— Jim Curcuruto

Curcuruto is a noted Hunting and firearm industry consultant. He also happens to be a senior member of The Hunting Wire’s Voice of Leadership Panel.

With a record setting year for the firearm industry behind us, many industry professionals are starting to ask; “Now what?” Before answering that question, let’s take a look at some statistics that made 2020 a record year.

The boom in gun sales emptied racks in gun shops across the country. What can we do to turn the new owners into enthusiastic shooters?

Using adjusted FBI NICS data as a proxy for firearm sales, 2020 recorded a massive 60 percent increase over 2019. The record 21+ million adjusted background checks in 2020 bested the previous record high of 15.7 million set in 2016 by 34 percent. Recent survey data shows that approximately 40 percent of firearm purchasers in 2020 were buying their first gun, which equates to more than 8 million first-time gun owners.

Record growth was also realized in hunting license sales as double-digit gains have been reported during the first three quarters of 2020 over 2019. To put that in perspective, data from the most recent USFWS National Survey showed a 16 percent decline in hunting participation from 2011 to 2016. Should the 2020 increases hold through the 4th quarter, it will equate to more than one million additional hunters that went afield in 2020 over 2019. All these additional hunters will need plenty of gear, which means plenty of new sales. The lifetime retail sales value for a million new hunters, on just their primary hunting related equipment purchases, is more than $20 billion.

So “Now what?”.

With the lingering pandemic and the new political administration there is no shortage of uncertainties for 2021. One thing that is for certain, is the fact that if the firearm industry does not engage with, and recruit the millions of people that purchased their first gun in 2020, a major opportunity will be lost. Read more

INMAN, S.C. –– TrueTimber has teamed up with Winchester Repeating Arms to host the 21 Days to WINchester giveaway beginning today. One lucky winner will be randomly selected at the end of the 21-day promotion period to win a Winchester XPR Strata MB in TrueTimber Strata camo and a $500 TrueTimber gift card. To enter, fans should visit TrueTimber.com/giveaway and fill out the online entry form. Promotion ends February 16, 2021.

“We are really excited to start the new year with this great giveaway alongside our friends from Winchester,” said TrueTimber CEO Rusty Sellars. “Winchester has knocked it out of the park once again with this new XPR and we absolutely love it in our Strata camo pattern. Winchester has long been a trusted name in the industry for creating high-performance, reliable guns that are extremely popular with all kinds of hunters. We are thrilled to see the XPR Strata MB added to the long list of Winchester guns available in TrueTimber camo and we can’t wait to crown a winner.” Read more

Safariland®, a brand of The Safariland Group, a leading global provider of safety products designed for the public safety, military, professional and outdoor markets, is excited to announce the release of the latest evolution of their Liberator HP Advanced Hearing Protection Headset. Liberator HP systems compress and reduce hazardous sound to safe levels inside the headset without muting other ambient sounds or audio. Read more

Maxus II Camo

Already a well-known name in duck blinds around the globe, the Browning Maxus ups the performance ante with a new moniker and a number of new features.

The new Maxus II Camo is built upon the fast cycling and proven reliable Power Drive Gas System that admirably cycles a wide variety of loads while minimizing the felt recoil the shooter experiences. On the subject of recoil, a new SoftFlex™ cheek pad and new Inflex recoil pad have also been added to improve shooting comfort and control. The new stock can be trimmed for a shorter length of pull or increased with the included spacers. Shims are included to adjust cast and drop at comb. Rubber overmolding on the stock and new forearm improve traction in all conditions. A new screw-on style forearm cap makes disassembly easy. Read more

The enhanced accuracy of the new 457 VPT MTR makes it an affordable, out-of-the-box competition gun.

Kansas City, KS – For anyone looking to get serious about rimfire competition shooting without the costs of a full-on custom rifle, a new day has dawned. CZ-USA has announced it is offering its match-grade MTR chamber and the extremely tight tolerances that come with it in one of the gunmaker’s most popular 22 LR bolt guns-the 457 VPT (Varmint Precision Trainer).

The MTR chamber has already proven itself in its namesake, CZ 457 Varmint MTR rifle, and has garnered an excellent reputation for accuracy.

The MTR variant of the VPT allows shooters to buy an affordable, match-chambered rifle that’s ready to compete right out of the box. This eliminates the perceived need to upgrade any major components, putting this rifle a step above the competition. Read more