Pump up your airgun and paintball sales: from traditional BB guns to high-tech paint blasters, here's a segment of the market that's growing!

Shooting Industry, Nov, 2002 by Roger Combs

Airgun and painthall products are gaining renewed attention in the marketplace, attracting more buyers and more dealers.

"Interest in airguns and paintball supplies and equipment has increased in recent years," said Christopher Newman of Montana Hawk, a sporting goods shop in Cotati, Calif. "We sell plenty of mid-to high-end airguns, as well as some of the more basic, cheaper models for beginners."

"We are dealers of Crosman airgun products, as well as Diablo Marketing's Game Face paintball gear, among other brands," Newman said. "We are pleased with the success we've had with these products."

Another successful airgun dealer is David Ransberger of Cal Customs in rural Fallbrook, Calif. Ransberger enjoys a robust firearms and gunsmithing business, as well as the dealership and warranty work for Crosman.

"Everybody is a potential customer for airguns in our retail store," said Ransberger, a retired Marine. "We get plenty of grove and ranch owners with animal pest problems, as well as parents and grandparents buying for children and grandchildren. Our local farmers and ranchers have a big ground-squirrel infestation. They are able to keep the numbers under control with airguns and pellets."

At Montana Hawk, Newman places a lot of emphasis on his airgun and paintball operation.

"Some airguns and paintball markers (as paintball guns are now called) are powered by refillable compressed air tanks. We offer tank refills at our retail outlet," Newman said.

His considerable increase in paintball equipment sales has prompted Newman to consider opening an indoor range.

"The paintball range nearby closed not long ago, so we are exploring the possibility of an indoor facility at our 16,000 square-foot Cotati location," Newman said. "Right now, the nearest paintball range is several miles from the store."

Newman spreads the word on his operation through television and print advertising. With airguns playing such a large part of Newman's business, he has also moved into using modem technology to build success.

"About three years ago, we began experimenting with Internet marketing," Newman said. "We tried archery, airguns and paintball equipment. There was little demand for archery equipment, but we now enjoy about 80 percent of our airgun sales through our Internet business (www.airgunstore.com)."

Traditional Sales

While there are many high-tech airguns on the market, Ransberger at Cal Customs sells mostly traditional air rifles.

"Recently, we had three different sets of grandparents come in to buy airguns for their grandchildren," Ransberger said. "Most of our airgun sales are rifles, about 80 percent. We sell some of the lower-priced guns, but plenty are in the mid- to high-price range."

Ransberger doesn't advertise, relying on word of month to attract customers.

"Many of our customers have friends and neighbors who already own airguns, and they come in to buy what they have already seen in action," Ransberger said. "Over the past year or so, it seems owning and shooting airguns, safely, has become more acceptable, at least in my part of Southern California."

AIRGUNS & PAINTBALL


AirForce Airguns          306
Avanti                    307
Beeman Precision Airguns  308
Benjamin                  309
Brass Eagle               310
BSA Optics                311
B-Square                  312
C-More Systems            313
Crosman Corp.             314
CZ USA                    315
Daisy Outdoor Products    316
Diablo (Game Face)        317
Dynamit Noble/RWS         318
Gamo USA                  319
JT USA                    320
Marksman Products         331
PMI                       322
Smith & Wesson (Crosman)  323
TruGlo Inc.               324
Walther USA               325

RELATED ARTICLE : Selecting The Airgun Inventory

Air rifles and pistols cover the full range of prices, from less than $100 to more than a $1,000 for the most accurate rifles. In designs, they resemble familiar firearm models powered by CO2, up to the highly accurate imported springand compressed-air rifles.

AirForce Airguns offers rifles built primarily for the adult market. The highpowered air rifles are made of aircraft-grade aluminum alloy and polymers. Two models are available, the Talon and TalonSS. Both are single-shot rifles that operate on high-pressure air. The Talon features a Lothar Walther .22 caliber match barrel with adjustable power levels from 400 to 1,000 feet per second. The TalonSS is available in .22 or .177 caliber.

Avanti air pistols and rifles are designed for experienced shooters involved in match competition and precision target shooting. The Medallist 888 competition air rifle is a [CO.sub.2] single-shot bolt action with hooded front sight with changeable aperture inserts and micrometer adjustable rear peep. It has an adjustable trigger pull and adjustable trigger pull length.

Beeman's R7 is an intermediate sporting air rifle. At just a shade over 6 pounds, the R7 is easy to handle and pack in the field. It offers velocities up to 700 feet per second in .177. It's also available in .20 caliber. The R7 rifle features a double-jointed cocking lever; multi-lever, full-adjustable trigger; and checkering on the pistol grip and a rubber butt plate. The rifle has a click micrometer rear sight and scope grooves cut directly into the receiver for added stability.