DISCOVER
FIND WHAT YOUR CUSTOMERS WILL BE LOOKING FOR
Best Practices
“You” Is The...
August Vander Ley is a master of good public relations. He does not boast, he does not preach, he does not shout and he does not talk down to his customers.
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Can AI Train For...
AI is increasingly involved in many aspects of our lives, for better or for worse. Can it be used to predict how a shooter will perform in training?...
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Help Customers...
Well, it’s that time of year. Rain, snow, sleet, ice — yuck. No one wants to go out in those conditions. So, we stay home, nice and warm and dry. This...
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Embrace History,...
Fear is driving a wedge deeper between our industry and those opposed to it. The only one who can mend this is you. Embrace the opportunity to grow and...
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7 Marketing...
While many stores rely on a solid reputation and word-of-mouth referrals, effective marketing is essential for sustained growth and long-term success.
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With Rights At...
Apathetic voters, especially the millions of gun owners and hunters who aren’t even voting, must be encouraged to step up and vote for our rights. Swing...
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Hunting Products
Fall Hunting Preview
Fall hunting provides a major source of revenue for many gun stores and shooting ranges across the country. Despite the rise of big-box chains, local gun...
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Night Sights
As more hunters become more proficient at hog and predator hunting, they demand optics that complement their tactics.
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Varmint/Predator...
Varmint/predator hunting is a niche market, but it can translate to lucrative commerce outside of traditional big-game hunting seasons.
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The Crossbow Market
Participation in crossbow hunting continues to grow across the country. According to the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, 28 states now allow...
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Get Ready For...
Patrick Connaghan owns 717 Armory in Harrisburg, Pa. A dedicated hunter himself, Connaghan wishes the fall hunting season would just “hurry up and get...
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Calling In...
While it seems like 2021’s big-game hunting season has only just ended, spring fever has likely already struck some of your store’s cadre of turkey...
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Monthly Features
Secure Storage...
We all want gun owners to know how to keep their guns safe and secure. New gun owners may not know to ask the questions yet, but retailers can guide them.
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Go Long! —...
For most gun shops, sales of firearms and accessories revolve around handguns. Of course, “most” isn’t the same thing as “all.” With a bit of...
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On The Firing Line
There is no shortage of opportunities for those interested in target shooting and even competitions. Yet, the biggest challenge for new shooters and others...
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A Repeat...
Whether the next four years are dubbed "Trump Slump 2.0" or "Trump Jump" in your shop depends a lot on you.
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Want More...
With its global saturation, the world wide web enables small firearms retailers to compete successfully with giant corporate retailers.
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“Grandpa’s...
Once associated with the Old West and cowboy movies, lever guns are making a claim for a piece of the modern firearms market.
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Personal Defense
Explain Revolver...
For many years, the double-action revolver was the standard recommendation for a new handgun owner. The reasons that were valid then remain so now.
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SHOT Show 2025:...
Hundreds of new defensive guns were on display at SHOT Show 2025. Here are some with great sales potential.
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Backup Gun...
In the world of armed self-defense, a “backup gun” is a second firearm that can supplement the first in a number of scenarios. Many of those scenarios...
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Trends Observed...
When I first walked into FITS, I noticed two things: Every single person behind the counter was female, and every single customer on the buying side of the...
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Selling Eye, Ear...
Surveys show more customers buy guns today for home and family protection than for hunting or target shooting. The gun is not the only protective element...
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Selling...
In any retail field, some products are universally desired by the buying public, and some will increase or decrease in popularity depending on regional...
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Training
Training Influences
The landscape of firearm training is constantly evolving because of technological advancements, changing societal dynamics and an ongoing attempt to...
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Training Today
The past couple of years have been a wild ride for gun stores and shooting ranges. Historic firearms and ammunition sales, unprecedented shortages, a...
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Training and the...
Considering everything that happened in 2020, it’s hard to really call it the year of anything. So for our purposes, let’s call it the year of the...
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The “Light...
Since the start of COVID-19 followed by social unrest, gun stores have continued to see record sales each month. From March to August, 11.3 million...
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Training and The...
Gun stores have been given a boost as the result of the COVID-19 pandemic and a state of civil unrest in much of the country as peaceful protests have been...
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Training In An...
With the addition of potentially tens (if not hundreds) of thousands of first-time gun owners in the first half of 2020 alone, the need for training and...
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Women's Products
Why “Shrink It...
We’ve all heard it: Women are the fastest-growing demographic of gun owners. Marketing campaigns and sales efforts have responded accordingly.
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A Tailored...
When you Google “home defense for women,” only one listing on the first page of organic search results is actually about home defense.
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Family Focus:...
More moms are turning to concealed carry as part of their approach to their family protection plan. Make sure your store is viewed as a resource to help...
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Broadening The...
Many dealers continue to underestimate the scope of women’s interest in firearms, often limiting their focus to handguns for personal defense.
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Women Hunters:...
Reports over the past several years indicate more women are becoming interested in hunting. This can translate into a nice revenue source for you — if you...
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Main Line...
Many women come to the shooting sports through family connections. For Katie Butler, co-owner of Main Line Armory in Malvern, Pa., her entry came through...
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