
What's Selling Where
WEST
ALASKA
Chimo Guns, Wasilla
Keeping close to 400 firearms in stock, this full-service gun shop rests 30 miles north of Anchorage in the suburban Mat-Su Valley. Handgun sales are steady and strong. “It’s been a good year with a great election outcome, and solid sales at our store. It gives us confidence that shooters will have more cash to spend on firearms,” said manager/buyer Craig Pell.
Top handgun sellers include Glock 20s 43Xs and Springfield Hellcats. Other strong movers include the Sig Sauer P365 Fuse.
Bolt guns are slowing but coming off a strong hunting season. Bergara and the Ruger American hold the top spots. A few Kimbers, predominantly in .300 Win., .30-06, and 6.5 Creedmoor, follow in third place. Winter season shotguns are still getting a few turns, primarily Remington Express 870s with slug barrels, along with a few Benelli Super Black Eagle 3s. “We have a winter shotgun selling season for snow machine riders and families going to their off-grid cabins deep in the bush,” added Pell. Ruger 10/22s are a popular choice for this segment.
COLORADO
Goods for the Woods, Durango
This general hunting store located on State Highway 160-550 carries archery, soft goods, firearms, and reloading supplies. It has been a fixture in the community since 1987.
Bergaras and Tikkas in 6.5 Creedmoor have remained the front runners throughout the hunting season. “It’s been a good year, and we see the season’s winter varmint firearms sales to be strong. In the west we’re not usually affected by political change. However, it’s feeling like American manufacturing is going to expand,” said owner Jane Gustafson.
MSRs are still moving daily. The vast majority have been Springfield Saints, Smith & Wesson M&P 15 Sport IIs, and Sig M400s. Handgun sales remain strong; Sig Sauer P635s, P320s, and Glock 19s are doing well. Meanwhile, Smith Shield Bodyguards are on the move.
Ammo stocks have improved. Although there are still some holes in rifle calibers, demand is generally being met.
OREGON
The Sportsman, Florence
Located in a small town on the central Pacific coast, this family-run hunting and fishing store stocks about 100 firearms. It specializes in home protection, hunting firearms, accessories, and Honda ATVs.
Smith Shield EZs, Springfield Hellcats, and Sig P365s are in stock and turning quickly. Ruger 10/22s are selling as well has they ever have during the holidays.
“Our customers are small-town locals, and the political environment rarely drives our turns. That said, it’s a relief to see some stability for the next four years, though I think it will slow our overall firearms sales,” said owner Bill Pinkey.
At the high end, Daniel Defense is the MSR attracting the most attention. At the low end, it’s Sport IIIs. Long rifles are also still doing well, with some Christensen and Browning X-Bolt .300 WSWs crossing the counter. Ammo stocks have improved and are generally in good order at this store, but there are still a few odd rifle calibers that are hard to get.
MIDWEST
MISSOURI
Razorback Armory, Des Peres
Located in west suburban St. Louis County, this retailer specializes in general hunting guns with an emphasis on its own custom MSR and 1911 buildouts. The store stocks about 200 new and used firearms, with an even mix of long guns, handguns, and custom demo MSRs.
Handguns rule here, and the shop is coming off a big Christmas season that featured high numbers of Sig P365s and P322s. Going out the door, other high-selling pistols include Glock 43Xs with with Shield-brand magazines that increased capacity to 15 rounds.
Remington 870s are in stock for the first time in two years, and there are good turns of Mossberg tactical shotguns. Shotgun ammo is finally in good supply.
One of the biggest growth segments for this dealer is in suppression upgrades. “There’s a mindset of getting customers to deal with the wait times and the paperwork, but it has really been a growing part of our business. We do a lot of custom suppression mods. The big change has been that we can electronically process the paperwork. It now takes about four months to complete. It used to take more than year,” said co-owner Jesse Rolfe.
MSR sales have just started to increase for this store. Aero Precision leads the pre-manufactured MSR category. The store’s gunsmith continues to be back-ordered with a variety of MSR custom builds. Most of the setups are for distance shooting and winter varmint hunting.
MINNESOTA
Saginaw Firearms, Saginaw
This independent retailer located just north of Duluth has a seasonal outdoor shooting range and keeps over 300 guns in stock. Ammo shortages and low inventories have eased at this store while it has been concentrating on special orders and used handguns.
“It’s a little early to figure out if the election has helped or slowed sales. It does seem like the locals are more optimistic about the working-class economy,” said president Frank Le Fevre.
The store has concentrated on looking for used handguns with a focus on Smith revolvers and used Glocks. The shop features training classes based on state mandates for combat, concealed carry, and self-defense training throughout much of the winter. Le Fevre also said that training in conjunction with sales continues to be the primary focus for this shop.
NORTH DAKOTA
Outdoorsman Inc., Fargo
Established in 1980 and located in the center of Fargo, this family-run store keeps an average of three employees behind the counter. They sell various general home-defense products, rifles, handguns, and archery equipment. This shop has an in-store gunsmith with 40-plus years of experience.
“We’re still turning consistent numbers of MSRs. Our market has been trending to better-quality rifles at a higher-price point,” said counter salesman Kevin Steen. He noted inventory on MSRs is good, and turns are steady at roughly three or more a week.
It has been a nearly equal split between Springfield and Sig Sauer along with a few Colts. On the bolt-action side, sales have slowed, but inventory looks flush for the winter season with Winchesters and Browning X Bolts on the shelves.
Handgun sales are still vibrant. Glock 43Xs, Sig P365s, and Smith Shield EZs all hold the high slots.
SOUTH
SOUTH CAROLINA
Doc's Gun Exchange, Florence
Located on Route 52 in the east-central part of the state, this shop inventories an average of 700 firearms with a mix of hunting and self-defense guns. Handguns continue to be in high demand, with heavy sales attributed to price-point Taurus G3Cs and higher-end Springfield Hellcats. Glock 43s are selling through in strong numbers.
At the rifle counter, MSRs are turning close to three a week, with Diamondbacks, S&W M&P 15 Sport IIIs, and Ruger 556s attracting the most attention. “I know that in most parts of the country MSR sales are slow. But here in South Carolina, they have been steady for the entire year,” said counter salesman Jeff Wayne.
Right now bolt-action .22s are moving. As a result, Ruger American rimfires and 10/22s are all posting good numbers. Ammo stocks are strong for this store.
TENNESSEE
Nashville Gun Shop, Nashville
Located in metro Nashville, this 1,000-square-foot store specializes in home defense. It services a wide variety of clientele from law enforcement to music industry professionals.
Handgun sales have remained steady. Top sales at this location go to Sig P365s. However, Shield 2.0s are also seeing fast turns along with numerous Glock G45s.
“We are seeing consistent turns in pistol sales. It also feels like the economy is improving. The election results are creating confidence with our customer base,” said owner Demur Demirhisar
Rifle sales at this location are mostly MSRs, with frequent turns going to a mix of Daniel Defense, Ruger 556s, and M&P 15 Sport IIIs. Shotguns are slowing with a few Mossberg 590s crossing the counter. Sales of used rifles across the board are flat.
KENTUCKY
Paducah Shooters Supply, Paducah
In the heart of the Mississippi Flyway in western Kentucky, this 11,000-square-foot facility includes indoor archery and outdoor rifle and pistol ranges. “2025 is looking a lot like 2024. We are committed to answering the phone and selling a lot of guns and equipment. The best news is that we can get everything that’s in demand,” said manager Clint McCutcheon.
While handgun ammo inventory has been in good order, shotgun shell stocks have finally improved; 20 gauge is in good supply and even .410 is improving. “There has been significant growth in 20 gauge for waterfowl. While the ammo is now keeping up, the problem is it’s expensive,” McCutcheon said.
Although shotgun sales have slowed, Beretta, semi-auto Stoegers, and Benelli Super Black Eagle 3s are in good inventory. Other brands, including Browning A5s and Winchester Super X3s, are turning sharply.
MSRs are moving in steady numbers, with a mix from Smith & Wesson, Colt, and Daniel Defense. Bolt-action rifle sales have had a banner year with Savage Axis and Ruger Americans in .308 and 6.5 Creedmoor as the sales leaders.
At the handgun counter, Sig P365s have moved into first place; Smith Shield 2.0s are just behind. Springfield Hellcats and Glocks are moving daily. McCutcheon also noted that safe sales have been particularly brisk.
EAST
CONNECTICUT
Blue Trail Range Gun Store, Wallingford
Founded in 1945, this family gun shop and range keeps 800 guns in stock with over 120 covered outdoor shooting stations. The small-town New England retailer continues to see unchanging customer traffic and high demand.
“Traffic is strong and steady. Our range is as busy as ever. It’s nice to have the product to sell to our clients with plenty of ammo on the floor,” said instructor Amr Maklad.
Handgun ammo stocks are excellent with more competitive pricing. Traditional rifle calibers are in better-than-expected supply. Sig Sauer P365 Fuse and P320 RXP lead the pack at this counter. Glock 17s and Smith Shield 2.0s are turning daily. Throughout the past year, Sig Sauer has turned in the highest numbers.
Henry lever actions continue to make high turns, as have Ruger 10/22s. A few price-point Turkish shotguns are selling, and competition shotguns are in good inventory. Air rifles are seeing slower demand compared to 2023 and 2024.
PENNSYLVANIA
Juniata Trading Post, Everett
Located on the western side of central Pennsylvania, this full-line sporting goods store stocks fishing tackle, clothing, accessories, an average of 600 firearms, and reloading supplies. Pistol demand is steady, with first-of-the-year solid turns. The highest performers include Sig Sauer across the board, followed by Shield EZ. Springfield Hellcats land firmly in third place.
For this retailer, reloading supplies are steadily improving. “Two years ago, powder and primers were nonexistent. We were starting to be concerned that we would lose our long-time reloaders,” said counter salesman Danny Palmer. This store is pleased to report that reloading inventories have finally turned around, and the powder-primer winter forecast has vastly improved.
MSR sales are steady. Alex Pro holds the highest numbers, followed by a few Ruger 556s and Mossbergs. Even though rifle hunting season has ended, bolt-action turns are still high for Savage combos and Ruger Americans.
MAINE
J.T. Reid’s Cigar and Gun Shop, Auburn
This small-town firearms store stocks over 200 handguns and rifles along with a substantial cigar selection. Located on Main Street in downtown Auburn, the retailer offers a mix of home defense and hunting supplies.
After a strong deer season, bolt-action rifle sales have slowed with a few Savage and Ruger Americans still making turns. MSRs are improving and have made a strong recovery after a slow summer. Radicals, Ruger 556s, and Henry .22s are in high demand at this retailer.
“Our inventory for MSRs and handguns is excellent. Sales are improving from last summer. While I can’t explain any rationale for it, MSRs are up significantly since the election,” said owner John Reid. Apart from a few shotgun loads, ammo stocks have been consistent.
Glock 40s, 17s, and M&P EZs are leading the count. Additional top-selling handguns include Sig P365s and Glock 40s. The shop’s gunsmith is backlogged with months of work, while at the cigar counter the store's top seller has been split between Avo and Macanudo for the last year.