20 March 2008 - 13:22Hunting, Shooting Gear Out-Drives Golf in Sales

Article copied from National Shooting Sports Foundation Online News Vol. 9 No. 11.  Hunting (Equipment)  and shooting-related equipment has out-driven golf (equipment) in sales, according to data released by the National Sporting Goods Association. New statistics show that hunting gear and firearm sales topped $3.7 billion in 2006, up 4.1 percent from the previous year. Only exercise equipment performed better, with sales of $5.22 billion, according to NSGA’s most recent “Sporting Goods Market” report. Golf equipment, which claimed the No. 2 spot the previous year, fell into the third spot with $3.66 billion in sales. NSGA’s sales projection for 2007 shows golf equipment and hunting and shooting equipment again running neck-and-neck to claim the No. 2 spot, with exercise equipment remaining at No. 1. Included in the hunting- and shooting-related equipment category are firearms ($2.18 billion in 2006 sales), airguns ($224.1 million), ammunition ($977.1 million), knives ($51.8 million), paintball guns/packages ($220.9 million) and reloading equipment ($52.0 million).