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SHOT Business -- April/May 2016
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Election Day Is Coming.
Don’t Risk Your Rights.The votes of shooters, hunters, and gun owners can
make a huge impact at the polls. Know where your
candidates stand on the issues and #GUNVOTE.
NSSF.ORG/GUNVOTE
BADLANDS UNLEASHES A WHOLE NEW
APPROACH TO CAMOUFLAGE PACKS Pg. 7
For the shooting-sports industry, SHOT Show remains “the show of shows.” And like the three-ring circus, it offers something for everyone PAGE 29
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
GOOD STUFF
Galco’s new rifl e sling off ers better carrying and shooting Pg. 46
FIRING LINE
SIG SAUER’s P226 air pistol delivers premium
performance Pg. 22
VOLUME 24, NUMBER 3 APRIL/MAY 2016
UNLEASH THE WARRIOR SPIRIT.
L E G I O N S E R I E S . C O M
SERIOUS USERS DEMAND SERIOUS TOOLS.
Welcome to the Legion. Bound together by the greatest
demands and the highest expectations. Our most popular
platforms with the most requested enhancements.
Purpose built. Performance tested. Only for the elite few.
#JoinSigLegion
APRIL/MAY 2016 ❚ SHOT BUSINESS ❚ 3
S H O T B U S I N E S S ❚ A P R I L / M AY 2 0 1 6 ❚ V O L U M E 2 2 , I S S U E 5 C O N T E N T SC
OV
ER
PH
OT
O:
TIM
IR
WIN
S H O T B U S I N E S S ❚ A P R I L / M AY 2 0 1 6 ❚ V O L U M E 2 4 , I S S U E 3
Departments
4 EDITOR’S NOTE An
interesting new take on
staff productivity
7
NEWS BRIEFS Badlands’
approach to camo packs;
Auto-Ordance updates
the famous “Chicago
Typewriter”; YETI rolls
out Rambler
22 FIRING LINE SIG
SAUER’s P226 air pistol
looks and feels just like
the real thing
24 UNDERCOVER
SHOPPER Tennessee
retailers are asked about
affordable rifle and
scope combos
46
GOOD STUFF An
ingenious multi-task rifle
sling from Galco
48 WHAT’S SELLING
WHERE
54 NEW PRODUCTS
Hoppe’s Gun Medic;
Lowa camo boots;
Ozonics scent masker;
Helle’s new knife
Features
29 SHOT SHOW 2016: For four days every year, Las Vegas becomes the
center of the universe for the shooting-sports industry. That’s how
important SHOT Show is for manufacturers and retailers. This
special section, taken from the pages of SHOT Daily, is a snapshot
of the special community that is the SHOT Show.
46
22
29
16FROM THE NSSF Keep your
business practices sharp and
up to date by attending the 3rd
Annual Firearms
Industry Compliance
Conference in May.
17YOU SHOULD
KNOW Thanks to
exhibitors and
attendees alike, the
2016 SHOT Show was
a resounding success!
18RETAILERS ARE VITAL TO
#GUNVOTE Retailers will
find polling trends, voter
registration tools, and information
about candidates at NSSF’s
#GUNVOTE website.
19ATF SEEKS
COMMENTS ON
PROPOSED FORMS 1,
4, AND 5 Comments
are being accepted
until April 18.
20RETAILER
TOOLBOX NFA
dealers: Are you ready for rule 41-F,
revising application provisions?
NSSF Update
4 ❚ SHOT BUSINESS ❚ APRIL/MAY 2016
E D I T O R ’ S N O T E
SLATON L. WHITE, EditorJames A. Walsh, Art DirectorMargaret M. Nussey, Managing EditorDavid E. Petzal, Shooting EditorMike Toth, Special Projects EditorJudith Weber, Digital Content ProducerHilary 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: 212-779-5316Gregory D. Gatto, Vice President, Publishing 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 OPERATIONSTara Bisciello, Business Manager
CONSUMER MARKETINGRobert M. Cohn, Consumer Marketing Director
Barbara Brooker, Fulfillment Manager
MANUFACTURINGMichelle Doster, Group Production Director
Kelly Weekley, Senior Production Manager
BONNIERChairman, Tomas Franzén
Chief Executive Officer, Eric Zinczenko
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, Feb ruary/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 3, Copyright © 2016 by the National Shooting Sports Foundation. All rights reserved. Editorial, circula-tion, 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 respon-sibility 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 [email protected], 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
REPRINTS: E-mail [email protected]. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to SHOT Business, P.O. Box 6364 Harlan, IA 51593.
N S S F
The Right BalanceA new way to think “productively”
Many years ago I was called into a staff meeting designed to generate “new and exciting” edi-torial ideas. The first pitch was from an eager young editor. It really wasn’t on target, and
the editor in charge didn’t particularly care for it. He sum-marily dismissed the idea out of hand, with a tone so curt and condescending that it effectively ended the meeting then and there. No one else wanted to be humiliated in front of their peers.
I was reminded of that manage-
ment gaffe while reading Smarter,
Faster, Better, by Charles Duhigg, a
Pulitzer Prize–winning reporter for
The New York Times. It’s a fascinating
new book that looks in detail at the
science of productivity from eight
different angles. The chapter that
should greatly interest any retailer
who holds frequent
staff meetings was
on team building.
In it, Duhigg
explores the con-
cept of “psycholog-
ical safety,” a key
component of a
team’s overall pro-
ductivity. This is
important because,
as Duhigg writes,
“Over the last two
decades, the
American work-
place has become much more team
focused,” which requires staff mem-
bers to work together more closely,
for better or, on occasion, for
worse. This trend has, in turn, led
to research into why some teams
are clearly much more productive
than others. Duhigg acknowledges
that there are myriad reasons for
this, but psychological safety just
may be the most important.
At one level, psychological safety
is the feeling by members of a
group that they can pitch any idea
and not be subject to ridicule, no
matter how competitive and com-
bative the team is. It’s also the feel-
ing that any member can deliver
honest feedback and not have their
head handed to them for telling the
boss “bad” news. Call it a safety net
that helps your team perform at a
very high level.
One thing is clear: The team lead-
er plays a huge role is establishing
this trust. “In general, the route to
establishing psychological safety
begins with the team’s leader,”
Duhigg says. “So, if
you are leading a
team, think about
the message your
choices send…. It is
often more efficient
to cut off debate, to
make a quick deci-
sion, to listen to
whoever knows the
most and ask others
to hold their
tongues…. But
study after study
shows that while
psychological safety might be less
efficient in the short run, it’s more
productive over time.”
That may seem counter-intui-
tive, but in some cases that kind of
efficiency really doesn’t make good
business sense. In essence, Duhigg
says to get “better” you need to
balance “smarter” against “faster.”
Yes, your meetings may be a bit
less efficient, but given the compet-
itive retail arena in which you oper-
ate, isn’t the payback of improved
staff productivity worth it in the
long run?
Slaton L. White, Editor
nssf.org
National Shooting Sports Foundation®
The regulatory framework in which our industry operates and the technologies that
allow your business to thrive are ever-changing. Can you keep up?
Join Orchid Advisors and the National Shooting Sports Foundation® as we present
the 3rd Annual Firearms Industry Compliance Conference, May 2-4, 2016, in
Atlanta, Georgia.
Three educational tracks will address every FFL’s business model, each track
moderated by industry leaders and regulators.
Register at
ficconference.com
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR EACH CONFERENCE ARE AVAILABLE Contact Chris Tatulli, (203) 426-1320 ext. 214, [email protected]
UPCOMING INDUSTRY CONFERENCES
The face of hunting and the shooting sports continues to change—trending younger,
female, urban and suburban. We as an industry must be prepared to meet the needs
of this ever-changing customer base. Join us in Pittsburgh for a jam-packed agenda of
informative sessions. Connect with industry leaders and hear from influential speakers.
Register today for the premier forum for leaders of the shooting sports industry, the
2016 NSSF Industry Summit.
Register atnssf.org/summit
The regulatory landscape for importing and exporting firearms and related products is
constantly shifting. Is your business ready? Join the National Shooting Sports Foundation and
the FAIR Trade Group for our 15th annual Firearms Import/Export Conference. To help members
of industry navigate the ever-shifting legislative and regulatory waters, the conference provides
updates from ATF, the Departments of State and Commerce, Customs and Border Protection,
Treasury and other agencies. Featuring major policy speeches and small-group roundtable
sessions with regulators, the conference sold out early in 2015. Don’t miss the opportunity.
Register at
nssf.org/importexport
Precision: Our full line of hearing protection and safety eyewear products offers advanced technology that helps protect your customers – so they can stay focused and on target.
Comfort: Peltor™ Sport products are comfortable enough to wear all day while offering continuous protection.
Style: Sleek, professional and functional, our products make safety stylish with easy-to-use controls and ergonomic design.
Performance: Peltor Sport products perform – on the range, in the field and in your store. Our consistently high customer ratings reflect customer satisfaction.*
S P O R T
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See our full line of Peltor Sport products at
3MSafety.com/PeltorSport
P R O T E C T I O N
M E E T S
P R E C I S I O N
© 3M 2015. All rights reserved. 3M, Peltor and SecureFit are trademarks of 3M.
*Source: Southwick Associates National Sportsmen Survey, 2014.
S E C U R E F I T ™
Safety Eyewear – tinted lens
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S E C U R E F I T ™
Our full line of hearing protection and safety eyewear products offers advanced Our full line of hearing protection and safety eyewear products offers advanced
TA C T I C A L 1 0 0Electronic Hearing Protector
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This product is from
sustainably managed
forests and controlled
sources.
APRIL/MAY 2016 ❚ SHOT BUSINESS ❚ 7
N E W S B R I E F SNEWS ❚ PROMOTIONS ❚ AWARDS ❚ OUTREACH
Badlands New Camo Approach
After undertaking the company’s biggest project to date three years ago, Badlands has announced that Approach Evasion Technology is ready to conceal hunters everywhere in 2016. Developed around a “Design, Test, Repeat” mentality, the Badlands Approach pattern has evolved into a versatile and adaptable camouflage.
Based on Badlands Adaptive
Coloration Technology, the look and
feel of the Approach pattern changes
based on the wearer’s surroundings and
lighting conditions. Heavily wooded for-
ests shift Approach to a green-and-
brown dominant pattern, while sage-
brush and rock bring out the pattern’s
lighter tones. Tested at both extreme dis-
tances and up close, Badlands Approach
features an innovative breakup pattern
that ensures visual confusion for whatev-
er may be looking the wearer’s way, no
matter the distance.
“The Approach project got its name for
two reasons,” says Badlands general man-
ager Bill Crawley. “First, we truly did take
a brand-new approach to looking at how
and why camouflage is effective. Second,
this pattern will really allow you to physi-
cally approach the game you pursue more
effectively and get you closer than ever
before.”
Available this spring and summer,
Badlands Approach will be offered first on
several Badlands packs and all-new appar-
el items. (badlandsapproach.com)
N E W S B R I E F SNEWS ❚ PROMOTIONS ❚ AWARDS ❚ OUTREACH
Badlands is
using
Approach
Evasion
Technology in
its new packs
to help create
versatile camo
patterns.
Bits & Pieces
Zeiss Adds Voucher
Due to the overwhelming
response at recent trade and
consumer shows, Zeiss has
decided to include a voucher
for a free set of Talley bases
($49 retail value) to go with
the Talley signature rings ($149
retail value) already included in
the box for the Victory V8 rifle-
scope line. The free Talley
bases will replace the
Switchview magnification
throw level that was originally
included in the package. Still
included is a certificate for a
free custom-engraved Kenton
ballistic turret ring ($149 retail
value) that will be built to
exactly match a chosen caliber
and load. (zeiss.com/us/
sports-optics)
Ruger Tweaks 22/45 Lite Line The
Ruger 22/45 Lite is now avail-
able in an attractive OD green
with an anodized receiver that
features a new side-vent pat-
tern, for a custom pistol look
without the custom price. The
ventilated receiver is made of
aerospace-grade aluminum,
greatly reducing overall weight,
which helps match the pistol to
its name.
The internal cylindrical bolt
construction ensures perma-
nent sight-to-barrel alignment
and higher accuracy potential
than conventional moving-
slide designs, and a contoured
ejection port and easy-to-
grasp bolt ears allow for dura-
ble and reliable operation
round after round.
In addition, checkered 1911-
style replaceable grip panels
not only make for a great
appearance, but also provide a
comfortable, non-slip hold.
SRP: $549. (ruger.com)
N E W S B R I E F S
Arkansas Governor Welcomes Ammo Plant Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson announced at the 2016 SHOT Show that SIG SAUER is finalizing plans to locate a new ammunition manufacturing facility in an existing build-ing in Jacksonville, Arkansas, where it is anticipated about 50 new jobs will be created. Similarly, the Remington Outdoor Company announced growth plans at its ammunition plant in Lonoke, Arkansas, the second expansion in recent years. As part of the endeavor, the company plans to invest in the facility and create 84 new jobs.
SIG SAUER
“Firearms and ammunition is a growing
industry, and we came to Las Vegas to
share the many reasons Arkansas is a natu-
ral fit for this sector,” said Governor
Hutchinson. “SIG SAUER was one of the
first calls I made as Governor, and I am
delighted they chose our state when mak-
ing the decision to expand. The fact that a
world-class company like SIG SAUER is
choosing to do business in the state adds
to our momentum in manufacturing, and
we appreciate this significant commitment
they are making to locate in Arkansas.”
“We’re excited about SIG SAUER, a
world-renowned manufacturer of firearms,
locating a facility in Jacksonville,” said
Jacksonville Mayor Gary Fletcher. “This is
great news for our workforce, with the
opportunities and jobs it will provide for
the community. We look forward to a long
and prosperous relationship for years to
come.”
REMINGTON
“Remington is making another significant
investment in Arkansas,” Governor
Hutchinson said. “Arkansas’ reputation as
a hub for firearms and ammunition man-
ufacturing continues to grow, thanks to
Remington’s decision to expand again in
the state.”
“Our company’s ethos is reflected in
the quality ammunition our hardworking
team members produce every day,” said
Remington CEO Jim Marcotuli.
Remington intends to expand its
existing plant in Lonoke, Arkansas.
The Bianchi Subdue IWB Model 145 full-grain-leather holster, part of the
Allusion IWB line, has been designed for all-day comfort.
Bianchi Launches
New IWB Holster
With the new Subdue IWB
Model 145 holster, Bianchi
adds a second Allusion IWB
holster to the line. Both holsters feature a
comfortable inside-the-waist design for all-
day comfort, and the backs of each are
constructed with an anti-bacterial and
anti-microbial mesh-padded liner. The key
difference is overall size—the Subdue
offers a smaller, more compact footprint
than its predecessor, the popular Model
145 Suppression.
Other key features of the Subdue IWB
holster include a premium full-grain-
leather exterior with a laminate synthetic
liner that makes for a smooth draw and
long-lasting wear, a heavy-duty spring-
steel belt clip that securely anchors the
holster to the wearer’s belt or trousers,
and a slight detent in the trigger guard for
enhanced weapon retention.
“The new Subdue is worthy of
Bianchi’s reputation as a leading designer
of innovative, high-quality leather hand-
gun holsters, from its smooth draw to the
technology embedded in its design,” says
Bianchi equipment vice president Scott
Carnahan. “And SHOT Show was the per-
fect place to launch this holster.”
The Subdue will fit belt widths up to
1.75 inches. SRP: $68. (safariland.com/
bianchi)
www.magnumresearch.com
®
STEEL FRAME
Full size
Barrel: 4.43”
Calibers: 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP
N E W S B R I E F S
Hide in Plain Sight S
avvy hunters see ground blinds for
what they are: versatile and effec-
tive hunting tools that help them
get close to game. Unfortunately, occa-
sionally the game sees the blinds, too,
which is why they should always be care-
fully placed and brushed out.
Concealing ground blinds with natural
vegetation is hardly a new concept, and
just about all of Ameristep’s ground
blinds have varying numbers of sewn-in
brush loops to facilitate this process. But
wouldn’t it be nice if an entire blind was
engineered and built for this purpose?
Ameristep’s engineers thought so, and
they created the all-new Ameristep Shifter
Blind for 2016. The customizable Shifter
borrows some of its best features and
design elements from the most popular
Ameristep ground blinds, then kicks up
the custom camo-concealment quotient
with two rows of sewn-in perimeter
brush loops, additional sewn-in loops on
the roof and corners, and eight sections
of shock-cord that can be connected to
hubs or stake loops to help hold heaps of
branches, brush, sticks, stalks, grasses, and
greenery.
While the Ameristep Shifter offers
unprecedented concealment options, this
breakthrough blind’s large window array
is just as compelling and attractive—an
important feature that affords maximum
versatility when one considers the amount
of supplemental camouflage that may be
stacked up outside. The Shifter provides
full-coverage mesh windows on two sides,
complete with built-in gun ports designed
for either a firearms or a crossbow hunter.
These large windows also feature
Ameristep’s Dual Window Curtain
System, a split magnetic curtain-and-
toggle window design that allows the tops
or bottoms of each window curtain to be
opened or closed quickly and quietly for
optimal viewing and concealment. The
other two sides have large corner win-
dows with shoot-through mesh, tailor-
made for bowhunters.
The Shifter Blind comes in the flat-out
cool and effective Kryptek Highlander
camouflage pattern, printed on
Ameristep’s iron-tough yet soft-and-quiet
Durashell Plus fabric—a dull, lightweight
woven polyester that won’t reflect light.
Inside, hunters disappear against a
stealthy, black ShadowGuard coating.
A super-stout frame is required to sup-
port the added weight of all that supple-
mental camouflage, and the new
Ameristep Shifter Blind delivers it via
Ameristep’s Spider Hub System. SRP:
$179.99. (ameristep.com)
Ameristep’s Shifter ground blind has
sewn-in brush loops on all sides.
The all-new Trinovid HD binoculars boast exceptional Leica optical performance surrounded by a rugged, take-anywhere armored body. An innovative carrying system, included with every Trinovid HD, enables comfortable handling, quick access and safe storage. Thanks to world-renowned Leica HD optics, the Trinovid HD delivers an outstanding balance of contrast, light transmission, depth of fi eld, and color fi delity for brilliant images.
__ premium Leica optics for high-contrast, pin-sharp images and color fidelity
__ innovative carrying system for quick and comfortable use__ compact, perfectly balanced and lightweight__ models: 8x42 and 10x42
To learn more, visit your authorized Leica dealer or leica-hunting.com
NEW!
Exceptional Performance. Even More Exceptional Value.Trinovid HD Binoculars
Trinovid HD provided with innovative carry system
Knoxx’s SpecOps Shotgun StockThe all-new BLACKHAWK!
Knoxx SpecOps Gen III Stock
with Recoil Suppression
Technology effectively reduces
felt recoil by up to 80 percent,
taking the original SpecOps
Stock to an even higher level of
effectiveness, performance, and
reliability. Using dual recoil-com-
pensation systems, this rugged
new synthetic stock improves
shooter confidence, reduces
muzzle flip, decreases cheek-
slap, and virtually eliminates
harsh recoil. With improved
ergonomics and six convenient
adjustment positions, a shooter
of any size can use the SpecOps
Stock Gen III comfortably in any
application and with any load.
Even the effects of high-
powered 3-inch loads are
reduced by about 50 percent.
Features include the two-
stage patented recoil reduction
system and an innovative new
patent-pending recoil pad tech-
nology. The straight cheek weld
of this improved version helps
reduce cheek-slap and keep
shooters on the target. The six-
position adjustable stock with a
12.5- to 15.2-inch length-of-pull
range has a buttstock tensioner
to remove rattle. An ergonomic
pistol grip is optimized for tacti-
cal shooting techniques, and
multiple ambidextrous sling-
mounting locations provide
increased adjustability.
Installation is easier now, too,
as the forend uses an integrat-
ed hand-stop and a multi-
position accessory mount.
(blackhawk.com)
N E W S B R I E F S
YETI Rolls Out Rambler YETI Rambler stainless-steel bottles are built for unte-thered adventure, from the backcountry to the duck blind or wherever ice-cold or piping-hot beverages are needed. Over-the-Nose technology—in essence, a wide neck—makes for easy loading, drinking, and cleaning. In addition, the TripleHaul cap provides a comfortable grip and is 100 percent leakproof. Each bottle includes the benefits of all YETI Rambler prod-ucts, such as 18/8 kitchen-grade stainless steel, dou-ble-wall vacuum insulation, and a No Sweat design.
“We continue to expand our drinkware
series to meet the demands of our owners
and fans. Rambler bottles fill a needed
space in our line,” says YETI co-founder
Roy Seiders. “Like all YETI products, the
bottles have proven to keep drinks colder
longer, but the ability to keep beverages
hot over time shows the versatility inherent
to the Rambler series. We’re excited about
the dual use of these Rambler bottles.”
The collection will be available this
spring. SRP: $39.99, Rambler 18-ounce;
$59.99, Rambler 36-ounce; and $89.99,
Rambler 64-ounce. (yeti.com)
The TripleHaul cap on the YETI Rambler stainless-steel bottles provides a
comfortable grip as well as 100 percent leakage protection.
The TripleHaul cap on the YETI Rambler stainless-steel bottles provides a
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TriStar Expands Over/Under Setter Line
Since its release, TriStar’s Setter
S/T has been a go-to gun for
shooters and hunters looking for
their first over/under. Now, the company
is expanding the popular line by adding
.410 and 28-gauge options, each with their
own dedicated frames. The new .410 and
28-gauge Setter S/T shotguns will con-
tinue to provide shooters with the same
quality features found in previous Setter
S/T releases, including a solid frame for
durability and strength, a sealed action to
keep out dirt, chrome-lined barrels, self-
adjusting locking bolts, fiber-optic front
sights, and an elegant wood stock.
“Our Setter S/T line has become a
favorite because it offers a reliable and sol-
id-built over/under at an affordable price,”
says TriStar sales and marketing manager
Ryan Bader. “The addition of .410 and
28-gauges further solidifies the shotgun
line as one that shooters and hunters
should consider whether they’re looking
for their first or their next over/under.”
The Setter S/T .410 and 28-gauge
both have a 3-inch chamber and include
five Beretta choke tubes (SK, IC, M, IM,
F). SRP: $565. (tristararms.com)
Eley Expands Ammo LineLong known for its dominance
in .22 LR Olympic shooting
events, Eley is using its engi-
neering knowledge to enter new
market segments. Over the past
year, Eley expanded its product
offerings by introducing two
new semi-automatic rounds.
Now joining the .22 LR lineup in
the second quarter of 2016 will
be the Eley high-velocity hollow,
designed for small-game hunt-
ing. (eleyammunition.com)
The Tri-Star Setter offers a 3-inch chamber for
both the 28-gauge and the .410.
A decade since it was first introduced, the Taurus Judge®
still rules. Today, it’s available in more than a dozen models.
Capable of chambering both .45 Colt and .410 shotshell,
it’s the original five-shot game changer.
MSRP $599 (as shown). MSRP $599 (as shown). With multiple With multiple
configurations to choose from, view the configurations to choose from, view the
entire Judge collection at entire Judge collection at TaurusUSA.com.TaurusUSA.com.
Fiber optic front sights
Taurus Unlimited Lifetime Repair Policy™
Decisive stopping power
Superior choice for home and personal defense
Free One-Year NRA Membership with purchase of Taurus firearm
N E W S B R I E F S
Irish Setter Revamps RutMaster Line Joining the RutMaster family this spring will be three new RutMaster 2.0 Lite styles—two lighter neoprene versions and a non-neoprene boot designed for simplicity. The two neo-prene styles—a Realtree Max-5 camo with 400 grams of PrimaLoft insulation (SRP: $149.99) and a non-insulated version in Mossy Oak Bottomland camo (SRP: $139.99)—offer flexibility and easy on/off. Hunters can fold over the neoprene top for a comfortable, customizable height, and ScentBan scent control helps keep odor at bay.
The bottom chassis
on both versions features
a lightweight rubber/
RPM outsole, a three-
quarter shank in the sole
for underfoot stability, a
polyurethane footbed
delivering long-lasting
underfoot comfort, a
convenient heel kick for
easy boot removal, and
vulcanized rubber for
waterproofing and dura-
ble construction.
The non-insulated
rubberclad with a vulca-
nized sole in Mossy Oak
Break-Up Country camo
(SRP: $119.99) is an
affordable Irish Setter
rubber boot featuring a
removable polyurethane
footbed and the Chore
Sole with an aggressive
lug pattern to provide
stability and traction. All
three are available in
men’s whole sizes from
8 to 15.
In addition, Irish
Setter has engineered a
new generation of the
RutMaster knee boots.
RutMaster 2.0 hunting
boots are waterproof
and scent-free, provid-
ing excellent traction,
superior fit, and easy
on/off convenience.
The boots feature a pat-
ent-pending ExoFlex
panel that extends from
the top of the boot
down to the ankle for a
snug, comfortable fit.
An adjustable side gusset
provides additional fit
control. The Mud Claw
RPM II Sole lightens the
boot for all-day comfort
without sacrificing dura-
bility. An aggressive lug
pattern creates superb
stability and traction on
the toughest terrain and
is designed to release
mud and dirt. RutMaster
2.0 incorporates a con-
venient heel kick plate,
an integrated pull-on
handle, and a removable
polyurethane footbed.
These boots are avail-
able in men’s whole
sizes from 8 to 15. SRP:
$149.99 to $179.99.
(irishsetterboots.
com)
The Irish Setter
RutMaster line gets a
big upgrade this year.
New Look for the “Chicago Typewriter”
Auto-Ordnance is introducing an
exciting and classy look to its cen-
tury-old Thompson, historically
referred to as the “Chicago Typewriter.”
The Thompson 1927A-1 semi-automatic
carbine is now offered in a Titanium Gold
finish and also a Polished Chrome.
Either of these time-honored reproduc-
tion semi-auto carbines will undoubtedly
get attention when taken to the range. The
guns are offered in .45 ACP and have a
16.5-inch finned barrel (18 inches with a
compensator), with a 1:16 right-hand twist.
The frame is constructed of steel with
either a Titanium Gold finish or a Polished
Chrome finish. The gun weighs 13 pounds
and has an overall length of 41 inches.
Other features include a pinned-in front
blade and an open rear adjustable sight.
The stock is fixed and made from
American walnut, and has a vertical fore-
grip. These two new models each ship with
one 50-round drum and one 20-round stick
magazine. The magazines are also plated in
either polished gold or chrome.
“The iconic look combined with the his-
tory of the tommy gun have always had
an extremely strong appeal among gun
owners,” says Frank Harris, vice president
of sales and marketing of the Kahr
Firearms Group, parent company of Auto-
Ordnance. “We introduced these at SHOT
Show this year, and people were lining up
just to have their picture taken holding
one of our new polished-finish
Thompsons. We really expect the gold and
chrome finishes on the Thompson 1927A-
1 to be popular with the gun communi-
ty—especially among collectors.”
Both the Titanium Gold (model num-
ber T150DTG) and the Polished Chrome
(model number T150DCR) carbines are
shipped in a protective hard case that fea-
tures both the distinctive Thompson logo
and the words Chicago Typewriter. To
truly capture the 1920s gangster era, an
aftermarket violin case can be ordered for
the Gold or Polished Chrome tommy gun.
For a limited time only, the introductory
suggested retail price is $2,963 for either the
Polished Chrome or the Titanium Gold.
The cost of the violin case is an additional
$221. (auto-ordnance.com)
Auto-Ordnance is intro-
ducing a pair of stylized
Thompson 1927A-1
semi-auto carbines.
Designed for you, created for the outdoors.
16 ❚ SHOT BUSINESS ❚ APRIL/MAY 2016
U P D AT E BY LAWRENCE KEANE, NSSF SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL
Navigate the Compliance Maze Keep your business practices sharp and up to date— attend the 3rd Annual Compliance Conference in May
With 2016 looking to be a historic year for everyone in our industry in terms of production, sales, and customer engagement, it is imperative that each and every member of the firearms trade commits to the highest level of compliance. To help our industry members—especially our retailers—do just that, NSSF has joined Orchid Advisors for the second year in a row to cohost the 2016 Firearms Industry Compliance Conference (FICC).
Scheduled for May 2–4 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia, this year’s FICC will help ensure our industry members have the nec-essary resources in place to safe-ly navigate the complicated compliance landscape associat-ed with operating those busi-nesses that lawfully sell firearms and ammunition products.
Attendees should plan to arrive before the official start of the conference in order to attend one of two pre-confer-ence sessions the afternoon of May 2. The first session, the Firearms Industry Technology Workshop, is intended as a course for industry members who are ready for a deep dive into the underlying functional-ity that enables their business to thrive. Moderated by Orchid Advisors CEO Jon Rydberg, topics to be covered include understanding how your com-pliance technology works and how to harness that technology.
The second session, an ATF Compliance Workshop, will be delivered by Jillair Kubish, Orchid Advisors president of ATF compliance. This work-shop will provide coverage and discussion of a wealth of regu-
latory concerns challenging today’s firearms retailers, including foundational con-cepts in ATF compliance, the 2015 year in review, and regu-latory updates.
Once the conference official-ly begins on May 3, attendees will discover that its focus is firmly on the future—where regulations are headed, how new developments in product research and development affect FFLs, and what processes and technologies FFLs are using to significantly improve their busi-ness. Additionally, ATF will present a number of working group sessions throughout the conference, offering individual FFLs an opportunity to interact, ask questions, and focus on pro-active compliance practices and policy construction.
During the conference, attendees will have three learn-ing tracks to choose from: (1) How to Pass an ATF Inspection; (2) Implementing Firearms Business Technology for Dealers and Distributors; and (3) Implementing Firearms Business Technology for Manufacturers, Importers, and Exporters. All three tracks will be moderated by accomplished
industry experts who will dis-cuss how to successfully navi-gate the intersection of legisla-tion, regulation, and compli-ance with that of operations, logistics, and technology. These tracks feature nearly 20 break-out sessions, focusing on topics such as best-in-class laser and barcode scanning technology, serial number control, modern-day ERP systems, and support-ing compliance tools to choose from, ensuring that both new and repeat attendees will learn something. All attendees will also have the opportunity to partake in discussions of how the regulatory environment has evolved over the past two years, as well as the recent presiden-tial actions.
Located in East Hartford, Connecticut, Orchid Advisors (orchidadvisors.com) is a con-sulting firm that assists fire-arms manufacturers, distribu-tors, and retailers in achieving compliance and operational excellence through education, technology, software, and con-sulting solutions that reduce risk, cut costs, and provide expert guidance to make their client’s business more success-ful and efficient.
“We are pleased to have part-nered with NSSF for the second year in a row to bring opera-tional compliance expertise to firearms manufacturers, importers, distributors, and dealers,” says CEO Rydberg.
“The FICC is an essential tool for today’s modern FFL, one that provides compliance and tech-nology information to owners and executives that allows them to focus on manufacturing and selling product while their busi-nesses remain compliant.”
NSSF and Orchid Advisors encourage all ATF compliance professionals, company gener-al counsels, chief compliance officers, IT personnel involved in ATF transactions, shipping and receiving logisticians, import/export and trade com-pliance professionals, and FFL staff who engage in ATF trans-actions to attend this event.
For more information, including the full agenda and links for registration, go to ficconference.com. Limited sponsorship opportunities are available; to learn more, con-tact Chris Tatulli, NSSF’s direc-tor of exhibit & sponsorship sales, at [email protected] or 203-426-1320, ext. 214.
F R O M T H E N S S F
Y O U S H O U L D K N O W
SHOT Show 2016 a Success Thanks to everyone involved—exhibitors and attendees alike—the 38th annual industry trade show rocked
With the 38th SHOT Show now in the archives, I’d like to take a moment before a very busy and challenging year kicks into high gear to thank everyone who attended. Exhibitors, media reps, retail buyers, whole-salers, PR and advertising professionals—all of the more than 64,000 people who attended are responsi-ble for the tremendous success we enjoyed.
The high points are almost
too many to list, but a few
stand out above the others,
such as the all-new NEXT
Pavilion. By moving our non-
profit booths near the entrance
to the lower level, where they
benefited from improved foot
traffic, we opened up the
expansive foyer of the third
floor to provide space for more
than 100 vendors on the wait-
ing list for space on the main
exhibit floor. We did this
because it is vital to the success
of our industry to inject it with
new faces, new products, and
new technology. And what a
success it was! Located across
from the NSSF Member
Lounge and the Press Room,
the foot traffic was extraordi-
nary—and yet, despite the
crowds, visitors to these new
vendors told us they got excep-
tional, one-on-one interaction
with people and products they
needed to connect with, which
can be hard to accomplish on
the busy show floor. Feedback
from the vendors was just as
positive, and we’re looking
toward expanding the NEXT
Pavilion in 2017.
SHOT Show TV was another
hit. By moving the production
in-house and lining up a fresh
daily broadcast in hotels across
the city, we were better able to
provide the information show
attendees needed. Many attend-
ees and exhibitors told us that
they were able to find booths
and get the NSSF and general
show and event information
they were looking for, simply
because they’d caught the TV
show in their hotel room.
We heard similar feedback
about the once-again-expand-
ed New Product Center and
the Video Spotlights, as well as
the increased social media
announcements we initiated
for retailer seminars, celebrity
appearances, and press confer-
ences. It’s one thing to provide
show coverage, but it’s more
important to provide useful
coverage.
The annual State of the
Industry Dinner was a huge
success. The sellout crowd of
more than 2,200 appreciated
the election-year message of
NSSF President Steve Sanetti’s
evening address and laughed at
the always-original comedy of
Jeff Foxworthy. But they also
appreciated the shorter format
of the event, something we
coordinated in response to a
number of requests by mem-
bers who want to attend but
also want to have some eve-
ning left over to relax and
regroup for the next day.
Presidential candidate Donald
Trump appearing at the
Outdoor Sportsman awards cer-
tainly added pizzazz to an
already stellar night of glamour,
highlighting the best in craft
awards of today’s outdoor tele-
vision programming. Those on
the main show floor were treat-
ed to face time with Marcus
Luttrell, Kyle Lamb, Julie
Golob, Big & Rich, the Duck
Commanders, Brittany
Boddington, Will Primos, Doug
Koenig, and other industry
celebrities. Some of those celebs
also showed up at the Ladies-
Only Meet & Mingle event at
the Bonnier Sports men’s
Lounge Thursday afternoon.
New to SHOT Show and orga-
nized by Women’s Outdoors
News publisher Barbara Baird
and a host of other notable
women in the industry, the
gathering had a stellar turnout,
with many attendees remarking
that it was the first time they’d
had a chance to connect face-to-
face with those they’ve known
only through correspondence
or social media.
But beyond the famous
names and the new features,
nothing resonated with the
NSSF staff more than the
great attitude of everyone we
talked to at SHOT Show.
“Positive energy!” “Great
vibe!” “Very upbeat!” and simi-
lar plaudits were what we
heard over and over again. And
the great attitude wasn’t just
about the bevy of new prod-
ucts—it was about the industry
in general. From participation
in the shooting sports to retail
sales to wildlife conservation
and even improved availability
of .22 LR ammunition, it
seems everyone is looking for-
ward to an exceptional 2016.
In addition to the attendees
and exhibitors who made this
year’s SHOT Show a tremen-
dous success, I’d like to also
thank ConvExx, Freeman, and
CSG Creative for their contri-
butions, as well as the profes-
sionals at the Venetian/
Palazzo and the Sands Expo
Center. Working collaborative-
ly with them provides a fresh
look and feel to our show.
That’s how we keep a show
like this alive and thriving, and
how we all promote, protect,
and preserve hunting and the
shooting sports.
Beyond the famous names,
nothing resonated with the
NSSF staff more than the great attitude of everyone we
talked to at SHOT Show.
APRIL/MAY 2016 ❚ SHOT BUSINESS ❚ 17
U P D AT EBY CHRIS DOLNACK, NSSF SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER
18 ❚ SHOT BUSINESS ❚ APRIL/MAY 2016
U P D AT E
Retailers Play a Vital Role in Getting the Word Out About #GUNVOTE
It should be no secret to anyone in the firearms trade that 2016 will be one of the most important election years ever to face our industry. With the balance of the Supreme Court at stake, this elec-tion could be the lynchpin leading to the reversal of critical precedents that protect our constitu-tional rights. Retailers play a critical role in this year’s election. It is crucial that our firearms retail-ers become informed about the positions of the candidates and spread the message about #GUNVOTE at every possible opportunity.
“Our retailers are on the
front line of communication
with consumers, especially
those new to firearms owner-
ship and the shooting sports,
who are going to have ques-
tions,” said Lawrence Keane,
NSSF Senior Vice President and
General Counsel. “Directing
voters to the #GUNVOTE
website (nssf.org/gunvote), uti-
lizing the #GUNVOTE hashtag
on their social media channels,
downloading the #GUNVOTE
logo to their website, handing
out #GUNVOTE stickers, and
having informed conversations
with employees, friends, family
members, and customers is
vital to getting the word out
that our heritage and rights are
at stake as Americans head to
the polls in November.”
NSSF’s #GUNVOTE website
was developed to help those in
our industry and consumers
identify those candidates who
hold the interests of firearms
owners and sportsmen as prior-
ities. The website offers tools
for voter registration and locat-
ing polling places, and is updat-
ed regularly with news from
the campaign trail.
“The stakes could
not be higher,” said
Keane. “The late
Justice Antonin Scalia
wrote the Heller deci-
sion, which confirmed
the individual right to own
a firearm under the Second
Amendment. Hillary Clinton
recently said Heller was wrong-
ly decided. With Scalia’s pass-
ing, we know that a victory for
Hillary Clinton and a shift to
Democratic power in the
Senate could quickly provide a
path for a new Court to over-
turn that landmark case—and
Clinton thinks appointing
Barack Obama to the Supreme
Court is a great idea!”
That’s just one of many
vitally important issues in con-
tention this year. Said Keane,
“The bottom line is, retailers
must be informed, and must
start the conversations with
their customers, friends, family
members, and industry col-
leagues about the stakes of this
election. Encourage them to
#GUNVOTE on Election
Day and help our num-
bers mean something.
Our Second
Amendment rights
and the future of our
industry are at stake.”
Retailers will find polling
trends, voter registration
tools, and information on
candidates on the federal, state
and local level on the NSSF’s
#GUNVOTE website. FFLs can
download the #GUNVOTE
emblem for their own website,
as well as order #GUNVOTE
stickers for distribution to their
customers when they encour-
age them to vote. NSSF also
encourages retailers to utilize
#GUNVOTE’s Facebook page
and follow #GUNVOTE on
Twitter. For more information,
visit nssf.org/gunvote.
NSSF SUPPORTS NATIONAL HUNTING AND FISHING DAYNSSF is again a major sponsor of
National Hunting and Fishing Day,
the annual celebration of traditional
outdoor activities and
wildlife conservation that
takes place on the fourth
Saturday of September.
Through licenses, permits,
and special taxes, hunters and
anglers generate $100,000 every 30
minutes—totaling more than $1.75
billion per year—for wildlife, fish, and
habitat. “We’re proud to be a spon-
sor of this Congressionally recog-
nized day to celebrate our
outdoor heritage, which is
attracting many new and
diverse participants,” said
NSSF President and CEO
Steve Sanetti. Johnny Morris, found-
er of Bass Pro Shops, will serve as
the honorary chair for the event.
Retailers will find polling trends, voter registration
tools, and information on candidates at federal, state,
and local levels on the NSSF’s #GUNVOTE website.
Hunters and
anglers
generate
$100K every
30 minutes.
© 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 permis-
sion. All other company and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
APRIL/MAY 2016 ❚ SHOT BUSINESS ❚ 19
U.S. REP. CULBERSON IS 2015 LEGISLATOR OF THE YEAR
NSSF is honoring U.S.
Rep. John A. Culberson
(R-Texas) as 2015
Legislator of the Year.
The award will be pre-
sented at the firearms
industry’s Congressional
Fly-In in April.
“We are pleased to
recognize Congressman
Culberson for his out-
standing leadership in
the U. S. House of
Representatives and on
the appropriations sub-
committee he chairs in
resolving the trouble-
some ‘green tip’ ammu-
nition matter, ” said
Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF
Senior Vice President
and General Counsel.
Congressman
Culberson played a piv-
otal role in convincing
senior management of
the ATF to forestall the
effort to introduce a
new regulatory frame-
work that would have
banned the manufac-
turing and sale of 5.56
mm M855 green-tip
ammunition, which is
widely used for target
shooting and hunting.
As chair of the House
Appropriations
Subcommittee on
Commerce, Justice, and
Science, which oversees
ATF funding, he sum-
moned senior bureau
officials to Capitol Hill to
express his concerns that
the proposed ban would
affect Americans’
Second Amendment
rights and enjoyment of
lawful sporting activities.
“I am honored to
receive this recognition
from one of the stron-
gest defenders of our
Second Amendment
rights in America today,”
Culberson said. “Those
of us who take on big
government liberals and
gun control extremists
are fighting for deeply
held principles, and it is a
joy to work with leading
organizations like NSSF
that share our determi-
nation to preserve, pro-
tect, and defend the
Constitution.”
ATF Seeks Comment On Proposed Forms 1, 4, 5 The ATF is seeking com-
ments on three newly
proposed application
forms of information
collection regarding the
making and registering of
a firearm, the paid transfer
tax and registration of a fire-
arm, and the tax-exempt transfer
and registration of a firearm.
Comments are being accept-
ed until April 18. The pro-
posed revised forms are
watermarked with the
word “draft,” so as not to
be confused with current
forms, which you should
continue to utilize. The infor-
mation has been posted to the ATF
website at atf.gov/firearms.
ATF LOST OR STOLEN IN TRANSIT REGULATIONS IN EFFECT
The new ATF regulations cov-
ering the mandatory report-
ing of firearms lost or stolen
in transit within 48 hours are now in
effect. ATF has guidance on its web-
site (atf.gov/firearms/) detailing the
procedures, which NSSF anticipates
will be updated in the near future to
reflect the new regulations. ATF will
not be updating Form 3310.11, so all
FFLs should continue to use the
existing version of Form 3310.6.
LEARN THE LATEST IN LEAD
MANAGEMENT & OSHA COMPLIANCENSSF is pleased to announce that it
will be holding a dedicated Lead
Management & OSHA Compliance
Workshop, April 24–26, in Portland,
Oregon. Designed to enable owners
and operators of shooting ranges of
all sizes an opportunity to discover
the latest in lead management and
OSHA (Operational Safety and
Health Administration) best practic-
es, the two-day course will focus on
environmental and regulatory
requirements for both indoor and
outdoor shooting facilities, OSHA
enforcement and penalty structure,
implementation of health and safe-
ty plans, medical surveillance, and
other issues relevant to compliance.
Registration is now open to NSSF
members and non-members; gov-
ernment agency officials are also
welcome. To register, go to nssf.org/
ranges/ComplianceWorkshop/.
es, the two-day course will focus on
environmental and regulatory
requirements for both indoor and
20 ❚ SHOT BUSINESS ❚ APRIL/MAY 2016
U P D AT E
R E TA I L E R T O O L B O X
NFA Dealers: Are You Ready for 41-F?The new rule revises application provisions. Here’s what you need to know
If you are a dealer in National Firearms Act (NFA) firearms and accessories, you know that demand for those products, especially suppressors, is at an all-time high. You also know that ATF has revised NFA regulations in the recently published Rulemaking 41-F.
When the proposal was
published in the Federal
Register as Notice 41-P, ATF
received more than 9,500
comments, almost all
opposed to the ruling. Why?
The proposed regulation
would not only have
imposed fingerprint, photo-
graph, and FBI background
check requirements on per-
sons associated with trusts,
it would have also required
the chief law enforcement
officer (CLEO) where those
associated with trust ATFs
and NFA transfers reside to
“sign off ” by certifying the
NFA transfer documents.
These are requirements that
individual transferees of
NFA products have followed
for years, so it was the issue
of those persons associated
with trusts and NFA trans-
fers that was central to the
proposed rule 41-P.
Despite a considerable
period of time analyzing
the comments, ATF pub-
lished the final rule (41-F)
on January 4. It will become
effective on July 13, 2016.
The new rule also applies to
ATF Form 1, Application to
Make and Register a
Firearm. But the focus of
this article is on the ATF
Form 4, Application for Tax
Paid Transfer and
Registration of a Firearm,
that NFA dealers use in
their retail operations.
Here are some key provi-
sions of the new revised
regulations:
RESPONSIBLE PERSONS
In the case of trusts, as
well as partnerships, associ-
ations, and corporations
that are not already FFLs,
the regulations define
“responsible persons” as
those who possess the
power to direct the policies
and management of the
trust or corporation with
regards to the receipt, pos-
session, and disposition of
NFA registered firearms.
DOCUMENTATION Under
the revised regulations, each
responsible person must
complete ATF Form
5320.23, known as the
National Firearms Act
(NFA) Responsible Person
Questionnaire, and two sets
of fingerprint cards on FBI
Form FD-258. Each respon-
sible person must also pro-
vide a 2x2-inch passport
photograph of themselves,
that photograph being of a
full front head portrait with
head bare; that photo must
have been taken within one
year of the application being
filed. Fingerprints, Form
5320.23 and the photograph
will be filed with the copy
of ATF Form 4 submitted
by the transferor to ATF.
CLEO NOTIFICATION In a
key change from the pro-
posed rule, the final revised
regulations eliminated the
CLEO certification require-
ment for all transferees.
Now individual applicants
will be required to notify the
CLEO of the application by
providing those CLEOs a
copy of the ATF Form 4.
Fingerprint cards and pho-
tos will not be submitted to
the CLEO. In the cases of
trusts, partnerships, associa-
tions, and corporations,
each responsible person will
submit a copy of their ATF
Form 5320.23 to the CLEO
where they reside. In the
case of partnerships, associa-
tions, and corporations, the
CLEO copy of Form 4 will
be submitted to the CLEO
located where the entity
maintains its principal office
or place of business as
described on the form.
PERSONAL USE In those
cases where an FFL who
has not qualified to engage
in business under the NFA
desires to obtain an NFA
product for their own use, a
Form 4 must be completed,
but no Form 5320.23 will be
required. This is because
the responsible persons for
the FFL have already been
the subject of an FBI finger-
print-based background
check. The CLEO copy of
the Form 4 will be submit-
ted to the CLEO of that
FFL’s residence at the time
the application is filed.
Trusts, partnerships, asso-
Despite having spent a considerable period of time
analyzing the comments, ATF published the final rule (41-F) on January 4. It will become effective on July 13, 2016.
APRIL/MAY 2016 ❚ SHOT BUSINESS ❚ 21
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
ciations, and corporations
will continue to submit doc-
umentation proof of the
existence and validity of the
entity. All documents sub-
mitted with the Form 4 will
need to be submitted in
their entirety.
ATF FORMS BEING REVISED➤ In addition to creating
the new Form 5320.23,
ATF is in the process of
revising ATF Form 1, Form
4, and Form 5 to reflect the
fact that the CLEO is now
only being notified of the
application being filed and
is no longer required to
certify or sign it. We
believe that these forms, in
draft, were scheduled to be
published in the Federal
Register sometime in
February or March of 2016.
A link to the Federal
Register when the draft
revised forms are published
will be posted at NSSF.org.
ATF will be accepting
comments on the revised
forms for 60 days after pub-
lication, and NSSF will
review the draft forms and
offer comments, should
there be a need to com-
ment. NSSF recommends
that dealers do so as well if
they have any comments.
Once the comment period
expires, ATF will review the
comments, revise the forms
if needed, and submit the
revised final forms to the
Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) for approval.
ATF hopes that the
approved revised forms will
be available to NFA dealers
at least a month or more
prior to the July 13 effective
date. Once the new regula-
tions are in effect, the old
editions of Forms 1, 4, and
5 will be obsolete and can-
not be used.
Finally, in the event that
the newly revised forms are
available prior to July 13,
dealers should not submit
the revised form until July
13, 2016.
APPLICATIONS
SUBMITTED THROUGH
JULY 12, 2016 Until the new
regulations take effect, you
may submit the current
Form 4s for transferees
using current procedures.
Please note that ATF will
use the postmark date of
your submissions to deter-
mine when an application
has been filed. If you have
customers who cannot get
their paperwork complete
in time to file by July 13,
they will have to file under
the new procedures and
with the new forms (when
they become available).
APPLICATIONS
SUBMITTED ON AND
AFTER JULY 13, 2016 ATF
Form 5320.23 will be com-
pleted for all responsible
persons where the transfer-
ee on Form 4 is not an indi-
vidual. The one exception
to this requirement extends
to partnerships, associa-
tions, or corporations that
hold FFLs under the Gun
Control Act and who wish
to obtain an NFA firearm
for their own use, but are
not qualified by payment of
Special Occupational Tax to
deal in NFA firearms.
BEGINNING JULY 13 The
CLEO of the applicant’s
resident area will be noti-
fied of an application by
either receiving a copy of
the Form 4 in the case of
either an individual transfer-
ee or an FFL transferee. In
the case of trusts and cor-
porations, the CLEO will be
notified of an application by
receiving a copy of Form
5320.23 from each responsi-
ble person listed on the
trust.
EXCEPTION FOR DOCUMENTATION ON REPEAT REGISTRATIONS BY NON-INDIVIDUAL APPLICANTS ➤ If an application for trans-
fer on Form 4 for a non-indi-
vidual applicant such as a
trust or corporation is sub-
mitted to ATF within the 24
months following a previ-
ously approved transfer, and
there have been no changes
to the documentation pro-
vided in those applications,
the entity will be able to cer-
tify to this on the subse-
quent Form 4 by identifying
the previously approved
application by form number,
serial number, and date
approved. This does not
apply to the submission of
additional Form 5320.23s,
fingerprint cards, and photo-
graphs by responsible per-
sons, as those items are and
will be required on every
NFA product transfer.
RETURNED APPLICATIONS
FILED PRIOR TO JULY 13,
2016 If an application for
NFA transfer that is submit-
ted to ATF prior to July 13,
2016, cannot be approved
and is returned to the trans-
feror after July 13, 2016, the
application will need to be
resubmitted under the new
procedures and with the
new forms.
NFA TRUST TRANSFERS
AND ATF FORM 4473 Every
NFA firearm or accessory is
also regulated by the Gun
Control Act. Thus, a Form
4473 must be completed for
all transfers. Generally, back-
ground checks through the
FBI or point of contact at the
state level as part of the
National Instant Criminal
Background Check System
(NICS) is required for all fire-
arms transfers to non-FFL
licensees. One exception to
that requirement occurs
when an NFA firearm is
transferred. This is so
because individual transfer-
ees undergo a fingerprint-
based FBI background check
every time they are a trans-
feree on a Form 4.
While trusts are “per-
sons” as defined under the
NFA, they are not persons
under the Gun Control Act.
That is a key difference in
the laws. ATF has opined
that the person receiving a
firearm on behalf of the
trust must undergo a back-
ground check as part of the
completion of the Form
4473. NSSF recommends
that all dealers working
with NFA transfers and
trusts perform a NICS
check. It is important to
know that the responsible
persons of a trust or other
non-individual transferees
will be subjected to the
same fingerprint-based
background check that an
individual transferee pres-
ently does. Therefore, while
NSSF recommends a NICS
check be performed, there
will be no requirement to
conduct one so long as a
responsible person of the
transferee (trust) receives
the firearm.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS➤ The ATF NFA Branch
intends to post questions
and answers about rule 41-F
at atf.gov in the near
future. A link will be posted
at NSSF.org.
22 ❚ SHOT BUSINESS ❚ APRIL/MAY 2016
F I R I N G L I N E B Y T O M M c H A L E
Air PowerSIG SAUER’s P226 air pistol looks, and performs, just like the “real” thing
Agood airgun is always going to be fun to shoot, but the new SIG SAUER models add a whole new dimension. Because they’re made by the same folks who make the real P226 pistols, these airguns are made to the exact same factory-drawing dimensions. They’ll ini-tially be available in black and flat dark earth color schemes. They look like the real thing, feel like the real thing, and are made of actual metal that makes that satisfying clinking sound—even the slides reciprocate when you shoot. As such, they can be used for genuine training with all of your “real” gun gear like holsters, lights, and lasers. The difference is that you can safely train in your garage or backyard without frightening the neighbors.
The P226 airgun is a dead ringer for its
centerfire cousin, though there are a few
functional differences, of course. For
example, there is no open ejection port,
nor is one needed, as pellets don’t eject
anything. Likewise, the slide lock latch is
immovable, as it’s also irrelevant with this
semi-automatic airgun.
The P226 airgun is powered by a single
12-gram CO2 cartridge. A hinged door on
the grip swings open to reveal the CO2
compartment. As you close the door, a
cam mechanism presses the cartridge into
place, piercing the canister, and releasing
gas to the action.
The gun takes removable magazines,
unique in design to accommodate pellets
rather than cartridges. Each magazine
holds 16 pellets total, split into eight-pellet
drums at each end of the magazine. The
action rotates a new pellet into place, so
the semi-automatic mode works about as
fast as you can pull the trigger. After eight
shots, you eject the magazine, flip it upside
down, and reinsert the magazine to get
the next set of eight. You’ll get somewhere
north of 70 shots before you need to think
about changing the CO2 cartridge.
I took a pair of P226 airguns to my
back deck and set up my chronograph 15
feet away to see what kind of velocity the
pistol was delivering. Using standard
Crosman .177-caliber lead wadcutter pel-
lets, the average velocity clocked in at
325.7 feet per second. Switching to more
aerodynamic Gamo Platinum Power pel-
lets, the velocity jumped to over 400 fps.
Obviously, speed will vary based on the
specific weight and profile of your pellets,
so these numbers represent rough guide-
lines from some very used guns.
There are plenty of airguns on the mar-
ket, ranging from plastic models sold at big-
box stores to premium target models sold
at specialty retail outlets. The P226 pistols
straddle the middle ground. The price point
is surprisingly affordable, but they feel and
perform like far more expensive models.
To me, the unique characteristic of the
P226 is its usefulness as a substitute for the
real thing. Feel, weight, size, and opera-
tion are all exceptionally realistic. I used it
as a practice version of a real P226 with a
number of my regular carry holsters,
including a Galco V-Hawk, a KingTuk, and
concealable models. Obviously the airgun
models are a bit lighter than the centerfire
versions, but the important actions like
draw, aim, fire, and magazine changes are
similar. Even the safety lever acts in a way
consistent with how the de-cocker works.
Simply press down to enable the safety,
just as you would when de-cocking the
real gun. SRP: $110.99. (sigarms.com)
This air pistol allows for economical
practice because you won’t be using
expensive centerfire ammo.
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24 ❚ SHOT BUSINESS ❚ APRIL/MAY 2016
U N D E R C O V E R S H O P P E R
PIX
EL
PU
SH
ER
S
Tennessee ComboWould retailers in the Volunteer State step up and help a hunter looking for a scoped bolt-action in .243?
A.243-caliber bolt-action rifle is a fine option for deer hunting in the hills of the South. It’s a lighter gun that’s easy to carry, and ammo is abundant. The latest crop of budget bolt-actions—many of which come in scoped combos—has been impressive at the range, and sales are strong. I asked clerks in the Knoxville area for a .243 combo for around $500. Could they deliver?
STORE A
FOLLOW ME!
➤ This big-box store’s gun
collection is nearly the
length of one side of the
building. It was quite an
impressive arsenal. Two
older gents were helping
two people at the counter. I
waited for about five min-
utes and then saw a small
sign that said to take a num-
ber. Eventually a clerk
called out, “Number two!” I
told him what I wanted.
“Sure. Follow me,” he said.
He handed me a Remington
700 in .243 with a scope that
had no brand name on it.
He told me that it was a
proven action and a good
gun for the money. He
didn’t offer to take off the
trigger lock, and it was awk-
ward to shoulder a gun with
a lock on. Then I asked
about the Ruger Americans.
Lo and behold, he found
one in .243 with a Redfield
scope. He told me about
the gun, but had little infor-
mation about the scope.
STORE B
BE RIGHT BACK
➤ At this big-box store,
three clerks were talking
something over as four
customers waited for help.
Apparently there was some
on-the-job training going
on. Two of the clerks
walked off, and the one
who was left looked my
way. I asked him about a
scoped combo, and he
pointed to a wood-stocked
rifle and said it was a
“Vortex.” I was a bit con-
fused because Vortex is an
optics company. I realized
he was referring to a
Mossberg Patriot that had
a Vortex scope. I men-
tioned that to him, but he
still called it a “Vortex
rifle.” I handled the
Patriot, gave it back to
him, and eyed a Savage
Model 11/111 and a
Remington 783. “I’ll be
right back,” he said. I wait-
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• 10-Round Rotary Magazine
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SAVAGEARMS.COM
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— a 17 HMR that actually works.
26 ❚ SHOT BUSINESS ❚ APRIL/MAY 2016
U N D E R C O V E R S H O P P E R
ed about 10 minutes. As I
turned to leave, I looked
back and caught his eye.
He just kind of shrugged
his shoulders.
STORE C
PRICE DOUBLE CHECK➤ As I walked into this
small mom-and-pop shop,
one clerk was talking with a
group of people and the
other became free as I
stepped in the door. He was
young and helpful. There
were precious few rifles,
perhaps 20 new bolt-actions
and MSRs and another 15
or so used rifles of all types.
The clerk had a few new
scoped combos, including a
Savage Axis in 7mm Rem.
Mag. and a Remington 700
in .30/06 at reasonable pric-
es. He offered to do some
web searching and order
anything I wanted. He
jumped right in and gave
me a very low price on a
Savage Axis II XP. I asked
him to double-check it.
Turns out, the price was for
an Axis, not the updated XP.
After rechecking, he gave
me a new, higher price and
offered to have it in the
store for me to pick up in a
few days.
STORE D
ECLECTIC MIX➤ This was a smaller store
that sold a mix of hand-
guns, various ammo brands,
some hunting supplies, and
a few rifles and shotguns.
There were three clerks.
Two helped customers; the
other sat at a computer. I
stood around for about 15
minutes checking out guns
and waiting for someone to
ask if I needed help. Finally,
a customer left, and the
clerk sat down and started
drinking a cup of coffee. I
went over to him and said
hello. After that, he was
super-friendly. Since they
did not have anything close
to what I was looking for,
he tried to sell me on a used
Ruger M77 with a fine
wood stock and a cheap
scope. It was about $250
more than I told him I
wanted to spend. Still, we
had a good conversation
about the gun, other guns
in general, and where to
shoot in the area.
How’d They Do?Customer Service
Product Knowledge
Product Availability
Winner:
STORE
AThe large num-
ber of guns
didn’t surprise
me, but the
above-average
customer ser-
vice did. The
clerk even told
me to watch
for sales on the
internet
because he
knew I was
shopping on a
budget.
Gander Mountain11501 Parkside Drive, Farragut, TN 37934865-671-2790gander mountain.com
����
STORE
AOther than the fact
that he missed one
of the guns I was
looking for and had no
information about the
scope, service was very
good.
����
The clerk knew the gun
packages well, but he
needed to bone up on
optics.
�����
By far the largest inventory,
with about 300 new rifles,
including several .243
scoped-combo options.
�
STORE
BIt started out okay,
but then he ditched
me.
no stars
I knew more about the rifles
than he did.
����
There were about 100 new
rifles, five of which were the
scoped combos that inter-
ested me.
�����
STORE
CI was helped quickly
and efficiently. The
service was very
friendly and enthusiastic.
���
The clerk answered my
questions accurately,
though he confused the
Savage Axis and Axis II XP.
���
There were few rifles on the
racks, but he went right to
the web and gave me many
order options.
���
STORE
DGood, once I spoke
up and initiated the
interaction.
���
He sure knew a lot about
the used Ruger he wanted
to sell me.
�
An eclectic mix of guns.
There were only a handful
of bolt-action rifles, and
none was paired with a new
scope.
SCORING SYSTEM: Outstanding: ����� Very Good: ���� Average: ��� Fair: �� Poor: �
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.
THANKS FOR THE RIDE
winchester.com/safetyf irstwinchester.com/safetyf irst
© Olin Corporation 2016
029029SHOT SHOW 2016 SHOT BUSINESS APRIL/MAY 2016
SHOT BUSINESS APRIL/MAY 2016 029
Shoulder to shoulder, the
attendees at the 2016 SHOT Show demonstrated the
inherent strength of the shooting-sports community. Here’s a look, taken from
the pages of SHOT Daily, at the show’s incredible vibrancy.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY JUSTIN APPENZELLER
030 SHOT BUSINESS APRIL/MAY 2016 SHOT SHOW 2016
You can build a profitable
company on the shoulders of
a single product. That’s what
John Nosler did with the help
of the Partition bullet in 1948. To
remain solvent and grow, though,
you’ll need to offer other products as
well. Nosler did that, too; over the
next 60 years, the manufacturer added
the Ballistic Tip, the AccuBond, and
numerous other bullets to the line.
But to really be successful you must
continue to grow the brand, and in
2007, Nosler introduced an ammuni-
tion and custom rifle line. If you talk
to Nosler’s Mike Lake, you’ll realize
Nosler is just getting started.
Lake is the senior manager of
research and development at Nosler.
His job description is as vague as it is
long, but broken down in hillbilly
terms, he’s tasked with growing the
brand. Lake is supposed to engineer,
develop, find, and procure new ideas
and products for Nosler to offer to its
dedicated customers. These products
should also bring new customers
into the Nosler family. For an
Oregon boy who grew up hunting
and used to design chainsaw chains
in a former life, it’s a dream job.
“I like to create things, but I’d
rather do it with a wrench than with
a mechanical pencil,” he says.
Starting in 2007, that’s exactly what
Lake began to do at Nosler. He ram-
rodded the enormously successful
ammunition and custom rifle pro-
gram into existence. Nosler, a tight-
knit family-owned company, recog-
nized Lake’s ingenuity and asked for
more. The .26 and .28 Nosler cartridg-
es were his next contributions. Both
have been iPhone-like successful.
As much as any compa-
ny’s success is tied to the
products it produces, it is
also incontestably
entwined with the people
who make those products.
Nosler is an icon in the outdoor and
gun industry. The folks who run the
company realize growth is necessary
to maintain that distinction and to
continue to provide livelihoods for
the hard-working Americans who put
them where they are. That means
Nosler must grow, and that load has
been placed on Lake’s shoulders.
Last summer, I asked Lake, “So
what, exactly, is next for Nosler?”
“Shoelaces,” he said. “Not really,
but that’s the mindset. Nosler is
going to grow; my job is to figure
out the best path to take. The canvas
is mine to paint. If good shoelaces
are what the outdoor industry needs,
Nosler will make ’em and they’ll be
the best shoelaces in the world.”
That’s exactly what Lake did with
the .26 and .28 Nosler. The recent
infatuation with long-range hunting
created a demand for hard-hitting,
flat-shooting cartridges in a standard-
action size. Both the .26 and .28
Nosler do that, and they fit in a rifle
sized to accept an overall cartridge
length of only 3.34 inches. For those
who don’t carry a caliper in their
back pocket, that’s the same length
as the .30/06.
Mike Lake’s latest creation for
Nosler, introduced at the 2016
SHOT Show, is the .30 Nosler. It’s
the third cartridge in the Nosler fam-
ily and, like the .26 and .28, it’s built
to the same overall length. The .30
Nosler was specifically designed
around Nosler’s .30-caliber Long
Range (LR) AccuBond bullet. It will
push a 190-grain AccuBond LR to
3,150 fps. This means you can deliv-
er 2,000 foot-pounds of kinetic ener-
gy at 675 yards. And given an 8-inch
kill zone, you can hold dead-on out
to 360 yards.
Sport hunting is changing and
Nosler is out in front. For big-game
hunters who measure
range in quarter-miles
instead of yards, the .30
Nosler shrinks those dis-
tances like a 20X spotting
scope. (nosler.com)
Out In FrontNosler continues to expand the brand by ricHarD mann
Mike Lake uses
the experience
he's gained as a
hunter and
shooter to design
new products.
031SHOT SHOW 2016 SHOT BUSINESS APRIL/MAY 2016
Crimson Trace
looks at the
world a bit dif-
ferently. While
many manufacturers are
content to stand pat and
churn out the same old
thing year after year,
CTC’s corporate DNA
requires it to always be
out in front of the pack.
Consider the new LinQ
system, a laser/light
unit specifically designed
for the MSR platform. A
CTC pistol grip replaces
the MSR’s factory-
installed pistol grip, but
CTC’s grip uses a
Bluetooth-like technolo-
gy to control a tactical
light/laser module
attached to the MSR’s
accessory rail. In this
way the pistol grip and
light/laser module
synch up with each
other so the operator
can control the laser and
light from the pistol
grip. There are no cables
or touch pads, nor does
the operator need to use
his support hand to con-
trol the laser or light, as
is the case with all other
tactical lights currently
on the market.
“Crimson Trace is
again pushing the enve-
lope and leading the
industry in innovation as
the LinQ Technology
proves,” says Mike Faw,
media relations manager
at Crimson Trace. “This
is one of many ideas we
are pursuing here as our
engineers focus on what
consumers want—and
what’s possible. For
retailers, this means a
great opportunity to
serve MSR rifle custom-
ers. Those rifles are pop-
ular, and the buyers have
been asking for some-
thing that’s rifle-specific.
LinQ Technology fits
that bill and combines
laser sights and bright
lights in an easy-to-
operate grip and rail-
mounted system.”
Ambidextrous buttons
on the pistol grip allow
the operator to operate
the light/laser module.
The light/laser can also
be removed from the
MSR and used on anoth-
er firearm; there are
redundant controls on
the light/laser module
so the module can be
used when not synched
with the grip. Return the
module to the MSR with
the grip and the two
components synch up
again. SRP: $500.
And That’s Not All
The Carry 9 Program
takes the hassle out of
trying to find a
concealed- carry holster
to fit a pistol with a
Crimson Trace laser
sight attached. Crimson
Trace and Blade-Tech
have teamed up to offer
a combo set that
includes a Kydex holster
and a laser sight in one
package. The holster is
Blade-Tech’s Klipt Ambi
IWB model, which can
be configured for either
right- or left-handed
shooters. It has an
adjustable belt loop and
is used for behind-the-
hip or appendix carry.
(crimsontrace.com)
Roy Weatherby was a disciple of velocity. He
believed high-velocity cartridges gave hunt-
ers more reach and killed animals quicker.
Roy was not just a believer; he was a pioneer.
He wildcatted a family of cartridges that
thrived on velocity. He then built rifles for
these cartridges and put them in the hands
of business moguls, the Hollywood elite, and
war heroes.
Roy’s sexy cartridges, with their double-
radius venture shoulder, and his finely craft-
ed rifles, with their sexy lines, became one of
the most recognizable brands in the world of
guns. Shortly before Roy passed in 1988, his
son Ed took over the company. Under his
guidance, Weatherby continued to grow,
expanding its reach to hunters and shooters
of more modest means. Last year it was
announced that Ed’s son, Adam, would be
following in his father’s footsteps, making
Weatherby a third-generation company.
Third-generation family-owned businesses
have a reputation for failure. Grandpa makes
the company, Dad runs it, and the grandson
runs it into the ground. Some wondered what
would happen at Weatherby when Adam
stepped in. They need not wonder anymore.
Adam has made it clear the cartridges his
grandfather designed and the high velocity
they deliver are what Weatherby is all about.
For 2016, Weatherby is introducing its first
new cartridge in 17 years—the 6.5-300
Weatherby Magnum, which embodies
everything Roy and his company was, is,
and will be. The new cartridge launches
a 127-grain Barnes LRX bullet at more
than 3,500 fps. It will still be traveling
at 2,000 fps and carrying more than
1,000 foot-pounds of energy at 800
yards. Sighted dead-on at 100 yards, it
will strike only 6 inches low at 300.
Weatherby developed the 6.5-300
by necking down the .300 Weatherby.
Interestingly, Roy Weatherby experi-
mented with the 6.5-300 a bit but
never brought it to market. We can
only speculate why, but in his time
6.5-caliber bullets capable of han-
dling the velocity this cartridge gen-
erates were non-existent. He also did
not have the propellants that we
have today.
In its 70th year, it looks like
Weatherby is in good hands. As Adam
says, “This is just the beginning.
Weatherby is going back to its roots.”
Grandpa’s legacy lives on.
(weatherby.com) —Richard Mann
The Legacy
The CTC LinQ system uses a
Bluetooth-like technology to
control a tactical light/laser on
the MSR’s accessory rail.
The Big Push Crimson Trace keeps pace by pushing the envelope by roberT SaDoWSKi
032 SHOT BUSINESS APRIL/MAY 2016 SHOT SHOW 2016
Pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) air rifles are
usually regarded as the top rank of airgun
technology because they are easy to shoot
well and often astonishingly accurate. For
that reason, all Olympic 10-meter match air
rifles, arguably among the planet’s most
accurate projectile launchers, are PCPs.
What distinguishes PCPs from other air
rifles is they have an on-board high-pressure
air reservoir that is charged from an external
tank or pump. As a result, PCPs are more con-
venient than pump-up air rifles and easier to
shoot accurately than break-barrel spring-
piston air rifles with their whiplash recoil.
It wasn’t long ago that you could expect to
spend $500 to $1,000 (and sometimes much,
much more) for a PCP air rifle. Then you add
in the cost of a scope, mounts, and charging
equipment. In recent years, however, the price
has been dropping. With the introduction of
the Benjamin Maximus (SRP: $199.99),
Crosman Corporation has changed the game,
bringing the cost of a PCP rifle into parity with
garden-variety break-barrel springers. The
Remington Outdoor Company (ROC) recently
announced it would phase out its Para USA pro-
duction line. For many in the industry, that move
raised the question, “What now?”
Remington acquired Para USA in 2012. At the
time, Para specialized in production of competition
high-capacity and double-action 1911-style pistols.
Its products have been popular because of a
double- stack line and wide range of calibers.
But when Remington moved into its new fire-
arms center in Alabama in 2014, the company also
began integrating the best features of the Para
line into its R-1 line. “Para was not afraid to expand
the breadth of caliber in a 1911, and we are looking
to do that as well,” says Daniel Cox, ROC’s senior
handgun product manager. He also says that the
company will expand into shorter and longer barrel
lengths with its R-1 line, as well as integrate mod-
els similar to the popular Para Warthog with its
3-inch barrel.
ROC has admitted that it has learned from its
mistakes and now has a clear plan to smoothly
integrate Para. This includes keeping popular Para
products, characteristics, and names while improv-
ing quality with state-of-the-art machining and
engineering in Huntsville. For Para customers (and
the retailers who work with these customers), ROC
will continue to support Para’s Lifetime Warranty.
(remington.com) —Barbara Baird
What Now?
Merchandising to Women
Women are entering the
shooting sports in steadily
growing numbers. But
this growth, while a good
trend for the overall health of the
industry, has also challenged retail-
ers, many of whom don’t know how
to successfully connect with this
emerging market. During the past
few years, the NSSF has been report-
ing on the explosion in the women’s
market for hunting and shooting,
and has offered various seminars at
past SHOT Shows on how to meet
the needs of women shooters. The
NSSF-sponsored “Merchandising to
Women Hunters” panel discussion
focused specifically on women who
hunt, because their needs are very
different from those of women who
target shoot and demand a more tai-
lored approach.
“Women who hunt require more
tools and gear than women who
shoot, and it’s important to discover
what works for the fastest-growing
demographic in the hunting mar-
ket, and to support the movement,”
said Barbara Baird, publisher of
“Women’s Outdoor News.”
Panelists included Judy Rhodes,
founder of DIVA WOW, an organi-
zation created to teach women to
shoot and hunt; Melissa Bachman,
host of the TV show Winchester
Deadly Passion; Tiffany Lakosky, co-
host of the TV show The Crush with
Lee & Tiffany; and Shannon Reaser,
co-host of the TV show The Outdoor
Option. These women have been in
the trenches, and the women’s
hunting movement has been built
on their shoulders. Topics included
store exteriors and interiors, mer-
chandising, staff hiring and training,
promotional ideas, special events
and seminars, and how to attract
more women to hunting.
The Women
Hunters panel
discussion
focused on
the needs of
women hunters.
Crosman
Changes
The Game
The Para brand is no
more, but some
features will migrate
to the R-1 1911 line.
033SHOT SHOW 2016 SHOT BUSINESS APRIL/MAY 2016
Word about Smith
& Wesson’s next-
generation SW22
Victory .22 LR
Target pistol dropped earlier
this year, and ever since,
shooters have been itching
to take it for a ride. The
S&W folks didn’t disappoint
at this year’s Industry Day at
the Range, with three con-
figurations of the striking
new pistol on hand to try.
The stainless semi-auto
.22 LR pistol comes stan-
dard with a 400 series
stainless- steel heat-treated
bolt, frame, slide, and bar-
rel, making it an inherently
durable firearm that is built
on a single-action, enclosed-
hammer-fired, blowback
design. The standard 5.5-
inch match-grade barrel has
a 1:15, six-groove, right-
hand twist.
The pistol comes with a
red fiber-optic front sight and
an adjustable green fiber-
optic rear sight. Another
standard feature is an adjust-
able trigger stop. The fire
controls are simple and laid
out intuitively, with a single-
sided thumb safety, slide stop,
and magazine release.
The lovely feeling tex-
tured grip panels have fin-
ger cuts that allow for easy
removal of the 10-round
magazines. But what makes
this pistol truly unique is
that shooters can change
barrels at will with just a
couple of Allen wrenches.
Jan Mladek, general man-
ager of the S&W brand,
broke the gun down and
changed barrels over and
over at the S&W Range
Day booth. Remove one
screw and the upper sepa-
rates from the lower, allow-
ing the bolt to be removed.
Take out a smaller screw
and the barrel easily lifts off
the upper to be swapped
out. Swapped for what, you
ask? Volquartsen is already
selling two barrels for the
Victory, both of which are
threaded for suppressors.
The first is a sleek
stainless- steel barrel specially
designed for the Victory with
Volquartsen’s i-fluting pat-
tern to reduce weight and
increase rigidity and heat dis-
sipation. A forward blowback
compensator and thread pro-
tector are also included.
The second barrel option
from Volquartsen is a light-
weight THM carbon-fiber
tension barrel that uses the
same tech as the company’s
fiber-tension rifle barrels,
providing shooters with
increased accuracy at a
much lighter weight than a
standard bull barrel. It also
comes threaded for a sup-
pressor. SRP: $215 each.
(volquartsen.com)
Now, back to the gun. A
target pistol obviously
needs a sighting system, and
S&W has thought of that as
well. The standard rear-
sight platform mounts on a
small but robust tab on the
top of the receiver with one
screw. Once the platform is
removed, an included light-
weight Picatinny rail section
mounts the same way, and
shooters can mount any
red-dot sight or scope they
choose. SRP: $409.
(smith-wesson.com)
Maximus, built in America, will be available in
.177 and .22 calibers. It has a maximum fill
pressure of 2,000 psi, can be charged with a
hand pump, and can deliver up to 30 shots per
fill. Crosman says it will deliver velocities of up
to 1,000 fps in .177 caliber and 900 fps in .22.
Jennifer Lambert, Crosman’s vice president
of marketing, says, “We think this gun will put
a huge grin on the faces of both customers
and dealers.” She adds that the Maximus has
been engineered to deliver a very attractive
margin. (crosman.com) The new Benjamin Maximus PCP rifle (avail-
able in .177 and .22) is being built in America.
The SW22
Victory ships
complete with
two 10-round
magazines.
S&W Unveils SW22 VictoryA new modular .22 pistol lets the user easily and quickly install custom barrels by DaViD MaCCar
034 SHOT BUSINESS APRIL/MAY 2016 SHOT SHOW 2016
PH
OT
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Since 1866,
Winchester has
been building a
thriving business on
a solid foundation of perfor-
mance, and more important,
innovation. Starting with
that first “Yellow Boy” rifle
chambered in .44 with a new
and improved tubular maga-
zine, wooden stock, and dis-
tinctive brass sideplates, the
company has been known as
a leader in firearms, and
later ammunition, concep-
tion, and design. Today, the
brand holds more than 2,000
patents related to firearms,
defining a legacy of brilliant
thinking in the arena of
design and manufacturing.
“The Winchester brand is
associated with some of the
most revered ammunition
and firearms products ever
introduced to the world,”
says Tom O’Keefe, president
of Winchester Ammun-
ition. “The company is
certainly built on its rich
heritage and support of
the shooting-sports indus-
try for more than 150
years, but we have clear-
ly set the industry stan-
dard over time in devel-
oping technology-driv-
en products. Innovation
keeps the Winchester
brand relevant, which is
critical to our success.”
That innovation-
driven success started
early on for the fledg-
ling firearms company.
After the Yellow Boy,
Winchester continued
to manufacture new
firearms, building on the
technology and designs of
both its in-house engineers
and legendary firearms
inventors such as John
Browning. In the last
decades of the 19th cen-
tury, Winchester intro-
duced such iconic rifles
as the Model 1873, built
for its proprietary
.44/40 Winchester
Center Fire cartridge,
the 1876, and the 1886,
designed by Browning.
Just before the turn of
the last century,
Winchester launched its
first commercially available
smokeless cartridge—the
.30 WCF, better known as
the .30/30. The round,
when combined with the
success of the lever-action
Winchester 1894, is thought
to be responsible for killing
more deer than any other
cartridge.
Although the develop-
ment of the lever-action
defines Winchester’s early
years, the company worked
on refining other actions as
well. In 1883, Winchester
launched its first bolt-action
rifle, the Winchester-
Hotchkiss Magazine Gun.
Seven years later, the com-
pany brought out a pump-
action, the Model 1890 .22
rimfire, firing the new .22
The .300 Win. Mag.,
based on the .375
H&H, remains a
popular option for
many long-range
big-game hunters.
Dubbed the Ma Deuce, the M2
Browning Machine Gun has been
adopted by military forces around
the world as an effective tool for
both land- and air-based warfare.
From Yellow Boy to Long BeardWinchester thrives on innovation by DaViD DraPer
035SHOT SHOW 2016 SHOT BUSINESS APRIL/MAY 2016
PH
OT
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Winchester Rim Fire car-
tridge. That round also
found a home in the
Winchester Model 1903, one
of the first autoloading rifles
to gain wide commercial
success.
The first half of the 20th
century marked major
design innovations through-
out the world of firearms
and ammunition, much of it
spurred by the need to arm
soldiers fighting in the glob-
al conflicts that define the
time period. During World
War I, Winchester armorers
redesigned the British
Enfield Number 14 rifle to
accommodate the .30/06
chambering, ultimately pro-
ducing more than 500,000
U.S. Model 1917 Enfield
rifles for U.S. troops.
John Browning worked
closely with Winchester,
finalizing the concept of the
now-legendary Browning
Automatic Rifle, known in
the trenches as the BAR.
Company engineers were
instrumental in honing
Browning’s design to
accommodate the mass pro-
duction needed to arm U.S.
troops, and the company
shipped nearly 50,000 of the
rifles overseas during WWI.
The year 1918 marked
another major collaborative
effort with Browning, as he
worked to develop a larger
caliber for anti-armor use
during the war, and a gun
to handle it. The end result
was the .50 BMG round and
its rifle, the M2 Browning
Machine Gun. Dubbed the
Ma Deuce, the M2 saw lim-
ited action toward the end
of the first world war, but
has since been adopted by
military around the world.
During World War II, the
Ma Deuce was joined on
the battlefield by another
Winchester innovation—
the M1 Carbine. The
compact carbine was
designed by Winchester
engineers, including
David Williams and
Edwin Pugsley, in just
13 days in response to a
request from the U.S.
Army Ordnance
department to develop
a smaller, lighter
weapon for mobile or
specialized units not
wanting to carry the
standard M1 Garand.
The new M1, cham-
bered in .30 Carbine,
weighed under 6
pounds with the load-
ed 15-round maga-
zine in place, and
measured less than 3 feet in
overall length. More than
six million of them saw
action during the conflict,
and they were used in
Korea and Vietnam before
being replaced by the M16
in the early 1960s.
While the Winchester
firearms division was hard
at work, the ammunition
side of the business was
just as eager to introduce
innovative new products for
both the warfighter and
sport shooter. In 1925, wild-
catters within the building
developed a necked-down
.30/06, designed for big-
game hunting. Though
that cartridge, the .270
Winchester, was slow
to catch on, it has since
become possibly the
most widely used hunt-
ing round today, thanks
in no small part to
another Winchester
product—the Model
70 Rifleman’s Rifle.
Other popular calibers
developed within
Winchester’s walls
include the .243
Winchester, the .300
Winchester Magnum, and
the short-action .308.
The 1960s saw innovation
within the shotshell division,
including the introduction
of the Mark 5 Shot Collar.
Though small in size, this
band of polyethylene
encompassing the shot made
big changes in the way shot-
shells performed. By carry-
ing the shot through the
barrel and keeping it togeth-
er past the muzzle, the Mark
5 created denser patterns
farther downrange, increas-
ing the effective distance.
More recently, Winchester
has taken that concept to a
whole new level with Shot-
Lok technology. Instead of
protecting the shot with a
cup, Shot-Lok encapsulates
it within a resin. This hard
cylinder of shot shatters on
ignition, creating a dense
layer of powder that pro-
tects the shot from deformi-
ty as it travels the length of
the barrel. First introduced
in the Long Beard XR tur-
key load, Shot-Lok technol-
ogy is now available in
Rooster XR upland loads
and will probably be seen in
other new shotshell itera-
tions in the near future. (winchester.com)
The .30/30 was one
reason the Model
1894 became so pop-
ular with hunters.
John Browning worked closely with Winchester, finalizing the concept of the now-legendary Browning
Automatic Rifle, known in the trenches as the BAR. The BAR saw action in both World War I and World War II.
036 SHOT BUSINESS APRIL/MAY 2016 SHOT SHOW 2016
“Our consumers are incredibly passionate
about their pursuits and their gear, and they
always want newer, better, more innovative
gear—as long as it maintains the core attri-
butes that made them so passionate about
that brand in the first place,” says Sean
O’Brien, marketing director for Muck Boots.
“Anytime we set out to bring new innova-
tions to market, we start by looking at the
core attributes we’re known for and ask our-
selves how we can make them better.”
It was this philosophy that led to the
development of the new Pursuit Shadow
Pull-On boots that Muck launched at SHOT
Show this year. Featuring the same attri-
butes that made the laced version such a
popular choice for hunters, the Pull-On ver-
sion adds the characteristic for which Muck
Boots have become known—their ability to
slide on and off quickly and easily.
Like the Pursuit Shadow Pull-Ons, all of
Muck’s new boots feature innovations that
were developed for different pursuits, but
each was also designed for one purpose.
“Our number-one mission is to perform
above our consumers’ expectations,” says
O’Brien. “We started the company in 1999 by
introducing a new construction into the
market that combined rubber and neoprene
to create a boot that was flexible and com-
fortable but 100 percent waterproof. Our
whole premise was that we wanted people
to have the freedom to be out all day, in any
kind of weather, and not ever have to think
about their feet.”
That profoundly simple concept has been
embraced by a wide variety of customers.
That in itself should not be so suprising; none
of us—whether you live in the mountains of
Alaska or along a bayou in Louisiana—like
cold, wet feet when we’re outdoors. (muck
bootcompany.com) —Christopher Cogley
Brand Loyalty
Bergara Unveils
The Woodsman
The Bergara
Woodsman fol-
lows the 2015
SHOT Show
unveiling of the compa-
ny’s first two offerings in
its B-14 Performance
Series of production-line
rifles: the synthetic-
stocked Hunter and the
Timber, featuring a more
traditional oil-finished,
Monte Carlo–style wal-
nut stock. The B-14’s
appeal isn’t hard to
understand: For less than
$1,000, it offers many of
the performance-enhanc-
ing features of Bergara’s
custom rifles selling for
three times that amount.
With the new Woods-
man, which made its
debut at the 2016 SHOT
Show, sportsmen whose
tastes gravitate toward
cleaner, more traditional
lines than those of the
Timber now can have
their cake and eat it, too.
“When we first intro-
duced the B-14, we had
quite a few dealers tell
us that a walnut stock in
the American style—
straight comb, no cheek-
piece—could be very
popular, so we copied
the design of the
Hunter’s synthetic
stock,” says CEO Dudley
McGarity. “At about a
half pound lighter than
the Timber, and with a
slimmer profile, it has a
completely different
appeal, doubling the
B-14’s potential sales to
those shooters who love
the look and feel of oil-
finished walnut.”
The guts of the B-14
are Bergara’s Spanish-
made 4140CrMo steel
barrels, renowned for
their accuracy, in part
due to a multi-stage hon-
ing process that produces
a mirror-smooth bore.
As with the Timber,
accuracy and stability are
enhanced with two met-
al-infused epoxy pillars
embedded in the walnut
stock to facilitate the
action screws. The free-
floating barrel and crisp-
breaking trigger further
ensure superb accuracy,
something I discovered
at the bench prior to
hunting with the rifle last
fall. Four shots produced
a half-MOA group with
Hornady 165-grain SST
ammo in .308.
Bergara’s Performance
action, which features a
two-lug bolt, coned bolt
nose and breech, and slid-
ing plate extractor, makes
the Woodsman one of
the smoothest-cycling
rifles I’ve experienced,
something I appreciated
more than I’d hoped
when a whitetail buck
suddenly appeared 180
yards away. SRP: $945.
(bergarausa.com)
—Bill Buckley
The author took this nice
Montana whitetail with the new
Bergara B-14 Woodsman bolt-
action hunting rifle.
Muck Boots
will deliver
both warmth
and comfort
in tough
conditions.
037SHOT SHOW 2016 SHOT BUSINESS APRIL/MAY 2016
Suppressor manufac-
turer SilencerCo
has a reputation for
thinking outside the
box. Now it appears to have
dropped the “box” concept
altogether, branching out
into many new directions
while still keeping true to its
core mission—making
shooting more hearing-
friendly. SilencerCo made a
big stir in 2014 when it
introduced its shotgun sup-
pressor, the Salvo 12, to the
consumer and hunting mar-
kets. Turns out, the compa-
ny was just getting started.
In the six months leading
up to the 2016 SHOT Show,
SilencerCo announced the
Maxim 9, an integrally sup-
pressed 9mm pistol; intro-
duced two new suppressors,
the Osprey Micro, which is
labeled as “the shortest, qui-
etest, and easiest-to-clean
rimfire silencer available,”
and the Hybrid, a suppres-
sor that is compatible with
pistols, rifles, and subma-
chine guns in calibers up to
.458 SOCOM and .45/70.
In addition, the company
launched its own separate
R&D facility, SilencerCo
Weapons Research (beyond
human.com), in Austin,
Texas, dedicated to develop-
ing and designing high-tech
shooting-sports products
that, says Darren Jones of
SilencerCo’s marketing
department, will be afford-
able to the average shooter.
“We are definitely not
moving away from what we
have done in the past and do
best, making what we
believe are the best suppres-
sors on the market today,”
he says. “But we looked at
the technical expertise we
have, and the creative team
we’ve assembled, and we
decided it was time to use
that talent to develop prod-
ucts that go beyond what
we’ve done with our sup-
pressors.”
The first new product
from SilencerCo Weapons
Research is the Radius, a
rail-mounted rangefinder
capable of ranging out to a
mile on a reflective target.
The Radius attaches to a
Picatinny rail, in any orien-
tation, and quickly tells a
shooter the range of his or
her intended target. I had a
chance to use the Radius on
a recent hunt and found it
to work exceptionally well.
No need for a separate
rangefinder. With your rifle
on the shoulder, you can
easily range out to your
intended target with the
rifle still in the shooting
position, so you are ready
to take that quick shot.
SilencerCo also has
entered into agreements
with various firearms mak-
ers and other outdoor-relat-
ed businesses to offer sup-
pressor/firearms packages
as well as SilencerCo-
branded products. It has
expanded its line of thread-
ed pistol barrels to include
the popular Glock 19 pistol,
too, and will offer a number
of other barrels in 2016.
(silencerco.com)
Way Outside the BoxSilencerCo moves past suppressors by brian MCCoMbie
At the Bonnier Outdoor Group
SHOT Show breakfast, SHOT
Business honored seven indus-
try leaders. The honorees were
Kittery Trading Post,
Independent Retailer of the
Year; Cabela’s, Chain Retailer
of the Year; Hornady, Company
of the Year; AcuSport,
Distributor of the Year; Tom
Milner, RSR, Sales
Representative of the Year;
Shoot Smart, Range of the
Year; and David Baron (shown,
right), Person of the Year.
2016
SHOT
Business
Awards
SilencerCo is expanding its product line to include the
Maxim 9, a 9mm semi-automatic pistol that comes with
an integrated suppressor.
038 SHOT BUSINESS APRIL/MAY 2016 SHOT SHOW 2016
Popsicles, swinging, and bend-
ing barrels. They’re all are
ingredients of Savage’s recipe
for accuracy. Savage makes the
most accurate affordable rifles, or per-
haps the most affordable accurate
rifles, in the industry. On a recent tour
of the plant in Westfield,
Massachusetts, I got a firsthand look at
how that accuracy is built in.
An un-airconditioned 1960s-era fac-
tory is a warm place on an August
afternoon, and the arrival of the
Popsicle cart that circulates the factory
floor is a welcome event.
Free Popsicles are one small way
Savage takes care of its workers, who
also receive performance bonuses
when the company exceeds its month-
ly production targets.
A motivated workforce makes better
rifles, especially on an assembly line
where, at times, there is no substitute
for skilled human eyes and hands. After
the final turning, every barrel is checked
by eye for straightness. The worker puts
the barrel into a jig, then peers down
the bore. If he doesn’t like what he sees,
he turns a crank, and the barrel flexes in
the jig and springs back. Only when the
barrel is deemed straight does it go on.
The completed barrel, receiver, and
bolt are then “swung,” which is the
process of fitting the receiver, barrel,
and bolt together to achieve a precise
headspace tolerance, which Savage
believes enhances accuracy. Swinging
the Savage way means performing that
step early in the production process,
then immediately separating the fitted
Affordable AccuracyThe secret to the success of Savage’s rifles is found on the factory floor by PhiL boUrJaiLy
The author at work at the
Savage factory, where he
learned firsthand the
process by which Savage
ensures the accuracy of
its rifles.
To see all four issues of
SHOT Daily in full, go to shot
business.com.
Read More Online
039SHOT SHOW 2016 SHOT BUSINESS APRIL/MAY 2016
The M1 Carbine was developed as an alterna-tive to the traditional sidearm during World War II, and it has remained a popular and sought-after firearm with shooting collectors and enthusiasts. The carbine was also used long after the war, including in a unique role in Vietnam, where field-modified versions were chopped down by U.S. advisors, Special Forces, and most notably the tunnel rats. This group opted for a compact version, as even full-length carbines still proved to be too long in such close quarters.
Originals of these cut-down versions are almost unheard of today, but now collectors
can get their hands on a modern version that is as close to the original as possible. Inland Manufacturing, which picked up the mantle of the original Inland Company, offered a modern take on the M1 Carbine last year, and now for 2016, the company has introduced the Advisor (SRP: $1,238), a .30-caliber pistol that is a legal chopped-and-shortened version of the classic carbine.
The Advisor is a compact 21 inches overall and features military-type sights and a low-wood walnut stock. The 12-inch barrel is topped off with a military-style flash hider. The barrel thread is ½ x 28, allowing it to be used with a properly registered aftermarket sound suppressor.
Again, the key was not to create a fantasy piece but to produce replicas that are as close as possible to those original M1 Carbines that were cut down for specific jobs in country.
“The Advisor is a historically accurate fire-arm,” says Charles Brown, president of MKS Supply LLC, which is marketing the firearm. “It is like holding history in your hands.” This slimmed-down version, which weighs 4.5 pounds, is thus officially a pistol. It comes
with a military-style cloth sling and one 15-round magazine. It can also accommo-date original M1 Carbine 10- and 30-round military magazines. (mkssupply.com)
—Peter Suciu
A Bit of Historybarrel/receiver from the bolt for
bead blasting and black oxiding
before reuniting each matched set.
It’s a headache for the process engi-
neer, whose job is to make the line
run efficiently.
“I come from the world of tool
manufacturing,” he told me. “I
argued against this step, but manage-
ment said no—this is how we make
accurate rifles. So we do it this way.”
Savage Packaged Rifles
After the assembly stage, many of
the rifles go to one last step—scope
mounting and bore sighting—before
they’re proofed, function-tested, and
packaged. Between 50 and 70 percent
of the roughly 2,000 rifles that come
off the line every day are scoped and
sold as packages. It’s a trend driven
by new shooters, who want an inex-
pensive rifle they can take out of the
box and go straight to the range.
I did the assembly on a Trophy
Hunter, which is the top-of-the-line
of Savage’s three packaged center-
fires. The Trophy Hunter is the same
basic Model 11/16 upon which
Savage built its reputation for accura-
cy, though it comes without the rigid,
aluminum-reinforced AccuStock of
the regular Savage rifles. Available in
long and short actions, it’s topped
with a 3–9x40mm Nikon scope.
The other two centerfires Savage
sells as a package are based on the
Axis rifles. Designed as Savage’s bud-
get rifle, the Axis has a different stock
design and has been simplified so that
it goes together quickly on the line.
The Axis II, the higher-grade rifle,
comes with Savage’s innovative
AccuTrigger and a Weaver Kaspa
scope. The entry-level Axis package
lacks the AccuTrigger, comes with a
Bushnell scope, and sells for as little
as $400.
When you compare Savages against
other brands, the AccuTrigger found
on all but the base model Axis is a
great selling point. A brilliant engi-
neering solution to the heavy “lawyer
triggers” found on many rifles, the
AccuTrigger is very safe, yet it can be
easily and safely adjusted by the user
to give an excellent pull. (savage
arms.com)
A couple of years ago, Savage introduced a
modernized version of its old Model 24 O/U
combination shotgun/rifle. They called the plas-
tic-stocked gun the Model 42. It combines a .22
LR or .22 WMR barrel with a .410, and the result
makes a handy camp or survival gun, just as the
originals did. Now the 42 comes in a takedown
model. I was able to look at one when I visited
the factory. Push a button, slide the forend for-
ward, and the gun comes apart at the hingepin.
It snaps back together instantly. It’s a gun you
can pack anywhere (it comes with a carry bag),
and still sells for the same price: $485.
Model
42
Takedown
The Savage
Model 42
Takedown is a
contemporary
take on the old
Model 24 combo. The Advisor is a .30-caliber pistol
that is a legal chopped-and-
shortened version of the historic
M1 Carbine.
040 SHOT BUSINESS APRIL/MAY 2016 SHOT SHOW 2016
When David
Miles,
Mossberg’s
marketing
director, decided to
upgrade the 930 auto-
loader line, he knew he
didn’t have the reinvent
the wheel. But what he
did next was a leap of
faith. Rather than tweak
an existing product, he
decided to consult with
a shotgun instructor
with fervent ideas about
how to help shooters
become better shots.
Gil Ash and his wife,
Vicki, are the propri-
etors of OSP (Optimum
Shotgun Performance)
School. Both are NSCA
Level III certified, so
they are eminently qual-
ified to judge shotgun
design.
Which leads us to the
new Mossberg 930 Pro-
Series Sporting, which
made its debut at the
2016 SHOT Show. I had
an opportunity to shoot
with Miles and the
Ashes last fall with pre-
production prototypes
and learn firsthand
about some of the qual-
ities that make this
shotgun so special.
This shotgun comes
in one model: a 3-inch
12-gauge with a walnut
stock, a 28-inch ported
barrel, an engraved
Cerakote receiver, a bev-
eled loading gate, and
Briley extended chokes
(IC, Mod, and Skeet).
The trigger is crisp, with
virtually no creep.
The real story, how-
ever, is found aft of the
receiver. The comb is
very narrow at the
front. At the same time,
it’s not very wide at the
back. This is done
because, according to
Gil, the most important
part of these dimensions
is where the gun touches
a shooter’s face. “That’s
at the midpoint in the
comb. This comb is very
narrow, and at the same
time it has a lot of drop.
“The narrower the
comb, the less cast you
need; the lower the
comb, the less cast you
need. It will fit a right-
handed or left-handed
shooter equally well
because of the design.”
In other words, cast is
no longer an issue. Have
your customers mount
the gun in the store.
They’ll instantly see
what he’s talking about.
They’ll also like the
Prince of Wales Grip.
SRP: $1,084.
(mossberg.com)
Leap of FaithMossberg’s new sporting clays shotgun uses a radical idea by SLaTon L. WHiTe
Right- and left-handed shooters can shoot the 930 Pro-Series
Sporting equally well because of the drop in the stock and the
narrow comb.
“Bad data is worse than no data,” said Jim
Curcuruto, NSSF’s Director of Industry Research
and Analysis, at the end of Market Research
101, a seminar that capped off SHOT Show
University. The presentation, co-hosted by Rob
Southwick and Nancy Bacon of Southwick
Associates, covered the basics of market
research for retailers, manufacturers, and
range operators.
The session began with an overview of the
various industry data indicators—existing
information that has been consolidated by
NSSF for use by its members. But Bacon also
covered common crafting pitfalls when it
comes to conducting your own market
research. Be sure to ask one question at a time,
avoid leading words, and don’t use vague or
relative terms. Most of all, said Bacon, “Don’t
let them say ‘It depends.’ If your respondents
can answer that way, you haven’t posed your
question properly.”
Southwick discussed the times when you
want to engage a professional researcher.
Doing research on your own is fine for simple
information, but for more complex questions
(or when there are high stakes hinging on the
results), it’s best to engage a professional
research firm; NSSF works with a variety of
researchers and can recommend one that
suits the information you need. Southwick
Associates also conducts an annual omnibus
survey incorporating specialized and confi-
dential questions from a variety of companies
in the industry. This survey generally closes in
March; contact Nancy Bacon at Nancy@
SouthwickAssociates.com for more informa-
tion for next year.
Market research can help you identify what
your customers value about your brand, but
perhaps more important is what you can find
out about people who aren’t your customers.
After all, that’s where your business has the
most potential for growth. —Robert F. Staeger
Targeted Inquiry
041SHOT SHOW 2016 SHOT BUSINESS APRIL/MAY 2016
For years now,
Browning has offered
hunters branded
apparel within cer-
tain “families” of product
lines. Think of Hydro-Fleece,
Browning’s first foray into
technical outdoor clothing. It
gave hunters a quiet combi-
nation of waterproof, wind-
proof, and breathable protec-
tion. Launched in 1993, and
offered in many variations,
Hydro-Fleece soon became
the popular choice for many
bow and gun hunters.
More recently, Browning
introduced its Hell’s Canyon
line of apparel for men and
Hell’s Bells for women, both
versions aimed squarely at
the big-game hunting mar-
ket. The line offers hunters
everything from base layers
and raingear to scent-
control clothing, all in the
distinctive Hell’s Canyon
pattern. For 2016, Browning
has gone a step further with
its new Hell’s Canyon Speed
line, incorporating a new,
proprietary ATACS camou-
flage pattern into a full slate
of outdoor clothing.
Concurrently, Browning
has introduced a centerfire
rifle decked out in the same
camo pattern—the X-Bolt
Hell’s Canyon Speed. It’s
even jumped into the ammu-
nition market, producing
centerfire rifle and handgun
rounds as well as rimfire and
shotgun ammunition.
“We think this new ‘sub-
family’ marketing approach
will be a real help to retail-
ers,” says Rafe Nielsen,
Browning’s communica-
tions manager. “When cus-
tomers see the new Hell’s
Canyon Speed line, they
will see that they can buy
everything in that line from
base layers to four-in-one
parkas, and even a rifle in
the same camo pattern. And
they will be able to buy all
of it at the same store.”
Judging by the snug fit,
the Speed line clearly has
been designed for the more
athletic, more adventurous
hunter. The products range
from base layers (SRP: $59 to
$99) and lightweight and
midweight jackets and pants
(SRP: $99 to $189) to insulat-
ed and rainwear items at
price points of $229 to $279.
Gloves, hats, and other acces-
sories will also be offered in
the Speed ATACS pattern.
I had a chance to try out
the new Speed clothing on a
deer hunt last fall, where it
performed well in varying
weather conditions. The
ATACS pattern itself will be
available in two versions: in
the AU or arid pattern, a
great choice for hunters in
the West (the pattern I used),
and the FG or foliage/green
pattern, for those hunting
east of the Mississippi River.
The hunt also gave me
the opportunity to evaluate
the X-Bolt Speed rifle and
the new Browning center-
fire ammunition. The light-
weight X-Bolt Hell’s Canyon
Speed rifle is built on the
popular Browning X-Bolt
platform, with some signifi-
cant upgrades. The rugged
composite stock is done in
the Speed AU pattern, while
the fluted barrel, receiver,
and bolt are Cerakoted in
Burnt Bronze. The rifle will
be chambered in standard
calibers from .243 to .300
Win. Mag., including 6.5
Creedmoor and .26 Nosler.
The rifle looks cool; more
important, it’s a shooter.
Once my rifle, chambered in
.30/06, was sighted in, my
first three-shot group mea-
sured under one inch at 100
yards. I really liked the
60-degree bolt lift, too. It
kept my thumb and fingers
clear of the scope when
cycling the action and
allowed me to chamber a
new round quickly and easi-
ly (SRP: $1,200).
Throughout my time at
the range and in the field, I
used Browning’s new BXR
Rapid Expansion ammuni-
tion, made with a special
matrix tip of copper and
polymer. Designed specifi-
cally for deer hunting, this
particular round’s matrix tip
disintegrates once it is an
inch to an inch and a half
into the deer, at which point
the deep hollowpoint
begins its rapid expansion.
I took a 200-pound muley
at about 120 yards. The sin-
gle shoulder shot flattened
the deer where it stood.
The other hunters in camp
also killed their deer
(muleys or whitetails) with
single shots. The wounds I
saw when the animals were
field dressed revealed mas-
sive energy transfer and
extensive trauma. (browning.com)
The author with a deer taken while using Browning’s
X-Bolt Hell’s Canyon Speed rifle and the company’s
new Browning-branded centerfire ammo.
Triple PlayBrowning’s new camo, rifle, and ammo are designed to keep a hunter in the “family” by brian mccombie
042 SHOT BUSINESS APRIL/MAY 2016 SHOT SHOW 2016
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 explod-
ing across the landscape, people are
colliding with wildlife.
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 is
the answer. Depending upon the
jurisdiction and the species, however,
it can be flatly illegal to relocate an
animal. Sometimes there is a sub-
stantial breeding population in the
area, so that relocating one individual
animal becomes a symbolic but ulti-
mately useless act. And sometimes
lethal removal of the wildlife is the
only sensible answer.
That’s where big-bore airguns—
air rifles of .30- to .50-caliber—come
in. Chip Hunnicutt, marketing man-
ager 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.”
Big-bore airguns also present an
opportunity for firearms dealers
because they provide a solution for
wildlife control in many venues
where discharging firearms is forbid-
den. A number of states have
approved, or are in the process of
approving, the use of large-caliber
airguns for harvesting deer. In addi-
tion, airguns often offer greater prof-
it margins than 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.”
Barry Stewart, a rancher with in-
depth 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 1.25-
inch accuracy at 100 yards with a
Benjamin Bulldog, and it makes just
as humane a kill as a firearm.”
Hunnicutt attended the
Association of Fish and Wildlife
Agencies annual meeting in Tucson
last fall and found wildlife managers
advocating the use of large-bore air-
guns for a number of applications.
“There is a lot of potential in this
market,” he says. 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 can cause other prob-
lems 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 selec-
tion not only to the targeted wildlife,
but also to the shooting conditions
at hand.
Three things are clear: the inci-
dence of conflicts between wildlife
and people is likely to grow; big-
bore airguns can play an important
role in helping to deal with the prob-
lem; and large-caliber airguns pres-
ent an opportunity for dealers to sell
air rifles, ammunition, scopes,
mounts, rangefinders, and other
accessories that can add handsomely
to the bottom line. (crosman.com)
Big Problem, Big SolutionBig-bore airguns are just the ticket for nuisance wildlife control by JoCk eLLiott
This coyote was taken with a Benjamin Bulldog bolt-action .357
PCP airgun. A baffle-less SoundTrap shroud acts as a suppres-
sor to lower noise levels. The rifle also has an easy-to-load
five-shot magazine.
facebook/tcarmsco instagram/tcarmscotwitter/tcarmsco
#TCCOMPASS
www.TCARMS.com
FOLLOW YOUR
youtube/tcarmsco
044 SHOT BUSINESS APRIL/MAY 2016 SHOT SHOW 2016
Ten years ago, a team of four
U.S. Navy SEALs was inserted
into the Hindu Kush to put eyes
on a known terrorist. Of those
four men, three were killed, and one of
those three was Petty Officer Second
Class (SEAL) Matthew “Axe” Axelson.
Axe fought valiantly—he was a true
warrior, and he made the ultimate sac-
rifice to protect his military brothers. In
the wake of his death, his brother by
birth, Jeff Axelson, grappled with a
decision he’d hoped to never face: how
best to honor his brother’s memory. In
the end, it was simple, really. Jeff would
turn one of his brother’s passions into
something tangible, something every-
one could participate in. And that’s
Never Quit. Never SurrenderAxelson Tactical was founded to honor the memory of a fallen warrior by katie ainsworth
Former SEAL Ron
Bellan with Axelson
rifles. The line
includes the Warrior
Series Precision, The
Combat Series, and
The Signature Series.
www.LymanProducts.com
All clean.No mess.The Cyclone Rotary Tumbler is fast, effective,
and hands-down delivers the best results of
any brass cleaning method.
The included steel pin media and cleaning
solution make quick work of stubborn tarnish
and grit. Steel media is virtually indestructible,
ready for reuse, and perfectly sized to reach
every contour of every casing.
The Cyclone also includes our patent-pending,
dual pan sifting system. This revolutionary
sifting technology separates casings, media
pins, and cleaning solution simultaneously,
greatly decreasing clean up time.
So you’ll get more brilliant brass, more
quickly – with a whole lot less mess.
045SHOT SHOW 2016 SHOT BUSINESS APRIL/MAY 2016
how Axelson Tactical was born.
First came the commemorative AXE
Special Purpose Rifle, chambered in
.223 Remington and engraved with a
trident. Only 100 AXE rifles were man-
ufactured, and it wasn’t long before Jeff
and his team—which is heavily staffed
by military veterans—knew it was time
for a complete line of firearms. Axelson
Tactical has now opened production
with a trifecta of rifles, one for each
prong of Poseidon’s Trident: the
Warrior, Signature, and Combat Series.
Warrior Series Precision rifles are
chambered in 5.56 NATO; Warrior
Precision I and II rifles are chambered
in .223 Wylde. All have a 16-inch barrel
with a 1:8 twist, topped with muzzle
brakes. The Precision gets the Axelson
Tactical Talon muzzle brake, and the I
and II are fitted with the BattleComp
1.0 muzzle brake. There are eight
Cerakote options, ranging from Desert
to Battleworn. SRP: starts at $1,949.
Combat Series rifles come cham-
bered in 5.56 NATO, .300 BLK, .308
Win., and 9mm. In addition to the rifles
that come with a Faxon chrome-lined
16-inch barrel, this series also includes
SBR and pistol options. Features on
Combat guns include Axelson Tactical
BCGs and muzzle brakes. Cerakote
options (10 in all) vary by rifle and
include Kryptek Banshee and Multicam
Black (SRP: starts at $1,249).
The Signature Series currently con-
sists of one rifle, the Reaper01 AR-10.
This rifle is the creation of former
SEAL and current professional hunter
Ron Bellan. The Reaper01 is cham-
bered in .308 Win. and has a 16-inch
Proof Research barrel with a 1:10
twist. It features a Geissele Automatics
SSA-E trigger, an adjustable low-pro-
file .825 gas block, and an Axelson
Tactical Talon muzzle brake. The
Cerakote finish is Desert Camo (SRP:
$3,849).
Back when Axe was still in BUD/S,
he had a rare weekend of leave and
shared a beer with his brother. In a seri-
ous moment, he posed this question to
Jeff: “Do you think you would have the
courage to risk your life to save a
friend?” Just a few short years later,
Axe’s question became his reality, and
the answer was a resounding “Yes.”
Jeff Axelson says, “In the heat of bat-
tle, your thoughts should be focused on
the fight ahead and protecting those
around you, not on your gear.
Trustworthy gear is absolutely vital.
Never quit. Never surrender.”
(axelsontactical.com)
To see all four issues of
SHOT Daily in full, go to shot
business.com.
Read More Online
G U N C O M P A N Y
ITHACA
The New Ithaca Hunting Rifle
46 ❚ SHOT BUSINESS ❚ APRIL/MAY 2016
B Y R I C H A R D M A N NG O O D S T U F F
Hunters spend more time carrying a rifle than shooting it, but the ideal rifle sling should make both jobs easier. Growing up hunting in West Virginia, we didn’t watch bean fields or sit in cozy blinds. We walked far, climbed mountains, forded creeks, and crawled over and under things. I realized early on the importance of a carry sling, but I struggled to find one that would keep my rifle on my shoulder.
In the military and as a dedi-
cated police marksman I
learned a sling could enhance
shooter steadiness, but just
wrapping it around your sup-
port arm only keeps it from
swaying under the rifle. To real-
ly “sling up,” a purpose-built
sling is required. None of those
provide comfortable carry.
The Prototype➤ I decided to make my own
that would serve both purpos-
es. Using the backwoods inge-
nuity I learned from Grandpa,
I cobbled together a functional
carrying and shooting sling.
During a trip to Gunsite
Academy, I showed it to Mike
Barham of Galco Gunleather
and urged him to consider its
utility. A few weeks later he
asked if Galco could borrow
my sling and tinker with it.
Given Galco’s reputation for
quality gear, I was excited this
might lead to more than just a
hillbilly-engineered strap.
Soon Galco sent a sample,
much better assembled than
the contraption I’d concocted,
and asked what I wanted for
the idea. I suggested rifle slings
for life. They foolishly accept-
ed, I assume because they had
no idea how many rifles I own.
Galco sort of named the new
strap after me, and the
RifleMann sling was intro-
duced at the 2016 SHOT Show.
A Carry Sling➤ There are essentially four
methods for using a sling to
carry a hunting rifle. American
Carry is where the rifle is sup-
ported muzzle up on the left or
right shoulder. The RifleMann
sling assists with this method
because a thick, suede-lined
patch helps to hold it in place.
With European Carry, the rifle
is braced in front of the body
by the support hand, sling on
the support shoulder. It might
be best described as reverse
American Carry, and the pad-
ded section on my sling again
helps with comfort and security.
African Carry, where the
rifle is supported muzzle down
on the non-shooting side, is
also popular. The RifleMann
sling keeps the rifle in place
when carrying in this manner,
too. Cross-Body Carry might
be the most useful because it
keeps both hands free. The
RifleMann sling works well in
this application because its
quick-adjust feature lets you
cinch it tight, preventing wob-
ble while dragging a deer or
negotiating rough terrain.
A Shooting Sling➤ There are two ways to use a
sling for shooting support. You
can use the loop-method
(Ching-style) on your support
arm or use a quick-adjust snip-
er/triceps technique on your
shooting arm. When shooting
with forward rifle support or
support for your shooting
arm, the sniper method gener-
ally works best. If you can
brace your support arm, the
Ching method can be just as
effective. The RifleMann sling
has an extra strap adjacent to
the wide padded section to
allow for Ching-like shooting
support. Its quick-adjusting
feature enables utilization of
the sniper technique.
“Using the triceps part of the
sling, you can keep yourself
very low and put only a mini-
mal amount of yourself above
cover/concealment, and still
have that super stable shooting
platform,” says Jill Willert, a
Galco R&D engineer. “When
resting on something or using
cover in a blind, I think the tri-
ceps [sniper technique] wins out
over more conventional slings.”
Most important, the solid and
tight sniper technique greatly
enhances off hand shooting.
Affordable and Practical➤ Because Galco currently
manufactures the Safari Ching
Sling, I knew company person-
nel could improve on my
design. They did, and now
shooters have one sling that
will help them carry and shoot
their rifle better. SRP: $49.95.
(galcogunleather.com)
A Better IdeaGalco’s Rifl eMann sling off ers better
carrying and better shooting
From prototype to
finished SKU, this is
a product designed
by shooters for
shooters.
N e w f o r 2 0 1 6
BROWNINGAMMO.COM
©2015 BROWNING AMMUNITION
48 ❚ SHOT BUSINESS ❚ APRIL/MAY 2016
W H AT ’ S S E L L I N G W H E R E
WABig J’s Outdoor
Sports, Orting Sitting just out-
side Tacoma, this 13,000-square-
foot general outdoor sporting
goods store sent four staff mem-
bers to SHOT Show. Soft goods
and training at SHOT University
were the priorities for two of the
staff members. “The training is so
informative. As an office manager, I
learned more than I could ever have
imagined,” said office manager/
buyer Sandy Birkeland.
Ladies shooting accessories
topped the list, with purchases at
Can Can Concealment and
Flashbang Holsters. Other added
lines included Wiley-X eyewear.
Stops at SIG, Smith, and Daniel
Defense were added to the four full
days spent at the show.
Birkeland said her pedometer
recorded 12.5 miles in a single day.
COTimberdale Firearms
Company, Bayfield This
small, rural independent is located
in southwest Colorado, just outside
of Durango. It stocks fewer than
200 guns. Handguns were the prior-
ity at the show for this retailer. The
owner completed most of his new-
product viewing within the first two
days. “I try to cover a lot of ground
early in the show. Once the crowd
swells, communicating with ven-
dors in the larger booths is a real
challenge,” said owner Jim Tencza.
Smith and Glock had this retailer
busy during the first morning;
Taurus was the focus much of the
afternoon. Tencza mentioned that
meeting with distributors is always
a priority while in Vegas. “We are a
very small shop, and I actually got
to meet my Davidson sales guy. It
may not sound like a big deal, but it
can make a big difference.” Other
distributor meetings included RSR
and Sports South.
CAPhelan Gun Range, Phelan
After having attended SHOT for the
first time, this central California
gun range and retail store will open
its doors in late 2016 with eight
lanes and more 1,500 square feet
of retail and classroom space.
Buying range equipment and fire-
arms was this group’s collective
goal. “I really have no idea where
else we could have gone to receive
the range information along with
the purchase power that SHOT
gives us,” said buyer Tim Davis.
Action Target was a key stop.
“We really found much of what we
needed there, and their experience
has guided us through the range-
construction process,” said Davis.
ILTop Shot Academy,
Hoffman Estates With two
employees, this established shoot-
ing and training company was at
SHOT Show to purchase new prod-
uct for a range they are planning to
open in the city of Chicago.
Reloading, target, and handgun
manufacturers were the priority for
this team, but one must-stop-by
booth was the H&K to view the
VP9 in .40 caliber. Other stops
included Dillon Press, Next Level
Training, Century Arms, and Action
Targets.
“You can only imagine the pit-
falls facing a small company like
ours opening a retail shooting and
training facility in Chicago. The
combination of information, such
as that we received at the NSSF’s
SHOT University and other retail
seminars, will allow our company
to grow successfully and soundly,”
said owner Chip Eberhart.
MIThe Lead Shed, Jackson This
8,500-square-foot range and retail
store will be opening this summer,
so attending SHOT was a must.
Looking for information and range
equipment absorbed most of this
storeowner’s time, though he found
time to attend SHOT University. “I
have no idea where else I could
have gotten all the information on
both product and purchasing in one
place. The classes gave me confi-
dence that there are systems in
place for my company to have a
strong business model,” said owner
Kenneth Brindle.
Writing orders at Action Target
and MGM Targets was a large part
of the trip.
“These range manufacturers had
resources that made my trip worth
every penny I spent,” said Brindle.
WIT&L Tactical, Manitowoc
This small, family-run northeastern
Wisconsin shop stocks a large
number of accessories as well as
100 guns in 400 square feet. It sent
two employees to the SHOT Show.
The staff attended SHOT with the
goal of finding inventory for women
shooters.
“There was an amazing amount
of new product for women at this
year’s show. I would also say that it
kept us so busy that we didn’t
make it to many of the major fire-
arms manufacturers,” said co-
owner Laurie Fettig.
Some of the booths that
received attention included Gun
Tote’n Momas, Sticky Holsters, and
Concealed Carrie.
West
Midwest
APRIL/MAY 2016 ❚ SHOT BUSINESS ❚ 49
B Y P E T E R B . M AT H I E S E N
SCPalmetto State Armory,
Columbia This large indepen-
dent has five retail outlets as well
as online distribution. It sent more
than 16 employees to SHOT. When
it comes to the gun buyer’s respon-
sibilities, it’s all about the details.
“The goal is to always find some-
thing new, but it’s just as important
to sustain relationships with ven-
dors you work with every day,” said
buyer Jason Dickey.
One of the products that caught
this buyer’s eye was SIG’s reintro-
duction of the P210. “This is a great
example of a classic product that
will be available to the U.S. market
through SIG’s U.S. facility. We
expect it to sell well this year,” he
said.
Another important stop included
significant time at the Vista
Outdoor booth.
GAClyde Armory, Athens With two
retail locations to supply, this
retailer specializes in both home-
protection and law-enforcement
firearms. One location includes a
25,000-square-foot facility that is
actually built as a stone-and-
blockhouse armory with turrets
and a moat. The company sent
three out of 30 employees to
Vegas.
“Covering ground with our best
manufacturers is an absolute pri-
ority. We go to SHOT to learn and
connect,” said owner/CEO Andrew
Clyde. While at the show, this
retailer received the Law
Enforcement Retailer of the Year
Award from both Colt and Daniel
Defense.
A visit also was made to Magtech
to view the new .300 Blackout
ammo. Other stops included a
relentless search for .22 Mag.
ammo at Federal and Hornady.
LAThe Shooter’s Club, Harahan
With plans to open the company’s
third range facility this summer,
attending Vegas was an imperative.
As a result, this retailer sent three
of its 10 employees to the show.
Handgun orders were written at
F&N, Glock, and Ruger.
A large order was placed to trial
Ruger’s new PolyCase ARX ammu-
nition. “It takes careful coordination
from our staff to do everything we
need to get done at SHOT. It’s fun,
but we have to be on our game,”
said assistant manager Devvin
Burgess. With a new range under
construction that will offer the abil-
ity to shoot full-auto tactical equip-
ment, this retailer looked to Action
Target to supply the entire facility.
PAThe Sportsman’s
Shop, East Earl Located in
eastern Pennsylvania between
Lancaster and Philadelphia, this
retailer expanded into a new
25,000-square-foot facility in 2015
that includes education training
rooms and an indoor range. The
show was attended by two people.
Training and developing relation-
ships with vendors that supply
indoor range equipment were high
priorities.
“We split class training responsi-
bilities between us, while all booths
were attended by both my wife and
me,” said general manager Anthony
Keffer. Ladies shooting products
across the board were also a high-
demand segment. Even after
attending three distributor shows
for the season, Keffer said, SHOT is
a can’t-miss event for this store.
MAPullman Arms,
Worcester This dealer, which
specializes in tactical and police
firearms, offers extensive firearms
training. The retailer is located in
east-central Massachusetts and
has 1,300 square feet of floor
space and more than 800 firearms
in stock. Four of its eight employ-
ees went to Vegas.
Finding a way to add a shooting
range was this store’s major 2016
goal. “While we have impressive
product turns, we know that an
indoor shooting range would
improve them. However, our store’s
small footprint just makes that
impossible, so we spent much of
our time looking at portable rang-
es,” said co-owner Alicia Merritt.
One of the companies visited
was Shooting Range Industries,
which offers modular, self-
contained, state-of-the-art shoot-
ing trailers that can be set up in a
retailer’s parking lot.
NHGun & Sport North, Salem
This small independent shop is
located in southern New
Hampshire. It sports 1,500 square
feet of retail floor space with an
average inventory of 300 firearms.
The store sent one employee to
Vegas. This retailer uses a top 10
strategy to work the show floor. “I
go to SHOT knowing what my top
10 SKUs are. I make an effort to
talk to those specific vendors and
to identify the accessories that will
best fit those SKUs first,” said
owner Tony Forgetta.
Forgetta mentioned that in addi-
tion to attending SHOT University,
he spent several hours in the ATF
and NICS classes.
South
East
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HHS I I
(G33 / EXPS2-2 )©2015, L-3 EOTechAn Company
Ozonics Hunting➤ Ozonics makes the first and only in-the-
field ozone generator designed to blanket
human scent with scent-destroying ozone.
Unlike any other scent-control product,
Ozonics units continuously deal with the
scent in your hunting area by projecting
altered scent molecules that are undetect-
able by deer and other scent-savvy game.
The new HR-300 is the result of more
than five years of field research and product
development. Designed using end-user
feedback, the HR-300 delivers a 45 percent
increase in ozone production over its prede-
cessor, the HR-200. The new design utilizes
a revamped housing and re-engineered
internal components. The new ergonomic
construction is also easier to handle and has
an improved user interface, with intuitive
controls designed for easy use with gloves
in the dark. The HR-300 also comes with
Integrated Pulse Technology, which is a
proprietary technology that balances time,
airflow, and ozone concentration to effec-
tively ensure the right amount of oxidant
needed to deodorize you and your gear.
SRP: $599.99. (ozonicshunting.com)
Edgecraft➤ Chef ’sChoice’s Sportsman Diamond
Hone Knife Sharpener Xtreme 317 was
developed to sharpen virtually any knife,
including hunting, pocket, and tactical
knives. By eliminating any guesswork, it
ensures uniformly sharp edges from tip
to bolster on even the thickest or heaviest
of knives. Two sharpening stages allow
the Xtreme 317 to apply a strong and
durable double-bevel arch-shaped edge.
COMING SOON.
FOR SMITH & WESSON M&P SHIELD
Laserguard® Pro™ is taking Standard Equipment to
the next level. Combining a Red Laser Sight and
150-Lumen LED White Light with Crimson Trace
patented Instinctive Activation™.
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Wholesalers & Distributors
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N E W P R O D U C T S
The new HR-300 from Ozonics utilizes a revamped housing and re-
engineered internal components to deliver a 45 percent increase in ozone
production over its predecessor, the HR-200.
(Continued from page 54)
The Xtreme 317 sharpener works on a
broad range of knife types.
SRP: $99.99. (chefschoice.com)
Lowa
➤ Lowa’s popular Innox GTX Mid hiker
boot is now available in digital camo, mak-
ing the boot the company’s first camou-
flage product for U.S. distribution. The
lightweight hiker is ideal for stalking and
early-season hunts. A featherlight synthetic
upper provides supportive comfort, while
Lowa’s injected PU sole technology and
Monowrap construction deliver outstand-
ing support and stability. A waterproof and
breathable Gore-Tex lining keeps feet cool
and dry. The NXT sole is sticky enough for
rocks and metal grates, even when it’s wet.
SRP: $220. (lowaboots.com)
Helle
➤ Years ago, the Helle design team and
survival expert Les Stroud came together
to create a practical knife. An all-round
bestseller, the Helle Temagami continues
to attract accolades and praise for its sim-
ple, beautiful design. Building on this
respect for both quality and function, ini-
tial designs for the new
Mândra (pronounded
MON-dra) knife were con-
ceptualized over several
months. Only then were
prototypes hand-made at
the Helle factory in Norway
and sent to Stroud in
Romania for extensive field-
testing. This approach of
researching, prototyping,
field-testing and refinement
constitutes the backbone
and development of the Helle knife-
building philosophy.
The result is a full-tang knife with a
blade of triple-laminated stainless steel
and a handle made of curly birch. The
knife comes with a leather sheath. SRP:
$209. (helle.no)
Moultrie
➤ You don’t need to go into
the field to get data from a
Moultrie game camera. You
can remotely operate the
camera and view images
from your truck, couch, or
stand with any mobile
device. The MV1 Field
Modem is compatible with
multiple models of Moultrie
cameras, including most of
2015’s models. When the
images are captured, the
hunter is notified through text, email, or
via the free iOS or Android mobile app.
Hunters can organize, analyze, and share
socially in an instant. Monthly plans
require no contract, no commitment, no
activation fee, and no cancellation fees.
SRP: $199. (moultrie feeders.com)
Lethal Lace
➤ Made from high-quality stretch lace, the
universal Lethal Lace holster is a versatile
concealed-carry solution for women who
wear a variety of outfits that would other-
wise be ill-suited for carry. The holster
pocket can be placed anywhere on the body
(ankle, calf, thigh, hips, waist, chest, or
under the arm), and then the fabric is
pulled around several times to secure and
conceal the firearm—each wrap pressing
the handgun closer to the body comfort-
ably and securely. Fits both large and small
handguns, and also includes an extra pocket
for other items, such as a permit, ID, a
knife, or a set of keys.
Lethal Lace is also introducing Lethal-
Ace, a holster for men that functions the
same way, but made of spandex instead of
lace. One size fits most, up to a 43-inch
waist. SPR: $57.99. (lethallace.com)
Lowa’s GTX Mid hiker boot
is now available in digital
camo. The boot also
features an NXT sole and
a waterproof and
breathable Gore-Tex liner.
52 ❚ SHOT BUSINESS ❚ APRIL/MAY 2016
N E W P R O D U C T S
MV1 Field Modem
lets you control
cameras remotely.
The new Mândra is a full-tang knife with a blade of triple-
laminated stainless steel. The handle is curly birch.
Hoppe’sDeveloped for quick use when a deep
clean isn’t in the cards, Hoppe’s Gun
Medic Cleaner & Lube is a fast-acting,
all-in-one product that will clean and
lubricate a firearm with one applica-
tion. It’s like having a first-aid kit for
dirty firearms, eliminating malfunctions
caused by buildup of dirt and grime.
The revolutionary formula combines
a bio-based lubricant developed for jet
turbines with a cleaning agent that
scrubs away powder residue and then
evaporates in 60 seconds, leaving only
the thin coat of high-performance lube.
Available in 4-ounce and 10-ounce
sizes. SRP: ranges from $7.95 to $12.95.
(hoppes.com) (Continued on page 51)
P H O T O B Y J U S T I N A P P E N Z E L L E RN E W P R O D U C T S
54 ❚ SHOT BUSINESS ❚ APRIL/MAY 2016
feed them at
AguilaAmmo.com
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