gun trade world - december 2014.pdf

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1 0 , 6 4 1 CO P I E S EV ERY M O N T H T O 1 2 5 CO U N T R I E S

DECEMBER 2014www.guntradeworld.com

C O V E R I N G T H E S H O O T I N G B U S I N E S S G L O B A L L Y

Australia may miss out on a major manufacturing plant if stricter gun ownership

restrictions, including a handgun ban, are introduced.

Beretta International and Winchester Australia are among the companies that say the country’s economy would be hit if these plans go through because they would reconsider where they make their guns.

Beretta has been looking at opening a plant in Victoria but said it would reconsider if legislative changes had an eff ect on its business models.

General manager Greg Chan said: “Beretta International is

All set for SHOT? Why it will be bigger and better than ever. p28

Get on target with archery and crossbows – both are growing. p30

worried about fi rearm theft, enforce the law that’s already there.”

Manufacturing consultants have even criticised Australia’s existing registration processes.Beretta consultant Russell Pearson added: “" e quality of information gathered by most of the registries in Australia is pathetic.”

While National Firearm Dealers Association president Luca Scribani Rossi said responsibility for the management of fi rearm registries should be removed from police and passed to authorities responsible for operating and managing licensing systems.• Continued on page 6

Gun ban fear could hit Australian economy

seriously considering locating a manufacturing plant here, in Victoria in particular.

“A company as big and as old as Beretta would seriously look at Australia if they changed the legislation in an adverse way and say, ‘Why would we want to come here? Why would we want to build a massive facility here if that’s going to aff ect us?’”

Winchester Australia also fears that its existing manufacturing business could be aff ected if any legislation further restricts gun ownership in the country.

Sales and marketing manager Jeff rey Gordon revealed: “Any changes would obviously put our business at some sort of risk.

“We supply the domestic trade, law enforcement and also defence with ammunition and we currently employ 60 people in regional areas.”

Gun Control Australia is trying to get high-powered semi-automatic handguns banned and spokesman Roland Browne told a senate inquiry that handguns were overlooked in 1996, when tough gun laws were brought in following the Port Arthur massacre.

Gun manufacturers and consultants told the inquiry that processes already in place could be improved to prevent registered fi rearms being stolen and used to commit crimes.

Mr Chan added: “If you’re

Picture courtesy of hunting.Þ shandgame.org.nzBeretta is considering its options over a planned factory if Australia brings in tougher gun laws.

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GTW

When the going gets tough…

Two years ago, American gun retailers could hardly believe their order books. Ammunition

and guns were fl ying off the shelves as customers bought frantically in the belief that President Obama was going to bring some sweeping legislation to control gun ownership.

Despite some very real attempts at state level, a national policy controlling the ownership of these items has yet to be brought forward – this may be because such a measure would prove unworkable, or it may be that common sense has prevailed so far, since there is no concrete evidence for further controls

I know the industry is not counting its chickens – it is far too smart to do that – but the threat nationally is just that little bit further away than two years back.

Of course, that brings with it its own issues. Many of the manufacturers built additional facilities or took on more staff to produce more guns in response to demand from shops, only for the orders to be cancelled when the stock simply stopped moving.

It has left a stockpile on suppliers’ shelves in many cases – and a bad taste in the mouth of some. " e new ‘normal’ in US gun sales is here to stay.

So what to do with all that stock? Well exporting it is a great option for some and we at GTW are happy to try and help you in that goal. Rather than rein in your horns, now is the time for a strong marketing plan to reach across the globe for further sales and we will be delighted to talk to you about those ideas.

04 www.guntradeworld.com

WELCOME

Sean O’Driscoll [email protected]

Sean really is the driving force behind DHP’s trade division. Having been in the gun trade for more than 20 years, he understands how it all works!

John Hunter Editor in [email protected]

John has more than 18 years’ experience of the shooting and Þ shing trade and is a regular visitor to international events. He co-ordinates the magazine.

Mark Peacock ROW [email protected]

Mark has spent many years in B2B marketing and has a long history of helping companies build brands.

Think you’re alone?As if the USA didn’t have enough problems with ill-informed governors trying to impose Draconian gun laws in certain states, it seems that other parts of the world are being similarly aff ected by a fundamental misunderstanding of the role of gun manufacturers and responsible, law-abiding citizens that shoot.

You would think that all the publicity surrounding the fact that several big-name gunmakers have moved from one US state to another because of unpalatable attempts to legislate against them would have been heeded.

But in Australia the warnings have possibly fallen on deaf ears.

Earlier in the year, Beretta USA revealed that it was to build a new production plant in Tennessee because of its strong support for gun rights. Bosses there were also extremely vocal about the proposed restrictions in its home state of Maryland and explained that it could not consider expansion there for that very reason.

Now Australia’s proposed gun law changes could hit its economy hard as the same company – along with another famous name, Winchester – rethinks its investment plans in the country.

Is it a case of cutting off your nose to spite your face?

John HunterEditor in chief

Bart Manganiello US sales [email protected]

Bart has been selling on trade magazines for all of his working life and has helped more companies grow their business than anyone else we can think of!

Rob Smith Deputy [email protected]

Rob’s been helping companies grow internationally for over Þ ve years as deputy editor of Tackle Trade World. He has a strong grasp of international business and is a competent shooter.

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GTW

05www.guntradeworld.com

Contents06 NewsGerman Sport Guns adds DIANA airguns to the fold.

20 IWA launchWhy the shooting world heads to Germany every March.

22 Meet the maker – Luke CamilleriThe inventor, visionary and airgun expert has come out of retirement.

26 Casa Rizzini IrlandaFinding good Þshing and hunting is easy if you know the right people...

28 NSSF NewsThis year’s SHOT Show will be even easier to navigate and enjoy.

30 Spotlight on… Archery/Bow huntingGTW’s exclusive survey and overview of this developing market.

36 Tackle & Guns Trade Show reportThe UK’s unique industry event, run by GTW’s parent company.

38 Great Gear – ArrowheadsStocking archery gear? Then you’ll want to look at add-on sales.

40 Company Profile – TenPointWe chart the success of one of the best-known names in crossbows.

DECEMBER 2014

44 Fausti IndividualAs the name implies, this is a unique gun in every way.

46 Doing business with… HungarySome terriÞc hunting and well-regarded manufacturers can be found here.

50 Making contactA rundown of some of the latest gear for you to consider stocking.

54 Making contact – SightmarkA look at the range of Prismatic weapon sights.

56 Making contact – Kahr ArmsThe CT380 double-action compact pistol.

58 Making contact – CaldwellBenchrest accuracy from the DeadShot ChairPod.

60 Making contact – LanskyA fantastic new combo from American company Lansky.

62 Making contact – DRD TacticalFrom special ops to commercial offerings – we look at the range.

66 Straight Shooting – Stacey BrandonDMT’s vice-president urges dealers to think about accessories for sales.

20 22 26 30 44

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NEWS

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06

Toughen existing laws, don’t add new ones

GSG takes over DIANA airgunsGerman Sport Guns GmbH (GSG) has agreed a deal to take over 100 per cent of the shares of airgun manufacturer DIANA.

Having been in existence for more than 120 years, DIANA is one of the oldest and most traditional manufacturing names in the classical construction of airguns.

GSG, meanwhile, specialises in the trade with airguns/airsoft guns and outdoor products, as well as being one of the leading manufacturers of .22-calibre sporting fi rearms.

GSG’s CEO, Michael Swoboda, explained: “With our many years of experience in the airgun market, we will further expand the DIANA product range, thus continuing the traditional brand.”

! e deal to bring together GSG, with its headquarters in Ense, north Rhine-Westphalia, and Diana Mayer & Grammelspacher GmbH & Co KG, based in Rastatt, should be well on the way by the time this magazine is printed.

• Continued from page 3

! ere are also fears that illegal guns and components are fl ooding into Australia in much larger numbers than authorities have been willing to admit, according to Greg Chan, who blamed inadequate policing at Australia’s borders.

He said: “We think that it is likely there are more guns and parts of guns imported than what the federal authorities have been willing to admit.

“! e diffi culty in having an informed view about this source is the small percentage of physical inspections undertaken by customs at the docks.”

He believes this “refl ects the inadequate resources devoted to preventing illegal imports into Australia (and) is compounded by the defi ciencies in customs.”

Winchester’s Jeff rey Gordon claimed the scope of the Senate inquiry was “limited.”

“We believe the current laws as they apply to legitimate shooting activities are working and allow for a balance between security and lawful compliance,” he confi rmed.

Gun Control Australia’s Roland Browne has suggested that it should be mandatory for gun owners to own safes fi tted with alarms.

“Why do they (gun owners) oppose tight storage requirements and use of alarms?

“It is not only an alarm system that is needed… guns need to be secured so that a determined burglar cannot make off with them.”

! e inquiry is also investigating the threat posed by the 3-D printing of guns.

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The Diana Group, owned bythe Italian Marocchi family,

has acquired specialist UK-basedmanufacturer MTC optics.

!e deal sees the brand joinother big names, including Bredaand Marocchi shotguns from Italyplus airgun marques Daystate andBrocock, both also based in theUK.

MTC Optics is well known forits range of top-quality telescopicrifle sights and a well-establishedconsumer base that will be animportant contribution towardsexpanding the group’s futureperformance and growth.

Daystate boss Tony Belasexplained: “We have been workingwith MTC Optics for the lastseven years and using its scopes onour airguns.

“Over the years we have got toknow owners Sammie and Garyreally well and even developed thepopular Mamba together.

“!e brand has been growingat quite a rate in the last coupleof years and the acquisition bythe Diana group will allow thatgrowth to continue at a goodpace.”

Sammie added: “!is is greatnews and we are confident


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Southern Outdoors GroupE: [email protected]: www.southernoutdoorsgroup.com

MTC’s Sammie Cooper and Daystate boss Tony Belas.

Looking after your brands in Canada

MTC OpticsT: + 44 8448 009929E: ofÞ[email protected]: www.mtcoptics.co.uk

Optics brandfinds new home

A new manufacturer rep group,using extensive experiencefrom industry professionals, islooking to help firms establishthemselves in Canada.

Eric Wilson and JenniferRichardson, who formerlyhandled international sales forstock and grip supplier ATI,specialise in helping shooting,firearms, tactical equipment andfishing-tackle manufacturersdevelop sales in Canada.

Southern Outdoors Group’smission is to grow its keymanufacturers’ market presence

throughout Canada thanks toits extensive knowledge of theindustry and vast customer base.

!e duo said: “Our goalis to establish long-termrelationships with boththe manufacturer and theircustomers, to ensure a qualitypartnership that delivers resultsbased on consistency, hard workand performance.”

With more than 10 yearsof combined work experiencewith major manufacturers,distributors, dealers, buyinggroups and big-box stores, both

domestic and international, theexperience is extensive.

!e managing partnerswill be responsible forfacilitating sales promotions,flyers, catalogue promotionsand e-blasts supporting allmanufacturers. In additionto territorial responsibilitiesthey will ensure efficientmanagement andadministration of the group.

that this will further aid thecompany’s expansion. It was justgetting busier and busier and tohave someone come in with theresources it has is terrific.

“!e Daystate family will takeover the sales and admin side,allowing Gary and myself tocontinue product development.”

MTC Optics has beenpurchased as a going concern,with all warranties and salesinformation unchanged.

However, the takeover alsoextends MTC into the group’slarge customer base where buyers

can benefit from the group’sstrong administration anddistribution network.

Under the terms of thedeal, Gary and Sammie willremain with the company forthe foreseeable future, withBrocock managing director PeterMartineau handling the day-to-day running of the brand from itsStaffordshire headquarters.

Ginger Chandler – senior vice-president,new product development and innovation.

RemingtonannouncesChandler assenior vice-president!e Remington OutdoorCompany (ROC) hasappointed Ginger Chandler as senior vice-president, newproduct development andinnovation.

“We are very excited tohave Ginger lead new product development and innovation,”said George Kollitides, CEO.“Ginger is a fi rearms-industryveteran and her knowledgeand leadership skills arewell suited for her new role.Further, Ginger’s expertisein pistols will augment our existing strength in long guns, as Remington continues its push into handguns.”

“Remington has deepAmerican roots,” said Ginger.“I’m excited to return to anindustry and lifestyle thatI’m so passionate about,and a position where I can contribute my skills andexperience to the products I love. I’m looking forwardto working with ROC’soutstanding professionals,whose design andmanufacturing excellence deliver the best products and experiences.”

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The success of the CrossOver riß e has led Lithgow Arms to look for distributors across Europe.

Lithgow ArmsT: +61 2 6352 9900E: [email protected]: www.lithgowarms.co.au

A proportion of the sale on every Streamlight pink ß ashlight product is donated to BCRF.

Australian shooting brand Lithgow Arms is on the

lookout for distributors across Europe for its CrossOver rifl es as it continues to grow.

! e CrossOver, as its name suggests, is a hunting and target rifl e with modern, tactical styling, high accuracy and reliability, proudly made in New South Wales, Australia.

Lithgow Arms is a brand built on 100 years of weapons expertise

Lithgow evolves into manufacturing role

at its small-arms factory.Originally conceived as a

factory to make and support weapons created elsewhere, over recent years Lithgow has evolved into a true small-arms designer and manufacturer.

Since 1912, the fi rm has proudly supported Australia’s soldiers on battlefi elds around the world. From Gallipoli, Fromelles and Pozières to North Africa, Borneo and Kokoda,

and from Korea, Malaya and Vietnam to East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan, Australian troops have carried weapons made by Lithgow.

! e Lithgow Arms’ team includes local experts plus people with international experience from some of the world’s most renowned arms manufacturers, as well as former military personnel.

All this means that the team now designs new Australian

weapons for military and civilian markets – along with the LA101 CrossOver, the innovative EF88 rifl e is being developed for the Australian Defence Force, while the export F90 version has captured attention around the world.

Kahr To Sponsor Long-Range Shooting ContestKahr Firearms Group is utilising YouTube’s massive appeal and marketing opportunites to organise a Kahr 2014 YouTube Video Long-Range Shooting Contest.

! e grand prize for the winner is $5,000 in value on any Kahr Firearms Group products, which includes Kahr, Magnum Research and Auto Ordnance.

“Our goal of this shooting contest is to dispel the myth that accuracy is sacrifi ced in exchange for a smaller-sized pistol, like that found in our concealed-carry product line,” stated Justin Moon, CEO of Kahr Firearms Group.

Lighting Þ rm brightens charity’s day with $75,000 contributionStreamlight Inc, a manufacturer of high-performance lighting equipment, has contributed more than $75,000 to ! e Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) in the USA.

Since 2010, the fi rm has donated $525,000 to the organisation, which wants to achieve prevention of and a cure for breast cancer, from sales proceeds of its ‘pink’ fl ashlight products.

! ese pink lights are imprinted with the BCRF logo,

designed to raise awareness of the disease. For every pink Nano Light, pink ProTac HL and pink Strion LED sold, $1, $3 and $5 respectively are donated to the not-for-profi t body.

Loring Grove, Streamlight’s global brand manager and a breast cancer survivor, said: “Breast cancer aff ects millions of women and their families and Streamlight is proud to continue doing our part to help raise money for a cure for this devastating disease.”

Top names scoop awardsBuyers in the USA have honoured some of the biggest names in gun and accessory manufacturing. Each year the National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers (NASGW) awards the top manufacturers who best demonstrate a commitment to the two-step distribution process, and who provide outstanding service.

Leadership awards this year went to Leupold & Stevens, Inc (optics), Birchwood Casey (accessories), Hornady (ammunition), Sturm, Ruger and Co (fi rearms) and IWI US (importer).

Awards of excellence went to Burris Co Inc (optics), Crimson Trace Corporation (accessory), Winchester (ammunition), Glock (fi rearms) and Eagle Imports. ! e 2014 Innovator of the Year was named as O F Mossberg & Sons, Inc.

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Italian gunmaker Breda hasconfirmed that it has started

production of its revolutionary B4,built on the popular AR platform.

!e first guns are ready forcustomers and the firm says thatit has been delighted with initialresults.

Michele Marocchi at Bredasaid: “We involved the bestaccessory manufacturers inthe USA and asked them to

create a high-quality AR15.Yankee forearms and Magpulcomponents give a tough feelingto the product.

“Expressly made respectingmilitary standards, our B4 willimpress those familiar with manyfamous AR15s on the market,while also offering a better balancebetween quality and price.

“Our barrels, expressly made inGermany by Lothar Walther, are

designed to be free floating andauto-centering too, with the newgas block designed by us.”

Since the B4 represents anew and different product inBreda’s catalogue, it is lookingfor new dealers and distributorsworldwide.


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BredaE: [email protected]

Pat McKenna has been appointeddirector of sales at Plano Synergy.

Wiley X set to supply Estonian defence forcesWiley XEuropehaspartneredwithReorg ÖuCompanyin Estonia,where itwill providespectacles andgoggles to theEstonian defence forces.

!e three-year contract will see Wiley Xprovide its popular Saber Advanced spectaclesand the Wiley X Nerve goggles (pictured), whichare provided to virtually all special and regulardefence forces around Europe.

“We are very proud that our offered products,

servicesand notleast ourofferedprice, all

combined,have achieved

such a high score inits evaluation system,” said

Jan Mikkelsen, president of WileyX Europe. “We look forward to a long

and strong cooperation in the coming years.”Gun Trade World understands that Wiley X

won the contract competing with four of thebiggest protective eyewear brands in the world.

!e Wiley X products earned 99.75 pointsout of the 100 possible, in the tender productevaluation system. !e closest competitorachieved 70.25 points.

PlanopromotesPlano Synergy has promotedPat McKenna to the positionof director of sales.He willwork with national accountmanagers, key account managersand regional sales managersto develop sales approach anddirection.He will also workwith other departments tostreamline the process, ensuringthat customers will continue tobe taken care of in an efficientmanner.

“I’m honoured to be ableto work for such a qualityorganisation,”Pat said: “PlanoSynergy consists of manyof the leading brands in theoutdoor industry. I’m veryexcited about my new positionand look forward to helpinggrow the Plano Synergybrand to become an evenmore dominant player in ourindustry.”

Heym goingdirect toshootersGerman riflemaker Heym isnow offering its bolt-actionand double rifles online toend users at prices 15 per cent below suggested retail prices.

Customers in Germany get to choose whatever modeland options they require and get their rifle shipped right totheir doorstep.

!is is a bold move becauseit will undoubtedly causea stir with Heym’s retailpartners.

Breda startsproduction of B4

Breda has conÞrmed that production ofthe revolutionary B4 has begun.

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NEWS

Airgun-pellet expert Haendler & Natermann Sport is

expanding its off erings after purchasing the pellet line from UK manufacturer Pax Guns.

Pax, which was founded by industry stalwart Hugh Earl, is a premium pellet manufacturer that makes a range of products for hunting, fi eld-target and leisure shooting.

Jörg Siemens, head of sales and marketing at H&N Sport, said: “We are very happy to expand our product line with some of the fi nest pellets on the market and

we are proud to continue Hugh’s great legacy.

“# e machinery will be transferred to Germany and installed in our new premises in Hann Münden in the next few weeks. We will present the new pellets in spring 2015 at the Shot Show and IWA. # ey will be available in April 2015 at the latest.”


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H&N Sport MD Florian Schwartz (left) and Pax Guns’ Hugh Earl.

Special features from AEG site

H&N Sport GmbHT: +49 5541 90963-0E: [email protected]: www.hn-sport.de

Asia Electric GunsT: +852 2332 0362W: www.aegguns.com

H&N buys pellets from UK

Hong Kong airsoft producer Asia Electric Guns has rebuilt its website from scratch to allow for new distributor-only features designed to make purchasing its products as quick and easy as possible.

Among the website’s special features is an online quotation builder, where buyers can choose from a full range of products for an instant quote.

With the distributor portal, accounts logged in can access

their full purchase history from AEG along with conversations with the sales team, distributor-only announcements and other useful information.

# ere is also special content, including packaging and shipping-related details, product downloads and other useful information.

KENNETH PEDERSEN OWNER OF DANISH HUNTING SUPPLIER KP3

Age: 51Nationality: DanishLength of time in post: Since 2007. I left a position as general manager for a German manufacturer of electronic components for the mobile industry, switching totally into turning my hobby into my livingMarital status: MarriedFamily: One sonPastimes/sport: Hunting is my passion and the sport I am exercising. I prefer active hunting like roebuck stalking but a Hungarian top-class wild boar driven hunt will always be appreciated. I am also a great Formula 1 fan

HINDSIGHTBest business decision: The extension of the Woodline portfolio and introduction of the Arxus Boot Line in 2008 made us a complete and much stronger supplier with gear for the active hunterWorst business decision: Following the same strategy in all European markets, as a general setup is simply not possible. Trying it out was a wrong decision at that time but also a good learning experience leading to where we are today, always open to an individual and different strategy to serve a speciÞ c opportunity or market. Hunting cultures, traditions of fashion, business traditions, economy of scale are almost so different in Europe that it can be difÞ cult to Þ nd similar markets to compare, especially within textilesGreat aspiration: Always being open for new ideas, although staying focused on targets

INSIGHTMain objective: New introductions for 2015 with our existing partner network, capturing new dealers, and establishing distributors/wholesalers in those markets where we are not yet representedPersonal objective: Small but innovative, being unique and different and staying focused on products for the active huntingBiggest current restraint: Germany – held up against the current achievable opportunities, as we are in a restrained situation. Required advertising expenditure is far more expensive than any other market in Europe. Looking for “somebody” to duplicate GB setup (if possible). We have some good dealers and wholesalers in Germany but the market potential is far bigger than what we currently achieve, yet the conservatism and high marketing cost does not make it worth Þ ghting forBiggest current opportunity: Our products are generally very much appreciated for their high quality. Our existing partners are looking forward to promoting them in their local markets

FORESIGHTThe next great technical development: We will announce many interesting ideas in 2015, among these an interesting boot modelHow will business develop in the next 12 months: We expect to maintain similar growth as we have had this yearWhich emerging market will be most signiÞ cant: Great Britain. We have been searching for years for the right partner for GB and have Þ nally succeeded with Hammond Sporting, which has shown a totally different way to approach the market and to the traditional way of building a distribution.

The brand-building direction takes perhaps a longer introduction time but is surely more solid in the long run. Additionally, it has been an eye-opener for the future elsewhereBusiness philosophy: Never compromise quality

KP3T: +45 53 55 82 50E: [email protected]: www.kp3.dk

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First shown at the ShotShow in January, the Chiappa Firearms LA322 is now being distributed.

Glock ‘gun racket’ row

First shown to the trade in January 2014 at the Shot

Show in Las Vegas, the much-expected model LA322 by Chiappa Firearms is now being distributed by the Italian maker.

! is western replica features a few typical characteristics: by fully pushing the lever, the cartridge case is extracted from a gate placed on the right side of the receiver; the safety is manual (hammer half-cock), and the

Chiappa reveals its LA322 at long last

! e ex-wife of Glock gun company owner Gaston Glock is suing him for hundreds of millions of dollars, claiming that he cheated her out of the fi rm that they founded in Austria 50 years ago.

Helga Glock, 78, is using rare racketeering laws to try and claw back $500 million (£311 million) from the 85-year-old, who she divorced three years ago after 49 years of marriage.

In legal papers fi led at a federal court in Atlanta, Georgia, where Glock is based, she accused him of an elaborate scheme to cheat her out of the fi rm, which makes $400 million in sales each year and supplies the US police with two-thirds of its fi rearms.

Mr Glock is said to have locked his ex-wife out of their Austrian mansion and fi red their three children from the fi rm before marrying his 35-year-old nurse, Katrin Tschikof.

Neither the fi rm nor Gaston Glock has commented on the matter.

sights are a Buckhorn rear sight manually adjustable in elevation and windage and a tunnel front sight.

Currently only available in the wooden-stock version, LA322 will shortly be proposed in the DELUXE version with checkered walnut pistol-grip stock.

! e LA322 is said to combine the reliable mechanics of all Chiappa Firearms products at a remarkable price of around €500,

which compares favourably with the €1,000 to €1,500 that is the average cost of the other lever-action rifl es.

! is has been made possible, on a small calibre of course, through some ingenious changes, including on the aesthetics.

! e stock, for instance, is made of beech wood, while the classic lever-action rifl es of the company based in Azzano Mella are made of walnut and are oil hand-fi nished.

! e alloy receiver has an ‘artifi cial’ colour case, obtained by a hi-tech decoration method, instead of the classic (and expensive) traditional colour case.

! e LA322’s simplifi cation compared with other lever-actions also makes it easier to use and just as simple to disassemble.

Chiappa FirearmsT: +39 030 9749065W: www.chiappaÞ rearms.com

Burris looks for online star! e Burris Company is searching for a manager of online marketing.

Reporting to the chief global marketing offi cer for the Beretta Optics Division, the successful candidate will be responsible for creating online strategies and executing online tactics to achieve the goals of the company and its two fl agship brands.

! e scope of this position includes the Burris and Steiner brand websites, industry forums, social media, e-mail, and other internet presences.

! is newly created position will be at the company’s headquarters in Colorado, USA. To apply, e-mail a résumé to [email protected].

Benchmade names product line managerBenchmade Knife Company, manufacturer of premium sports cutlery for the last 26 years, is pleased to announce the addition of Greg Hall as product line manager.

Greg will assist in the strategic planning, execution and management of product in the HK Knives and Benchmade portfolio.

“We’re incredibly excited with the addition of Greg to the Benchmade Product Team,” says Jason Boyd, director of product for Benchmade. “With the combination of his experience and his passion for the industry we look forward to all the tools and skills that Greg will bring to help continue to drive Benchmade as an industry leader in its category.”

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Safariland Group secures huge contract

Boost for shooting as kids go with hunting

e Safariland Group has been awarded a $6,000,000, two-year contract from the State of California for its Second Chance body armour.

is contract is for Second Chance Summit, Prism and Prism MT series body-armour products for all California agency employees requiring ballistics and stab protection, and allows for two one-year contract extensions. In addition, both city and county agencies within the State of California may also purchase armour equipment through this contract.

“We are equipped with one of the most advanced testing laboratories in the world. Our body-armour products are designed by highly experienced ballistic engineers and a network of supplier-partners, including Honeywell, DuPont and Teijin,” said Todd Mackler, vice-president Armor, e Safariland Group.

“After holding a body-armour contract with the State of California for the past fi ve years, we are proud to continue to protect these offi cers with high-quality and trusted body armour.”

The rich American tradition of hunting is still being

passed down from generation to generation, according to the latest fi gures.

A study by HunterSurvey.com reveals that passing that heritage along to younger people is still alive and well, with nearly 46 per cent of surveyed sportsmen having taken at least one child hunting in the past year.

e common perception that those children are almost always sons or daughters, however, may not be completely accurate. When asked how many children they had taken hunting within the past 12 months, 21 per cent reported that they had taken one, 15 per cent two, fi ve per cent three, two per cent four, with just over two per cent having taken fi ve or more.

Traditionally, it is thought that boys and girls most often learn to hunt from a parent and in 59 per cent of the reported cases that is absolutely true. But sportsmen aren’t just teaching their kids how to track a buck, shoot a duck or call in a turkey;

they’re introducing the outdoors to other relatives and friends as well.

After a son or daughter, the next highest response was taking an unrelated young person, with 27 per cent of respondents reporting that they had taken a girl or boy hunting with them that was not related to them, 20 per cent took a nephew or niece and 17 per cent took a grandchild.

Nearly four per cent took a child as part of an organised activity, such as through scouting or as part of a church group event.

“Sportsmen have long sought to share their love for the outdoors with the people in their lives, particularly young people, and when it comes to hunting, introducing kids to the outdoors isn’t limited to just immediate family members,” says Rob Southwick, president of Southwick Associates, which designed and conducted the survey.

To fi nd out more visit www.huntersurvey.com.© National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc.

SafarilandW: www.safariland.com

Blaser launch web storeGerman gunmaker Blaser launched its own web store, fi rst in German but also in English from November. It will off er a selection of Blaser-branded hunting and lifestyle products, from rifl e slings and gun-cleaning gear to travel trolleys but also knives, USB sticks and even smartphone covers.

Blaser will also launch exclusive web-only products through its store, such as an all-new lightweight carbon bipod for its R8 Professional rifl e.

P018_GTW_12_News.indd 1 28/10/2014 16:27

p019_GTW_12_Sellmark+Casa.indd 1 31/10/2014 16:40

The biggest names in theshooting, hunting and

outdoor world will again descendon Nuremberg next March for themassive IWA OutdoorClassicsevent.

Almost 40,000 visitors– two-thirds of them fromapproximaetly 120 countries –are expected to descend on theNürnbergMesse from Friday toMonday, March 6th to 9th, 2015,for the sector’s most importantinternational show.

On more than 86,000 squaremetres in nine exhibition halls,everything is ready for thousandsof brands and exhibitors topresent their latest products acrossthree key sectors – target sports,nature activities and protectingpeople.

"e national product show forthe retail gun trade and gunsmithsopened its doors in Nurembergfor the first time in 1973 with justunder 100 exhibitors. Last year itwelcomed 1,336 exhibitors fromsome 50 nations.

On March 4th and 5th, the twodays before IWA OutdoorClassicsstarts, Enforce Tac – theInternational Exhibition &Conference for Law Enforcement,Security and Tactical Solutions –will showcase the latest weaponsfor official agencies, ballisticaccessories, highly developedoptronics, functional uniformclothing and high-quality policesupplies.

"is specialist exhibition,developed exclusively for theneeds of official agencies, offersexperts from the police, judiciary,frontier protection, customs,military police and armedforces the perfect opportunityto update in detail on thecurrent developments in securitytechnology and equipment.

"e European PoliceTrainer Conference and thePolice Management AcademyConference also provide ampleopportunities for professionaldialogue.

"anks to its central location,

Nuremberg has always been animportant hub and the modernexhibition centre is reachedeasily from all over the worldvia Nuremberg Airport, severalmotorways and the rail network.

Admission to IWAOutdoorClassics is restrictedexclusively to trade visitors.Children and young people under18 years of age are not admittedand entry is only permitted forvisitors from relevant supply tradefirms, official agencies and securitycompanies.

In addition, admission toEnforce Tac is granted onlyto eligible trade visitors with avalid official pass from relevantauthorities.

Meanwhile, the historic cityoffers a large range of leisureactivities to attract visitors afterthe exhibition.


NEWSGTW

20

IWA/Enforce TacT: +49 9 11 86 06 49 19W: www.iwa.info/www.enforcetac.com

The world meetsin Germany forIWA event

6th to 9th March, 2015Nuremberg, Germany

4th to 5th March, 2015Nuremberg, Germany

P020_GTW_12_News.indd 1 03/11/2014 10:55

p021_GTW_12_Norica.indd 1 29/10/2014 09:04

MEET THE MAKER


After a lifetime in thegun trade, LucianoCamilleri felt it was

only right to sell his English-based pellet-making business,retire to a rural house in Francewhere he could put his feet upand see out the rest of his dayssipping a glass of Beaujolaiswhile finally relaxing for the firsttime in his hectic career.

It’s the sort of scenario mostpeople crave and strive forbut for Italian-born Luciano– or Luke as most people inthe industry know him – thedream was more of a nightmare

because it wasn’t long before hediscovered that whiling away thehours doing very little just wasn’tin his make-up.

He did try sticking to a morelaid-back existence to pleasehis long-suffering wife Pollybut after seven years renovatinghis French home and buildinganother on the large plot, theurge to return to the gun industrywas just too great. So now – atthe age of 80 – he’s back on thescene with a product set to shakethe airgun world… an alternativeto CO cartridges.

Luke has set up a factory

safety under pressure.#ey willfit and work on almost all currentair rifles and pistols and offerthe same sort of performance astraditional CO capsules.

Luke, who invented thegadget, told GTW: “Once youhave bought a cylinder and anadaptor you can shoot for free. Itgives more power and consistencyto shots and it is guaranteedto outperform CO capsules,it doesn’t harm or damage anairgun in any way and you get anacceptable number of shots percharge to CO. It is also moreenvironmentally friendly at a

in Nogent-Le-Phaye, France,making the revolutionarycylinders while moving theadmin side of the business backto Merseyside in England, wherehis former pellet-making factory– L J Cammell – used to be basedbefore he sold the company andall the unique machinery to anAmerican airgun giant.

Under pressure#e compressed-air refillablecylinders are called Proton-XLJC2 (12gr) and Proton-XLJC3 (88gr) and Luke saysthat they have been tested for

GTW

Back in thetrade – at 80!

After a lifetime in the gun industry, you would think retirement wouldbe well-earned and enjoyed. However, 80-year-old Luke Camilleri

couldn’t wait to return to it, reveals Stan Piecha.

p022-p024_GTW_12_MTM_Luke.indd 1 03/11/2014 10:56

MEET THE MAKER GTW

23

MEET THE MAKER



24

GTW


MEET THE MAKER

time when everyone is worriedabout CO, climate change andhaving to dispose of the usedsteel CO cylinders.

“#e cylinder is made ofstainless steel so will last alifetime. It can be chargedforever for free with a standardair filling system and the onlything that could cause a setbackis if the valve comes intocontact with sea water, becausethat would cause it to corrode,or if some curious airgunnerdismantles it, in which case itloses its guarantee.

“#is is something that I amreally excited about and thereason I just had to come outof retirement. Guns and ammohave been my life and comingup with new ideas is what reallythrills me. I have never beena copier – always a developer– and during my retirementthe cogs in my head were stillturning like mad, thinking ofnew ways of doing things. Iwould sit and sketch out ideasand I have a host of them towork on once the Proton hasbeen launched properly.”

Thought processLuke continued: “#e aircylinder is something that was

Luke CamilleriT: +33 327 703390E: Þ[email protected]

on my mind for many years butI was too busy making moneyfrom pellets to divert my energyinto developing new products.I am now very excited that theair cylinder is finally on themarket and will benefit shootersworldwide. It is selling well inEurope and I have had inquiriesfrom the Americas.

“#ere is no doubt thatpeople will see the advantagesof this cylinder. It is clean forthe environment and safe to usein closed areas. Its core valveis guaranteed for life, providedno attempt is made to open thecylinder, and it is easy to both filland use. You can take it in andout several times and there is noloss of air and users can revert toCO cartridges at any time.

“You get fewer shots but theyare more consistent, whereaswith CO the performance canbe erratic because it is affected bysudden changes in temperature.”

A lifetime of skillsLuke’s career in the trade isquite remarkable. His fatherand grandfather were pelletmanufacturers in Italy butemigrated to England in 1955,setting up a small manufacturingbusiness in Merseyside because

Liverpool docks were nearby,making it easier for them toexport their products.

He would spend much ofhis time messing around awayfrom the factory with his gunsand trying to develop new ideas,which he then explained to hisfather, who was reluctant to takethem on. But his skills as aninventor really shone throughwhen he took control of thecompany in 1960 and looked atways of increasing productionand the variety of pellets it made.

Within a couple of years hehad built pellet-making machinesfrom scratch capable of spewingout 500 slugs per minute – or30,000 an hour – compared withthe top German machinery thatat the time was only capable ofproducing a third of the output.

Moving forwardIt also gave him the money – andthe opportunity – to experimentwith different types of pellets andmaterials, which first includedthe Ballistic pellet, which hada steel ball inside the lead body– the first of its kind to ever bemanufactured.#en followed theFireball, consisting of a lead bodyand a steel ball at the front, whichwas a big seller in the Far East.

Luke added: “At one stagewe were making 40 typesof pellets and they were alldesigned by me. I made onesthat were lubricated so thatthey sped down the barrel evenquicker because they were sosmooth and had no resistance.By dipping pellets in a specialsolution, I also produced somegold-coloured ones that weremassive sellers in the MiddleEast.

“Although I am veryenthusiastic about the aircylinders, pellets are still verydear to my heart and I havejust designed a tool capable ofmanufacturing tungsten pellets.#ere will be three types thatwill include a mixture of steel,zinc and copper. You will needto be a very clever chemist todecipher the mixture and evenbrighter to produce the toolingneeded.#ey will come underthe Proton brand.”

As Luke has stressed, he’s adeveloper not a copier, so expecta host of more new productshitting the trade in the nearfuture. GTW

The innovative Proton cylinderreplaces standard CO2 cartridges.The innovative Proton cylinderreplaces standard CO2 cartridges.


HUNTING AND SHOOTING ACCESSORIES

MANUFACTURING ANDWHOLESALE DISTRIBUTION

If you import products from China you may have encountered the complexities of negotiation and supply-chain issues when buying direct from Chinese factories. TLS Trading is very different. We are a western-style business in Asia. We understand western business so buying from us is simple and our terms are straightforward.are straightforward.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO SEETHE FULL PRODUCT RANGE

WWW.TLSTRADINGHK.COM

p025_GTW_12_OIF+TLS+Diana.indd 1 29/10/2014 09:04

FEATURE

Casa Rizzini Irlanda was born from a dream that Carlo Alberto Rizzini

had been carrying with him since childhood – a dream to turn his hobbies of fi shing and hunting into a full-blown lifestyle and a business.

! is passion stimulated him to move from Italy to Ireland and his adventure gave his family a diff erent twist in life – and a thrilling one at that.

But his vision is now available to all because the successful Casa Rizzini Irlanda caters for

shooters, anglers and golfers wanting their own adventure and experience, not just in Ireland where the business is based but in amazing locations around the world.

Total devotion! e company and the concept began with friends and family visiting his beautiful corner of County Westmeath in Ireland, enjoying fi shing and shooting that was the envy of many. It proved so popular that word of mouth soon brought more and

FEATUREGTW


Few people manage to turn their dream into a reality. Not only has Carlo Alberto Rizzini succeeded, but his son is

off ering everyone else a taste of the dream too.

more clients to his door.For the fi rst few years, Casa

Rizzini Irlanda concentrated on organising shooting in Ireland for woodcock, snipe and driven pheasant, along with fi shing for pike, salmon and sea bass.

Carlo’s son, Alberto, explained: “As the clientele grew, the demand to off er a wider variety of packages grew too. At that point, my father decided to devote 20 years of his life to travelling around the world, testing diff erent hunting and fi shing destinations fi rst-hand.

Casa Rizzini: a home from home for shooters

“Casa Rizzini Irlanda’s main concerns have always been quality, comfort and the safety of our clients. ! at’s why all our partner outfi tters are fully registered, insured and qualifi ed to provide the best packages possible.

“Today, with our 20th anniversary around the corner, we are proud to say that in our brochure we have packages in nine countries, with 62 off ers covering 52 species, from stone sheep in Canada to the grey wing francolin in South Africa. Our

p026-p027_GTW_12_Rizzini.indd 1 28/10/2014 16:28

GTWFEATURE

www.guntradeworld.com 27

FEATURE

Our experiences cover the 365 days of the calendar, so our clients always have a hunting opportunity.

GTW

Casa Rizzini IrlandaT: +353 44 9344866E: [email protected]: www.casarizzini.com

experiences cover the 365 days of the calendar, so our clients always have a hunting opportunity.”

Dream tripsAlberto continued: “One of our most extravagant destinations is Greenland, with the chance to explore the polar ice cap accompanied by Inuit guides with their dogs and sleds.

“At fi rst, hunting for musk ox and white partridge will be the primary objective but once on the ice cap the adventure will take over. Moving on ice with well-trained, tireless dogs, surmounting hills, crossing the icy bays, living in a wooden cabin and seeing the Northern Lights will make the dream a reality – to me this is a priceless thing.

“Upon arrival, in the fi rst afternoon we include a boat trip to get up close to the icebergs. ! is is Greenland – Kalaallit Nunaat in the local language – which appropriately means Land of Men.”

From the North Pole to

Uruguay, there is something for everyone. In the latter there is hunting at the highest level – ‘chica’ partridge, dove, pigeon, duck and hare.

Hunting partridges there is done with 15 well-trained dogs – setters, pointers, Brittany spaniels and German pointers. For really keen shooters the organisation has an area for doves, with high-volume shooting designed to exceed all expectations.

Alberto said: “From dawn to dusk there is a continuous passage of thousands of doves, which are considered harmful here. You can also hunt for duck in the plantations and over private ponds, there is walked up on the farmland plains too.”

Organisation is at the highest level, with all domestic travel in comfortable Jeeps, accommodation in a four-star hotel or in a private castle and hunting in the private grounds of the castle estate.

He continued: “We still have very strong ties with fantastic

driven and walked up shoots here in Ireland, whether for towering pheasants, explosive snipe or woodcock. A snipe was even engraved on the Irish half-pound.”

“For woodcock, we off er areas of birch, beech, rhododendrons, wild broom and pine forests where you can see the dogs working.

“Both these birds are not only migratory but, thanks to the warm Gulf Stream that guarantees mild winters, they come to spend the winter here, so encounters are guaranteed thanks to a nesting population

“For these birds we have diff erent exclusive estates carefully selected from the best hunting areas, and welcoming hotels, castles and hunting lodges.”

For those in search of a true fi ve-star hunting experience, driven-pheasant shoots are available, prepared to the English standard.

Set on a private estate, complete with beaters and

loaders, the scenery takes in the breathtaking Wicklow Mountains, which provide a truly challenging environment for shooters, while accommodation is in a luxurious hunting lodge.

Variety and fl exibility is the key for most options – you can comfortably hunt in Wellingtons or hiking boots and hunt alone, in pairs of friends or with a group of up to six people, with experienced guides and dogs available too.

! e experienced team at Casa Rizzini Irlanda also understands that, for GTW readers, shooting is also a way of life and that the opportunities they get to indulge in their passion should be as exciting and memorable as possible.

p026-p027_GTW_12_Rizzini.indd 2 28/10/2014 16:28

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

28

GTW


Each year, NSSF bringsbuyers, retailers, rangeowners, wholesalers,

manufacturers and mediamembers together to discoverthe latest innovations in firearms,ammunition and hunting andshooting accessories, participatein educational seminars andnetwork – and we strive to bringmore to the experience at what isnow the fifth largest show in LasVegas, Nevada.

With over 1,600 exhibitors and 63,000 square feet of exhibition space, the NationalShooting Sports Foundation’s SHOT Show is the largest trade show of its kind in theworld, reveals Chris Dolnack, NSSF senior vice-president and chief marketing officer.

An insider’s look atSHOT Show 2015

SHOT ShowcaseTheater"e 2015 SHOT Show willhighlight several new features.At the top of the list is the newSHOT Showcase "eater, whichwill be located in the VenetianHotel near the entrance.

Modelled on the successfulpress-conference format at theNew York Auto Show, thisspecial 742-seat theatre willallow media and buyers a chance

to experience the hottest newproducts in a dynamic, multi-media environment. Ongoingduring the first day of the showfrom 9am to 3pm, exhibitors willprovide 15-minute presentationsof the products attendees needto know about, backed withspectacular video support acrossmultiple high-definition big-screen displays, high-definitionaudio, and special lighting.

Exhibitors will present in

categories, allowing buyers andmedia to attend the sessionsthey most need. Exhibitorpresentation slots are limited.Contact Chris Tatulli, NSSFdirector, exhibit and sponsorshipsales, [email protected]; +1 2034261320 x214.

Enhanced DigitalPresenceIn addition, all attendees canexpect to see a brighter, more

SHOT Show is nowthe Þfth biggestevent in Las Vegas.

P28-29_GTW_12_NSSF2.indd 1 03/11/2014 11:01

National Shooting Sports FoundationT: +1 203 426 1320F: +1 203 426 1087E: [email protected]: www.nssf.org

informative show in 2015.Increased digital signage willbe seen throughout the showfloor and lobby areas, withreal-time news feeds, showannouncements and directions to event locations.

NSSF will be streaming manyof these video outlets and they’realso available for purchase byexhibitors.

RegistrationRelocationsAlso new, our two registrationspaces and one of our dedicated gathering areas have been relocated to areas more visibleand more easily accessible.

Important to readers of GunTrade World, our InternationalTrade Center has been movedfrom the fourth to the secondfloor of the Venetian. "isarea, dedicated for use by ourinternational buyers and their delegates as a meeting space and relaxation lounge, is now moreconvenient to the show floor.

Exhibitor and attendeeregistration have also moved.Previously located on thesecond fl oor of the Sands Expo/Venetian, attendee registrationwill now be in the show fl oortransition lobby near the taxi/limo curb pick-up outside the Sands Expo, to provide morespace and higher visibility for those needing these services.

Exhibitor registration willnow be on the second floor nearthe Law Enforcement meetingrooms. "ere, exhibitors needinghelp with registration will fi ndmore space and more workdesks.

Also, following on the successof Badge Pick-Up last year,for those who pre-register forSHOT Show and simply needto pick up their badges, a self-service kiosk will be available at the entrance to the showcoming in from the VenetianHotel, where wait times will be minimal (another good reasonto take care of your SHOTShow credential applicationsprior to arriving in Las Vegas).

Expanded NewProduct Center"e motive behind relocatingthe exhibitor registration wasnot only to better provide animproved environment for thisarea of show business, but alsobecause its previous location,near the New Product Center, isagain expanding.

"is area will house dozensmore new products than inthe past, thanks in part to thenew benefits exhibitors gainby highlighting their productshere.

"is area is pivotal fordisplaying fresh merchandisethat companies exhibiting haveintroduced within the past year.

Positioned prominently onthe main SHOT Show floorthat all attendees will see asthey enter – more than 80 percent of show attendees visitit – the Center also serves asa gathering place for buyersand media whose days at theshow are spent in back-to-backmeetings and have little time towalk the floor.

It also acts as a way to “cut tothe chase” for show attendeeswho have just one or two daysto visit the show.

GTW

New for 2015, all entriesand company information willbe listed in NSSF’s innovativeonline New Product Gallery, tobe featured at shotshow.org formaximum visibility.

Hotel SpaceWe urge you to book your hotelrooms as soon as possible, if youhaven’t already."is year the cityof Las Vegas is, essentially, soldout."ere are multiple tradeshows taking place during thesame dates as SHOT Show – somany, in fact, that visitors willoutnumber the available hotelrooms; many area hotels werealready booked to capacity inOctober.

To ensure that all attendeeshave hotels in the area, NSSFhas secured additional roomblocks and new hotels.

Included in these are thenewly constructed SLS LasVegas, the renovated andupgraded Tropicana (a Hiltonpoints hotel), the Cosmopolitan(a J W Marriott partner) and theWestin hotel, all of which willhave complimentary shuttles toand from the Sands Expo andConvention Center.

Special rates for all NSSF

official SHOT Show hotels canbe accessed at www.shotshow.orgor through our official housingpartner, OnPeak, https://compass.onpeak.com/e/43SHO15/0,and at our headquarter hotels,the Venetian and Palazzo,https://resweb.passkey.com/Resweb.do?mode=welcome_gi_new&groupID=21680314.

SHOT ShowMobile AppFinally, before you board yourplane in a few weeks, rememberto download the SHOT Showapp. Available for iPhones andAndroid smartphones and tabletsthrough iTunes and Google Play,new this year, Blackberry userswill also be able to download theapp. It includes show floor maps,exhibitor listings, event schedulingand show news alerts, among ahost of other useful features.

Show registrationwill be easier andmore accessiblethan ever before.

29www.guntradeworld.com

P28-29_GTW_12_NSSF2.indd 2 03/11/2014 11:01

SPOTLIGHT ON...

30

GTW


Delve deep into the mistsof time and it is clearthat archery was the

forerunner of the shooting sportsthat we know today.

Whether firing at targets,hunting for food or protectingyour lands, the humble bow andarrow were the mainstays of manypeoples and have gone down inhistory for countless reasons.

Of course, in many cases gunsand ammunition supersededbows and arrows but, for avariety of reasons, they did notdisappear completely. Indeed, thewhole sector has been enjoying

something of a renaissance forthe past few years and that looksset to continue.

If you sell guns andammunition, then archery kitis a logical addition.True, somearchers will look for ultra-nicheand specialist retailers but if youare into target sports or, in manycountries, hunting, then addingarchery to your inventory makesperfect sense.

Archery and shooting’s keysectors run parallel with eachother – recreational, targetshooting and hunting – coveringeverything from fun in the

garden, to Olympic competitions,to full-on hunting experienceswith highly technical and oftenexpensive kit.

So if you are looking for a littleboost to sales, this is an area wellworth finding out more about.

The long andshort of it!ere are two basic types of bowthat need to be considered in thiscontext – the traditional longbow,which is typically held verticallyin one hand with the bow stringpulled back with the other, andthe crossbow, held horizontally

Archery and shooting have more in common than you might think,and bows can be a useful addition to your stock options.

and usually fired with a trigger.We can further split the

longbow into two distinct designstoo – recurve and compound.

A recurve bow is formed froma single piece, with its outer endscurving back away from thearcher, giving it its unique shape;this provides extra string-pulllength for a greater accelerationperiod on the arrow, improvingpower, control and accuracy.

Compound bows, bycomparison, use a complexsystem of cams and strings toproduce the power via speciallimbs that form the bow.

Add another stringto your bow

S P O T L I G H T O NARCHERY & BOW HUNTING

p30-33_GTW_12_spotlight_on.indd 1 30/10/2014 14:56

GTWSPOTLIGHT ON...


ARCHERY SURVEY RESULTS

ARCHERY MARKET TREND IN SALES

UP DOWN SAME55% 2% 43%

NUMBER OF LADIES TAKING UP ARCHERY

UP DOWN SAME19% 0% 81%

BEST-SELLING BRANDS(in no particular order)

BarnettPSEBearBrowningHortonHoytBowtechSouthern CrossbowCarbon ExpressPetronExcaliburMathewsTenPointArmexBuffalo RiverWinchester

NUMBER OF JUNIORS TAKING UP ARCHERY

UP DOWN SAME81% 0% 19%AVERAGE PERCENTAGE OFBOWS SOLD PER YEAR

■ 1 to 50 63%■ 51 to 100 18%■ 101 to 150 7%■ 151 to 200 6%■ 200+ 6%

BEST-SELLING BOW TYPE

■ Recurve 29%■ Compound 42%■ Crossbow 21%■ Longbow 8%

SPORTS BOWS USED FOR?

■ Hunting 36%■ Target 19%■ Recreational 45%

TOP ACCESSORIES(in no particular order)

ArrowsBoltsScopesTargetsArm guardsStabilisersQuivers

!e cams allow the bowweight to appear much lighterthrough mechanical advantage,once the string has been drawnback to its full extension.

!ey are also more compact,making them particularlyuseful for hunting and outdoorsimulated hunting competitionsbecause a high-poundage bowcan be used for greater power.

!e result is faster arrow speedand a less parabolic (curved)trajectory, which helps providepotential accuracy improvement,especially as range increases.

Since it can be tough to holdaim while holding back 100lb ofdraw weight, compound bowsnow have plenty of followers inthe hunting fraternity.

Indeed, our latest surveyconducted for this issue suggeststhat more compound bows arebeing sold than in 2012, whenwe did our last survey (up from

30 per cent of respondents to 42per cent).

Bow huntingA key area for sales in many partsof the world is bow hunting.In some areas it is expandingsignificantly (although the globalfigure is down from our surveytwo years ago, it still stands atmore than a third of all users).

In North America it is bothwell established and showing asurge in interest that promisesto provide excellent businessopportunities for those who takeit seriously, thanks to shows onboth mainstream and internetTV.

Proper training is vital becausethese weapons are extremelypowerful and have to be handledcorrectly to ensure a clean kill.

!e opportunity for add-onsales in this specialist sector ishuge, including carrying bags

or cases, backpacks, camouflageclothing, scopes and more.

Some countries do not,however, permit bow hunting.!ese include Austria,Switzerland, Belgium, Bulgariaand the UK. On the flip side,Greenland has changed the lawto permit musk ox to be huntedby skilled archers.

European Commission rulesdo not preclude the use of bowsfor hunting, so it is up to memberstates to set their own rules.Germany has been looking intomaking some types of huntinglegal, as is already the case inFrance.

In Romania the recentlyfounded Romanian BowhuntingAssociation called for a seminarto inform and develop thepossibilities of bow huntingthere.

Outline details of whichcountries permit bow

hunting and where it is notallowed can be found onthe website of the EuropeanBowhunting Federation – www.europeanbowhunting.org.

CrossbowsCrossbows also have a strong

place in history because theyare extremely effective and wereinitially used in battle to piercean opponent’s armour.

As materials have beenimproved and refined, so thebodies have become more andmore futuristic and effective,as have the bolts (essentiallya shorter arrow), rails, limbsand strings; not to mentioncocking mechanisms and triggerarrangements. All this makestoday’s crossbows amazing piecesof equipment, capable of greatpower, accuracy and consistency.

Crossbows come inconventional (longbow style with


GTW


SPOTLIGHT ON...

32

single curved limbs), recurve andcompound types, just as longbowsdo, with the same respectiveadvantages as longbows.

Because of their effectiveness,crossbows are now popular withhunters but this effectivenesscan be a double-edged sword.In some countries, hunting iscertainly not permitted withthem, while other territories haveactually opened their doors in therecent past to the opportunitiesthat they present.

Certainly in the USA andparts of Europe they arebecoming increasingly acceptedand encouraged. In some casescrossbow-only use has evenextended the hunting season.

Knowledge is the keyAn important aspect of anyhunting is respect for your quarryso, as with any animal taking,it is essential that training isundertaken to ensure proficiency.

Retailers should be able toprovide sufficient advice aboutequipment selection or pointbuyers in the direction of well-informed sources.

To succeed in this area youreally need to have a decentworking knowledge of bow types,the advantages of each, why acompound can prove best forhunting; poundage weights thatprovide sufficient arrow or boltspeed to ensure a clean kill butare also manageable.

Since these are high-poweredweapons, you can point the buyerin the direction of a scope sight,suggest carrying a shootingrest for a steadier aim and offera rangefinder as a solution toaccurately gauging the correctdistance to the target.

Pitching it rightNot surprisingly, as with manysectors of shooting sports, price plays a key role in the choiceof bow, according to 38 percent of our survey respondents,with brand vital to customers for 21 per cent followed byperformance, build quality and,finally, accessories.

Women and juniors are major

markets that simply cannot be ignored either.

With the overall trend up for55 per cent and staying the samefor 43 per cent, it is clear thatthings are looking positive.

No-one questioned reporteda downturn in the number of ladies or juniors showing aninterest. !e vast majority –more than 80 per cent – felt that junior numbers were increasing,with a similar number reporting no change in sale amounts to ladies.

Nineteen per cent said ladieswere increasingly likely to takeup archery, with 18 per centsaying junior numbers wereconsistent. GTW

An important aspect of any hunting is respect for your quarryso, as with any animal taking, it is essential that training is

undertaken to ensure proficiency.



GTWSPOTLIGHT ON...

33

USA

Archery is hugely popular and,with its large population, is alsohome to many of the world’sleading manufacturers, including specialists in a particular sector – traditional longbows, targetrecurve or powerful huntingcrossbows.

Hunting has becomeimmensely popular, with anincreasing number of states now permitting bow hunting, mostwith a separate season. This is aslightly longer season than whenusing a Þrearm, so is often auseful addition for a gun hunter.

Target archery has a verystrong following; a 2012 ArcheryTrade Association (ATA) surveyrevealed that some 18.9 millionpeople take part, with almost athird being women.

Some 10.4 million weresolely into target archery, 6.5million were involved with target and hunting, while 1.9 millionexclusively hunted with a bow.

The compound bow typeproved dominant, with 75 percent using them and 5.5 millionchoosing the crossbow format.Only 14 per cent use recurvebows.

Bow hunting is allowed in allstates, although some speciÞcrules may vary, as will huntingseasons. White-tailed deer is themost widely hunted species.

With technologymaking its presencefelt in bow sports of

all types, there aremany opportunitiesto make the most ofthis growing market.

However, you needto know the rules

in each territorybecause not all areasshare the same views

on the huntingaspect.

Nevertheless, ifyou know what you

are talking about,this can prove to bea very good revenuesource and a handy

diversification inyour outlet.

Australia & NZ

Although target archery ispractised in both New Zealandand Australia, it is hunting that ismost popular.

In Australia, strict restrictionson crossbows mean that huntingcompound and recurve longbowsare most used, with quarry speciesranging from wild goat or pig tothe ‘big game’ water buffalo.

In New Zealand there are nosuch restrictions upon crossbowsso they are more commonly usedfor hunting, with deer being themost common species.The widelyvariable weather conditions andsometimes-treacherous terrain canbe an extra difÞculty and hazardfor bow hunters, so it is essentialto know one’s limitations, bothfor ethical and personal-safetyreasons.

A lot of rißes becomeunserviceable in the harshenvironment, so any bow chosenmust be both powerful andstrongly built.

For the intrepid hunter thereare bow-hunting opportunitiesgalore.

South Africa

Bow hunting is bigger than target archery here and, with its vast spaces teeming with many species of game, small medium and large, is a hunter’s paradise (a permit is required for the ‘big six’, though).

It was the Þ rst country toregulate the kinetic energy of the arrow in relation to thehunted game species.

There are plenty of specialist outÞtters who can arrange a‘safari’ from the simple to the exotic; they can advise on equipment, clothing and travelarrangements.

Choosing a qualiÞ ed andexperienced outÞtter – manyare family businesses that havebeen established for decades– is essential in assuring a satisfying but, above all, safebow-hunting experience.

Target archery is practisedin most South African clubs,with regular tournaments takingplace, both in and outdoors.

The South African NationalArchery Association is the mainbody for this sector, plus otherscatering for the disabled, for example.

Europe

Archery has a longstanding traditionthroughout Europe,with mostnations taking part in internationaltarget competitions up to Olympiclevel,while ‘simulated quarry’ eventswith animal-shaped targets are alsopopular.

The bow hunting situation varieswidely; it is legal in Italy, Spain,Turkey, France, Finland, Poland,Portugal and Slovakia, for example,but not inAustria, Belgium,UK,Sweden,Russia or Romania.

Where allowed, interest in bowhunting is growing and links withexisting hunting bodies are takingplace to relax hunting restrictions inother areas,which could increasethe market dramatically.

Check out the EuropeanBowhunting Federation website –www.europeanbowhunting.org – fora useful map of which countriesallow the sport.

Portugal was among the ÞrstEuropean nations to legislate topermit bow hunting, in 1986.

Bow hunting is not permittedin the UK or the Irish Republic,so sport is limited to recreationaland target archery, but there areplenty of such clubs with strongmembership numbers, not tomention archery magazines, too.

There are major suppliers here,too, in the form of Armex, Petronand Merlin,whose businesses haveexpanded considerably in recentyears.

AROUNDTHE

WORLD



SPOTLIGHT ON...GTW

34

MATRIX OF SUPPLIERS - ARCHERYITALYAdvance GroupE: [email protected]: www.advancegroup.it

USAAlpine ArcheryE: [email protected]: www.alpinearchery.com

RUSSIAArmcrossE: [email protected]: www.armcross.ru

UKArmexE: [email protected]: www.armex.uk.com

USAArrow PrecisionE: [email protected]: www.arrow-precision.com

ITALYArtaxE: [email protected]: www.artax.net

USAAthensE: [email protected]: www.athensarchery.com

USABarnett OutdoorsE: [email protected]: www.barnettcrossbows.com

USABear ArcheryE: [email protected]: www.beararcheryproducts.com

GERMANYBeierE: [email protected]: www.beier-distribution.de

GERMANYBlack Flash ArcheryE: mail@black-ßash-archery.deW: www.black-ßash-archery.de

USABlack Widow Custom BowsE: [email protected]: www.blackwidowbows.com

USABowtech ArcheryE: via websiteW: www.bowtecharchery.com

USACarbon ExpressE: via websiteW: www.carbonexpressarrows.com

USAElite ArcheryE: via websiteW: www.elitearchery.com

CANADAExcalibur CrossbowE: [email protected]: www.excaliburcrossbow.com

USAHortonNow part of TenPoint

USAHoytE: via websiteW: www.hoyt.com

CHINAJandao SanlidaE: [email protected]: www.chinacrossbow.com

USAMartin ArcheryE: via websiteW: www.martinarchery.com

USAMathewsE: via websiteW: mathewsinc.com

UKMerlin ArcheryE: [email protected]: www.merlinarchery.co.uk

UKPetron Sports LtdE: [email protected]: www.petron.info

TAIWANPoe LangE: [email protected]: www.poelang.com

USAPrime/G5 outdoorsE: via websiteW: www.g5prime.com

USASouthern CrossbowE: via websiteW: www.southerncrossbow.com

USATenPointE: via websiteW: www.tenpointcrossbows.com

GERMANYUmarexE: [email protected]: www.umarex.com

KOREAWin&Win ArcheryE: [email protected]: www.win-archery.com

P34_GTW_12_Matrix.indd 1 31/10/2014 10:02

TENPOINTCROSSBOWS.COM

Compact, lite, and fast, the premium-level Venom™ and a$ ordable Shadow Ultra-Lite™ take TenPoint’s 2014 lineup to a game-changing level. The Venom combines technology from last year’s Vapor and Stealth SS models and

a NEW HE2 high-performance cam to achieve record breaking performance and e( ortless handling. Built on the popular Stealth SS frame, the Shadow Ultra-Lite features a NEW lightweight carbon-injected polymer barrel and

trigger housing to make it the lightest model TenPoint has ever designed.

Go ahead – pick your poison.

PICK YOUR POISON.

™

with 370-grain Pro Lite Arrowwith 370-grain Pro Lite Arrow372 FPS 114 FP KE372185 LB Draw Wt.

114114Wt.Wt. 6.5 LB Bow Wt.

For 2014

with 370-grain Pro Lite Arrow350 FPS 101 FP KE

180 LB Draw Wt. 6.4 LB Bow Wt.

For 2014

p035_GTW_12_TenPoints.indd 1 29/10/2014 09:03

GTW

www.guntradeworld.com36

T&G SHOW 2014T&G SHOW 2014

UK trade show

provides a tonic

Plenty of international brands were on display at the UK’s unique Tackle & Guns Trade Show. Here’s a fl avour

of what went on…

Daystate unveiled its MTC Optics deal.

John Rothery had plenty under the Bisley name. NiteSite has launched an accessory range.

Ireland’s Ardee Sports did well at the show.

This was the 15th T&G Trade Show, the UK’s only trade event for our industry.

The event always proves popular with dealers.

P036-p037_GTW_12_News.indd 1 28/10/2014 16:30


GTW

37

T&G SHOW 2014T&G SHOW 2014

Now in its 15th year, the Tackle & Guns Trade Show is a major part of most suppliers’ and

dealers’ calendars.Attracting hundreds of brands from the

shooting world, plus around 700 retail outlets over two days, the event is designed to help manufacturers and distributors showcase their latest products.

Among the big international names present this year at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire, England, were AYA, Crosman, FX, BSA, Air Arms, Deben, Bisley, Daystate, Brocock, Howa, Webley & Scott, Cogswell & Harrison, Seeland, Harkila, Baleno, Casstrom, Bonart, Percussion Clothing, MTM, Club Interchasse, Lincoln, LED Lenser, Pulsar, Spypoint, NiteSite, Grub’s, Shooter King, Sabatti, Salvinelli, Gerber, Eurohunt, Overhues & Schussler, Parker-Hale, Tasco, Umarex and Taurus, among others.

! e T&G Show incorporates the Shooting Trade Show, supported by the Gun Trade Association, and the venture also featured a dedicated airgun range, two night-vision ranges, an archery section and useful seminars for retailers and suppliers.

! e show not only provides a meeting point for people across the industry and the chance to see new products but it gives overseas exhibitors the chance to put their brand in front of retailers and launch into the UK market.

Plans are already under way for next year’s show at the same venue, which will be staged on Sunday and Monday, October 11th and 12th. GTW

ASI imports AYA, Rizzini, Crosman and FX brands.

Plenty of business was done over the two days.Cogswell & Harrison was relaunched.

NiteSite unveiled a spotting scope adaptor too.Impact is the newest name in airguns.

Visitors came from far and wide...

Highland Outdoors revealed a deal with C-More for scopes.

The event always proves popular with dealers.

P036-p037_GTW_12_News.indd 2 28/10/2014 16:31

GREAT GEARGREAT GEAR

38

GTW


With this month’s spotlight on archery, Great Gear focuses on the cutting edge of things, namely hunting arrowheads.

Don’t lose your head over archery

add-ons

Like a rifl eman choosing the right bullet for the job at hand, a bow hunter needs to

select the appropriate arrowhead for the quarry he’s after – large game, smaller game or target shooting. However, before we discuss hunting heads, let’s begin with fi eld points.

! ese are small, rounded, non-lethal arrowheads we use for practising. ! ey off er the same weight and fl ight characteristics as hunting heads, yet their simple design, featuring a distinct shoulder, doesn’t damage targets excessively. ! ey’re also a lot cheaper than hunting heads, so it makes more sense to use these for target practice.

Enter the broadheadAs far back as the Middle Ages, broadheads, as we still know them today for hunting deer-sized and bigger game, were already in use on the battlefi eld.

Featuring two to four razor-sharp blades, broadheads deliver a cutting edge that not only penetrates but also causes massive bleeding. Principally, there are two distinct types – fi xed blade and mechanical.

Fixed-blade broadheads are the oldest and simplest type, having blades that are fi xed in place, as the name implies, on the arrowhead. ! is is the sturdiest type of arrowhead, penetrating

better than the mechanical heads that we’ll be covering later on. ! ey are also less likely to change direction on impact.

Fixed-blade broadheads can be further split into two groups. Cut-on-contact ones have blades that run all the way up to the very tip of the arrowhead. When hitting an animal, these heads begin to slice instantly, producing the best overall penetration, even with lower draw weights. Examples are G5’s Montec and Striker broadheads.

! e other type consists of chisel-point broadheads, with a chisel-like tip with the blades only starting just behind this. ! ese

punch a hole in the skin fi rst and start cutting afterwards.

Wasp has several chisel-point broadheads available, such as the Drone, Boss, Hammer, Bullet and so on.

Both fi xed-blade types come fully fi xed – which you need to resharpen after use – or with replaceable blades and/or chisel points, off ering more convenience.

! e downside of is that the fi xed blades can, and will, plane through the air because there’s more surface area. ! is can alter the path of an arrow compared with when you’re shooting the same setup, but with fi eld points.

! e faster the bow, the more

p038-p039_GTW_12_gretagear.indd 1 28/10/2014 16:32

GTWGREAT GEARGREAT GEAR

www.guntradeworld.com 39GTW

Because mechanical broadheads spill some energy on opening their blades during

impact, they don’t penetrate as well as their fi xed-blade counterparts.

concerned one needs to be about a change in aerodynamic properties of an arrow when tipped with a fi xed-blade broadhead. When using these, you usually have to spend time tuning the bow to get consistent arrow fl ight.

Mechanical mattersSometimes called expandable heads, mechanical broadheads feature blades that stay ‘hidden’ in the arrowhead during fl ight and spring open upon impact with the animal.

Having far less surface area than fi xed-blade broadheads, mechanical versions are obviously less discriminating to get the fl ight path and tuning just right.

! eir accuracy and aerodynamic properties are far closer to regular fi eld points than those of fi xed blades.

Because mechanical broadheads spill some energy on opening their blades during impact, they don’t penetrate as well as their fi xed-blade counterparts.

It is also more likely for mechanical broadheads to break or change direction on impact with bone. By their design, they are also not as sturdy as fi xed blades. What’s more, however unlikely it is, there’s still a probability, even if it’s outlandishly small, for the mechanical broadhead not to function as it should.

! ese can also be split into two groups, front deploying and rear deploying. ! e former type feature blades that are hinged at the rear of the ferrule, pivoting out from the front upon impact.

! e latter has front-pivoting blades that deploy outward from the rear of the arrowhead.

Whereas front-deploying broadheads only open up after they are inside the animal, their entrance holes are typically smaller than those of rear-deploying heads, which feature full-size entrance and exit wounds.

Examples of mechanical broadheads come from Rage, such as its new 3-Blade with KORE technology, SS and Hypodermic Standard broadheads. Examples from other brands include the Grim Reaper Razortip, NAP Spitfi re and Killzone.

! ere are also hybrid broadheads on the market, combining both the fi xed blade and mechanical

concept in one arrowhead. ! e Grim Reaper Hybrid, for example, combines the dependability of fi xed-blade broadheads with the large cutting diameter that mechanical ones off er.

Speciality headsAlongside broadheads for larger game species, arrowhead designers have come up with specially designed heads for specifi c game species, suck asG5’s Small Game Head, for example. Although it has fi eld point fl ight characteristics, the three talon-like prongs and the rounded nose tip deliver a lethal punch.

! e Snaro Bird Point features wide wire loops enabling it to take down game birds in mid-fl ight, while the wide loops cause a bird to get tangled up with its wings. ! e blunt, fl at nose tip delivers a killing shock.

Turkeys requiring head and neck shots are best hunted with specifi cally designed arrowheads,

such as the Magnus Bullhead Broadhead. ! ese feature an extra-large cutting surface and diameter and, combined with great fl ight characteristics, are able to bag the biggest turkeys confi dently.

All in the head! e bow-hunting world is awash with choices, maybe even more than the gun world. One not only has to consider the choice of bow or draw weight but also the mind-boggling choices of arrow length, weight and, of course, arrowheads.

! en we’ve only barely scratched the surface of what hunting arrowheads are all about. One of the things we didn’t mention yet, but is vitally important, is to fi nd the right arrowhead weight to suit your setup and hunting needs.

So as you can see, there’s a big role to play for retailers to educate and service their customers. ! ere’s a lot more to getting things right when bow hunting than just grabbing a couple of random arrows and heading to the woods.

p038-p039_GTW_12_gretagear.indd 2 28/10/2014 16:32


COMPANY PROFILEGTW

40

TenPointCrossbows:The winning

formulaIn two decades,TenPoint has proven,and continues, to be an

innovation leader in the industry.GTW uncovers the storybehind this successful crossbow brand.

In early 2015, TenPointCrossbow Technologiesenters its 21st year in

business. However, the storyof the company is synonymouswith the story of its CEO and chairman, Rick Bednar.

Rick’s association witharchery goes back to his youth,when his parents founded an archery centre in Ohio, a statein the American Midwest. Rickand his two sisters, Cindy andJoanna, who are now workingfor TenPoint as well, grew up inan apartment adjoining the pro-shop building.

As he grew up immersed inthe family’s business, his father,Bill, coached him as an elitetournament archer, competingat the highest international levels. With both his retail andcompetition background, nowonder Rick developed a stronginterest in bow design and engineering.

Buying into itGraduating in 1979, Rick wentto work for a speciality retaileras its director of new storeexpansion.

TenPoint Titan Xtreme.

p040-p042_GTW_12_TenPoint.indd 1 30/10/2014 14:56


GTWCOMPANY PROFILE

41

In each of the 20 years thatTenPoint has beenmanufacturing crossbows,the company never failedto introduce innovations or product improvements.

patents and licences – after the company had ceased operationsin April 2013.

Ironically, Rick is nowpositioning the corporation to re-engineer and resurrect a oncestoried brand that he brought to the United States in 1985.

Innovation leadersIn each of the 20 yearsthat TenPoint has beenmanufacturing crossbows, the company never failed tointroduce innovations or product

Within two years, however,wanting to become his own boss, he purchased the family archerybusiness.

By 1983 he had added a wholesale distributioncomponent to the retailoperation, called PACDistributing.

In 1985 a group of British entrepreneurs convinced himto start importing and selling a range of crossbows designed by British gunmaker BernardHorton.

Within one year, however,Horton’s British operation couldnot produce and ship products fast enough to fill the US orders.Realising that the crossbowbusiness had serious long-term potential, Rick convincedHorton to move manufacturingto Ohio. Horton CrossbowManufacturing was incorporated in that same year, 1985.

In six short years, with Rick as COO, it grew to a thriving $4.5million company, employingnearly 30 people. In 1992,though, a stockholder dispute about the future of the companycaused Rick to negotiate abuyout and leave Horton.

Birth of a brandAfter sitting out a non-competecovenant, Rick, together witha small group of additional investors, formed Hunter’sManufacturing in 1994, which was renamed TenPointCrossbows in 2000.

Although the first years inoperation were not the easiest,the company still managed to grow with double digits eachand every year. !e marketplacerecognised that TenPoint wasreally superior in engineeringand performance.

In addition, the fledglingcrossbow market beganexpanding at a slow but unmistakable pace.

!at pace quickened in 2002when a couple of southeasternstates eliminated crossbowrestrictions during their archeryseasons.

Since then, what was a five-state market began to evolveinto what is now a rapidly

growing 20-state market. Whilefavourable state regulations between 2002 and 2014 createda welcome pathway to success for crossbow manufacturers, fewcompanies were able to navigatethat path as well as Rick.During those 12 years, TenPointCrossbows grew from fewer than20 employees to 80.

What’s more, last July,Rick announced the purchaseof selected Horton Archeryassets – namely machinery andequipment, trademarks and

improvements. Since 1994,TenPoint secured 33 patents,with another 19 pending or being filed. Very few companiesin the industry can boast such a track record.

Some of these innovations,such as string dampening, dry-fire prevention and a vibration-dampening, arrow-retentionspring, are to be found on allTenPoint crossbows.

Other innovations involvethe whole design concept of some TenPoint crossbow

TenPoint Vapor.

TenPoint Venom.


GTW

www.guntradeworld.com42

COMPANY PROFILE

GTW

models. Others are accessories,like the SteddyEddy crossbowsupport rod and the ACUropeportable cocking device that can be used on any horizontal bow,no matter what brand it is.

Another interesting point isthat TenPoint only focuses ondesigning, prototyping, testing,assembling and marketing its products. !e actualmanufacturing of parts is done elsewhere in the USA. !is way,TenPoint can focus on whatit does best – designing andmarketing premium crossbows and accessories.

Product RangeTenPoint’s extensive productrange goes from a $719 GTFlex recurve crossbow up tothe $2,719 Carbon Xtra CLSwhisper-quiet, vibration-freecrossbow with a woven carbon-fibre barrel and laminatedwooden stock.

TenPoint also builds a rangeof crossbow arrows covering allits shooters’ needs. Next is animpressive line-up of accessories,ranging from cocking devices toquivers, scopes, strings and cables,cases, silencers, maintenance gear,branded apparel and so on.

TenPoint CrossbowsT: +1 330 628 9245W: www.tenpointcrossbows.com

Wicked RidgeWhen Rick’s eldest son, Phillip, joined the company in 2008 aftergraduating with an MBA, his initial assignment was to createthe business plan for a new brand and to develop the marketingstrategy to launch it.

!at brand was to become Wicked Ridge, an easy-to-manufacture, entry-level line of crossbows that, while simple indesign, was nevertheless as durable, accurate and dependable as itshigh-end TenPoint cousins.

With entry-level prices from $419 to $819 for Wicked Ridgecrossbow packages, customers get a lot of bang for their buck.Especially considering these products have a TenPoint pedigreeand use certain TenPoint parts like, for example, 175lb HL Limbson the Warrior HL, which have already proven their worth overand over again.

TenPoint only focuses ondesigning,prototyping,testing, assembling andmarketing its products.

Wicked Ridge Warrior HL.


Available in .50 AE, .44 Magnum and .357 Magnum

A variety of impressive finishes

www.magnumresearch.comEuropean Distributor: Waffen Ferkinghoff GmbH & Co. KGPhone: 49 9384 882 12-00 | Fax: 49 9384 882 12-19 | www.waffen-ferkinghoff.com

®

*Shown Titanium Gold, Brushed Chrome and Black

Visit the Kahr Firearms Group at the upcoming 2015 showsSHOT Show, Las Vegas, NV, USA Booth #15949 | IWA Show, Nurnberg, Germany Hall 1

p043_GTW_12_Kahr+Pedosoli-NEW.indd 1 03/11/2014 12:59

Fausti has beenmanufacturing fineshotguns in Italy since

1948 and it didn’t take the firmlong to realise that one of thethings its clients appreciatedmost was the opportunity ofhaving their guns custom madeto meet their needs.

!at was true for competitionshooters, hunters and collectorsalike so, several years ago,Fausti decided to follow thecustomisation route, away fromthe standardisation that mostmakers had been embracing.

As a result, the companydesigned a dedicated cataloguecalled Boutique to include allthose over-and-under and side-by-side models where clients’technical and aesthetical requestscould be accommodated.

!is comprehensive cataloguehas recently seen a new entrywith the Individual model, which,as the name implies, allows formaximum customisation of thegun during the manufacturingprocess.

Fine designs!e Individual features Fausti’s

patented Four Locks system,stock and forend in extra-selectwood and fine engraving signedby the best masters from thegunmaking region of Brescia.

!is over-and-under shotguntruly belongs to the family offine shotguns manufactured byFausti but it stands out evenmore for the unique look of the fences and sides, especially in thesmall and slender 28ga or .410-bore versions.

!at said, the pair oftraditional 20gas featured in thisarticle and built exactly as theclient wanted are nothing shortof unique.

!ese come with matchingstocks and forends in extra-select walnut, traditional half-pistol grips with metal caps and long tangs machined from solidbillets of steel.

Only expert stockers areallowed to work on guns at thislevel of quality to guaranteeprecision of custom dimensionsand perfect wood to metal fit.

!e checkering is hand cutand the oil polishing is alsohand applied. Coat after coat is used to enhance the beauty of

FEATUREGTW


Fausti has always prided itself on making bespoke shotguns but itslatest product, the Individual, really is a unique offering.

The Fausti Individual which, as the name implies, allows for maximum customisation.

colours and contrasts and givethe necessary protection.

!e English-style forend isslender and features a newlydesigned iron with an extremelyelegant yet practical release.

Go with the flow!e round body action is stronglycharacterised by the new double-fence profile that perfectly flowsinto the signature Fausti barrelline.

!e action is machined from abillet of special, high-resistance alloy steel. No welding or castingis allowed. After the machiningis complete, the metal surfaceis then mirror polished by hand and readied for engraving.

In this particular case, arepresentative of the ItalianEngraving Arts, master Stefano Muffolini, engraved the pair. !eengraving features English scrollintertwined with floral patterns,all framing the scene the clientwanted on the action back.

As a matter of fact, manyclients have their family crestsor club logos engraved on theactions of the Individual to makeit truly their own.

A shotgun asindividual as you

A lifetime ofservice!e guns in the pair come withsingle selective triggers, ejectorsand 71cm barrels with choketubes. On request, customers canhave single non-selective triggersor traditional double triggers, aswell as fixed chokes based on thehunts of choice.

!e barrels are always lightyet exceptionally strong, whichtranslates into excellent shotgroups and ballistic performance(tested and certified) in thelong run. Chambers and boresare chrome lined for enhancedcorrosion and wear resistance.

Each Individual comes, asstandard, with a leather casewith the Fausti logo featuredon the inside of the lid. Onrequest, a client can customorder a handmade and entirelyfitted ‘motor case’ with cleaningaccessories.

In summary, the Individual is aspectacular example of what thecraftsmen at Fausti can do whenthey are called upon to expresstheir creativity and hand skillsto please the most demandingclients there are. GTW

p044-p045_GTW_12_Fausti.indd 1 31/10/2014 10:03

GTWFEATURE


Many clientshave theirfamily crestsor club logosengraved onthe actions ofthe Individualto make it trulytheir own.Fausti srl

T: +39 030 89 60 217E: [email protected]: www.faustiarms.com

p044-p045_GTW_12_Fausti.indd 2 31/10/2014 10:03

DOING BUSINESS WITH...

46

GTW


In Hungary, like many European countries, hunting is a traditional pastime and one

that not only captivates locals but also attracts international tourism each year.

Trophy deer, boar and small game are plentiful and there are several hunting tourism companies set up for those adventurous huntsmen who love to travel in search of their next big thrill.

It is estimated that 5.5 private guns are owned for every 100 Hungarian citizens, with the number of licensed gun holders standing at more than 80,000.

! e country has a reasonably healthy small-arms manufacturing industry and also many ammunition and shooting-accessory fi rms taking advantage of the current market.

It is estimated that there are approximately 22,000 privately owned handguns in Hungary, so it is not just sporting guns that are popular in this market.

! e country has sound gun laws

in place, which would probably sit in the middle ground between the ridiculously strict and the lax. Police background checks and gun-storage location checks are mandatory for fi rearm owners.

! ere is also a basic safety training course in both written and practical examination form that fi rearm licence applicants must complete before they can legally own a gun.

Hunting in HungaryHungary plays an outstanding role in European hunting tourism – a fact substantiated by the high number of foreign hunters visiting the country every year.

! e wild game is the property of the state, while the hunting areas are either privately or state owned. ! e state-owned areas can exceed 240,000 acres, where hunting is just one part of a much wider area of economic activity. State-owned hunting areas may have luxury hunting lodges and off er high-quality services.

! is month we travel to the landlocked, central European country of Hungary, famed for its deer and wild boar, to tell you how to do business here eff ectively.

HungaryDoing business with...


FACTFILE

HungaryCapital: Budapest Continent: EuropeGeographical Location: Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Traditionally it has been deÞ ned by its two main waterways, the Danube and Tisza rivers.Area: 93,030 square kilometresClimate: Hungary has a Continental climate, with hot summers with low overall humidity levels but frequent rain showers and mildly cold snowy wintersLanguage: HungarianPopulation: 9,879,000(2014 est) Major Religions: Christian, Roman CatholicCurrency: Forint (HUF) $ conversion $1 = 241 HUF£ conversion £1 = 386 HUF € conversion €1 = 308 HUF(Correct August 2014)Time Zone: GMT +1 hourSummer GMT +2 hoursInternet Domain: .hu Int. Dialing Code: +36

In addition to the state-owned areas there are also hunting clubs, which usually rent their hunting grounds from private landowners. ! ey take care of the game management in accordance with a prescribed management policy. ! ese hunting clubs also off er fi rst-class accommodation and excellent food.

It is important to understand that the majority of the game animals in Hungary live free in their natural surroundings.

Some larger hunting areas have so-called ‘game reserves’ in their territories, too, especially for wild boar.

As far as pheasant shooting is concerned, the natural population is supplemented in many regions by the setting out of specially bred birds. In a similar fashion to other European countries, including the UK, Hungarian-driven pheasant shooting is one of the most exciting types of driven bird shooting to be found anywhere in Europe.

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GTWDOING BUSINESS WITH...



THE VIEW OF A HUNGARIAN COMPANY OWNER

FACTFILE

560kThe number of privately owned Þ rearms

5.5The estimated rate of gun ownership per 100 people

74thHungary’s ranking in comparison to the rate of private gun ownership in 178 countries

22kThere are reportedly 22,963 privately owned handguns

78kThere are reportedly 78,078 privately owned shotguns

45kThere are reportedly 45,870 privately owned riß es

1The rate of licensed gun ownership per 100 people

$14kThe annual value of small arms and ammunition exports as reported by Customs

$1.4mThe annual value of small arms and ammunition imports as reported by Customs

Dr Tamas PrekopTREZOR-LIKTOR Zrt

Huge red-deer stags, fast pheasants, powerful wild boars, beautiful hunting areas, Þ rst-class hunting lodges, excellent food, elegant wines... there is so much to be discovered in Hungary.

It is situated in the heart of Europe and is literally one large and continuous game preserve. The game is the property of the Hungarian state but the hunting territories are either on private property or state owned, like forestries. Aside from the state-owned forestries there are also hunting clubs, which usually rent their hunting grounds from private landowners. They take care of game management according to a framework of strictly prescribed rules. They also have to do business to cover the costs of game preservation and feeding during winter. Such a territory cannot be smaller than 7,300 acres (3,000 hectares). It is important to know that most of the game stock lives free, in their natural surroundings. Some forestries formed so-called game preserves in their territories as well, especially for wild boar.

Hunting season starts with roebuck hunting in mid-April and continues until the middle of August, with wild-duck hunting. September gives us the marvel of the rutting period of the red deer. October 1st is the beginning of the main hunting season. This offers the opportunity to hunt pheasant, wild duck, wild boar, mouß on and fallow deer at the same time.

Red deer, fallow deer and roe deer are only stalked, never shot during driven hunts. Wild boar can be hunted throughout the year in individual hunts. However, the driven wild boar hunt can give anyone an extraordinary hunting adventure during the autumn and winter months.

Between hunting trips our family company helps to store your weapons safety. We have been manufacturing standard and bespoke luxury gun safes with bulletproof glazing since 1987. Every single customised masterpiece has been made by our craftsmen’s hands, striving for perfection and following the customers’ preferences. The real wood covering, the hand-carved wooden trimming elements and the hand-sewn leather create harmonic conformity and the feeling of enhanced superiority of the personal luxurious gun cabinet.

Hungary is both a natural bridge between east and west and a central point for business. To achieve this, we would like to become attractive to all players in European hunting culture, and turn Hungary into the centre for hunting trips in central and eastern Europe.

Dr Tamas PrekopTREZOR-LIKTOR ZrtT: + 36 30 207 2260E: [email protected]: www.trezor.hu/manufaktura


GTW


DOING BUSINESS WITH... DOING BUSINESS WITH...

48

OTHER STRONG BRANDSPrimos, Hornady, Barnes (ammunition), Hawke/Deben, Steiner, NightForce, Krieghoff

HUNGARIAN SHOOTING TRADE – A BREAKDOWN...Gun Trade World has surveyed the Hungarian shooting trade to compile this invaluable, comprehensive breakdown of the market.

POPULAR SHOOTING STYLES

Ambush huntingScoutingDriven boar hunt Social hunting

TOP WHOLESALE/SUPPLY COMPANIES

Magnum Vadász és Hajós KftHarmónia 91 KftBlaser Magyarország KftTrófea KftDiana Szövetkezet

TOP BRANDS Listed in no particular order

ANIMALS HUNTED

Wild boarRoeDeerVarmint (pheasant, duck)Fox

TOP MANUFACTURERS

TREZOR-LIKTOR Zrt Kos Fashion Kft (clothes)Ruag subsidiary (ammunition)

TOP RETAIL/CHAIN SHOPS

Magnum Vadász és Hajós KftHarmónia 91 KftHargita Jagd VadászboltReß ex VadászáruházJagdrevier Vadászbolt

RIFLESSteyrRemingtonBlaserMarlinMerkelCZ

AIR RIFLESNoricaHammerliGamoWaltherWeirauch

KNIVESVictorinoxPumaKershawHerbertzSpyderco

OPTICSZeissSwarovskiKahlesBurrisHawke

CLOTHINGBarbourBerettaBlaser Active OutfitsFjäll RävenLaksenLe Chameau

SHOTGUNSBerettaBrowningRemingtonSabattiMarocchi

SOFT-AIRWaltherUmarexCybergunASG



DOING BUSINESS WITH... DOING BUSINESS WITH... GTW

49

HUNGARIAN SHOOTING TRADE – A BREAKDOWN...

TOP BRANDS

THE GAME SPECIESRed Deer

The red stag is the undoubtedly

the king of the Hungarian

forests. One of the world’s Þ nest

populations of red deer can be

found in Hungary, especially

in southern Transdanubia. A

Hungarian trophy (the antlers),

weighing 30lb (271 international

points), led the world-record

list for several years. The red

deer can be found throughout

the mountain ranges, but the

record trophies come from the

southwest.

The rut begins in the Þ rst days

of September in the southern

parts of the country and a couple

of weeks later in the northern

regions. The culling is done

after the rutting season, from

November to January, when the

weaker and older animals can

be shot.

Hunting season: September 1st

to October 31st (the rut); October

31st to January 31st (selective

culling).

Roe Deer

This is a popular species that

can be found in large numbers

throughout the country. Its main

habitat is eastern Hungary, but

some record trophies have been

bagged in southern Transdanubia.

Trophy weights exceeding 20oz

are not rare, and there are two

Hungarian trophies among the

Þ rst three on the world-record

list (231.53 and 230.79

international points).

The hunting season begins on

April 15th, when the antlers are

already hard and the Þ eld crops

are not high enough to hide them.

It is a great hunting experience to

stalk through the summer forest

after these somewhat smaller and

elusive deer.

Hunting season: April 15th to

September 30th; July 15th to

August 5th (the rut).

Fallow Deer

The fallow deer stock is on the

same high-quality level as the red

deer, especially southwest of Lake

Balaton, where many world-record

trophies have been bagged. The

stock is well developed and the

trophy weight is often in excess

of 8lb to 9lb (4kg). Stalking is

the most typical way of hunting,

requiring great patience and

concentration.

Hunting season: October 1st

to November 1st (the rut);

November 1st to January 31st

(selective culling).

Mouß on

The mouß on, introduced from

Corsica, was overshadowed for a

long time by the red stag, fallow

deer and roebuck, the qualities

of which have made Hungary

famous. However, in 1986, a royal

ram with 41in-long horns was

bagged in Telki, near Budapest.

This trophy drew the attention of

the international hunting fraternity

to the Hungarian mouß on.

The largest stocks are in the

mountain regions, where stalking

is the common method of

hunting, but it can also be found

in forested hills.


to February 28th.

Wild Boar

The wild boar is quite common

in the forests and can be hunted

all year round. However, sows with

piglets are protected in winter

and spring. Stalking in the fresh

winter snow or in the summer

wheat Þ elds is a highly enjoyable

form of hunting wild boar but it

can be shot from a high seat. The

greatest adventure has to be a

well-organised, fast-paced drive

with beaters and dogs. This kind

of hunt is a big challenge to even

the most skilled shooters.

Hunting season: Entire year; sow –

May 1st to January 31st. A driven

wild boar hunt can be organised

in December and January only.

Pheasant

The pheasant can be found in

almost every part of Hungary in

both the mountain ranges and

lowlands, and the hunt has many

traditions. Hungarians have been

organising driven pheasant shoots

since the beginning of the 20th

century with ever-increasing skill.

However, things are done quite

differently compared with other

countries. Game managers and

shoot organisers try to put so

many birds in the air at a given

time that the guns, no matter how

swift and skilled, cannot possibly

harvest more than a fraction of

them. In other European countries

that might be an unpardonable

sign of mismanagement, but

in Hungary, no-one seems to

complain.

The overwhelming majority of

birds pass through the line of Þ re

unscathed.

Although 12-gauge is

preferred, 20-gauge and

16-gauge ammunition are

also available. According to the

demand of the shooters, the

hunts can also be organised as a

walk-up, or maybe combined with

hare or duck.

Hunting season: October 1st to

January 31st.

Hare

Despite the change in habitats

and agricultural technology, the

hare population in some regions

is still signiÞ cant. It is most

common to shoot hares during a

walk-up hunt, but with eight to 10

guns a traditional hare hunt may

be successful.

A hare drive can be tried

after the harvest, on undulating

agricultural land with spots of

shrubbery, where the beaters,

lining up in a U shape, can drive

them towards the hunters from

a sufÞ ciently large area, thus

enabling the hunters to shoot

safely.

Hunting season: October 1st to

January 20th.

Wild Duck

Many species of wild duck can

be found but not all of them can

be hunted. It is, therefore, very

important to be sure of which

kind of duck you’re aiming at

before pulling the trigger. Among

the huntable species, the mallard

is the most common, but the

common teal, garganey, pochard

and goldeneye may also be

hunted. Hunting methods may

include on the lake shore, or

walked up.


to January 31st, but depends on

the species.

Diana Hunts Ltd

T: +36 1 3568 579

E: [email protected]

W: www.dianahunts.hu


Want your products to be seen by buyers around the world…

FREE of charge? ! en these pages are for you! Contact editor in chief,

John Hunter.


JOHN HUNTEREditor in chief

T: +44 1327 315412E: [email protected]

Send your product and a short description to: Gun Trade World, 1 Whittle Close, Drayton Fields,

Daventry, Northants NN11 8RQ, UK

Western Rivers Mantis 50 Electronic Game Call

The Mantis 50 is a compact hand-held caller that comes preloaded with 50 enticing calls and an amazing 105dB sound output that will pique an animal’s curiosity to come in closer. Outdoorsmen can choose the call needed for wolf, elk, deer, turkey, bobcat, coyote, moose, rabbit, duck, fox and many more. The four-way rubberised keypad call section is easy to use and incorporates volume control for realistic sounds. The convenient trigger sound activation button initiates the call and the user can utilise the random repeat option for hands-free use during a calling session. The LCD screen readout is backlit for easy navigation in low to no-light conditions.

Western RiversT: +1 731 967 0987 E: [email protected]

River’s Edge ProductsTin Signs

These 12in x 17in amusing signs offer great proÞ t margins, have been hugely popular with retailers everywhere since their introduction in 2010 and continue to be a top-selling category.

The selection has grown to over 65 unique designs now available, over 40 of which are geared directly towards gun/hunting enthusiasts and will make great conversation pieces and offer good sales opportunities in your shop.

All signs feature rolled edges, pre-punched holes for mounting and a durable, weatherproof Þ nish in clear cellophane wrap, with hang tab for easy display.

River’s Edge ProductsT: +1 636 629 7300E: [email protected]: www.riversedgeproducts.com

Chiappa FirearmsM1-9

A little more than a year after launching its M1 riß e in .22LR, Chiappa is now supplying the same model in the .9 calibre Luger, or 9 x 19.

The replica is, as usual, very faithful to the original, reproducing details such as bayonet, buttons and sights. Clearly the mechanics differ from the original because the calibre varies from the original .30 (with gas outlet) to the 9mm Luger (with blowback system).

The M1-9 is supplied with two 10-round double-stack magazines in the Beretta 92 style. There are currently wooden and polymer stock versions.

Kimar srlT: +39 30 9749065W: www.chiappaÞ rearms.com

GTW MAKING CONTACT

MAKING CONTACT

P050-p052_GTW_12_MC.indd 1 28/10/2014 16:38

p051_GTW_12_Pradco+GSG-NEW.indd 1 03/11/2014 12:58

BalenoLadies’ Sheringham Trousers

Matching the ladies’ Sheringham jacket from the same company, these trousers offer waterproof, windproof, breathable and noiseless features as well as comfort and style.

They include two hand pockets and two zipped leg pockets.

They’re available in light khaki or dark olive, in sizes 36 to 46 (10 to 20).

BalenoT: +32 51 740 800E: [email protected]: www.baleno.de

StreamlightDouble Clutch USB Light

This compact, low-proÞ le LED headlamp is USB rechargeable with optional battery backup and features both spot and ß ood beams – for either distance or close-up lighting – with high and low intensity settings for each mode.

It also boasts a low-proÞ le construction and optimised gravity centre, not to mention a “glove-friendly,” easily rotated face cap for shifting between modes and turning the light on and off. Powered by a white C4 LED with both spot and ß ood beams, it delivers 125 lumens on the high setting in both beam modes. Run time is three and a half hours on the high setting and 10 hours on low.

StreamlightT: +1 800 523 7488W: www.streamlight.com

Anson & DeeleyPillaton Double Shotgun Slip

The latest addition to the English Heritage range, made from dark-brown leather, hand-stitched for strength and durability, with a soft padded ‘polar ß eece’ lining.

The dimensions comfortably accommodate shotguns with barrel lengths up to 34 inches and eight inches wide at the mouth.

The adjustable shoulder straps and carry handles are made from saddle leather, with hand-sewn blocked muzzle ends to protect the barrels. There is a buckled ß ap for quick shotgun access and a full-length zip for both easy insertion and removal of the gun and for drying.

The Shooting PartyT: +44 1543 480361E: [email protected]

MAKING CONTACT

UTG 400-Lumen Combat LED Light

UTG has recently hit a milestone in power and efÞ ciency with its newly designed, proprietary Integrated Reß ector & Bulb (IRB) using CREE LED giving off an impressive 400-lumen beam that can reach out incredible distances while ß ooding the immediate area around you.

This amount of lumens can demand a lot of power but thanks to the new circuitry, the operating time now lasts three-plus hours on two CR123A batteries. UTG makes this light from precision-machined, aircraft-grade aluminium with a matt-black anodised Þ nish that can stand up to the harshest abuse.

LeapersT: +1 734 542 1500W: www.leapers.com

GTW MAKING CONTACT


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p053_GTW_12_Sellmark+H&N.indd 1 29/10/2014 09:03

MAKING CONTACT

Sightmark ecstatic over PrismaticAmerican brand Sightmark brings yet another high-quality release to the trade in the shape of its new Prismatic Weapon Sights. ! ese military-inspired sights will certainly draw in the crowds for 2015.

Lyman ProductsT: +1 800 225 9626W: www.lymanproducts.com


GTW MAKING CONTACT

The Wolfhound LineThese advanced, military-inspired weapons sights are designed for quick target acquisition on an AR platform. Both feature an advanced horseshoe-dot reticle to compensate for bullet drop. The reticle is ballistically matched to .223, 55 and 62 grain with holdovers from 300 to 900 yards.

Wolfhound 6x44 Weapon SightEngineered for precision placement at longer distances, the Wolfhound 6x44 is equipped with a Þ ve-MOA central aiming point for precision long-range shooting and a 7.5-MOA outer circle for closer shots. The device features an impressive 2.8in eye relief – longer than most on the market – for a natural, comfortable

shooting stance. Its Þ xed power prismatic optical design keeps the object in focus at 10 yards or more.

Wolfhound 3x24 Weapon SightDelivering ß awless short-range shots, the Wolfhound 3x24 is ideal for a variety of challenging shooting situations, including three-gun competitions, hunting and law-enforcement applications. Compact enough to not weigh down the riß e, its 3x magniÞ cation offers the versatility to focus in on both short and medium-distance shots.

The Wolfhound 6x44 and 3x24 sights are rubber-armoured, making them safe from impact. Fully submergible, they are 100 per cent water, dust and shockproof. Both feature an all-aluminium Picatinny

mount, ensuring secure attachment with every shot Þ red. The built-in Picatinny rail on top allows for additional optics to increase short-range accuracy.

A little Sightmark background…Sightmark manufactures award-winning products, including riß escopes, gun sights, laser sights, night vision, ß ashlights, bore sights and other shooting accessories. Inspired by military and law-enforcement technology, its products are designed for hunting, competition, shooting, home defence, personal safety and tactical uses.

SightmarkW: www.sightmark.com

Wolfhound 3x24

Wolfhound 3x24 (rear)

Wolfhound 6x44

P054_GTW_12_MC.Sightmark.indd 1 28/10/2014 16:39

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Bomba manual HillHill’s manual pumpPompe manuelle Hill

Cargador Cal:Magazine Cal:Chargeur Cal:.177” / 4,5mm.22” / 5,5mm.25” / 6.35mm

Estación de carga sistema DINDIN charging kitKit de chargementtype DIN

P37_GTW_09_Cometa.indd 1 31/07/2014 10:45

MAKING CONTACT

Introducing the CT380 from Kahr ArmsKahr is proud to introduce the latest addition to its double-action compact-pistol product line – the Kahr CT380.



GTW MAKING CONTACT

The new .380 ACP calibre is the fourth pistol in the Kahr Value Series to be introduced in 2014. Earlier this year, Kahr introduced the CT40, CT45 and the CT9.

The new CT380 features a 3in barrel, an overall length of 5.52 inches and a height of 4.4 inches. It weighs just 11.44oz without a magazine. The pistol has a black polymer frame and features 4,140 steel inserts moulded into the front and back of the frame for added rigidity. It has a machined, solid

416 matt stainless-steel slide and a textured polymer grip.

The Kahr CT380 features a lock breech, modiÞ ed Browning-type recoil lug and the ‘safe cam’ action and offset recoil lug barrel design found in all Kahr pistols. The result is a compact pistol with very little felt recoil and quick follow-up shots. It features drift adjustable white bar-dot combat rear sight and pinned-in polymer front sight. Lastly, the slide locks back after Þ ring the last round – another feature missing

on a number of other value-priced compact semi-auto pistols. The durability and reliability of the CT380 model makes it a strong consideration as a backup gun for law enforcement.

Differences between the Kahr Value Series CT380 and the Kahr Premium Series P380 models include: the CT series has a conventional riß ed barrel instead of the match-grade polygonal barrel found on Premium models; the CT slide stop lever is MIM (metal-

injection-moulded) instead of machined; the CT series’ slide has fewer machining operations and uses simple engraved markings instead of roll markings; the P380 comes with three magazines and is shipped in a lockable plastic case. The CT Value series comes with one seven-round stainless-steel magazine and ships in a cardboard box.

Kahr ArmsW: www.kahr.com

P056_GTW_12_MC.Kahr.indd 1 28/10/2014 16:39

25years

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guntrade_1214.qxd 13.10.2014 13:00 Uhr Seite 1

p057_GTW_12_Waffen+Sports.indd 1 29/10/2014 09:03

MAKING CONTACT

Caldwell introduces the DeadShot ChairPod



GTW MAKING CONTACT

The ChairPod provides all of that in one package; it has a comfortable heavy-duty chair with a built-in post and swing-arm assembly that fully supports your weapon, front and rear. Extend your effective shooting range by stabilising the entire weight of your gun or crossbow with this convenient package.

The ChairPod holds your weapon securely in the ready position while freeing up hands for binoculars, rangeÞ nder or warm pockets. The innovative multi-bearing swing-arm system provides smooth and stable movement from extreme angles

left to right with minimal body movement and the chair silently spins 360 degrees to get you on the target no matter where it is.

Combined with a tension adjustable up/down tilt function the rest easily allows for precise alignment across the entire range of possible shooting angles. The upper portion of the rest adjusts in length and balance point to accommodate any gun or crossbow. Rubber overmoulded front and rear forks along with a retention strap ensure your weapon is held securely at all times.

• Finally, get true benchrest accuracy in one package• Ultra-stable design provides maximum accuracy• Fully supports any gun or crossbow• Swing-arm system and 360-degree chair allows for maximum range of movement• Great for hunting from ground blinds, Þ eld edges or shooting at the range• Keeps gun in the ready position while freeing up hands • Approximate weight 15lb

e DeadShot ChairPod provides true benchrest accuracy from a single shooting unit. No need to bother with carrying chairs and separate rests out to the ground blind or the range to sight-in your weapon.

Battenfeld Technologies T: +1 573 445 9200W: www.btibrands.com

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• BALLISTIC 550 RETICLE •

guntrade-m30 caccia.indd 1 16-06-2014 11:31:29p059_GTW_12_Konus.indd 1 29/10/2014 09:02

MAKING CONTACT

Lansky sharpens its rangeWhat started as a one-off for Lansky Sharpeners to help promote its brand-newUrban Tactical knife line has now been rolled into its line-up due to strong sales.Gun Trade World takes a look at this exceptional combo.


GTW MAKING CONTACT

The World Legal/Blademedic pack(WRLDPAC) combines Lansky’snumber-one-selling knife worldwide– the World Legal – with its number-one-selling sharpener worldwide– the Blademedic.

This year Lansky began its collaboration with Danish custom-knife maker Mikkel Willumsen byintroducing three of his originalUrban Tactical knife designs. TheWorld Legal has been by far themost successful knife of thiscollaboration, based on worldwidesales numbers and positivecustomer feedback.

The World Legal Slip-Joint Knifewas created with one idea in mind:make a great, affordable knife that anyone can carry in as manycountries as possible. Denmark’sknife laws are fairly restrictive,

which was the impetus for Mikkelto design a knife that could be carried not only in Denmark, but in other countries or jurisdictionswhere knife laws are quite stringent.Denmark does not allow blade locks, assists, or one-handedopening.

Starting out with an aggressive,modern, substantial-lookingsilhouette and using traditionalslip-joint technology to ensure that the blade could only be opened byusing both hands, Mikkel crafted an impressive cutting tool that can be carried with absolute pride.

“Knives are one of humanities oldest tools, and LanskySharpeners, along with Mikkel Willumsen, wants to help everyone,regardless of where they are, to have the uninfringed ability to

have that cutting tool at the ready,without worry of undue legalentanglement,” said ChristopherFire, CEO at Lansky Sharpeners.

With a 7in overall length anda 2¾in 440C stainless blade,the World Legal Slip-Joint isas impressive looking as it is formidable. It has a four-position pocket clip for tip up, tip down, and ambidextrous carry, and a durableyet comfortable nylon handle.

The counterpart to this impressive pair is the Lansky Sharpeners Blademedic. Designed to be the Þrst responder for allÞeld repairs on all types of knifeblades, it features four sharpening elements in one small, portable package. It incorporates diamond,ceramic rods, carbide tips and a mini ceramic benchstone in one

tool. International sales of this little wonder have been impressive fromits introduction and have steadilyincreased every year since.

Some of the factors contributing to the worldwide success ofthe Blademedic have been theoverwhelmingly positive consumerfeedback. Consumers love thespeed and ease in which knives canbe sharpened, as well as the ruggedand durable metal chassis. TheBlademedic can handle sharpening the toughest steels, along with the widest range of blades. It’s likehaving an entire sharpening kit rightin your pocket.

LanskyT: +1 716 877 7511W: www.lansky.com

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MAKING CONTACT

Tool makers for clandestine opsAmerican-made DRD Tactical products has gone from Special Operations to commercial and law markets. Here, Gun Trade World explores some of the company’s off erings.



GTW MAKING CONTACT

DRD Tactical started out designing a clandestine sniper riß e for a project listed by the Joint & Special Operations Programme (JSOP) in 2010. Since then it has specialised in the design and manufacturing of briefcase-carry, quick-take-down riß es. DRD Tactical offers Paratus and M762 models in calibre 7.62 NATO and CDR-15 in calibres 5.56 NATO and 300AAC.

Discreet Carry Riß esParatus is direct gas operated with a patented internal recoil system, which allows the riß e to use a folding stock and can be Þ red with the stock folded. All of DRD Tactical’s riß es are made with patented quick-take-down barrel systems, which allows the operator to assemble the riß e in 60 seconds without the use of any tools.

Even though the original riß e was designed for Special Operations work, all models have now become

very popular with the commercial and law-enforcement markets in the last few years. The ability to carry a full-size riß e (M762 and CDR15)*, optic, suppressor, full-size pistol (with 12 pistol magazines) in a small hard case makes for the perfect briefcase to have in your vehicle or a backpack on a motorcycle. There are lots of advantages with the design, where you can change calibres and easy cleaning access of the barrel.

PistolsWith the popularity of AR-based pistols, DRD now offers pistols in the M762 and CDR15 versions. The pistols also come with shorter rails so that registered NFA SBR owners in the US market can use them.

DRD TacticalW: www.drdtactical.com F: www.facebook.com/drdtactical

P062_GTW_12_MC.DRD.indd 1 28/10/2014 16:41

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For us at DMT, accessories likeour diamond sharpening tools are a clear fit for retail gun

stores as well as shooting sports andoutdoor-recreation retailers.

!ey can also attract newcustomers and generate valuable add-on sales. However, we realise that thefit and potential benefits may not beas obvious to everyone.

DMT sharpening tools occupya niche market. Knife and tool sharpeners aren’t the first things thatcome to mind when you think ofhunting, shooting and backpacking,or even when you think of thekitchen, garden shed or workshop.

Nevertheless, ultimately, they areessential for improving performancein each of those activities andsettings, just like many other accessory items.

Many of your customers can use accessories that you sell in otherareas of their lives – and that adds tothe value of the sale.

One challenge for accessorymanufacturers like us is to pinpoint where and how we fi t into largermarket segments, then convincethose larger segments of our value,of what we can bring to the table in terms of boosting sales.

COMMENT – Stacey Brandon

For example, the truth is that thevast majority of gun owners also ownknives – whether hunting or tactical – that require routine sharpening.

So, sharpeners are a perfectaccessory item for gun sellers andoutdoor-lifestyle retailers. And thatis true of countless other types ofaccessories.

Stocking the right accessories canhelp drive store traffic, especially ifyou are providing an added incentiveto purchase, such as throughcirculars, window signage, giveawaysor special offers that pair certainaccessories with your gun inventory.

Retailers that identify the right accessories to promote for a certainseason or a specifi c customer canachieve additional traffic in theirstores and, hopefully, stronger salesand bottom-line profit. GTW

Straight ShootingStacey Brandon, vice-president of DMT Diamond MachiningTechnology, encourages outdoor-lifestyle retailers to invest inaccessories to attract more customers and generate more sales.

Stacey Brandon would like to see retailersinvest in accessories to generate sales.

Got something tosay? We welcome

guest editorials here.E-mail your thoughtsto [email protected]

EDITORIAL

Editor in chiefJohn HunterT: +44 1327 315412M: +44 7990 542958E: [email protected]: journo100

Deputy editorRob SmithT: +44 1327 315462M: +44 7975 607005E: [email protected]: tandgrobsmith

PublisherSean O’DriscollT: +44 1327 311999F: +44 1327 312418M: +44 7788 922976E: [email protected]

European correspondentWillem BonneuxT: +32 474 28 75 83E: [email protected]

ADVERTISINGUS directorBart ManganielloT: +1 914 722 7601F: +1 914 722 7602E: [email protected]

Rest-of-world salesMark PeacockT: +44 7963 956221E: [email protected]

PRODUCTIONCreative director Mark GraftonAd design Stephen Jorgensen& Stephanie HornRepro manager Derek MooneyRepro assistant Adam MasonProduction manager Paul EvansProduction supervisor Neil BrooksProduction controller Lea Terry

DHP LTDEditorial, administration,subscriptions and accounts to:DHP Ltd, 1 Whittle Close,Drayton Fields, Daventry,Northants NN11 8RQ, EnglandT: +44 1327 311999DHP Ltd is a member of theUK Gun Trade Association

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gun trade world - december 2014.pdf

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