SHOOTING HUNTING OUTDOOR TRADE SHOW 1979–2018 DAY 4, JAN UA RY 2 6, 2 018
NEW PRODUCT REPORT SHOT Daily hits the floor to find what’s new in the world of airguns P. 12.
FEATURES
NEWS
Backcountry hunting requires the proper mindset. PAGE 60
Oak’s newest camo pattern is for hunters who like the high country. PAGE 62
NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART
BIG QUESTION Is the 6.5 Creedmoor the perfect hunting and target cartridge? PAGE 58
MOUNTAIN COUNTRY Mossy
FLOODING THE ZONE SJK goes all out with new camo products. PAGE 10
T H E DA I LY N E WS O F T H E 2 0 1 8 L AS V EGAS S H OT S H OW B ROUG H T TO YOU BY T H E B O N N I E R CO R P O RAT I O N A N D T H E N SS F
Customer Care
The National Shooting Sports Foundation has research relevant to your bottom line. That’s why it was worth waking up early for the Research Breakfast on Wednesday morning. “The people we survey are already hunters and shooters,” says Rob Southwick, Southwick Associates president. “They know where to buy a firearm. That’s not the issue. Something is holding them back. They’re hesitating. We have to help encourage them.” Catering to your customer means knowing your customer. Chances are, the person walking into your gun shop isn’t who you expect. Twenty percent of new shooters are considered nontraditional. They’re young, female, suburban non-hunters. “They’re changing what shooters look like as a whole,” says Mark Duda, Responsive Management executive director. “Nontraditional shooters shoot at indoor ranges for self-defense practice. That has changed participation ratios over the years from primarily hunters to 51 percent shooters.” As the customer base changes, so must your store. Customers want to feel comfortable asking questions that experienced shooters are well beyond. Share what you know rather than belittle beginner ignorance, because comfort creates currency exchange. “Women like the personal touch, and women spend money, so you need to pay attention to them,” says Laura Kippen, InfoManiacs owner. In addition to new shooters, also reach out to inactive shooters. Reactivating them and keeping both demographics in your store will keep your store open. “There’s no such thing as an average customer,” Southwick says. “People buy for a specific need or motivator. The smart company knows the motivator.” —Kris MIllgate
Plug and Play The V23 from Ti Training is an all-new plug-in-and-turn-on live-fire simulator. The system features a control LCD for the shooting table and an operation box at the shooter’s feet. “Installation is simple. Just plug it into a 110 outlet, turn it on, and set up the sensor downrange. The live-fire system creates a highly profitable station that can easily be expanded. You’ll sell a lot of ammo,” says simulator technician Dylan Chedsey.
THE CONNECTION
The V23 interfaces with any targetretrieval system that uses a simple cardboard backing and a clean sheet of paper. The livefire sensor measures negative space, meaning every time there is a new hole, the sensor accurately records the hit. Complete laneready simulators are shipping for about $10,000 a station, including a plethora of zombie experiences. Booth #4051. (tioutdoors.com) —Peter B. Mathiesen
Building upon the growing needs of today’s “connected officer,” the Safariland Group debuted its newest wireless CAS Auto-Activation technology at the SHOT Show. CAS AutoActivation technology incorporates proprietary chip technology embedded in the Safariland 7TS duty holster in its wired and new wireless models. Now the CAS duty holster seamlessly pairs with several systems, such as cameras, radios, and in-car video, allowing an officer in the field to wirelessly connect to different devices when his duty weapon is drawn. The officer is also connected to other officers and the command center. “Safariland has established the industry standard for the next generation of policing technology,” says Terry O’Shea, Safariland’s chief technology officer. Booth #12762. (safari land.com)
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