Missed Part 1? Read it here.

Gun Stores & Ranges Keep Making the Same Mistakes

We've found five things that consistently pop up in gun shops and ranges across the country that are detrimental to business. Working on some of these common issues can help bring new customers in and old customers back. Here are the 5 biggest problems we've found with firearm businesses all over the country:

1. No Process for Newbies
2. Ugly Display Racks and Shelves
3. Poorly Lit
4. Not Featuring Best Sellers
5. No Product or Service Bundles

7 Reasons Why Most Gun Stores Fail

It’s an unfortunate truth that most small businesses fail within five years of opening, and that statistic applies just as much to businesses within the firearms community as well.

Whether you’re an armorer, custom gun manufacturer, gun store owner, or fall into a different category of the firearms industry altogether, there are some principles that will help sustain and grow your business and keep you out of the majority. 

For the purposes of this article, we’re simply going to refer to gun store owners, but if you’re a custom Cerakote applicator or firearms instructor, these tips will apply to you as well.

Reason 1: Failure to Reach a Core Audience

Having a loyal customer base that not only comes to you for their initial purchase, but

Choosing and Carrying a Back Up Gun

A back-up gun, or BUG, is an important consideration for every responsibly armed citizen. In most cases, the term “back-up gun” refers to a concealed weapon that a person will carry on their body as a back up to their primary concealed carry weapon. Back-up gun can also refer to a gun in your home, car or workplace that serves the same purpose of providing protection if the primary gun fails or is inaccessible.

For many people, especially those new to concealed carry, the idea of carrying two or even three guns instead of one seems overzealous. If you’re new to concealed carry that could be correct; you may need to get used to carrying one gun before carrying two or three.

Other people question why a person would need more than one gun for personal protection, so let’s answer that right off the bat.

The .22 LR: Classic Caliber For A Reason

Many first time gun owners buy a handgun for self-defense, and for many of these people, their gun collection ends there. Not that there’s anything wrong with only owning one gun, but there is a caliber you should really consider adding to the safe: the .22 Long Rifle.

Firearms enthusiasts the world over have grown up shooting this round, from learning the basics of marksmanship, target shooting, and hunting. The .22LR is a versatile round that is cost-effective, easy to learn on, and is available in many platforms.

You can find pretty much any variation of .22LR platforms: Modern Sporting Rifles, handguns (both semi-automatic and revolvers), lever & bolt-action rifles as well as traditional semi-auto rifles like the incredibly popular Ruger 10/22.