Growing Gun Ownership Ripples Positive
OutdoorHub 01.23.14
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) announced on Tuesday that last week’s 36th Annual Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show (SHOT Show) shattered attendance records, despite less than ideal travel conditions across the nation. Attracting industry professionals from over 100 countries, SHOT showcased displays by more than 1,600 exhibiting companies sprawling over 13 acres.
The $6 billion shooting and hunting industry has enjoyed dynamic growth over the past few years, driven in part by an influx of new, first-time gun buyers who, the NSSF says, are younger, increasingly female and more urban based. According to an NSSF First-time Gun Buyers Report, these newcomers have identified target shooting and personal and home protection as the top reasons for purchasing their first firearm. To read additional highlights of the report, go to SHOT Show Newsroom.
Of course, all these firearms need secure protection for storage and transport, which is why representatives of Plano Molding – the first name in secure storage solutions for outdoor gear — never got to sit down in their SHOT Show booth last week.
“Plano has been making protective storage cases for outdoor gear for over 60 years, including the most impressive and comprehensive lineup of hard and soft gun cases covering the full spectrum of price points available from any single manufacturer,” says Plano Marketing Manager, Ben Rand. “We’re meeting the growing demand by giving consumers more choices than ever for keeping their firearms safe and secure,” he continues.
Plano’s new line of Field Locker Mil-Spec Cases represent a significant and outward example of this commitment to the gun owning public. The premium, highly engineered five case series debuted at the 2014 SHOT Show and was enthusiastically received by industry retailers and outdoors media professionals. The series consists of two pistol cases and three long gun cases.
“Plano developed the new Field Locker Mil-Spec case series to military and law enforcement specifications to ensure they represent the ultimate in protection for the consumer,” says Jesse Simpkins, Plano Sr. Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “This is the single, largest investment our company has ever made in any new product line, so we are pleased to see the way they are being appreciated by those who see them, ” continues Simpkins.
The competitively priced line of premium quality Plano Field Locker Mil-Spec cases will begin shipping to retailers early this summer, and will round out the top end of the company’s gun case product lineup – an impressive, industry-leading assortment consisting of 72 unique models in 14 product lines.
