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The business of selling guns is a different world from retail markets in many other industries. Gun ownership – whether for hunting, shooting sports, personal defence, or collection – has to be regulated to ensure safe and responsible use. Because of that, the retail landscape of the shooting industry is a little different – online sales are important, but they have not taken on exactly the same significance as other markets. Brick and mortar shops, where you can touch and feel products and get unrivalled advice from an experienced and knowledgeable professional, are still the bedrock of the shooting, hunting, and firearms industry. And for a great many reasons…

1. They help ensure lawful gun ownership

Governments and associations go to great lengths to ensure that possessing firearms happens correctly according to national regulations and local laws – and one of the best ways to do that is through a network of licensed gun dealers.

Across Europe, retailers must meet specific standards to become licenced sellers of firearms – such as the Registered Firearm Dealer scheme in the UK, the Firearms Trading License in Germany, or the Permit to Trade Firearms in Sweden. These systems help ensure that retailers selling firearms are properly qualified to do so and also helps to enforce gun laws in the country.

Not only does this boost safety and the image of the shooting industry, but it also means that gun retailers are all of a high standard because of the hoops they have to jump through to trade. 

2. They are knowledge hubs for gun education

Let’s say you want to take up hunting or shooting at the local range. Where do you start on your mission to learn more about these sports? In modern life, the internet is often our first stop-off to learn new information. However, with something like shooting, getting first-hand explanation from a human being with real-life experience is far more useful. This is where gun dealers come in.

The owners of licensed gun dealers and their staff are often incredibly passionate about hunting, shooting sports, and firearms, so they are the perfect place to learn more about a specific topic. This service is not only for newcomers, but also for more advanced shooters who are looking to hone their skills, try a new product, or experiment with a different discipline. This kind of educational hub doesn't exist in many other places across the industry besides speciality gun dealers.

3. They build community among gun owners

Shooters can be a social bunch, and there is no better place to mingle than the local retailer. Many gun dealers are actually the headquarters for things like local hunting clubs or even shooting tournaments. They are the perfect place for like-minded people to meet and discuss the finer points of their passion.

A gun dealer can become the hub of a community – a place with organised social events or just where gun enthusiasts meet while browsing for a new gun or restocking on their ammunition. In many ways, physical retailers take people back to a time when this kind of social connection was a big part of visiting a store.

4. They help brands achieve more gun sales

If you’re a manufacturer or producer of guns for any purpose, then you probably already know that gun dealers can act as a fantastic extension of your brand. Not only do they have direct contact with end users, convincing them about the benefits and advantages of your products, but they are also the place where people learn how to use and care for those products correctly, helping to ensure they have a positive experience with your brand. 

This brand boost also applies to any issues with returns or servicing. If you have good retailers working on your behalf and giving shooters a good experience even when things go wrong, then that will naturally make them think more positively about your brand.

5. They offer essential insight into the future of the market

What does the future hold for firearm dealers or the wider firearm market? While the answer may not be simple, you can usually get a good steer about trends or the future of the market by talking to the firearm dealers you work with. They are the frontline of the industry, they hear what hunters and shooters think, they spot when particular products start rising or shrinking in popularity, and they know what makes firearm owners tick.

Specialist gun retailers could be thought of as the barometer for the industry – they have their finger on the pulse, and they often see things coming long before companies higher up the chain do. They can be your eyes and ears on the ground to help you stay one step ahead of your competition.

Retailers from around Europe will descend on Nuremberg, Germany as usual next spring for the annual IWA OutdoorClassics show from 26 February to 1 March 2026. Can you afford not to be there and miss out the networking and business connection opportunities?

Visit iwa.info to secure your ticket.