From the Editor

The new year is less than a week old as I write this. For me, it is a time for looking back as well as forward—reflecting on the year past and speculating about the one ahead.
    To sum up my feelings on ’08: I’m glad it’s over. It was a wild ride by anyone’s standards. With escalating gas prices, the worst year for the stock market since the 1930s, a serious real estate crunch, rising joblessness and the slumping economy, I’m guessing that we all took a big hit in the wallet. It was a year of cutbacks, closings and consolidations, and were it not for government bailouts, things could have been much worse. It also was a year of campaigning, and the uncertainties about who would win the White House and how the war was progressing in Iraq served to shake consumer confidence even further.
    The shooting industry felt the effects of America’s belt-tightening. Sales were slow in many sectors, and with the dollar weak against the pound and Euro, overseas manufacturers saw a softening in the US market. Adding to the downturn was that gas prices encouraged a lot of hunters to forsake travel for “stay-cations” closer to home.
    I recall there weren’t as many smiling faces at the Vintage Cup, in September, not only because exhibitor numbers and attendance were down (thanks in large part to a mis-forecast hurricane), but also because the recession had a lot of the folks who were there nervous about the future.
    Fortunately, going into ’09 some things have changed, as gas prices have come back down and the stock market seems to have found its footing. By the time you read this, President Obama will have taken up residence in the White House, and although this has many firearms owners concerned about possible gun bans (and as a result scooping up handguns and semi-automatic rifles), it may represent the stability Americans are looking for to begin buying again.
    I had a chance to speak with Steve Lamboy, president of consulting/marketing firm Micheli-Lamboy, whose clients include Antonio Zoli, Gamo and Kessler Canyon, and he confirmed that guns sales were slow for most of this past year. He stated, however, that in the last quarter of ’08 and the first of ’09 shooters were seeing some excellent deals and taking advantage of them. He also expressed hope going forward: “If the dollar continues to gain [against the Euro and pound], prices of [foreign goods] may become more competitive—assuming the costs of power and materials stay down.”
    As I ready for the SHOT Show and SCI Convention, I wonder what I’ll find for new products. I know a number of companies have adopted a bunker mentality and are sticking with what works—putting little money into R&D. Many businesses also have pulled in the reins on marketing and travel expenses, so they may forego the shows altogether.
In the end, only time will tell. One thing for sure is that the shooting industry can forget about any government bailouts. It’s going to be up to you and me to make the necessary purchases to keep cash flowing and the companies we value in business. If you’ve been on the fence about buying a gun, a trip or even a shell bag, now would be a great time to make the leap.
    And remember: When it comes to investments, guns can be better than blue-chip stocks.