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NRAhab · January 5, 2011, 02:54 PM

I was having a discussion with some other gun folks at an event back in November about how the face of the gun community is changing. The general gist of the conversation is that sales of guns designed for carry, competition, and home defense as well as AR pattern rifles has far outstripped the sales of guns and gear that are thought of as "traditional" hunting items. Coupled with the nationwide decline in hunting (permits are down across the country) but the simultaneous increase in gun sales points to a new shooting demographic. You don't really have to look any further than an indoor gun range to see that new demographic. When I walk a firing line and I feel like the old guy, I know that there has been a shift, especially when the only guns I see on the line are 1911s, Glocks, XDs, and M&Ps - all guns set up for concealed carry.

So here's my question, because it's one that I think is worth discussing. How do we reach that culture? A kid walks in a gunshop and wants to see Gun X because he used it in a video game, how do we react? How do we get a generation that does all its research online to find quality information about guns and gear? And most importantly, how do we take a kid that plays Call of Duty (it was Counterstrike when I was that age, oh how the times have changed) and convert them into a lifelong shooter?

January 5, 2011, 02:54 PM	#1
NRAhab Senior Member Join Date: August 20, 2005 Location: Bellevue, WA Posts: 683	Gun Culture 2.0 I was having a discussion with some other gun folks at an event back in November about how the face of the gun community is changing. The general gist of the conversation is that sales of guns designed for carry, competition, and home defense as well as AR pattern rifles has far outstripped the sales of guns and gear that are thought of as "traditional" hunting items. Coupled with the nationwide decline in hunting (permits are down across the country) but the simultaneous increase in gun sales points to a new shooting demographic. You don't really have to look any further than an indoor gun range to see that new demographic. When I walk a firing line and I feel like the old guy, I know that there has been a shift, especially when the only guns I see on the line are 1911s, Glocks, XDs, and M&Ps - all guns set up for concealed carry. So here's my question, because it's one that I think is worth discussing. How do we reach that culture? A kid walks in a gunshop and wants to see Gun X because he used it in a video game, how do we react? How do we get a generation that does all its research online to find quality information about guns and gear? And most importantly, how do we take a kid that plays Call of Duty (it was Counterstrike when I was that age, oh how the times have changed) and convert them into a lifelong shooter? __________________ Join the community at GunUp!