As I await the visit from the ATF, I am pondering which guns to stock in my store. So the question to you, the consumer is what would you like to see in a local gun shop?
Thanks for the input.
C4
These would be a good way to start:
Glock
Springfield Armory
Kimber
Smith&Wesson
Sig
HK
Colt
Nighthawk
Bushmaster
Arsenal
Remington
Add:
Ruger
Walther
Savage
RRA
Pretty complete list.
I work at a gunstore here in Grand Rapids, MI.
You can check out our website to see what brands we stock…
Grant, I would start out with standard name items, I would not stock any high end stuff until you start getting capital to cover them-most people aren’t going to buy these $2000 .45’s(leave it at that). Try to market stuff with seasons as well-remember not all buyers are AR related-don’t forget the hunters.
When you get big, carry more, but don’t try to carry it all at first.
Go to firstshots.org great article on hosting events to boost sales via rentals and classes.
Huge sales on cleaning gear, normal priced lights, knives, holsters, etc, etc–have that stuff in stock and displayed.
You would be suprised with the .22 market-everyone starts somewhere and beyond that with target shooting.
Whoever stands at the counter is your advertisement–make sure you know their knowledge base and sales etiquete. An example who be you stock Glocks and the salesman unknown to you hates them and talks people out of buying them. Or he sells the same buyer that’s small statured a full size brand X for concealed carry.
If you get into repair-only do what the business is qualified to do and be honest if you don’t.
A start–
Mark
Glock
Smith & Wesson
Springfield Armory
Sig Sauer
Colt
LMT
Bushmaster (or DPMS/Olympic because they are readily available and priced right for the masses)
I’d keep it simple and stick to the big names. Not to say there aren’t others but I see what moves (and what doesn’t) around here. As for ARs I’d carry Colt if you can get them but keep lower-end ones in stock to generate sales and to create a demand for accessories. Colts are just too hard to get, let alone keep in stock, so you’ll need something that is available and priced to move.
Dinger and Nitrox pretty much covered what I was going to say.
Thanks guys for the inputs. Here is a rough idea at what I am thinking about:
Handguns:
Glock
Kimber
Springfield
Ruger (MKIII .22 pistol)
AR’s:
Sabre
LMT
Colt (if I can get an accout)
RRA (mostly for the 9MM stuff)
Custom builds
BCM
Shotguns:
Remy
Beretta
.22 Rifles:
Ruger
Remington
Custom builds
I am 100% in a hunting environment so I know that a lot of the AR’s won’t sell at all, but will sell on the internet. I know it will take some time to learn the local market and tailor the shop to their needs.
The next major nightmare is ammo! Especially for shotguns and long rifles (bolt guns). There are tons and tons of choices out there and long ago I stopped being interested in hunting. So I have kind of lost track what’s hot and what’s not. 
C4
I hear ya Marc. My problem with a lot of AR makers is that I just don’t trust their quality and KNOW what is wrong with them. Being an honest guy, I would have a hard time telling a customer the the Oly or BM is a “Great” AR.
C4
Ya better have yer flame suit on for that remark… 
I frequent another board that’s shotgun focused and some dude asked what the best AR was and someone was convinced that RRA and Bushmaster were “The best” you could get.
Oh, I get into it all the time on other boards with folks that like to believe BM and RRA are it! I also own BM and RRA AR’s so I do speak from experience.
C4
It’s not a matter of convincing them they are great ARs. The price alone will sell them. You’re going to need something you can keep in stock, to sell, and pay the utilities with. You won’t be able to do that with Colt because you might only get a few in a year. Maybe you can keep a steady stock of LMTs coming in?
Grant, Look into Kimber, CZ and Savage or Marlin in the Hunting arena. The price range is covered for all buyers.
Also, the 6.5 and 6.8 uppers with low cap mags may appeal to hunters with AR’s
Mark
As a dealer, I must get asked my opinion on a piece of gear HOURLY. So I know that walk customers aren’t going to be any different.
I am not really worried about keeping a lot of AR’s in stock as the area I am in won’t be all that interested.
There is next to no money to be made in firearms. I will simply use them as an vehicle to sell accessories (optics, lights, lasers, rails, etc).
C4
Roger Mark. I am familiar with Savage and their bolt guns. I think Marlin will do well too.
You can only hunt deer around here with a shotgun or black powder (read no AR’s) so the 6.8 and 6.5 won’t sell all that well to the hunting community in this area. I do think it will sell pretty well online though.
C4
Grant, how do you intend to position yourself in your local market? For instance, do you intend to be the highend LE dealer who is tactical only, or do you plan on taking the Sportsman’s Warehouse type approach?
Trying to hit every niche could be very expensive…
I am the ONLY Tactical gunshop with 100 miles or more. Hell, Steve @ ADCO is most likely my only true competition and he is at the other end of the State!
So I know that I have the Tactical market nailed shut, but I do have competition in the hunting market (which is what my local customer is going to be interested in). This is the market that I need to grow into.
C4
This is just my personal opinion but it may be more cost effective to try and capture the local LE and weekend warrior market first and then branch out once you are established. Unless you’re willing to pour a lot of money into multiple marketing campaigns you could end up with hunting oriented inventory that does not move (essentially a catch 22 for tied up or wasted initial operating capitol).
Good list. I definitely would stock AR’s because you can’t find them a lot in gun stores. If you can’t move them in the store you’ll move them online.
You got the basics covered. The niche market might be some O/Us, some revolvers, and some 1911s. Don’t go over board on those as they are generally more expensive or most people only want a few of those. The other stuff should move more and quicker.
You might even see if you can stock some high quality holsters and belts as well instead of the standard (generally cheap ones) you see at other gun stores. You might even try to market to CCW or something like that.
Education might be your biggest seller. Have knowledgable folk that can inform the customer exactly what they’re getting. No B.S. gun stories and no blind hatred for company X because of y bogus reasons.
(I had a guy telling me WWB was bad ammo and blew guns up. Then he offered me Winchester silvertips for a kidney. The irony was crazy but oh well.)
if we the shooting public were able to finance our toys thru a reputable dealer who has it all arranged for us to pick and choose from the above items and wait for the man in the Brown truck… POP … oh sorry guys I was reading everyones wish list and dozed off almost like when I was a kid we’d get the Speigel catalog about this time of the year and we’d start rooting for Santa …
But wouldn’t it be nice - just think Grant you could be not only the
Worlds Largest Kitchen Table gone Store Front Dealer but you’d finance too! LOL ?