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March 29, 2019

VIDEO: How to Stay Current with Trends In Ammunition


By Shari LeGate, FMG Publications

Keeping up on trends in ammunition will help keep on hand what your customers want but as with all trends, not everything works for everyone, everywhere.

Ammunition, like everything else has trends. Following current trends and keeping your customer up to date on what’s new can benefit with an increase in sales and customer loyalty.

Over the last few years, there’s been a noticeable change with what the shooting enthusiast not only needs, but wants. The growth of personal defense and competitive pistol shooting has brought on a gradual shift to 9mm and the rise of long-range precision shooting has elevated the popularity of ULD (Ultra Long Distance) and VLD (Very Long Distance) projectiles, mostly 6.5 Creedmoor and for extreme long range, the .375 caliber.

What’s right for you and your customers?

Just because it’s trending, doesn’t mean it’s the best for you or your customer. A number of factors determine, which and what trends are best for the person buying. Ask qualifying questions and based on those answers, it’s relatively easy to recommend what ammunition will best fit their needs.

Question #1: How will the ammunition be used?

Caliber is certainly the most important question but with ammunition, there’s more to it than just caliber and end use.

Question #1: Who is using the ammunition?

It’s important to take into account the person using it, their gun handling skills and their threshold for recoil.

Handgun Ammunition Trends

The shift to 9mm ammunition is a sign of the times as more people are taking to the range and spending longer periods of time practicing their gun handling skills. As a result, they’re shooting larger quantities of ammunition and they’re looking for a caliber that is cost efficient.

The technology and advancement in manufacturing has made the 9mm a desirable caliber. It’s an affordable round across the board for the avid shooter and competitor.

For home and self-defense, the 9mm has made it possible to go with this caliber and still retain the same performance of the .380ACP or .40 S&W.

Rifle Ammunition Trends

The popularity of long-range precision shooting and the diversity of the target shooters is seeing a rise in the calibers that can reach the distance but have less recoil and are more pleasant to shoot. 6.5 Creedmoor leads the trend in VLD shooting as it’s a fast-moving round allowing the shooter to reach out a few hundred yards more, and it’s not as affected by the wind as other calibers.

For extreme long distance, the .375 caliber is cornering the market. It’s consistency in length and weight gives it a better trajectory in flight and the ability to fight the wind for the longer distance.

For an accurate, crossover ammunition, .308 Winchester leads the pack as a do-all caliber. A good sportsman’s caliber, it’s effective for competition as well as for hunting.

Question #3: What part of the country are you in?

Location plays an important part in what’s trending in your area. Landscape in the southeast and upper Midwest is more dense and the opportunity for long-range shots is less than those shooting in the lower Midwest or southwest.

Another key factor is elevation. Ammunition today is designed from ballistics to achieve the highest performance in every environment. Humidity and denseness of the air affect ammunition differently.

Question #4: When will it be used?

Think of the weather and time of year. All ammunition is distinct in its performance when being shot in extreme temperatures and surroundings.

As with all trends, not everything works for everyone, but asking the right questions will determine the best option for your customer. There are numerous resources available to help keep abreast of what’s trending in ammunition. Manufacturers and distributors know the pulse of the industry so keep informed by staying in contact with your current distributor or manufacturer partners.

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