While the hunt and shooting industry may be grappling with a slide in firearms sales, the recent SHOT Show wound up being a boisterous affair and ultimately a celebration of Donald Trump’s surprising election victory.
Spanning from January 17 to 20 at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas, the event saw attendance total nearly 65,000, up from 64,000 in 2016 and the second highest in its 39-year history. In 2014, slightly more than 67,000 attended.
“There was a decidedly upbeat mood among attendees and exhibitors on the SHOT Show floor and at the various events connected to the show,” said Michael Bazinet director, public affairs, National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), which owns and operates the show. “The industry as a whole is quite relieved that we are not going to have to spend the next two years fighting the new federal restrictions on the lawful commerce in firearms that were promised by the losing candidate.”
In his speech to attendees, Stephen L. Sanetti, president and CEO, NSSF, said he had been preparing to discuss ways the industry should respond to a coming “bitter and protracted onslaught” of gun-ownership rights with many forecasting a Hillary Clinton victory.
“But something whispered, ‘Wait,’” said Sanetti. “And so I did. The gun controllers lost. As we saw, for all the plans being made to fight the good fight, that strategy thankfully was sidetracked much quicker than anyone anticipated.”
Sanetti thanked those supporting NSSF’s GunVote voter education and registration initiatives as well as organizations such as the NRA. He added, “Now we look forward with new hope to a period in which we may breathe a bit easier.”
Still, Jim Chandley, president of NBS (Nation’s Best Sports), who sits on NSSF’s board, felt the mood at the show was closer to “relieved” as the Trump election victory represents a “double-edged sword” for many of the participants.
Under the Obama Administration, firearms sales soared over fears of tighter gun control legislation. But it was also a volatile period as gun sales spiked often following a terrorist incident and then too-quickly ebbed to leave an over-inventoried marketplace. Said Chandley, “The Republican win should mark a return to stability for the industry but also possibly for the first time a downturn in firearms sales.”
As a result, Chandley felt many in the crowd were wondering “How am I going to be my business back” with firearms sales slowing as purchasing returns to more typical patterns. With production ramped up based on predictions of a Clinton win, the industry is also again facing an inventory glut. On the positive side, many in the audience were Trump supporters and likely more concerned that the discussed Democratic proposals could lead to “the demise of the firearms industry in the decade,” noted Chandley.
While growth over the last eight years may have been spurred periodically by political factors, NSSF’s Bazinet said there are still “very positive trends underpinning the growth trend we have seen for a decade in the shooting sports.”
Bazinet added, “We expect 2017 to be a healthy year for the industry, even if it is a normalized one that flattens out some of the peaks that could be attributed to worries over the politics of gun control.”
The SHOT show also supports the growing needs of the military, law enforcement and other tactical sectors that have become bigger part of the how over the years. But the industry overall is clearly being helped by growing consumer interest in hunting and shooting. According to the 2016 SFIA Topline Report, participants in the shooting sports of trap, skeet and sporting clays were all up about 5 percent annually over the prior five years on average. Target shooting with a handgun was up at about the same rate while target shooting with a rifle grew 2 percent annually on average. Participation on the hunting side was more modest but one standout category has been handguns, with participation rising 6.6 percent on average over the prior five years.
Chandley believes the industry’s players have been finding success attracting new customers, particularly women, over the last few years. Beyond sport reasons, he said “demand for personal protection has increased substantially” with it becoming more commonplace for a woman to carry a small firearm in her purse. The industry has also done a better job welcoming ethnicities, particularly Hispanics, to the fold.
Exhibitors agreed that the energy of the crowd was upbeat and buyers were looking for ways to make up for any challenges in their firearms assortments. Said Patrick Carland, VP of sales, SOG Knives & Tools, “The pace of gun purchases has reportedly slowed with the change in the administration, and the optimists at SHOT take that to mean there will be more consumer dollars going to items like clothing, optics, knives, footwear and other gear.”
Overall, exhibitors seemed to also agree that the SHOT Show remains one of if not the most productive shows they attend. They credit the organizers recent stepped-up verification efforts that has increased the quality of buyers visiting booths. Said Peter Sachs, general manager, Lowa Boots, “Be it hunters or tactical, the buyers here are users. They are in the field all the time, all year long.”
The show also earns credit for bringing in a wide range of many international buyers as well as a strong media presence. The strength of the SHOT Show and overall industry to a degree is underscored by a waiting list to exhibit.
“It’s not a show people pull out of or talk about not attending – they talk about how to get in the door,” said Chris Cashbaugh, senior marketing director, SOG Knives & Tools. “Exhibitors come to the show with new products. Buyers come to the show with money to spend. Media comes to the show with new stories to be written. It’s always been a high-energy show, and 2017 was no exception.”
“There was great energy during the show,” said Brendan Murray, senior global business lead, Muck Boot and Xtratuf, which was showing its new Arctic Ice line of hunting boots. “Everyone seemed ready and excited to see what’s new for the coming year.”
Sachs said his booth was continuously busy with hunters, soldiers, law enforcement and others who use guns as they all wear a pair of boots.
“The telling thing about the show is that the biggest complaint I hear from brands is that we can’t get more booth space in our part of the hall,” said Sachs. “We have to sign up and pay for next year before this year’s show even starts. If we want to enter what is basically a lottery, we can try for more space but we might end up in the basement in a back corner. There is a waiting list of companies to get in and not companies that make an organic cotton t-Shirt with a cute picture of a dog but companies that make guns or camo clothing or boots or socks – real stuff to be used in the field.”
“The mood of the show was very upbeat and energetic,” concurred Scott O’Brien, president of The Safariland Group, which was promoting more than 20 new product introductions, including the industry’s first holster and body worn camera activation system and what it claims to be the lightest-weight Level IIIA concealable armor on the market. “Technology in the law enforcement section of the show was absolutely front and center, with increased focus and energy around the ‘integrated officer’ – products designed to protect and make officer’s jobs easier.”
Carhartt marked its return to the show after more than 20 years.
“The traffic at the show felt significant and the visits to our booth and exhibits certainly exceeded our expectations,” said Tim Humes, senior brand manager of Carhartt Outdoors and PPE. “While there have been some significant challenges for apparel and outdoor retailers with the last couple of warm fall seasons, there seemed to still be a positive outlook towards the future, which includes recent challenges and mergers in the sporting good space. Many still feel that consumer interests in the outdoors is strong.”
Tim McCool, VP of global sales at Leatherman, sensed the show had “more energy” in the first two days of the show than last year’s SHOT Show.
“In terms of new product and suppliers, the talk of the show was that it was stronger than people had seen in years past,” said McCool. Like conversations at other shows, McCool noted that discussions were held around the influence of the Internet and how it’s affecting prices and brick & mortar. But largely absent from conversations was the challenging retail conditions last year, which was marked by the bankruptcy of Sports Authority. The pending merger of Bass Pro and Cabela’s also wasn’t heavily discussed.
Indeed, the main topic for the largely pro-Trump crowd was the incoming administration. By Friday, big-screen TV’s in booths were turned to the inauguration’s live coverage.
“Never have I seen so many smiles on the faces of company executive in the booths I visited,” said Korin Lowe, media specialist Colt Lights, which met a strong reception for its new Weapon and Tactical Light Series, along with its .38 Special +P concealed carry firearm.
Attending this 12th show, he believes the show will be clearly remembered for the unity and solidarity felt among participants given the historic election.
“The energy I felt from the patrons was remarkable,” said Lowe. “It left all who were involved to whom I spoke with an optimistic expectation and anticipation for good things to come.”
Photo courtesy Smith & Wesson
