Big money in airguns! today's airguns have come a long way and so has the profit potential for gun dealers

Shooting Industry, Nov, 2003 by Tom Gaylord

Other very popular accessories are chronographs and rangefinders. In addition, anything that supports hunting is a big favorite.

Airgun Clinics Attract Major Business

When Steve Schneider, owner of Atlantic Guns in Rockville and Silver Spring, Md., wanted to jazz up his airgun sales, he started a two-day clinic with sales reps and special deals.

"The first clinic brought in as much business as one month of regular operation, plus it put us in the minds of local airgunners for the rest of the year," Schneider said.

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At first, Schneider sold only traditional brands like RWS and Beeman, but five years of experience has shown that exotic airguns are the major sellers.

"We put a tricked-out AirForce Talon precharged rifle on the counter during one clinic," Schneider said. "It's very extreme looking and not in line with our regular business, but boy did it turn heads! We had three sales from just that one showing."

Schneider also arranges for his suppliers to let him have their pricier guns on spec during a clinic. If they sell, fine. If not, back they go when the clinic is over. He's sold several Beeman target rifles priced well over $1,500 this way.

"Every year, we search for new and exciting guns to amaze the crowd. One year it was the Walther PPK/S BB gun. It's a semi-automatic with real blow-back action. We sold 12 in the first four hours of the clinic. This year the Baikal Drozd BB air pistol from EAA is hot. For a piddling $200, you get six-round burst-fire."

To be successful in airgun sales, Schneider says all employees must be familiar with the technology to keep the business moving.

"The difficulty with selling airguns today is that most people don't understand the technology, nor do they know what's out there," Schneider. "Spring guns still sell the best, but everybody is interested in the precharged gun. You fill it from a scuba tank, and then shoot dozens or even hundreds of shots before refilling with air. Our staff has learned how these guns work, so they can answer all the customers' questions, and, believe me, there are plenty."

New Guns, Added Profits

Remember in the beginning I mentioned airguns have taken large-game animals. These are the big-bore airguns, those in calibers over .25. They are booming today. Much of the interest is stimulated by Dennis Quackenbush, owner of Quackenbush Air Guns, whose .50-caliber Bandit rifle has taken elk, deer and boar. For $500, it has no equal.

Gary Barnes, owner of Barnes Pneumatic Rifles, has nearly a four-year waiting list for his custom guns, some of which top $8,000. While you can't stock guns from either maker, the stir they create is attracting regular gun owners to airguns.

The bottom line is airgun technology is far ahead of most of your customer's--and perhaps your--experience curve. Savvy gun dealers can turn this to their advantage by introducing their clientele to a universe of new and exciting guns.

AIRGUN MARKET

ADCO                                        290
Air Arms                                    291
AirForce Airguns                            292
Avanti                                      293
Barnes Pneumatic Rifles                     294
Beeman Precision Airguns                    295
Benjamin                                    296
BSA Optics                                  297
B-Square                                    298
Burris Company                              299
Bushnell Performance Optics                 300
C-More Systems                              301
Crosman Corp                                302
Daisy Outdoor Products                      303
Daystate                                    304
Dynamit Nobel/RWS                           305
European American Armory                    306
Falcon                                      307
Gamo USA                                    308
Leupold & Stevens                           309
Marksman Products                           310
Pyramyd Air                                 311
Quackenbush Air Guns                        312
RWS                                         313
Shin Sung                                   314
TruGlo Inc.                                 315
Walther USA                                 316
Webley & Scott                              317