In what was initially a novelty, optics-ready handguns are all the rage today. Inside the Oct. issue of Shooting Industry, dealers share their impressions of red dots on pistols for carry or defense in Tim Barker’s feature, “Handguns: Focus On What Sells.”

As Mark Hood, co-owner of Red Hill Trading Post in Scottsville, Ky., notes of the optics-ready trend: “We’re getting requests all the time and it’s reflected in my ordering now.”

As participation continues to grow due to an increasing number of states allowing unrestricted crossbow hunting throughout their big-game seasons, so too does the opportunity to grow sales in this segment. In “The Crossbow Market,” Shannon Farlow gleans product, consumer and sales insights from dealers like Brent Gaston of Bridgeport Equipment Tool & Die who lends, “Hunters want to spend more time in the woods, and a crossbow allows them to do that.”

Other points of interest in the October issue include “Gun Safes: A Priority, Not An Upsell,” by FMG Publications Digital Content Editor Ashley McGee. She suggests in order to “walk the walk” of responsible gun ownership, dealers should prioritize the sale of secure gun storage options rather than treat the transaction as an upsell. And NASGW President Kenyon Gleason outlines the value of using the NASGW’s suite of SCOPE data programs in order for industry businesses to establish a vision and gain clarity in “Decision Time.”

Complementing the “Handguns” feature, Massad Ayoob provides additional selling points to help dealers “get on the dot” in selling an optics-ready handgun to customers in the Personal Defense Market column. Carolee Anita Boyles reveals key differences in the ways women shop to aid dealers in capturing significant income from accessory sales in the Arms & The Woman installment. In Best Practices, Michelle Scheuermann highlights Instagram Reels and how to maximize their potential and customer engagement with a helpful list of do’s and don’ts to follow when creating them (including a downloadable 30-day Reel calendar).

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CONTACT: JADE MOLDAE, EDITOR@SHOOTINGINDUSTRY.COM