Trends in Hunting Firearms Manufacturing and What They Mean for Retailers
All businesses want to stay ahead of the curve. Being relevant and current in the eyes of your customer base is especially important if you’re a retailer in the hunting, shooting, or outdoor industries. End users in these markets are some of the most knowledgeable and technically-minded you will ever meet, so it stands to reason that they also keep well-informed about the latest trends and themes in the industry. This is why it’s vital that you as a retailer also stay in touch with the latest trends, and one of the best ways to do that is to pay attention to what the manufacturers are doing. Companies that make firearms only make products they believe will sell or that there is a strong market for – therefore examining the movements in manufacturing is one of the best ways to inform the way you run your store. Here are a few ideas to think about that could help you stay on trend with your customers.
Evolving Technologies
Many firearms are still made in the traditional ways they always used to be, and that’s part of their appeal to buyers. However, many others are made with more modern and advanced manufacturing technologies that can do things the way the old days did but even better. Smart 3D scanning, 3D printing, AI-assisted design, and newly created materials that require different processes are slowly creeping their way into firearm manufacture, whether that’s for rifles, shotguns, or handguns. As a retailer, it really pays to stay informed when it comes to how manufacturers are building their guns. You can then relay this information to your customers to help them make better decisions and also to prove your worth as a font of knowledge.
Spotlight on Sustainability
Whether you like it or not, sustainability continues to be a hugely pressing issue for modern consumers. People care about products that are kinder to the environment, from the way they are manufactured, to the materials used to make them. For firearms, this could mean using metals and alloys that are less energy-intensive to produce or even creating such materials by recycling old ones. It may also equate to using materials that have less impact on the environment from a pollution standpoint such as non-toxic coatings or using alternatives to lead. As a retailer, it’s important you are aware of these sustainability aspects of different products because they make great selling points. It’s also important that you stay abreast of the latest sustainability efforts being made by the manufacturers in general. If a shotgun manufacturer has just planned to go carbon neutral, or a rifle producer now powers its factory only with sustainable energy, you need to know about it so you can keep your eco-minded customers informed.
Weight is the Enemy
When it comes to hunting rifles, lightweight options used to be few and far between, however, things have been rapidly changing, driven by a demand from consumers and also by more advanced manufacturing techniques and materials. The consumer demand for super-lightweight rifles or shotguns is mainly for a small percentage of hunters who go off into the wilderness over rugged and challenging terrain for multiple days hunting their quarry. For these hunters, it’s obvious why a lighter rifle would be beneficial. But once some lightweight options that don’t compromise performance started entering the market, other consumers began to think: “Why shouldn’t I have a lighter rifle too?” even if they don’t necessarily need it for extreme expeditions. Once something exists that is perceived as a better option, people tend to want it whether they need it or not. In today’s market, it’s not uncommon to find hunting rifles weighing less than 3kg, achieved by using different synthetic materials on the stock and fluted barrels. In rifles for both hunting and target shooting, it’s clear that weight is now enemy number one.
