Gun Trade World - January 2023

spotlight
Whereas revolvers were the mainstay
of the handgun world for over a century,
the semi-automatic pistol has really
taken over the market big time in the
last three to four decades. These semiautomatics,
also known as autoloaders,
don’t feature a cylinder like revolvers do
but use a stacked magazine. Their action
automatically loads the next cartridge in
the chamber after every shot because of
the slide moving backwards and forwards
with every subsequent shot. Likewise,
the hammer is cocked automatically with
every shot. Generally, there are three
types of autoloading actions – singleaction,
double-action and striker-fired.
With a single-action semi-automatic, you
must manually cock the hammer before
firing the first round. With double-action
pistols, the shooter does not have to cock
the hammer manually before taking the
first shot but instead only pull the trigger.
The third type consists of striker-fired
autoloading pistols. These are a variation
on the double-action-only concept but
do not have an exposed hammer. Instead,
each trigger pull compresses and releases a
spring featuring a striker firing pin.
BEST-SELLING CARTRIDGES
Literally dwarfing other handgun
cartridges year after year when it comes to
sales, the classic 9x19 Luger or Parabellum
keeps reigning supreme with no less than
48 percent of sales. Other recognisable
cartridges such as the .357 Magnum, .38
Special, .40 Smith & Wesson are selling in
acceptable numbers but get nowhere near
the level of 9mm Para sales. Indirectly this
points out how popular semi-automatic
pistols are compared to the traditional
revolver. The humble .22 long rifle has
always been, and still very much is, an
economical choice, making it ideal for
everything from backyard fun to target
practice and precision target shooting, as
well for small game hunting. The numbers
clearly show this little rimfire calibre
has its undisputed place in the market,
accounting for 16 percent of handgun
sales.
SELF-DEFENCE SALES OP THE UP
It is interesting to see the retailers in
our survey indicating how the market
for handguns has evolved during the last
twelve months. According to nearly one
third of these retailers,
their handgun sales
were up in the last year
compared to the previous
period with an equal
share of retailers stating
sales stabilized.
In terms of handgun
types sold, 23 per cent
of the retailers in our
survey sold competition
shooting models while
another 24 per cent is
made up of handguns for
target shooting. With a
combined market share
of 47 per cent for both categories, there
is an unmistakable appetite for target and
competition handguns. There is another
category that took first place in our
bestseller list though. With a market share
of 42 per cent, handguns for self-defence
experienced a noticeable leap forward
in sales with the retailers in our survey.
Hunting accounts for a smaller, yet steady
market share of about 11 per cent.
WOMEN AND MIDDLE-AGED
BUYERS
For several years, ladies continue to be the
fastest-growing demographic of new gun
owners. This year’s survey shows this trend
is not exactly coming to a halt, on the
contrary. No less than 20 percent of the
retailers in our survey claim the number of
women buying handguns is growing. Still
40 per cent of respondents claimed the
market for lady shots was down, leaving
an equal 40 per cent of the market stating
that sales to women were about the same
as the previous year. Getting ladies into
the sport not only adds diversification to
your footfall – and profit sources – but
can also encourage the rest of the family,
especially youngsters, to take an interest
into the sport as well.
Handguns generally attract younger
punters, with sales to the age group 26 to
40 accounting for over one third, 40 per
cent, of sales. The share of buyers aged 41
to 55 is the clear majority in this year’s
survey with a clean 60 per cent market
share. Buyers aged over 55 traditionally
account for a smaller share of the market,
taking about 20 per cent this year.
GREAT BUSINESS
Outside of some severely restricted
countries, handguns provide an important
business opportunity for the trade. Most
dealers seem to hold a good selection of
makes, models and types, with some also
specializing in a particular sector. Where
you are located and the opportunities
nearby (clubs, ranges or hunting areas)
will naturally influence those choices.
Reloading ammunition is also popular and
can prove to be a worthwhile addition to
your portfolio, offering potential add-on
sales. Most retailers seem to hold a good
selection of makes, models and types,
with some also focusing on a particular
sector. Where you are located and the
opportunities you have nearby (shooting
clubs, ranges or hunting areas) will
naturally influence those choices. All in all,
the number of people worldwide who own
handguns appears to keep growing steadily
but surely, making this a key sector not to
be ignored. GTW
40 36 www.guntradeworld.com