Firearm poll part 2

[UTAHCRUISER]

In part 2 of my information gathering quest, I would be grateful if you could help me to figure out what rifle calibers are the most popular.

Thanks
Chad

 

[DAA]

You might consider adding the .17HMR, .17 Fireball and .204 Ruger to the list. People are still buying a lot of HMR's from what I can see. And at least half of the new factory rifles I've worked on for friends in the last year have been either .17 Fireballs or .204 Rugers.

The single most popular is always going to be .22LR though and for centerfire it is always going to be .223.

Selling rimfires is always good. Everyone has to buy factory ammo for them and a lot of guys end up spending way more on ammo than the cost of the rifle.

- DAA

 

[UTAHCRUISER]

You might consider adding the .17HMR, .17 Fireball and .204 Ruger to the list. People are still buying a lot of HMR's from what I can see. And at least half of the new factory rifles I've worked on for friends in the last year have been either .17 Fireballs or .204 Rugers.

The single most popular is always going to be .22LR though and for centerfire it is always going to be .223.

Selling rimfires is always good. Everyone has to buy factory ammo for them and a lot of guys end up spending way more on ammo than the cost of the rifle.

- DAA

The poll feature only lets me list 10 choices, so I listed the top 10 that I get asked about at work. Actually the vast majority of people that come in looking for a particular rifle caliber are after .243, .270, and .223 with an occasional person looking for .300 win. mag.

 

[DAA]

Sounds like mostly a big game hunting customer base you are talking to. Which is fine.

But, the varmint hunters buy way more rifles. How many big game hunters buy even one rifle a year? But most half way serious varmint hunters buy at least one rifle a year and a lot of them buy quite a few riflles every year. The expensive models, at that. The tactical crowd buys a ton of gear too. And again, expensive stuff, for the most part. Not just the rifles, either, but the scopes, the loading gear, the cleaning supplies etc. And again, the varmint and tactical guys like the good stuff and are willing to pay for it.

I may be all wet, but, if I were looking to get a retail gun business going, I'd concentrate on the varmint hunting and tacticool markets. That's where you'll find guys buying lots guns, supplies and accy's on a very regular basis. Compared to the traditional big game hunting crowd, who might buy a gun every year or two. The catch though, is that those are very knowledgable customers, by and large. They won't buy from just anyone.

But as far as money spent per year, varmint hunters and tacticool shooters spend way, way, waaaaaay more than the traditional big game hunting crowd. And another thing, is by catering to the specialized guys that are spending the money, you aren't competing with Walmart and the like. If a guy just wants an off the rack .270 or '06, with a cheap scope and a box of factory ammo, he's going to go to one of the big chain retailers and the little guys simply can't compete with them on price. But if you have a product line that the "serious" shooters will appreciate, that they can get local, without having to order online, you might cultivate a profitable customer base.

Or, maybe not... I'm just thinking out loud.

I wouldn't want to be competing with Walmart and the like on garden variety deer rifles and scopes though.

Something to think about...

- DAA

 

[UTAHCRUISER]

Those are some really good points you bring up! I really appreciate your input.

I think that the area I live in out here is more on the rural side, and most people that are interested in rifles are interested in them for hunting, mostly. That's the root of my frustration though. Hunting rifles are what our customers bring in mostly, and as a result, that's what I end up with to put up for sale. I get plenty of window shoppers that come in, quickly scan what I have on the shelf, and leave without ever telling me what they are interested in. I could be losing potential sales every day because of the fact that all I have for sale is that kind of inventory.

For me personally, I don't even hunt currently. All the rifles I have purchased lately are strictly for target and entertainment use. Same with nearly all my handgun purchases. I buy them because I enjoy them for the most part. This is the reason though that I am trying to take my quest public, as it were. I am hoping to get some idea of what people in general are spending their money on. My competitors sure won't provide me with any insight! I've even tried to chat up gun store owners on the other end of the state, but I guess they all fear gaining any more competition in an already overcrowded market.

You are 100% right about the Walmart though. The prices they sell stuff for is frequently within just a few dollars of what I can get the items for from wholesale distributors. There's no way as a business we can afford to invest money into inventory, have it sit on the shelf for any length of time, and then at the time of sale, only make like 1% profit!

Thanks again for your input!
Chad

Sounds like mostly a big game hunting customer base you are talking to. Which is fine.

But, the varmint hunters buy way more rifles. How many big game hunters buy even one rifle a year? But most half way serious varmint hunters buy at least one rifle a year and a lot of them buy quite a few riflles every year. The expensive models, at that. The tactical crowd buys a ton of gear too. And again, expensive stuff, for the most part. Not just the rifles, either, but the scopes, the loading gear, the cleaning supplies etc. And again, the varmint and tactical guys like the good stuff and are willing to pay for it.

I may be all wet, but, if I were looking to get a retail gun business going, I'd concentrate on the varmint hunting and tacticool markets. That's where you'll find guys buying lots guns, supplies and accy's on a very regular basis. Compared to the traditional big game hunting crowd, who might buy a gun every year or two. The catch though, is that those are very knowledgable customers, by and large. They won't buy from just anyone.

But as far as money spent per year, varmint hunters and tacticool shooters spend way, way, waaaaaay more than the traditional big game hunting crowd. And another thing, is by catering to the specialized guys that are spending the money, you aren't competing with Walmart and the like. If a guy just wants an off the rack .270 or '06, with a cheap scope and a box of factory ammo, he's going to go to one of the big chain retailers and the little guys simply can't compete with them on price. But if you have a product line that the "serious" shooters will appreciate, that they can get local, without having to order online, you might cultivate a profitable customer base.

Or, maybe not... I'm just thinking out loud.

I wouldn't want to be competing with Walmart and the like on garden variety deer rifles and scopes though.

Something to think about...

- DAA

 

[78mitsu]

.338 lapua/Other?

 

[Drew_XJ]

I purchased more than one on your list. 7mm and an AR chambered in 5.56 and .223

 

[Tacoma]

.

I think that the area I live in out here is more on the rural side, and most people that are interested in rifles are interested in them for hunting, mostly.

heh, I was gonna say, it's not like a. this is a "normal" place for "normal" gun people, and b. the shop attracts a different demographic than you might get at say, Gallenson's.

I might add by way of constructive criticism that your prices were a touch on the high side (and I don't mean "too high" at all, just "on the high side").. but maybe KSL is spoiling me, I don't know.

 

[UTAHCRUISER]

Ya, the lame thing about trying to price any kind of merchandise at a pawnshop including firearms is that the vast majority of people that come in to buy something have a habitual need to haggle on the price. If I were to put an item up for sale and I listed my bottom dollar price, even if it was a great price that you would be a fool to pass up, most of my customers would then want an even better deal. It is a silly little game that I get to play, and as a result, I have to engineer in a bit of flexibility to my prices. That said, I feel kind of bad when a customer comes in, brings an item up to the counter, pays for it, and leaves without ever trying to participate in that game.

On top of that, it's also just plain difficult to establish prices for used merchandise! Especially firearms. When I put an item up for sale, I have to take into consideration what we paid for it, what the Blue Book service we subscribe to states its value is, what the actual market seems to value it at (what they seem to sell for on places like KSL and Gunbroker), as well as engineering in the previously mentioned haggle factor.

heh, I was gonna say, it's not like a. this is a "normal" place for "normal" gun people, and b. the shop attracts a different demographic than you might get at say, Gallenson's.

I might add by way of constructive criticism that your prices were a touch on the high side (and I don't mean "too high" at all, just "on the high side").. but maybe KSL is spoiling me, I don't know.

 

[Grim]

need multiple options .....

 

[TonyM]

wtf... no .458 SOCOM?