE OF CREATING LIFETIME CUSTOMERS

2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.

BUYING AND SELLING USED GUNS: OPERATIONAL AND COMPLIANCE CONCERNS Alexis

MASTER’S TRACK

AN SBA LOAN Bryan Stear; 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

RANGE PROMOTIONS Jared Sloane; 2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.

Show University includes a track devoted to developing best practices for our industry’s range members.

³ NSSF’s Retailer Seminars

ATTORNEY Christopher

are held Tuesday through Thursday during the show.

Each is just an hour long and the seminars cover a variety of topics, providing flexibility for show attendees balancing meetings and booth visits on the show floor. Registration fee is $25 for both NSSF members and non-members, with the exception of Tuesday’s final session, “Suicide Prevention,” which is free to attend for everyone.

Please register for any and all sessions by logging into your dashboard at SHOTShow.org and adding the events you wish to attend to your shopping cart.

Renzulli, Michael Patrick, and John Renzulli; 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Julie Golob; 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

SELLING AIRGUNS AT RETAIL Stephen Archer;

12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

ATF FBI/NICS TOWN HALL MEETING 2:00 p.m. to

4:00 p.m.

GUIDANCE ON U.K./U.S. IMPORT/EXPORT LEGISLATION AND EXPLANATION OF U.K. FIREARMS LEGISLATION John Batley;

4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 19 TUESDAY, JANUARY 17 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Christopher Renzulli and Michael Patrick; 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

ASK THE FBI/NICS JoAnn Garrison; 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

NFA FORMS: DO THEM RIGHT THE FIRST TIME NSSF

Compliance Consultant Team Member Wally Nelson; 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

INCREASE MARGINS THROUGH TRAINING

Ed Santos; 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.

FREE SEMINAR

RETAIL TO RANGE: ADDING A RANGE TO YOUR BUSINESS

Dr. Christine Moutier; 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Michelle Scheuermann; 9:45 a.m. to 10: 45 a.m.

Doug VanderWoude and Joe Keffer; 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18

DEALER AND RANGE LEGAL

STARTING A RANGE WITH

ASK A FIREARMS

ADVANCED SOCIAL MEDIA TECHNIQUES FOR THE FIREARMS RETAILER

SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE FIREARMS RETAILER

SUICIDE PREVENTION

SELLING HOLSTERS AT RETAIL Randi Rogers;

9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

WHAT DO THEY REALLY WANT? UNDERSTANDING CUSTOMER SEGMENTS IN OUR INDUSTRY Jim Curcuruto

and Rob Southwick; 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

LEVERAGING THE INDUSTRY’S HOTTEST TECHNOLOGY TRENDS

Jon Rydberg; 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

EXPORT COMPLIANCE BASICS Chris Chiafullo and

Ryan Cleckner; 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

We’re looking forward to seeing everyone in Las Vegas in a few weeks and getting your feedback on these sessions. Travel safely, everyone!

DECEMBER 2016 ] SHOT BUSINESS ] 19

FIRING LINE

BY MICHAEL O. HUMPHRIES

Double Duty The Stevens 320 is a two-mission shotgun with a price that will make it fly off your shelves

I

know it’s a cliché to say that people are always looking for a bargain.

But with money as tight as it is these days for many of your customers, anything you can do to deliver value will be much appreciated.

And, if you can also provide a product that over-delivers and undercharges? Well, that’s called a win-win. Now, just where do you find this mythical beast?

Look no farther than Westfield, Massachusetts, home to Savage Arms and its Stevens line of affordable shotguns.

Made up of pump-action and semi-automatic variants (and even an over/under model), the Stevens Series of shotguns combines good performance and great prices. And the 320 Field Grade/Security combo is a terrific example of this.

Ask for Everything— And Get It ³ Available

in 12- and 20-gauge versions, the 320 Field Grade/ Security combo provides your customers with a rock-solid imported shotgun that sports an 18.5-inch cylinder bore barrel or either a 28- or 26-inch vent rib barrel. Although higher-priced variants are offered (including compact and camouflage versions), the basic-black version in 12- or 20-gauge has an SRP of only $238. Yes, you read that right.

The result is a shotgun that is at a near “impulse buy” price point, yet offers the buyer a package that can serve as both a hunting shotgun and a homedefense partner.

The shotgun is robustly con-

structed, yet features a lightweight aluminum alloy receiver to keep overall weight to a very manageable 7.45 pounds. The way the designers achieved this was by employing a steel, fourlugged rotating bolt head that locks directly into a steel barrel extension that is part of the barrel. To further reduce weight (and, no doubt, cost), the trigger guard is made of plastic and houses the shotgun’s steel trigger. Also, to ensure reliable cycling of the action, the 320 sports dual steel action bars.

The shotgun features a 3-inch chamber, allowing the use of a wide range of shells in the selected gauge, which further adds to the product’s flexibility. The buttstock is topped off with a non-ventilated recoil pad and has moldedin ribbing around the pistol grip area for added purchase.

Capacity is five shells in the tubular steel magazine. Because the combo system is partially a Field Grade model, it comes installed with a removable magazine plug that restricts capacity to two shells in the tube. The tube itself is topped with a heavy-duty steel locking nut with an integrated QD sling stud that matches up with

one located near the toe of the buttstock.

Controls are simple and straightforward. A crossbolt safety is located in the forward portion of the trigger guard, and an action-release button is located at the rear left of the trigger guard.

Hands On ³ I took a 12-gauge (28-inch barrel) 320 combo to the range and started out running it with light 2¾-inch birdshot loads. It pointed and swung well, and there were no malfunctions. I then fitted it out with the shorter barrel and ran some 3-inch magnum buckshot through it. Although these loads were a handful, the shotgun ran without a hitch. The 320 cycled cleanly the entire test, and there were no nasty surprises, such as a finger bite from the loading gate/shell lifter. For dealers looking to stock an all-around shotgun that can serve double duty as a field gun and a home defender—all at an amazingly low price—the Stevens 320 Field Grade/Security combo is definitely hard to beat.

(savagearms.com)

Closing the Sale The Stevens 320 Field Grade/Security combo should practically be able to sell itself. Just make sure you get your low price emblazoned on the gun on the rack, and make sure customers get their hands on the gun itself. The combination of affordable cost and visible quality will seal the deal.

20 ] SHOT BUSINESS ] DECEMBER 2016

The Savage Stevens 320 Field Grade/ Security combo is available in 12and 20-gauge versions.

Both are chambered for 3-inch shells.

UNDERCOVER SHOPPER

On Target in Louisville?

Finding a target pistol is sometimes harder than it should be

As it turns out, some stores were ready and some weren’t. In fact, two highly ranked locations were closed for business completely during the show.

STORE A

TAKE A NUMBER ³ At this big-box store, I took a number and waited my turn. Only one sales

22 ] SHOT BUSINESS ] DECEMBER 2016

associate worked the counter on this particular morning, and he informed the customers that the store honored its numbers system. Good, I was next.

But, wait. Remember that errant golf ball? Whack!

The guy standing behind the guy who was being waited on stepped up and superseded the entire num-

bers system. Finally, another associate appeared from the back room and called my number. He asked me what I wanted. I said I wanted a target pistol. He made a Vanna White gesture to the case in front of me. “There they are.” He totally depended on my cues. He asked no questions about intent, desire,

or budget. He couldn’t have cared less.

STORE B

WORLD CLASS ³ Located

at a very famous range outside of Louisville that prides itself on its annual machine gun shoot, this place rocked the world of target pistols—even though it did not carry one

PIXEL PUSHERS

I

should have recognized the omen. When that golf ball bounced across I-65 North in the darkness and whacked my car, scarring a fender and bumper, I should have known it foreshadowed this undercover experience. I wanted to find a target pistol in Louisville, Kentucky, and chose to search during this city’s biggest firearms extravaganza—the National Rifle Association’s Annual Meetings, which brought more than 82,000 gun lovers into the area. Would the gun stores be ready for the onslaught of potential new customers? And would store personnel help me narrow down the options for a target pistol?

major brand associated with target shooting. It still offered plenty of choices of grips and barrel lengths, and the sales associate not only asked the right questions while demonstrating the guns, he also recommended a great barbecue place just down the road. He mentioned the importance of cleaning a .22 target pistol, and how some are easier to clean than others.

been looking for anything but a target pistol, this place would have rated highly.

STORE C

POWER DRILL, ANYONE? ³ I love going to pawn/gun stores. If I had wanted a power drill, I would have been highly successful here.

The sales associate knew all about the stock of guns on hand—all four of them. (I thought again of that golf ball.) He had great customer service skills, so much so that I wished he had at least one Ruger to offer. If I had

STORE D

TEMPTATION ³ This mom-and-pop shop had thousands of guns, from antiques to modern pocket pistols. Fishing tackle and other outdoors-related items hung from the ceiling and stuffed the one-way maze of aisles. The mom of the business—a lovely, grandmother-

ly type—knew where the target pistols lay; she just didn’t know much about them. And there were plenty to choose from here. All the major brands, and at great prices, too. Because I love to help out local merchants, I would have purchased one from these folks. I was also sorely tempted to buy that Lahti L-39 20mm anti-tank rifle located in the first aisle, with its accompanying ammo over on aisle 3. -

How’d They Do? Customer Service

Product Knowledge

Product Availability

The sales associate needed another cup of coffee or something to get himself interested in the job.

Not sure if this sales associate knew anything about the guns or was just reading the tags.

All the greatest .22s were waiting for someone to fill out a form and take one home that day.

Wow. Talk about concern for the customer and desire to make a sale. This guy knew his stuff and also brought up important factors, such as cleaning and optics.

It’s obvious that this guy gets out to the range and knows guns.

For some reason, this place does not carry any of the major brands in the industry. That raises the question, Why not? It had a lot of other great options, though.

This man served as yet another great example of how to work a gun sale: eye contact, knowledge of guns, safe-handling practices— the list goes on.

With little inventory to work with, the guy still knew about target pistols.

Obviously, not many folks wanted to part with their target pistols—the reason so few were for sale. And the store didn’t carry many new ones.

One star for effort here.

This place offered a super lineup for a target shooter, with all the major brands in lots of variations.

STORE

A

STORE

B

STORE

C

STORE

D

Granny wanted to help and had a wonderful sense of

humor.

SCORING SYSTEM: Outstanding:

Very Good:

Winner: STORE

Average:

B

A salesman who can ask the right questions and then give you a wealth of good information is a worldclass asset who should be protected at all costs.

Knob Creek Gun Range 690 Ritchey Ln., West Point, KY 40177 502-922-4457 knob creekrange. com

Fair:

Poor:

DECEMBER 2016 ] SHOT BUSINESS ] 23

DEC. 2016

EUROPE’S GUNMAKERS ARE WELL KNOWN FOR BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED PRODUCTS, THE PRICES OF WHICH WOULD BANKRUPT A PRINCE. AND YET, THESE MANUFACTURERS ALSO OFFER A VARIETY OF HANDSOME YET AFFORDABLE MODELS THAT WILL APPEAL TO MANY NORTH AMERICAN HUNTERS.

TIM IRWIN

BY WAYNE VAN ZWOLL

Firearms manufacture in the United States is a young enterprise.

Our oldest manufacturer, Remington, just celebrated 200 years in business.

Austria’s storied gunmaking enclave in Ferlach, though, dates back to 1246.

The history of these European rifles is part of the mystique behind the brands.

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RICH APPEAL

Europe’s climb out of this dark hole has been glacial, marked by costly rifles with sloping combs, hooked wrists, fish-scale grips, and intricate set triggers. QD scope mounts of Teutonic complexity listed for more than box seats at the Super Bowl.

Current rifles, however, brighten the horizon, and a fresh look to Europe is in order.

But to sell these storied names effectively, you need to know who the players are and some of their rich history.

Ushering in a New Age Compared to Europe’s gun industry, firearms manufacture in the U.S. is a young

enterprise. Our oldest manufacturer, Remington, just celebrated 200 years in business. Austria’s storied gunmaking enclave in Ferlach, though, dates to 1246. European bolt-actions of the late 19th century ushered in the smokeless age, and in 1889, Fabrique Nationale d’Armes de Guerre (FN) emerged in Liege to produce Mauser rifles for Belgium’s government. FN owes its genesis to the Model 1889, which also confirmed Peter Paul Mauser as the continent’s ace rifle designer. His Model 1892 introduced the non-rotating extractor that grasped case heads as they rose, so it emptied the breech even if the shooter short-cycled. No jams.

Improvements on the 1892 produced the Model 1893 “Spanish” Mauser— whose deadly fire from San Juan Hill figured into the U.S. shift from the Krag to the Springfield. Mauser’s 1898, adopted by the German Army that year, improved on the 1893. Exported to many countries, it was built in many more.

I wasn’t awed by the Walter Gehman short-throw rifle acquired by Mauser and announced as the Model 66 in 1965. The 3000 (with the 2000 and short 4000) built by the Friedrich Wilhelm Heym Arms Factory of Münnerstadt, West Germany, was sold by Mauser-Jagdwaffen GmbH, Oberndorf. The equally unexciting Models 77 and 86 followed. In 1995 Mauser was gobbled up by the Rheinmetall Group. Its gun-making branch, Oberndorf Waffensysteme GmbH, built a Model 96 straight-pull rifle.

The 1898 Mauser appeared in a limited run on its centennial. The next year, Mauser Jagdwaffen GmbH began building M98 hunting rifles in Isny/Allagau, Germany. In 2003, Mauser announced its un-98 Model 03, a nicely finished but costly rifle with interchangeable barrels and bolts.

A decade later, Mauser introduced the more affordable M12, a fetching rifle with a straight-comb stock (walnut or synthetic).

Its full-diameter six-lug bolt (three pairs of two) has two plunger ejectors and an extractor in a lug. There’s a three-position safety and an adjustable trigger. The detachable The Swedish 1896 Mauser box fits flush and can be loaded in the rifle. (bottom) derived from the The M12 in .270 I took on a chamois hunt Spanish 1893, leading to the great 1898 (top).

PHOTO CREDIT

After er the tide of surplus surpl Mausers receded and the spawn of the slim 1903 Mannlicher Mannlicher-Schoenauer expired with the 1961 MCA, Europe’s gunmakers forfeited their standing stateside. By 1974, Browning’s Belgian FN plant ant had dropped droppe its High-Power rifles. In Finland, Sako Finnbear and Forester bolt-a bolt-actions had yielded to the Model 74. The classic Swedish Husqvarna wa was gone. Austria had replaced Mannlicher-Schoenauers with its first St Steyrs. Germany’s commercial 1898 Mauser had vanished U.S., riflemen still mourning Winchester’s old decades back. In the U Model 70 wept and gna gnashed their teeth.

PHOTO CREDIT

The author took this chamois in Austria’s Alps with a Mauser M12.

He thinks it a fine rifle—and a buy!

DECEMBER

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2016

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RICH APPEAL

The author found the R8 in .338 Lapua accurate, as he has other Blasers. the Scope is Schmidt & Bender.

PHOTO CREDIT

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DECEMBER 2016

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29

Blaser’s R8 just appeared in .338 Lapua. The short, fast-shucking action is beautifully engineered.

was nimble, accurate, and well finished.

Recently Mauser reintroduced a beautifully rendered 1898 sporting rifle, and a dangerous-game version on the famous square-bridge Magnum Mauser action.

Both are costly but may be worth a divorce. The Magnum boasts pillar bedding, dual recoil lugs, and a three-leaf express sight. Barrel bands secure the front ramp and swivel stud. The walnut stock has point-pattern checkering, and a steel grip cap. The deep magazine holds four rounds in .375 H&H, four in .416 Rigby.

PHOTO CREDIT

Shared Facilities Mauser now shares its Isny manufacturing site with Blaser (it’s blah-zer, not blay-zer) and Sauer. Michael Luke and Thomas Ortmaier control the L&O Group that owns these brands, plus SIG Sauer in northern Germany.

Bernhard Knöbel, CEO of Isny operations, runs Blaser. Thorsten Mann heads Mauser, Matthias Klotz the Sauer works. The three factories are, literally, a walk across the parking lot from each other.

Less than 70 years old, Blaser is gaining traction worldwide. Its straight-pull R93 and R8 (named for years of introduction) rank among Europe’s most innovative. I’ve used them in the States, Europe, and Africa, in timed target events and on hunts. No turn-bolt matches their speed or trumps their accuracy.

Thanks to its telescoping, radial-head bolt, the Blaser action is about 2 inches shorter than that of a standard bolt rifle. Both the R93 and R8 lock with a bolt-head collet forced into a circumferential groove in the barrel shank. The newer R8 is strongest. It has endured pressures of 120,000 psi.

A thumb-piece cocks the R8. Shove it forward, and you’re ready to fire.

“You can carry a Blaser safely with a round chambered,” stresses Knöbel.

The R8 also features interchangeable hammer-forged barrels. Plasma nitriding boosts surface hardness. Scope rings engage barrel notches so securely and precisely, you can remove the scope and replace it without losing zero.

I’ve tested that claim at 600 yards and found it to be true. The R8 has a firstrate adjustable trigger. Its compact, aramid magazine/trigger assembly is easily removed by hand. You can top-load a stack in the rifle. R8s come in a plethora of chamberings, to .338 Lapua—even the .500 Jeffery special-order features include internal recoil-damping devices.

More conventional and less costly is Sauer’s 101. Of the eight versions, I favor the Forest, a walnut-stocked carbine with iron sights on a 20-inch barrel. The Scandic is a twin, in laminate. Both point to the sights, high enough to nearly match the sightline of a scope. My Forest in 9.3x62 drills sub-minute groups.

Last fall I met a new Sauer. The 404 has a cocking switch, not a safety— thumb it forward to cock. In five sub-models with two-piece synthetic or walnut stocks cradling an alloy receiver, the 404 has a six-lug bolt that locks into the barrel. The bolt head and barrel are easily changed (with a take-

down wrench in the front swivel). Sauer lists 13 chamberings, .243 to .375 H&H. The 404’s Quattro trigger adjusts .3 inch for reach and down to 1.2 pounds. The Sauer Universal (saddle) Mount returns the scope reliably to zero.

After securing a Leica scope atop a 404 in .300 Winchester, I benched that Sauer in wind and rain on the steeps of western Scotland. It fed without fail. Twin ejectors spilled cases briskly. It rang steel to 1,000 yards. The synthetic stock shrugged off afternoon sleet as we traipsed through sopping heather. When my stalker spied an aged stag in a distant swale, we

Though costly, the Blaser R8 has a faithful following. This Montana hunter found it weather-proof.

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RICH APPEAL

Butterknife

splashed across an icy stream and scrambled to the ridge-crest beyond. The fury of the North Atlantic pummeled us. I bellied a few more yards, swabbed the front lens, and squeezed. My Hornady ELD-X bullet quartered to the off shoulder. One kill is no test of rifle, scope, or load, but my pals on that trip got similar results with Sauer 404s.

Sauer’s new 404 has a two-piece stock of synthetic or walnut. It got a field test in northern Scotland.

PHOTO CREDIT

The flat bolt handle is a nod to early times, but this Steyr SM12 has a closed bridge and a detachable box.

No bolt rifle in the world is smoother than Austria’s Mannlicher-Schoenauers of yesteryear. The first appeared in 1900. The famous 1903 followed, in 6.5x54.

Its “butterknife” bolt handle ran so eagerly through its split bridge that a downward flip of the muzzle would zip an open bolt forward and turn it into a battery. Cartridges fed fluidly from the spool magazine. The 1903 begat a long series of M-S rifles, the last built 50 years ago. None were manufactured

by Mannlicher or Schoenauer, who were designers, not company chiefs. But their genius fueled the Steyr works, in the Austrian city of that name.

Leopold Werndl established the Steyr company in 1821 to make gun parts. He died of cholera in 1855, leaving the business to son Josef. Steyr started building rifles in the 1860s, after Josef returned from a stint in the U.S. at Remington and Colt. Military contracts blessed the Steyr factory. A visionary, Josef brought hydropower to the city in 1883, making it the first in Europe with electric lights.

Bolt rifles from Steyr appeared at roughly two-year intervals until 1910.

In 1918, as the company began producing vehicles, Josef died of pneumonia battling one of the town’s periodic floods.

Steyr-Daimler-Puch resulted from a 1934 merger. That union dissolved in 1996, leaving firearms production alone under the Steyr shingle. Current twinlug Steyr rifles have a Mauser-style bridge and can endure pressures spiked by a factory load behind a bullet lodged mid-point in the bore. In profile and features, the push-feed Steyr SM12 borrows from M-S rifles and its immediate predecessor, the SBS. A Classic in .338 RCM delivered half-minute accuracy for

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me. Hammer-forged barrels in 10 chamberings have a signature twist near the breech. Front sights adjust for elevation, rear for windage. The cocking switch moves easily, unlike some that don’t yield to weak or cold thumbs. The SM12’s trigger can be set for a 12-ounce pull.

PHOTO CREDIT

Checkered Past In 1936, the Czech government moved its arms factory to Uhersky Brod, 25 miles from Slovakia and as far as practical from Germany. Hitler’s intentions were clear. The first CZ plant had sprung up in the 1920s farther west. In Strakonice, it produced pistols to augment post-WWI rifle output in the central Czech town of Brno, where Zbrojovka Brno built rifles for the army. In 1921 it became Ceska Zbrojovka: “Czech armsmaker.” By 1939, the Uhersky Brod facility was a subsidiary of CZ Prague. Early structures had peaked roofs, so in bomb sights the factory would look like houses.

After Chamberlain capitulated in Munich, Hitler snatched Sudetenland, then the rest of the country.

At war’s end, Czechoslovakia became, briefly, self-governing. Communists gained control during 1948. In 1955 the Uhersky Brod enterprise separated from Strakonice.

Within a decade, the government further pared production at Brno and renovated the Uhersky Brod plant. As the Brno name had cachet, it appeared on ZKK, ZKM, and 527 rifles “Sako’s Kodiak is one-hole accurate. In all respects, in the 1960s. All came from Uhersky Brod. it’s one of the best .375s you can buy,” says the author.

In 1989 a revolution led by poet Vaclav Havel overthrew break with Russia. Sako (Suojeluskuntain Communist rule. Two years later, Czech industry was privatized. yliesikunnan asepaja) was established the In 1993, the nation split. The Czech and Slovak Republics remain independent. first day of April 1919. (By the way, it’s not Internal problems bankrupted Zbrojovka Brno in 2004. Two years later a sayko or sacko. It’s socko.) resurrected Brno began building shotguns and sporting rifles under the CZ Sako’s petite Vixen appeared near the label. The petite 527 bolt-action is for the .223 and kin. The CZ 550, clearly close of World War II, first in .22 Hornet Mauser in design, has served for cartridges from the .243 to the .505 Gibbs. Last and .218 Bee. It reached the States via year a new push-feed 557 action replaced the 550 for standard rounds. Bigger Stoeger. In 1957 Sako grew its rifle line rounds merit the magnum-length 550 and its Mauser extractor. The modestly with the L-57 Forester, sized for the thenpriced 557 boasts a receiver machined from a steel billet, its top dovetailed for new .308 and .243. The L-61 Finnbear CZ scope bases. The bottom metal, with hinged floorplate, is steel. The trigger came three years later, for the .30/06 and adjusts for weight, take-up, and over-travel. Hammer-forged barrels are lapped. kin and belted magnums.

The walnut stock has a straight comb and machine-cut checkering. I’m partial In 1961, Sako unveiled its lever-action to the 557 Carbine. Its 20½-inch barrel has iron sights. My .30/06 is nimble but Finnwolf. It lasted a decade. On the heels steadies quickly and routinely delivers sub-minute accuracy. of its successor came the bolt-action Model 74 to replace the Vixen, Forester, Mooseland and Finnbear. Its three action lengths sold The moose surged ahead. Bang! The bolt snicked. Bang! I sent a third bullet from 1974 to 1978, when they yielded to at the buzzer. Bang! the AI, AII, and AIII series (short, medium, “You must hit every shot,” said the stone-faced Finn. and long). A similar Hunter arrived in the Whiffing a moose target at 80 steps is not allowed. My next six shots were mid-1980s. ragged, but better. The Finn shrugged, as if considering an act of charity.

By 1983, Sako’s Riihimaki plant was proExplored by Swedish missionaries as early as 1155, Finland remained ducing a Model 555 rifle for another Sweden’s protectorate until 1809, when it was surrendered to Russia. The Finnish firm, Tikka. The 555 venture led Czar proclaimed it a Grand Duchy. Independence followed Finland’s 1917 Sako to buy Tikka. By 1989, Tikkakoski

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RICH APPEAL

Works production had moved to Riihimaki.

In 1993, shooters welcomed Sako’s TRG rifle in .338 Lapua. Four years later the Model 75 came along for popular hunting rounds.

Three locking lugs reduced bolt lift to 70 degrees. The subsequent 85, in six action sizes, is Sako’s current flagTikka’s T3, built in Sako’s plant, is popular stateside. It’s smooth, accurate, and ship, with a push-feed bolt nimble—And, possibly most important, the rifle is affordable. that runs like a well-oiled piston. The two-detent sliding thumb safety has a tab that allows cycling bers get access to the best habitat in a country that puts 300,000 riflemen with the safety on. Tapered dovetails accept afield after moose. About 84 percent of the 22 million pounds of meat marSako scope rings. In .375, the 85 Kodiak has a keted annually in Finland is moose. Many of those animals fall to Tikka rifles. muscular 21-inch barrel with useful iron The Whitetail of the 1990s was not Tikka’s first rifle. The company dates to sights. The elevation-adjustable white bead is 1893 and is 26 years older than Sako. Tikka has long made gun parts; during concave and won’t reflect light off-center. A WWII it built sewing machines as well as sub-machine guns. Later it designed shallow rear notch adjusts for windage. other sporting arms. The Whitetail got a tepid reception stateside. Then in Crossbolts strengthen the stock around the 2003, Tikka announced the T3. It had many features of the costlier Sako 75 as flush-mounted four-shot steel box, which well as improvements. Its two-lug bolt had the 70-degree lift of the three-lug holds four magnum rounds. It can be loaded 75’s and disassembled without tools into four components. The recessed face easily in the rifle. Its clever latch prevents had a plunger ejector and a Sako extractor. A steel stock insert served as a accidental magazine drops afield. The recoil lug, engaging a receiver slot. Grooved for scope mounts, the T3 was Kodiak—and my 85 in .260—are stainless drilled and tapped too. Early Tikka bolt rifles came in two action lengths, but steel. The laminated stocks are comfortable, the T3 was built on one. Bolt stops accommodated different cartridge lengths. cleanly checkered, and closely inletted. Both The T3 was succeeded in 2016 by the T3X, with a modular synthetic rifles are supremely accurate; I’ve had samestock. Interchangeable slabs let you customize the grip. A more robust hole hits even from the .375. recoil pad reduces the shock of hard-kicking loads; foam inserts in the buttI’m told that in Finland, game is manstock muffle noise from the stock shell. The T3X’s ejection port is larger, aged by 300 state-sanctioned associations for easier single-load feeding. A metal shroud caps the bolt’s tail. Tikka lists comprising around 2,370 clubs with 140,000 19 configurations of the T3X, in chamberings from .204 Ruger. Both Sako members. Hunters needn’t join, but memand Tikka are now part of Beretta.

BEST BUYS FROM THE OLD COUNTRY “I can’t compete against $400 rifles in the U.S.,” lamented one CEO of a European firearms firm. “Our labor is more expensive. Tariffs and shipping add cost. Our adverts duel with iconic American names.”

Still, there’s hope for Europe’s current hunting rifles, and profit for dealers who sell them. While the under-$600

category is Uncle Sam’s, a Tikka T3 can be had for as little as $650 and is a fine rifle.

CZ 527s and 557s list in the $700s. At just over $1,000, the CZ 550 is the bargain among magnums. Toward the upper end of mid-price, Mauser’s M12 and Sauer’s 101 come in at $1,500. Steyr’s SM12 slides under $2,000,

Sako’s 85 retails for little more. The Sauer 404, at $2,500, might give you pause.

Blaser’s R8 is a $4,000 commitment, but there’s no other rifle like it.

Herewith, the websites that offer more information: BLASER-USA.COM; CZ-USA.COM; MAUSER .COM; SAKO.FI/RIFLES; SAUER.DE/EN/; STEYRARMS.COM; TIKKA.FI/RIFLES

DECEMBER 2016

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A n e mp l oy e e b e nef it t hat a l s o b e n e f it s o wners hip +

By Mark E. Battersby • Illustrations by pixel pushers

DECEMBER 2016

TAKING STOCK

Employee ownership in a shooting-sports business can be accomplished in a variety of ways. Employees can buy stock directly, be given it as a bonus, can receive stock options, O or obtain stock through a profitT HE B A S ICS sharing plan. Some employees An ESOP is a qualified retirement program in which employees receive become owners through worker shares of the business rather than stock. ESOPs are said to be “qualicooperatives where everyone has fied” because they qualify for federal income tax deferral until the stock is an equal vote. But by far the most turned into cash at retirement.

common form of employee ownership in the U.S. is the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). In addition to being an excellent exit strategy with significant tax savings for gun shop owners and shareholders, ESOPs are also great for motivating and rewarding employees and for taking advantage of incentives to borrow money for acquiring new assets in pretax dollars.

Almost unknown until 1974, ESOPs today are used by many businesses for a variety of purposes other than the succession planning with which they are most closely associated. But launching an ESOP isn’t just about benefiting the business owner.

Business owners willing to go to the trouble of implementing such a plan frequently have the interests of their employees and the business in mind.

At A Glance

An ESOP offers employers two advantages. First, the business gets significant tax breaks. It can, for instance, borrow funds through the ESOP for expansion or for other purposes, deducting both the repayment and interest when the loan is repaid. (With ordinary loans, only interest payments are tax-deductible.) Second, the owner of a firearms business who sells his or her stock to the ESOP can defer or often even avoid capital-gains taxes associated with the sale of the business. With these essentials, ESOPs have become an important tool in succession planning for business owners preparing for retirement.

In addition to an important succession planning tool for shooting-sports business owners thinking about retirement, employees also benefit from an ESOP. When it comes to the employees, ESOPs are in most respects similar to 401(k) plans, except that, instead of cash, the business providing the

° ESOPs have a number of significant tax benefits, the most important of which are: CONTRIBUTIONS OF STOCK ARE TAX-DEDUCTIBLE. That means a firearms business can get a current cash flow advantage by issuing new shares or treasury shares to the ESOP. Doing so, however, means the shares of existing owners will be diluted.

CASH CONTRIBUTIONS ARE DEDUCTIBLE. The business can contribute cash on a discretionary basis year to year and take a tax deduction for it, whether the contribution is used to buy shares from current owners or to build up a cash reserve in the ESOP for future use.

CONTRIBUTIONS USED TO REPAY A LOAN the ESOP takes out to buy shares in the business are taxdeductible. The ESOP can borrow money to buy existing shares, new shares, or treasury shares.

Regardless of the use, the contributions are deductible, meaning ESOP financing is done in pretax dollars.

SELLERS IN A REGULAR C CORPORATION (the most common type of corporation) get a tax deferral. With an incorporated business, once the ESOP owns 30 percent of all the shares in the business, the seller can reinvest the proceeds of the sale in other securities, deferring any tax on the gain.

IN S CORPORATIONS, the percent-

ESOP “pays” in its own stock. Under both an ESOP and a 401(k) program, employees receive monetary benefits on retirement or in the event of death or disability. The chief difference is that with a 401(k), the funds paid in are usually invested in a diversified portfolio; in the ESOP, they hold only the company’s own stock. The advantages and risks of ESOPs derive from this difference.

gains taxes by investing the proceeds in a Qualified Replacement Property (QRP). QRPs can include stocks, bonds, and certain retirement accounts.

The income stream generated by the QRP can help provide the business owner with income during retirement.

ESOPs can also prove helpful to those interested in buying a small business. Many individuals and businesses have raised the capital for financing a purchase by selling nonvoting stock in the business to its employees. This strategy allows the purchaser to retain the voting shares in order to maintain control of the business.

O

T HE CAT CH

As attractive as these tax benefits are, there are limO its and drawbacks. The tax laws do not allow ESOPs to be used in partnerships or most professional corUS EF U L T O O L An ESOP can also be a useful tool when it comes porations. ESOPs can be used in S corporations (a to buying and selling the shooting-sports busiform of corporation that meets specific Internal ness. In fact, an ESOP is often an excellent tool Revenue Code requirements, giving a corporation for selling a minority interest in the business. By with 100 shareholders or less the benefit of incorposelling a portion of the business, an owner can ration while being taxed as a partnership), but do invest in other assets, providing much-needed not qualify for the unique rollover treatment wealth diversification. accorded those ESOPs using regular corporation For example, a business owner nearing retireentities. They also have lower contribution limits. ment age can sell his or her stake in the business to Privately held firearms businesses are, for the ESOP in order to gain tax advantages and proinstance, required to repurchase the shares of vide for the continuation of the business. departing employees, and this can become a major According to many experts, transferring ownership expense. The cost of setting up an ESOP is also to the operation’s employees in this manner is substantial; it can be as much as $40,000 for a simpreferable to a third-party sale. ple, basic plan for a small business, far more for a After all, with a sale to a third party, buyers may larger enterprise with more employees. be difficult to find, and after the transaction, colAnd remember, anytime new shares in the busilecting installment payments may turn out to be ness are issued, the value of the stock owned by difficult or costly. With an ESOP, more certain existing owners is diluted. That dilution must be results are possible. weighed against the tax and employee motivation The ESOP can borrow money to buy out the benefits an ESOP can provide. Finally, ESOPs will owner’s stake in the business. If, after the stock improve corporate performance only if combined purchase, the ESOP holds more than 30 percent of with opportunities for employees to participate in the business’ shares, the owner can defer capitaldecisions affecting their work.

Reportedly, only about two-thirds of ESOPs are tax-deductible. age of ownership held by the ESOP used to provide a market for EMPLOYEES PAY NO TAX on the is not subject to income tax at the the shares of a departing contributions to the ESOP, only the federal level (and usually the state owner of a profitable, closedistribution of their accounts, and level as well). That means there is ly held business. Most of the then at potentially favorable rates. usually no income tax on 30 percent remainder are used either as The employees can roll over their of the profits of an S corporation a supplemental employee distributions in an IRA or other with an ESOP holding 30 percent of benefit plan or as a means to retirement plan or pay current tax the stock, and no income tax at all borrow money in a taxon the distribution, with any gains on the profits of an S corporation favored manner. Less than accumulated over time taxed as wholly owned by its ESOP. However, three percent of ESOP plans capital gains. The income tax porthe ESOP still must get a pro-rata are in public companies. tion of the distributions is, however, share of any distributions the fireIs an ESOP right for subject to a 10 percent penalty if arms business makes to owners or you? Weigh the pros and made before normal retirement age. shareholders. cons presented here and Not too surprisingly, all contribuDIVIDENDS ARE TAX-DEDUCTthen consult with your tax tions are subject to certain limitaIBLE. Reasonable dividends used to professional. repay an ESOP loan, passed through to employees, or reinvested by employees in the business’ stock are

tions, though these rarely pose a problem for a well-advised firearms business.

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BIG PROBLEM BIG SOLUTION B IG-B OR E A I RG U N S

A R E J US T T H E T IC K E T F OR

N U I SA NC E W I L DL I F E C ON T ROL

BY · JOCK · ELLIOTT

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BIG-BOR E A IRGU NS

C Coming soon to a residential area near you: whitetails, coyotes, and hogs. Whether it is the woodchuck in the garden, the raccoon in the garbage can, the bear under the bird feeder, the deer and the coyotes almost everywhere, or the feral hogs exploding across the landscape, people are coming into collision with wildlife.

Jim Sterba, author of Nature Wars, says, “The return of deer, geese, beavers, coyotes, turkeys, bears, and other wild creatures amounts to a huge 20th-century conservation success story worth celebrating.

And yet, in the 21st century, instead of celebrating, we’re often fighting about whether we now have too much of a good thing, and, if so, what to do—or not to do—about it.”

He points out that it is very likely that more people live in closer proximity to more wild animals and birds and trees today in the eastern third of the United States than anywhere on the planet at any time in history. “Some people say our conflicts with wildlife are our fault because we encroached on their habitat. That’s true. But that’s only half the story. As their populations multiply and spread, many wild creatures encroach right back.”

The kicker, according to Sterba, is improved habitat. “Our habitat is better than theirs. We offer up plenty of food, water, shelter, edges, and protection. We plant grass, trees, shrubs, and gardens, put out birdseed, mulch, and garbage, and fill up Dumpsters. All this amounts to a giant buffet for all sorts of critters. It’s the reason that suburban sprawl’s biological carrying capacity—that is, the pop-

THE AIRFORCE TEXAN PCP BIG-BORE RIFLE IS POWERFUL ENOUGH TO TAKE DEER.

ulation limit the food and habitat can sustain—is far greater than an unpeopled forest.”

When the interests of people and wildlife come into conflict, typically the next thing that happens is a phone call to state wildlife authorities or to a private contractor. Sometimes trapping/tranquilizing and moving the animals is the answer. Depending upon the jurisdiction and the species, however, it can be flatly illegal to relocate an animal. Sometimes there is a substantial breeding population in the area, so that relocating one individual animal becomes a symbolic, but ultimately useless, act. And sometimes lethal removal of the wildlife is the only sensible answer.

LIMITED RANGE, BUT ENOUGH POWER That’s where big-bore airguns—air rifles of .30 to .50 caliber—come in. Chip Hunnicutt, marketing manager for Crosman Corporation, says, “When it comes to lethal wildlife control in an urban or suburban environment, you want limited range, not a lot of noise, and—above all—sufficient accuracy and power to provide a humane kill. Big-bore airguns deliver all that in a package that is easy to shoot well.”

PAGE DECEMBER 2016

FITTED WITH AN ELEVATION-ADJUSTABLE COMB, INTEGRATED PICATINNY RAIL, AND A HEAVY-DUTY, SECURE 11MM/22MM WEAVER-STYLE SCOPE MOUNT, THE HATSAN CARNIVORE IS A GOOD CHOICE FOR PREDATOR CONTROL.

Big-bore airguns also present an opportunity for new sales for firearms dealers because they provide a solution for wildlife control in many venues where discharging a firearm is forbidden. A number of states have approved, or are in the process of approving, the use of large-caliber airguns for harvesting deer. In addition, airguns often offer greater profit margins than do firearms.

Chuck Sykes, Alabama’s director of wildlife, says, “Large-bore airguns serve the purpose very well. You need to be proficient and know what range you are effective at, but you can kill a 180- to 250-pound deer at 100 yards with one. For nuisance wildlife control, anyone can afford them, anyone can use them, and it’s a lot cheaper to use an airgun than a firearm with all the hassle and expense of a suppressor.”

BIG OPPORTUNITY FOR RETAILERS Barry Stewart, a rancher with indepth experience in wildlife control, says, “I use airguns for reduction of noise. If you are looking at a whole group of feral hogs, with a .223 you won’t get a second shot, but with an airgun you could. I get 1- to 1.25inch accuracy at 100 yards with a Benjamin Bulldog, and it makes just as humane a kill as a firearm.”

Hunnicutt attended the Association

SUBURBAN HABITAT OFFERS PLENTY OF FOOD AND SHELTER FOR A WIDE VARIETY OF SPECIES, NOT ALL OF WHICH ARE WELCOME IN A BACKYARD. BIG-BORE AIRGUNS CAN HELP CONTROL SUCH POPULATIONS.

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DECEMBER 2016

THIS COYOTE WAS TAKEN WITH A BENJAMIN BULLDOG BOLT-ACTION .357 PCP AIRGUN. A BAFFLE-LESS SOUNDTRAP SHROUD ACTS AS A SUPPRESSOR TO LOWER NOISE LEVELS. THE RIFLE ALSO HAS AN EASY-TO-LOAD FIVE-SHOT MAGAZINE.

of Fish and Wildlife Agencies annual meeting in Tucson last fall and found wildlife managers advocating the use of large-bore airguns for a number of applications. “There is a lot of potential in this market,” he says.

The market has not gotten a lot of attention, and Crosman is support-

ing both wildlife managers and wildlife control professionals with performance data and information kits.

Eric Arnold, editor of Wildlife Control Technology magazine, says, “In terms of legalities, the number-one issue with state laws is whether or not air rifles are authorized for tak-

ing the conflict animal.” His view is that when an air rifle is legal and alternative methods for control are ineffective or too costly, then choosing a big bore (.30 caliber or larger) would be appropriate for wildlife that typically weighs from 15 to 80 pounds. This includes foxes, raccoons, coyotes, porcupines, and feral hogs. Larger big bores (.45 and .50 caliber) are more suited for larger wildlife weighing from 80 to 250 pounds, such as whitetail deer, large feral hogs, and small black bears.

He adds that a .30-caliber has more than enough energy for taking problem wildlife such as prairie dogs, rock chucks, ground hogs, skunks, raccoons, beavers, and foxes out to 100 yards, and coyotes out to 75 yards.

But it can cause other problems if a miss occurs or the animal is too close and the projectile passes through. In short, shooters need to match the air rifle and pellet selection not only to the targeted wildlife, but also to the shooting conditions at hand.

Three things are clear: The incidence of conflict between wildlife and people is likely to grow; big-bore airguns can play an important role in helping to deal with the problem; and large-caliber airguns present an opportunity for dealers to sell air rifles, ammunition, charging systems, scopes, mounts, rangefinders, and other accessories.

BIG-BORE AIRGUNS AT A GLANCE WITH A RANGE OF CALIBERS AND OPERATING SYSTEMS, YOU CAN EASILY FIT THE GUN TO THE CUSTOMER

.30

FX Boss (AIRGUNSOFARIZONA.

COM)

.303

Daystate Wolverine Hi-Lite

(AIRGUNSOFARIZONA.COM)

9MM

Cricket Standard (AIRGUNSOFARIZONA.COM)

.357

Evanix Rainstorm II PCP Air

Rifle (PYRAMIDAIR.COM) Sam Yang Recluse 500cc Air Rifle (PYRAMIDAIR.COM) Benjamin Bulldog .357 Bullpup (CROSMAN.COM) Hatsan BT Big-Bore Carnivore QE Air Rifle (HATSAN.COM.TR)

Western Bushbuck 45 (AIRGUNSOFARIZONA.COM)

.50

Sam Yang Dragon Claw 500cc Air Rifle (PYRAMIDAIR.

COM)

Evanix Max-ML Bullpup (PYRAMIDAIR.COM)

.45 AirForce Texan Big-Bore Air Rifle (AIRFORCEAIRGUNS.COM)

Air Venturi Wing Shot (PYRAMIDAIR.COM)

GOOD STUFF

B Y S L AT O N L . W H I T E

Big Difference Meopta binoculars offer superior performance in an affordable package

M

any American hunters aspire to own European optics because of the long-held perception that such optics offer advanced engineering, rugged construction, and cutting-edge coatings, all of which help to provide overall superior quality. But just what does the term “European optics” mean?

“To me, European optics are products that are inspired by European hunters, designed and developed by European engineers, and built by European craftsmen,” says Reinhard Seipp, the Germanborn general manager and chief operating officer of Meopta USA, a Czech manufacturer of premium optics.

“Being a hunter, engineer, and craftsman, I appreciate the advantage it gives me in my professional life. In my past in Europe, I knew of several colleagues managing optics companies who were also hunters and engineers who understood the crafting of their product. Today, here in the United States, most optics companies are led by passionate hunters with marketing and sales backgrounds but little understanding of engineering or fabrication. In my limited travels Meopta’s MeoStar B1 10x32 compact bino delivers big results in a small package.

in Asia, I have never met an engineer who had even a rudimentary understanding of hunting. To me, that makes the difference.”

Another big difference is the cost of this performance. Zeiss and Swarovski, to which Meopta is frequently compared, command daunting premiums, but Meopta has figured a way to offer astonishing quality at a far more affordable price. Seipp points out that Meopta keeps costs down and quality high by controlling the entire process, from grinding and polishing the glass in-house to developing and applying advanced coatings. “Throughout this process, we incur no outsourcing fees, which can drive up the cost,” he says. “We also can ship product from the company directly to dealers without additional markups by brand importers or distributors.”

I used the MeoStar B1 10x32 compact binocular on several hunting trips over the past year. The idea behind the line was to be able to deliver performance close to that of a full-size binocular but with far less bulk and weight. At 21 ounces, I’d say the company has met that objective. The lighter weight was much appreciated on daylong stalks. I also liked the way the compact design helped the bino fit snugly inside my rainjacket.

The B1 has a wide field of view and provides clear, sharp images, even in bad weather. Low-light performance at dawn and dusk is where the rubber meets the road for hunting optics, and this bino proved to be up to the task, helping me see deer tucked away in dark thickets at the edges of fields. Features of the MeoStar B1 line (there is also a 10x42) include MeoBright multi-coatings, which eliminate flare and reflections, and a MeoShield coating that protects external lens surfaces and delivers enhanced resistance to abrasion.

The binocular is waterproof and fogproof—something I saw firsthand in a daylong rainstorm with 30 mph gusts—and the sculpted thumb pockets in the body help make it easy to glass for long periods of time in relative comfort. I also liked the fine-control elements of the central focus wheel, which made glassing big country a bit easier.

Although Meopta has a distinct price advantage over its European rivals, by no means are its products “cheap.” That means a retailer will have to work to close the sale. “You’ll need to cultivate the sale,” says Seipp. “Invite customers to shop for their optics at low light, and then compare our brand to any other. That’s usually the best method, because then they can really see the difference.” SRP: $1,149.99. (meoptasportsoptics.com)

44 ] SHOT BUSINESS ] DECEMBER 2016

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W H AT ’ S S E L L I N G W H E R E

West State NV Silver Arms, Reno With more than 500 guns in stock and three employees, this retailer has remained at the same metro Reno location for nearly 40 years.

Handgun sales are strong, with Smith Shields and Glock 43s pulling good, but not outrageous, numbers. “The big bump just hasn’t happened at our store. It could be that our local economy is struggling. If it’s a basement-priced gun, it sells. However, used-gun sales continue to improve, and we see high demand on any classic leveraction from Winchester, Marlin, or Henry,” said manager Ken Walls.

While shotgun and bolt rifle sales are the slowest this store has seen in several years, modern sporting rifles, particularly M&P Sports and DPMS Oracles, are turning at a couple a week.

Gun ID Boise Company, Boise In business for nearly 20 years and specializing in hunting and homedefense firearms, this store inventories an average of 6,000 guns between two locations. “The election has had an impact. Sales are steady and growing—not crazy.

That said, we expect to see an increase in sales well into 2017,” said director Andrew Hill.

Bolt-action hunting rifle sales were above average during this hunting season. Top sellers were Ruger Americans and Remington 700s in .243 and .270. MSR sales have remained steady, with Daniel Defense, Rock River, and Smith M&Ps garnering the most attention.

Handgun sales are plentiful and increasing, with high demand for 9mm Springfield XDSs, Shields, and Glocks.

CA Barnwood Arms, Ripon This home-defense and hunting store has seven shooting lanes.

Demand for Smith Shields and SIG P238s has been high. Glocks are also turning strong numbers.

Meanwhile, the election helped ratchet up consumer demand in early November. “Our customers absolutely believe this could be their last chance to own an MSR,” said range manager Selise Perez.

Traffic on MSRs is averaging three to four per day. The top seller is the Smith M&P Sport. Sales on MSR lowers are also peaking, with demand split between low-end and high-grade billet units.

Sales of .22s are at a seasonal high, with big demand for Ruger 10/22s. Bolt-action sales are above average, with particular interest in Tikka and Sako in .270 and .243.

Midwest Guns, IL Gat’s Dundee

This suburban Chicago retailer uses 25,000 square feet to display 7,500 firearms. Sales of MSRs are holding steady. “Early November showed a bump in sales, but not a storm. We think there will be a slow but steady increase that will last through 2017 until specific legislation creates an even greater demand,” said general manager Randy Potter. “M&P Sports and Daniel Defense are experiencing the highest turns.”

Handgun sales are strong, and anything compact is selling. Glock 43s, Smith Shields, and Glock 19s are attracting the lion’s share of attention. Kimber CDP IIs are also making turns. Benelli 828 over/ unders are gaining attention, while sales of traditional deer-slug shotguns have remained flat.

46 ] SHOT BUSINESS ] DECEMBER 2016

Guns, IA Davenport Davenport

This 3,500-square-foot retail space sports 12 indoor shooting lanes.

Keeping about 600 firearms in stock, the shop will celebrate its second anniversary next month.

“We’re a new store and sales continue to grow. Although November sales were seasonally normal, we planned for the political season and definitely inventoried for a Hillary win,” said owner Jeanelle Westrom.

Sales of handguns are brisk, with Glock 43s and Springfield XDSs pulling excellent numbers. SIG 238s are also keeping the counter warm.

MSR sales are consistent, with small but steady increases. The sales scales are tilting toward ArmaLite and Double Star. Although ammo stocks are the best to date, bolt-action gun sales are flat.

Target MO Masters, Columbia

A serious contender for more than 21 years, this shop has a 25-yard, 10-lane range. Big-box stores surround the retailer, including a Bass Pro Shop. Although handgun sales are good, a drop in discretionary income is resulting in a tougher sales environment. “Our traffic is fine; however, the area is experiencing slow employment.

That said, business may not be crazy, but it’s still very good,” said countersalesman Jim Hill.

Smith Shields and Ruger LCPs and LCRs dominate the gun counter, followed by SIG 238s. A few Kimbers and Desert Eagle 1911s are moving.

MSR sales have steadied at one a week, evenly split between M&P Sporters and Ruger 556s. Sales of bolt-actions are the slowest they’ve been in years.

B Y P E T E R B . M AT H I E S E N

East PA Dunkelberger’s, Brodheadsville With two locations totaling 35,000 square feet of display space, this retailer services a wide area. Deer season is finishing up with heavy traffic on Ruger Americans. The most popular calibers have been .30/06 and .270.

Anything .22 is flying out the door, with Henry lever-actions and Ruger 10/22s leading the way.

MSR sales have picked up. M&P Sports and Ruger 556s lead the category, but higher-priced SIGs and Colts are doing well, too.

Handgun sales have been strong, and counterman Michael Frits said he expects sales to increase: “We counted on the election pushing sales and stocked aggressively. We have a lot of customers who buy themselves a handgun in December.”

Ruger SR9s and LCPs have been strong, along with Glock 43s. Smith Bodyguards are also moving.

Ammo stocks are excellent, and sales of Mossberg 500s and Remington 870s have been steady.

The Outpost CT Guns & Ammo, Uncasville

This small, threeemployee shop specializes in home defense and training. Handgun sales are strong; Glock 43s, Smith Shields, and Bodyguards are posting high numbers. “Just before the election, we received notable traffic inquiries,” said counterman Ernie King, probably a result of the state’s 10-week waiting period.

Other quick sellers include the defensive Mossberg 500 and the Remington 870 Express. Henry lever-actions in .22 are in demand, as are Ruger Americans in .308.

Guns, ME Bill’s Orrington

In addition to special Class III orders, this small, two-employee retailer keeps an average of 100 new and used guns in stock. Because of the new Federal State Department restrictions, it recently closed its gunsmithing department.

Ruger tops the sales chart with LC9s and LCPs. Smith Bodyguards are also doing very well.

Bolt-action guns are still turning.

Mossberg Patriots and Remington BDLs lead the pack, along with a few Ruger Americans. The most popular calibers are .30/06 and .308.

“Our MSR sales have remained flat. We don’t stay open for Black Friday because I can’t get a NICS check completed,” said manager Mark LaCasse. The most popular MSR is from Windham Weaponry.

South Coin & NCHyatt Gun, Charlotte Boasting more than 12,000 square feet of retail space, this 20-plusemployee operation turns an average of 15,000 firearms every year.

“Since August there has been a steady increase in sales across the board. Although the election choice is a big deal, we believe the climb is due to fear from the news outlets talking about America’s safety. Our first-time buyer sales were up 10 percent before the election, and it was mostly women,” said director of marketing Justin Anderson.

Sales of MSRs are increasing daily, and M&P Sport IIs and Rock Rivers hold the top sales positions.

Springfield XDs and Glock 43s and 42s are pulling the best numbers. However, anything small, such as LCPs and Shields, are also see-

ing heavy traffic. Bolt-action rifles are still moving, with high interest in Tikkas and Savage Model 11s.

Gallery, AR Pawn Clarksville

This small, independent pawnshop, located off Interstate 40 east of Fort Smith, stocks an average of 250 firearms. “We’re a small shop, and we cater to a price-point shopper. Compared to the same time last year, our traffic hasn’t changed much,” said owner Rick Elam.

Sales of MSRs are flat, with roughly two to three Smith Sports or Bushmasters selling every two weeks. Bolt-action long guns are picking up speed; Winchester and Marlin .30/30s are seeing the highest demand. Handgun inventories are the best they’ve been all year, with Ruger LC9s and LCPs receiving the most attention.

Arms, TNClassic Cordova

Located in suburban Memphis, the store stocks a wide variety of classic hunting and home-defense firearms. Inventory is close to 1,000 guns.

This Southern urban retailer is experiencing exceptional traffic.

“Even the summer was up 15 percent, and right now we are up 30 percent. We don’t see any slowing down during 2017,” said assistant manager Greg Richardson.

Smith M&Ps are dominating MSR sales at this store. At the handgun counter, any Glock in 9mm is hot.

There is also high traffic on Shields, LCPs, and LCRs. Waterfowl season is in full swing.

As a result, Classic Arms is seeing large numbers of Stoeger M3500s and Benelli Super Black Eagles IIs going out the door.

DECEMBER 2016 ] SHOT BUSINESS ] 47

NEW PRODUCTS (Continued from page 50)

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

Gerber ³ The Center-Drive is Gerber’s new multi-tool, which it believes offers uncompromising performance through revolutionary design. The innovative Center Axis Tech aligns the full-size driver in the center of the tool to yield maximum torque and rotation. In addition, a single flick of the thumb gets you access to a full-size outboard knife that is 30 percent larger than the competition’s, and one-thumbopening sliding jaws deliver instant command of the spring-loaded pliers. SRP: $89. (gerbergear.com)

Duck Commander 31 Parker Road • Elizabeth, New Jersey 07208

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

³ Since 1972, Duck Commander has been a leader in manufacturing the

FOR YOUR COMPACT More rounds, improved control and the stability of a full size handgun, now available for your compact.

Built for most popular compacts and sub-compacts, Pachmayr Mag Sleeves are crafted to visually conform to the contours of the grip. Easy to install, they look and feel as though they’re part of the handgun, improving comfort, control and stability.

When you need the benefits of a compact with the increased capacity of a full-size, reach for Pachmayr Mag Sleeves. See your local dealer or visit www.Pachmayr.com

Gerber’s new Center-Drive uses a full-size driver.

best duck calls for hardcore hunters. For 2017, Duck Commander will expand the Commander franchise by introducing the new Goose Commander line, starting with the Specklebelly Goose Call.

This polycarbonate call has a single short reed that is more than capable of producing the clucks, purrs, and yodels necessary to

call in the wildest of whitefronted geese.

The Goose Commander Specklebelly Call is engineered and tuned to require less back-pressure, allowing callers at any level to quickly master using it. The call also utilizes a thin reed, making it easier to create the perfect pitch. SRP: $39.99. (duckcommander. com)

THANKS FOR THE RIDE The iconic Winchester brand celebrates 150 years of legendary excellence in 2016—a historic milestone representing a steadfast commitment to the hunting and shooting sports traditions and future generations of sportsmen. Thank you to our loyal customers who’ve trusted us in the great outdoors, at the range, on patrol and in combat. A world leader in delivering innovative products, Winchester is The American Legend, a brand built on integrity, hard work and a deep focus on its most loyal customers.

JOIN US AS THE LEGENDARY RIDE CONTINUES.

winchester.com/safety f irst © Olin Corporation 2016

NEW PRODUCTS

Stanley After creating the stainless-steel, vacuum-insulated category more than 100 years ago, Pacific Market International’s Stanley brand will reset the industry standard for thermal retention and durability with the introduction of the Master Series, available in spring 2017. A century of know-how meets state-of-the-art design in the new collection of vacuum bottles and mugs that utilize new QuadVac technology for unrivaled performance for those who demand the very best.

QuadVac adds a double-layer barrier to the double-wall vacuum insulation, locking in heat or cold better than any other technology currently available. The four layers offer protection from convective, conductive, and radiant energy transfer, creating the highest thermal retention rates. To create the most durable bottle, Stanley Master Series uses 1mm-thick stainless steel, compared to the industrystandard .6mm, making Stanley’s construction 50 to 100 percent thicker than those of others on the market.

The monster shown here holds 1.4 quarts of coffee, soup, or iced tea, enough for any full day in a deer stand.

It will keep coffee hot for up to 40 hours.

SRP: $65. (stanleypmi.com) (Continued on page 48)

50 ] SHOT BUSINESS ] DECEMBER 2016

PHOTO BY JUSTIN APPENZELLER

THE PERF FEC CT COMBINATIONS

SA AVAGE TROPHY HUNTER NIKON 3-9X40 BDC SCOPE

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SAVAGE AXIS BUSHNE N LL SPORTSMAN 3-9X40 0 SCOP O E

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