Small Handguns, Big With Carry Customers

Justin Perkins — Oceana Pawn, Gun, Bait & Tackle, Virginia Beach, Va.

“Any kind of smaller pocket gun—snub-nose revolvers, semi autos like the Smith & Wesson Shield—are really blowing out the doors,” says Justin Perkins, manager of Oceana Pawn, Gun, Bait & Tackle, which sells new and used firearms. “I get in a new Springfield XD-S compact .45. It’s sold before I can get it out of the box.”

Concealed carry is driving the demand for sure. New self-defense and tactical shoguns are moving fast, too. Customers are buying up any of the shorter-barrel, higher capacity shotguns, especially Mossberg models.
In the used market, it’s “bigger is better.” The most popular used items are big, large framed revolvers, like the S&W Model 57 and Model 29.

New .17-Cal. Winchester Big in Fresno

John Lewis — Herb Bauer Sporting Goods, Fresno, Calif.

“The hottest selling products right now are the new Savage B.Mag .17 Winchester Super Magnum Rifle and the 20-grain Winchester .17 WSM ammunition,” says department manager John Lewis.

The .17 WSM was introduced earlier this year by Winchester Ammunition, a new rimfire cartridge travelling over 3,000 fps. Recently, Savage unveiled the .17 B.Mag, a bolt-action using a center-feed rotary magazine and sporting a 22-inch barrel.

Handgun sales are brisk, too, especially for 1911 models and various striker-fired semi-automatics. “Our local Sheriff is issuing concealed weapon permits and keeping the demand high for any type of concealable handguns,” Lewis notes.

Self-defense ammunition is hot, and Bauer’s moves a good deal of it made by Dynamic Research Technologies and Liberty Ammunition. Speer Gold Dot, Winchester PDX and Federal Hydra-Shok are selling well, too.