Sportsman's Blog

The 30th Annual SHOT Show is one for the history books and in many ways the event is a good predictor of things to come for this industry.   Just as Punxsutawney Phil was predicting six more weeks of winter from some Pennsylvania hillside, sporting goods buyers from throughout North America were gathered in Las Vegas hoping to eventually see dollar signs rather than ledger books filled with red ink.

Today I’m going to be reflecting on the impressions I took from attending the show.   In my next blog post, I will describe some of the unique new products that hold possibilities for next fall and beyond.   Needless to say, there is never a shortage of new products being touted at SHOT.   But in an economy where everybody seems to be tightening their belts…what does the future hold for our outdoors industry?   Time will certainly tell…but I must say that I walked into the most recent SHOT Show expecting the worst, and walked away wondering if things are really that bad out there.

Of course, keep in mind this is only one person’s impressions of the show.   The real proof will be in the pudding this fall when hunters and outdoors folks actually carry thru on that buying mood.   After all, the goods most buyers are now filling the store shelves with is a gamble that come late summer and fall those same products will fly off the shelves into the hands of the nation’s sportsmen.

Taking more of a macro look at the 2008 show one has to be impressed with both the number of exhibitors and attendees present at SHOT.   With total attendance up nearly 30 percent over last year and with almost 100 more exhibitors, the numbers itself seems to speak volumes for how folks are feeling about this industry.   Truth is, when a company is pessimistic about future sales the first place to cut back on expenses is usually by eliminating the cost of attending trade shows.

Quite honestly I wonder if the winds of political change are not weighing heavily on this industry right now.   The relative uncertainty of a pending Supreme Court decision along with the threat of the White House once again being placed in the hands of a political power with demonstrated past unfriendly behavior toward guns makes a lot of people nervous.   Let’s face it, 2008 is shaping up to be a defining year for what many of us believe in — and at this point the uncertainty can also be a real motivator.

Sure, the economy might currently be in the throngs of a recession, according to some analysts, but restrictions on guns and/or ammunition makes a person want to hoard up on supplies.   Sort of like that approaching snow storm or hurricane…the tendency is to rush out to buy critical supplies that might be needed before supplies become short.   Same holds true for this industry.   If certain guns fall under severe restrictions…or if ammunition becomes a highly regulated product sending costs even higher…or if high-capacity magazines become a thing of the past as witnessed by the former Federal Assault Weapons Ban, this will trigger a renewed and robust buying frenzy.

Let’s face it…the potential threat of new gun laws on the horizon or of products becoming in limited supply is all it takes to cause a brisk new buying attitude among most American gun owners and sportsmen.   Take ammunition, for example.   The current market supply can’t keep up with demand and with few exceptions the manufacturers are running at least four months behind on orders.   Some are out beyond a full year of their capacity.   Add this to the fact precious metals have seen sky-rocketing costs and it’s easy to see why some are a bit anxious.

If you’ve been procrastinating about purchasing that new handgun waiting for the extra cash to appear, it might just behoove you to get more serious in your purchasing decisions.   If that AR-15 needs some new high-capacity magazines perhaps there’s not better time then the present to get them ordered up.   Maybe it would also be wise to take inventory of your ammunition supply.   If you enjoy shooting, investing in a few thousand rounds of your favorite caliber might pay higher dividends than the stock market in coming months.

Indeed, attending the 2008 SHOT Show encouraged me to do some serious introspection as to my equipment needs for the coming year.   Maybe buying that fancy new electronic game caller that’s been on my list is not as important as purchasing a new handgun.   Maybe investing in ammunition is far more important than buying new hunting clothes for the next hunting season.   In fact, maybe that rebate that Congress will soon be sending me is yet another reason to spend it on guns, accessories and ammunition…rather than something silly, like new furniture.

No matter how court decisions are rendered or political elections are decided…SHOT Show 2008 showed me that sales are going to be good on most core items such as guns and accessories.   Based on this expectation, this weekend might just be a good time to finally get serious about making certain purchases.   One thing is for certain…time will cost you money by delaying.   Consider yourself properly forewarned.

2008 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction without Prior Permission.