WHAT’S SELLING WHERE

CABear Mountain Sports, Bakersfield Resting halfway

between Fresno and Los Angeles, this San Fernando Valley independent homedefense and hunting store is a staple in the Bakersfield area. Glock 19s have been in high demand, but Sig Sauer P320s and P938s and 9mm Smith & Wesson M&P Shields have also been on the move. “All and all, it has been a good year—even with the ammo paperwork and other state requirements. At least we have good accessibility to California-compliant product,” said owner Cynthia Thome.

Ruger PC Carbines are at the top of the list in the Modern Sporting Rifle category. Bolt-action rifles, particularly Tikkas and Ruger Americans, have had a strong season. Calibers like .308 and 6.5 Creedmoor have dominated the bolt category.

Handgun ammo is finally back on the floor in volume, along with .223 and .556. California-compliant .30-caliber ammo is still in short supply. WAFour Corner’s General Store, Castle Rock With

a standing inventory of 500 guns, this central Washington retailer stocks a variety of general sporting goods, including large 3-D targets. Although hunting ammo has been difficult to secure, this store is making inroads. “We really make an effort to find difficult-to-get rifle ammo. We want to be that place where you know you can find a box of .30-30 or .300 Savage cartridges,” said counter salesman Jarrod Leigh.

Browning X-Bolts in 6.5 Creedmoor are just starting to move and are expected to be the top seller. Ruger Americans are sitting in the second slot and are expected to remain in that position throughout the summer months. MSR sales are slowing but still turning one every two weeks. S&W M&P 15 Sport IIs and Windhams lead the sales board.

Pistols are strong. Smith M&P Shields hold the top spot, but Springfield XDMs in 9mm and .40 are coming on fast. The Taurus TX22 Competition is also selling well.

AKMountain View Sports, Anchorage

Founded in 1961, this metro Anchorage retailer is a specialty fly shop and hunting store. It keeps an average of 180 firearms in stock, with one full-time and two part-time employees working the firearms counter. Located on the south side of Anchorage, it spans 4,000 square feet.

Handgun sales continue to post strong numbers. Sig P365s, Glock 46Xs, and Springfield Hellcats attract the most attention. The Ruger Alaskan in .460 is a high-demand SKU, and the .454 Casull is on backorder.

Inventory on shotguns is almost exclusively personal-defense guns sold to backcountry guides and boaters. Ammo is available, but pricing has not come down in over a year for most calibers. The exception is 9mm. “Fuel and other economic world trends are putting the sting back in our ammo supplies and cost. While we can get most of the unusual calibers, they have gone back up in price,” said store manager John Staser.

NENebraska Gun, Lincoln This small independent metro store keeps an average of 200 firearms in stock with three employees working the counter. Ammo stocks are low and a challenge to find. “We are just getting what we can without pre-orders. This is a small shop. I can’t see tying up high amounts of cash in ammo when space is tight and deliveries are so unpredictable. Birdshot in No. 5 and No. 6 is just impossible, though I can now get truckloads of 00 buck,” said owner Jeff Macintyre.

MSRs, including combination uppers and lowers from Palmetto Armory and Bear Creek, are moving at two a month. Due to the availability of price-point revolvers, sales of handguns, including the rimfire Taurus TX22, are up from last year. Sales of semi-autos, including Glock 19s and SCCY, are also strong.

MIBob’s Gun & Tackle, Hastings One of the largest independents in the state of Michigan, Bob’s sports 15,000 square feet of floor space with an average of 30 employees and over 2,000 firearms in stock. Founded in 1962, it is now in its second generation of family ownership.

MSRs are attracting a renewed interest at this large retailer. “World events and high fuel prices are definitely ticking up sales in the MSR category,” said buyer-manager Jim Jaeger. The S&W M&P 15 Sport IIs and models from Sig Sauer sell best.

Handguns continue to have steady sales. The Smith M&P Shield Plus and EZ hold the lead. Springfield Hellcats also are in high demand and hold down the third spot. Glocks are also turning well. This retailer reports that though ammo stocks are improving, some hunting calibers are still in short supply.

KSBull City Guns, Alton Located on Highway 24 in north-central Kansas, this large independent has seen a local downturn in availability. Typically, it stocks 2,500 firearms. But right now, it has no more than 400 in stock.

World events and changing local demographics are driving this store’s sales. “We’ve seen a lot of change in the last year. With spiking fuel prices, and the agricultural business in a state of high operational costs, my sales simply are not keeping up. If that wan’t bad enough, what has really been the biggest difficulty is product deliveries. Since we haven’t gotten our allotments, our sales have slowed,” said owner Roy Ballard.

Sales of MSRs have remained flat since Christmas. DPMS Oracles and Ruger 556s are the top sellers. Ruger 10/22s are expected to be in stock this summer. A few clay-target guns are turning, with Browning Citori over-unders and a few Maxus semiautos getting attention. On the shotgun rack, pump-actions from Turkey are the primary inventory.

Ruger EC9 and Taurus G3 handguns are still turning at a nice pace. Meanwhile, used guns are making up most of the handgun inventory.

MEBlack Bear Weaponry, Lisbon Managed by the owner

with one part-time employee, this small-town shop keeps 150 firearms in stock. This retailer opened its doors in 2020. Sig Sauer has a strong foothold in this shop, turning daily numbers of P320s and P365s. Other fast movers include Taurus G3cs and Ruger EC9s. At this location, 9mm is the most consistentselling caliber.

“Our store sees a high-budget walk-in customer compared to our small online business. We continue to foster strong relationships with new customers. Whereas, online sales are more price-point driven,” said owner Jeff Pickard.

MSRs continue to get attention this spring. A few M&P 15 Sport IIs with optic-ready accessories and Sig M400s are on the move. For turkey season, Henry HO15T single-shot shotguns and Mossberg 500s are heading out the door. Ammo stocks are good at this location, with more on the way. NHRody’s Gun Shop, Newport This classic New England gun shop has a clay-target range and stocks a variety of hunting, self-defense, and long guns in their store. As the weather becomes more favorable, clay-target guns are starting to turn consistently. Price-point sales (below $1,000) from Weatherby and Mossberg are on the rise. “While pricing is somewhat stable on shotgun shells, it’s getting hard to keep field-grade 7½s and 8s in stock. We do have some resources to secure more inventory, but it’s getting more difficult, and shipping costs are increasing,” said owner Bill Rodeschin.

The handgun counter continues to see steady turns of Ruger EC9s and Taurus G2s and G3s. Sales of MSRs have slowed to one a month, and Rodeschin notes that in this area his customers are increasingly more price sensitive. Ruger 10/22s are starting to move for summer plinking. This store reports a good stock of .22 ammo. RIBullseye Shooting Supplies, Woonsocket Located just south

of the Massachusetts line, this small-town New England retailer specializes in ammo, handloading, and handguns. Reloading supplies continue to challenge this retailer. “Powder and primers are still brutal to get. We really thought that this problem would have been resolved by now. My customers are clamoring for a more consistent supply chain,” said owner Paul Conley.

Turns on MSRs are about one every two weeks for this retailer. Sales lean to Smith M&P 15 Sport IIs and Ruger 556s. The only higher-end rifle moving at this store is Daniel Defense.

Shotgun sales are ticking upward. Both the Mossberg 500 and the Stoeger Condor over/under are on the move.

Handgun sales are continuing to turn at near 2021 numbers. All things 9mm pull the best numbers. Glock 19s, Smith M&P Shields, and Sig P365s lead the pack.

SCGun Doctor, Monk Corner Keeping 250-plus hunting guns and handguns in stock, this retailer maintains high traffic by retaining a full-time gunsmith on hand. The gunsmith also services guns from other local gun shops.

Turkey season is in full swing, and semiauto shotguns and Turkish pumps are what’s selling. Used Browning A5s and Remington 1100s in 12 gauge are the top sellers. Pumps that retail for under $400 are also moving.

“You stock a used 1100 or A5, and it’s usually gone the next day. Our used gun business has been increasing over the last two years,” said owner Christy Elan.

Spring is also rimfire season. Any kind of lever action is in high demand, most notably Henrys and Marlins. Although this store stocks new guns, it continues to lean on used firearms for its primary profit center. Handgun sales are steady. Glock 19s, Springfield XDMs, and Sig P365s top the list at the handgun counter. ARPawn Gallery, Clarksville This small, independent pawnshop, which stocks an average of 250 firearms, is located off Interstate 40 just a few miles east of Fort Smith. “We’re a small shop, and we cater to a price-point shopper. With plenty of used handguns being traded in, our strength is in low-end sales. High gas prices and unsure farm expenses are driving a slower sales month,” said manager Kelly Elam.

Sales of MSRs are flat, with one to three S&W M&P Sport IIs or Rugers selling every three weeks. Used shotguns are in very high demand. Some price-point 12 gauges from Turkey are crossing the counter. “We’re looking forward to turkey season to move some of the inventory of shotguns that arrived last year. Our older customers are showing higher interest in 20-gauge pumps for the lighter weight,” said Elam.

Handgun inventories are high. KYRiver City Firearms, Louisville This metro Louisville dealer stocks an average of 400 firearms and handguns with three employees. As the spring months move ahead, handgun sales continue to deliver strong numbers. The 9mm platform dominates this counter. Glock 19s, Ruger LC9s, and Taurus G3s are all doing well.

MSR sales at this store have slowed. “It’s price sensitive, but we’re still turning about one every two weeks,” said owner Derrick Meyer. “All that said, events in Europe are defiantly adjusting the mix of what’s selling and we look to higher MSR turns in the future. This is a good time to increase our inventory of these rifles.” S&W M&P Sport IIs, as well as the occasional ArmaLite, hold the highest sales slots at this counter.

A few Ruger Precisions and Americans are going to deer hunters. The 6.5 Creedmoor is hands down the number one choice of caliber here.