Russ Thurman, Editor

In contrast to the nation’s overall economic downturn, the firearm industry fared well during the first quarter of 2008. Manufacturers, distributors and gun dealers report that while there are “soft” areas in the market, overall sales of firearms were “great,” with some reporting “upsurges.”

A strong indicator of firearm sales during January, February and March is reflected in the number of firearm background checks. According to the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Checks System (NICS), there was a 7.9 percent increase in background checks over the first three months in 2007. NICS conducted 3,004,549 background checks during the first quarter of this year, an increase of 219,481 over the same quarter last year. There were increases in each month — January: +5.4%, February: +11.6% and March: +6.7%.

These increases are notable since NICS data indicates records were set in the number of background checks during January, February and March 2007. The data also corresponds with the “robust buying” reported at the SHOT Show in early 2008.

“The first day was probably the best day Legacy has ever had at the SHOT Show,” said Gene Lumsden, Legacy International president and CEO.

In addition, while not a desirable indicator, numerous manufacturers are reporting “backlogs” in firearm production, especially those in the personal defense category.
Why is the industry doing well, while most other industries are reporting “sluggish sales”?
“I don’t know,” said Bryan Tucker, CEO of Davidson’s. “In our sales, December was really good, January was a little soft. February was fantastic. March was really great. If you would have asked me that in November of last year, I would have said, ‘Oh, man, it’s terrible.’ But now, it’s back. I don’t know if the election talk and the Democrat’s cloud is starting to spur this thing, or not. I just know we’re up.”

Gun dealers also report positive sales numbers.

“We have not seen the big hit everyone is talking about,” said Gregg L. Bouslog, Owner of On-Target Indoor Shooting Range in Laguna Niguel, Calif. “Since Christmas, we have seen a slowdown, but the past few weeks we witnessed an upsurge due to spring break. Most of the people buying guns are concerned about not being able to buy what they want this time next year.”

How will the industry fare for the remainder of the year? At best, “very soft” sales; at worst, “very rough.”

“I’ve seen over the years that we’ve been pretty recession-proof. We always seem to suffer during the start of a recession, with all the doom-and-gloom talk, but then pull out of it,” Tucker said.

“The last two years, we have grown at a 40-percent rate. This January, we were up 40 percent over January 2007, so we’re on track to have another very strong year,” Lumsden said.

Bouslog is not as optimistic.

“My crystal ball is a bit foggy, but looking only at California, I feel we are in for a rough time. I think the money is going to dry up in a couple of months. For the most part, the discretionary income that I live by will be reduced by 50 percent or more during the next 12 to 18 months. If a Democrat is elected, I expect an upsurge around Christmas for those who want a rifle with detachable magazines before a ban becomes law again,” Bouslog said.

Steve Sanetti, former Ruger president, became president and CEO of the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) May 1. Doug Painter, who held the NSSF’s top position for six years, has assumed a new role as NSSF’s Senior Advisor and Trade Liaison.

Sanetti, a well-known figure in the industry, spent 28 years with Sturm, Ruger and Co. as an executive and general counsel, and has been a member of the NSSF Board of Governors and the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (SAAMI) Board of Directors.
“Steve is one of the most well-respected individuals in our industry,” said Robert Scott, chairman of the NSSF Board of Governors. “His experience and good judgment have been valued at Sturm, Ruger for decades and by the industry at large for his role in helping defeat the municipal lawsuits filed against our industry.”

In 2004, Sanetti received the Shooting Industry Award from the Shooting Industry Academy of Excellence for his fight against the “big city” lawsuits and other anti-gun campaigns. About his new position, Sanetti said that despite his years in the industry and experience with NSSF, “the challenges we all face will be new and constantly changing.”

“The only way we will survive and prosper is to be flexible in our thinking and creative in our problem-solving,” Sanetti said. “I am excited to begin this new phase of my career at a place where I can have a positive and lasting impact on the future of hunting and shooting.”
Painter requested the change in his role at NSSF in late April.

“Recognizing the many challenges we face down the road, I felt the time had come after 35 years to give more focus to building strategic alliances and partnerships that will continue to strengthen the extraordinary unity of our industry that has been at the core of our success,” Painter said.

Painter will be the primary spokesman for NSSF’s outreach to build participation and strengthen the industry’s political voice.

“We are happy that Doug will continue to be the voice of the foundation and build upon our key alliances in this industry,” Scott said.

The Shooting Industry Academy of Excellence has announced the 2008 nominees for its four “service” awards. These awards recognize companies for manufacturing, distribution and citizenship, plus an individual is honored with the Shooting Industry Award.

At press time, the academy’s 2008 nominees for its 10 product awards were still undergoing the verification phase to ensure they are “in production,” as required by the academy. (They will be announced in the June issue of Shooting Industry and on www.shootingindustry.com.)

The academy considered 37 entries in the four service award categories, before selecting 12 nominees for the 2008 Final Ballot. The academy uses a two-step voting process. Academy members consider all entries in each category, casting votes to determine who will be placed on the ballot. They then cast a second, final vote to determine who will receive the annual awards.

The award recipients will be kept secret and revealed during a special Academy of Excellence reception to held July 25 in Windsor, Conn., in conjunction with the Shooting Industry Masters.

The 2008 service award nominees are:

Manufacturer of the Year

• BLACKHAWK! Products Group: For reinvesting its profits in U.S. capabilities by opening three new factories in the U.S. in the past three years, which helps inventory management and quickly responds to customer demands. For rehiring all the American workers when buying the Boise, Id., facility from a competitor, while the competitor shipped jobs overseas .

• Ruger: For remaking the company to better serve the firearms industry, including creating new firearm and ammunition combinations that eclipse current performance standards, such as Ruger Compact Magnum rifles and the Ruger SP101 .327 Federal Magnum revolver. For the Voice of the Customer program seeking input from consumers and resulting in the M77 Hawkeye rifles, Charger pistol, the SR9 and the LCP. For enhanced dealer offerings including co-op advertising, special order programs and expanded Web site content.

• Smith & Wesson: For being a leader in the firearms industry and shooting sports, supporting at the highest levels the NSSF, NRA and USA Shooting Team, and playing an instrumental role in the NRA’s Insure Your Gun Rights and HAVA. For the introduction of 71 new firearms featuring several new M&P series products and the Night Guard revolver series. For the largest dealer and distributor incentive program in the industry’s history, Shooting for Hawaii, with a new program for 2008, Aiming for Alaska.

Distributor of the Year

• AcuSport: For hosting an annual dealer show that strengthens the independent retailer by providing educational seminars, simulated retail space, an ammunition price protection program and inventory planning. For the support of independent retailers through extensive product knowledge, business planning and promotional support. For partnering with vendors such as ARS, Strategic Business Partners, EZ-4473 and FFL Guard to provide services that add value to the independent retailer.

• Ellett Brothers: For taking great pride in serving and supporting the independent retailer for 75 years. For its continuing work with manufacturers to develop new and innovative products such as the newly introduced Taurus Model 327. For continued support of industry organizations such as the NSSF, NRA, Congressional Sportsman Caucus and NASGW. For its commitment to the growth and future of the shooting sports industry by working with organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America and local conservation groups.

• RSR Group: For over 30 years of leading the shooting sports industry with superior customer service, a knowledgeable sales staff, excellent product selection and same-day shipping. For pioneering the first virtual trade show, allowing thousands of dealers to attend and take advantage of specials without disrupting their daily business. For actively working to preserve the future of the industry through various organizations such as the NSSF and NRA, including the NRA Recruitment program.

Citizenship Award

• Brownells: For its contributions to the NRA endowment for youth education programs, support of 4H programs in Iowa, the Progressive Farmer magazine’s youth shooting program, and the Iowa Pheasants Forever Build a Habitat program. For its first-of-a-kind gunsmith’s job fair. For its continued support of the NRA, including an NRA membership drive with 1,000 members signed up in 2007.

• Ellett Brothers: For continued support of the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life and support of the NSSF Heritage Fund by hosting a silent auction at its yearly dealer show. For supporting the local Boy Scouts of America council and other local charities such as the Adopt a Family program, in which the company provided Christmas gifts and sponsored Thanksgiving dinners for needy families.

• Hodgdon Powder Co.: For commitment to community that transcends the entire organization, including the Hodgdon Family Donor Advised Fund, which has supported funding to over 145 charitable organizations. For supporting organizations including the Boy Scouts, 4H, SCI, Pheasants Forever and others financially, with product donations and through volunteer involvement.

Shooting Industry Award



• F. Hewitt Grant, Ellett Brothers: For his 40 year dedication to the shooting sports industry though his work as an advocate for gun rights on the local and national levels. For supporting the education of legislators in the importance of concealed carry laws by working closely with the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus as well as the SC Sportsman Caucus foundation. For his involvement in the NRA and the NASGW. For supporting and leading the Ellett team to unheard of sales growth over the last five years.



• Bob Hodgdon, Hodgdon: For spending 60 years with Hodgdon Powder providing propellants for shooters and hunters. For helping build the company into what it is today, a company featuring 54 reliable, high-performance muzzleloading and smokeless powder products. For being a tireless defender of the Second Amendment and being instrumental in starting the NRA Handloading Endowment. For being an avid hunter, reloader and shooter.

• Tom Taylor, Smith & Wesson: For being a leader in the rejuvenation of Smith & Wesson and leading the development of over 200 products, including the M&P series. For developing the incentive program, Shooting for Hawaii, the largest customer incentive in the industry’s history, and introducing a new program for 2008, Aiming for Alaska. For serving as chairman of the NRA’s Insure Your Gun Rights, and leading an industry initiative to support Honored American Veterans Afield (HAVA).

LaserMax announces it is the exclusive manufacturer of the new Colt CGL-R/L fore grip laser system, a red aiming laser and traveling light that attaches to the M1913 rail mount. The Colt CGL-R/L is available to civilian, law enforcement, military and international customers.

LaserMax also announces it is the exclusive sales representative for the Colt CGL for non-government agency customers (individuals only, no government agency or reseller sales).
For more information, visit www.lasermax.com or call 1-800-LASER-03.

For Colt direct military, law enforcement, federal agency and international sales, contact Michael Reissig, executive director of sales and marketing, Colt Defense LLC at: mreissig@coltcom.

Kimber owner and CEO Leslie Edelman presented a $100,000 check to USA Shooting at the 2008 SHOT Show, bringing the company’s contributions to the team to $600,000. This continues Kimber’s standing as the largest donor among firearm companies.

The donation is based on commercial sales of the Kimber Team Match II pistol, which is also used by USA Shooting’s Rapid Fire Pistol Team. For every pistol sold, Kimber donates $100 to USA Shooting. Kimber officials indicate they are continuing the program and “additional contributions are sure to follow.”

For more information, contact Kimber at (406) 758-2222 or www.kimberamerica.com. For information on becoming a USA Shooting sponsor, contact Buddy DuVall at (719) 866-4880 or via e-mail: buddy.duvall@usashooting.com.

Mike Goschinski, owner of Fin Feather Fur Outfitters, has been named ATK’s Dealer of the Year for the second year in a row and the third time in four years.

“We’re just flattered,” Goschinski said. “Winning this award for the third time is attributed to the employees who work with me and have stood by me. It is also because of ATK and our extremely talented sales rep. The applause goes right to these people.”

When Goschinski was named the 2006 ATK Dealer of the Year, it marked the first time there was a repeat winner.

“Once you get behind a company’s product line, and that company gets behind you, it’s like a marriage that works very well,” Goschinski said. “Their product line, from trap throwers to bi-pods to rests to ammunition, just really fits our business model.”

Goschinski’s Ohio-based Fin Feather Fur Outfitters continues to improve on recent success, according to ATK. “After taking home last year’s award, thanks to a 30-percent increase in overall sales, they again increased their business by about the same amount,” ATK officials noted.

ATK’s Premium Partner program helps dealers succeed in today’s competitive market, according to Goschinski.

“The terms, and things like freight, are easy to work with,” Goschinski said. “They’ve figured out how to do business with the independent dealer. And it’s working. Hopefully, other dealers see this as the company they want to work with.”

For more on ATK’s Premium Partner program, visit www.premiumpartners.atk.com. Visit Goschinski’s Web site at www.finfeatherfuroutfitters.com.

Davidson’s Inc. has unveiled Gun Genie, a Web-based consumer firearm purchasing tool.
“We are proud to offer consumers a simple and convenient way to find the firearm they want, when and where they want it,” said Bryan Tucker, CEO of Davidson’s. “Our current GunLocator service has shown that consumers love the benefit of choosing from the tens of thousands of firearms we keep in inventory, all backed by our Guaranteed Lifetime Replacement Program.”

Tucker says Gun Genie is an improved version of the GunLocator service, which consumers utilize to purchase firearms from more than 2,000 Davidson’s Gold Dealers nationwide.

“Consumers enjoy the ultimate convenience of shopping from home, while dealers enjoy new customers and the benefit of expanding their product offerings through Davidson’s huge inventory,” Tucker said.

Gun Genie provides additional benefits, according to Tucker.

“Many consumers hate shopping, taking time out of their busy schedule only to find out that their favorite gun store does not have their desired firearm in stock,” Tucker said. “With today’s high fuel prices, this is not only aggravating, but also expensive. We have solved this problem. With our service, a consumer knows instantly if the firearm is available and the price he will pay. He simply secures it with a small online deposit and we ship it to the Davidson’s Gold Dealer of his choice to complete the transaction. Fast, easy and hassle free.”

For more information, visit www.GalleryofGuns.com or call 1-800-367-4867.

Pelican Products
Names VPs, Sales Director

Pelican Products has hired Nick Newman for the newly created position of vice president of worldwide operations. Additionally, the company has promoted Kevin Deighton to vice president of research and product development, and Kevin Emmons to director of consumer and dive sales.


N. Newman

Newman assumes the leadership of more than 400 Pelican plant staff on two continents. Prior to joining Pelican, he served as vice president of worldwide operations for Magellan Navigation. He has run manufacturing and supply chain operations for various European, Asian and South American companies.

“Hiring Nick underscores Pelican’s commitment to building a team that will take this company to the next level both internationally and domestically,” said Lyndon Faulkner, Pelican’s president and CEO.

Newman holds an HNC degree in electrical and electronic engineering from Brooklands Technical College in the U.K.


K. Deighton

Before his promotion, Deighton served as Pelican’s director of product development. Prior to joining Pelican, he served as a mechanical engineer for Vickers Defense Systems in England. Deighton holds a master’s degree in business administration from Cal State Long Beach, Calif., and earned his bachelor’s degree in technology and management science from the University of Bradford in the U.K.


K. Emmons

Emmons previously served as Pelican’s consumer sales manager and was 2006 Pelican Sales Person of the Year. Prior to joining Pelican, he served as director of sales and product manager for Wenger Swiss Army’s North American market. Emmons holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Delaware.

Savage Range Systems
Appoints Installation Coordinator

Savage Range Systems has hired Thomas Alexopoulos as installation coordinator.
Thomas, a licensed construction supervisor and electrician, most recently held the position of project engineer/manager at Abel Womack Inc., where he designed, quoted and managed projects throughout the Northeast.