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
A Repeat Performance
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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Iconic & Reliable
Even in the era of polymer-framed semi-autos, the iconic revolver retains a place in the gun cabinet, in the everyday carry holster and, notably, at the range.
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2025 New Product...
Here in Part 3 of the three-part 2025 New Product Showcase, you’ll get to see the latest and greatest from more than 45 manufacturers, importers and...
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Turkey Tech
Technology is far more pervasive than we might think in the turkey-hunting community. Here are 10 pros (and 10 cons) examining the influence of technology...
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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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