The Gun Trade World podcast

Firearms for self-defence are nothing new, but what about when the situation means one cannot use them? Let’s say the regulations of your country or region don’t allow it, or the specific place you’re in doesn’t permit carrying a firearm. What about for those people who want to protect themselves but don’t necessarily want to carry or use a real firearm? In those situations, less lethal solutions...

Assessing the current state of the market is a vital part of running a successful business in this industry. No matter whether you sell shotguns, rifles, airsoft, clothing, or accessories, it pays to know what the current trends are, what issues are impacting the market, and where the opportunity lies. Of course, you can gather much of this information yourself from your sales figures, market rese...

Pete Brownell is the CEO of one of the firearms industry’s most iconic and enduring brands – but how has Brownells lasted the test of time for more than 80 years? And what is it doing to ensure it stays ahead in a fast-changing future? In this episode, sponsored by Topple, we sit down with Pete to talk about his huge experience in the industry, how he helped modernised the Brownells business, and...

First Breach is a family business, and that might seem like nothing new in this industry. However, it’s a family business with a unique blend of experience from the high-precision medical environment and the military. Jeffrey Low, who has an extensive background in numerous outpatient ambulatory imaging and surgical centres, is the company’s CEO and co-founded it alongside his son Jordan. Followin...

In this special episode of the GTW podcast, we were joined by Adam Anthony and Richard Hefford-Hobbs, the co-owners of historic English gunmaker Gallyon, to talk about the brand and Richard’s involvement in the iconic Worshipful Company of Gunmakers. Gallyon has been trading continuously since 1784 and has been through six generations of the Gallyon family in that time. In 2018, the company was ac...

Coming from a military career back into the world of ‘regular’ work can be a challenge for many people. But for some, the lessons learned from military service can actually help improve the companies they go on to work for. A fine example of that is the Executive Vice President of Magpul, Duane Liptak. Duane’s career in the Marines included infantry, flying F-18 Super Hornets, as well as serving a...

Sometimes, the most influential people in the industry are the ones who don’t hog the limelight. The guys and girls who go about their work diligently and believe in fighting the good fight for the firearms industry. One such man is Larry Keane. Larry is the Senior Vice President for Government and Public Affairs, Assistant Secretary, and General Counsel of the National Shooting Sports Foundation...

In our latest episode of the Gun Trade World podcast, we are joined by mountaineering-mad Rob Gearing – a Brit whose passion for hunting and the outdoors led him to build one of the industry's biggest cult brands. Spartan Precision is an expert in shooting bipods, tripods, and other accessories with humble origins, and Rob takes us through the company's story from its formation on mountain...

With more than 100 years of gun manufacturing under its belt, Mossberg is a name that needs little introduction. We go behind the scenes of one of America's most prestigious hunting and shooting brands with the company’s senior director of marketing, Richard Kirk, and international sales manager, Erica Basile, in our latest podcast. Richard and Erica give fascinating insights on how to innovat...

Tatonka has been making high-quality outdoor gear since the 1980s and has built up a strong reputation in the industry since then. The German company’s growth has come about due to a dedication to products that people can rely on to help them in tough environments. It was this very notion that led the company to found a brand specifically for the military market. Tasmanian Tiger was that brand – f...

How important are human connections in our industry? Are we doing enough to welcome newcomers? What responsibility do we have to the wider world? We attempt to answer these questions and more with our latest podcast guest, Sellmark founder and CEO James Sellers. As well as speaking about his company's 25th anniversary, which it celebrates this year, James also talks about his business ethos, t...

Digital advertising has become a thorny issue for hunting and shooting, but our latest podcast guest believes that doesn’t need to be the case. Brian Aitken is the founder of Topple Ad Network – a platform that aims to help our sector reach the right audiences online. “Think of us like Google advertising, but we’re firearms friendly and we’re free-speech friendly. Companies can advertise anything...

In this episode of the Gun Trade World podcast, we speak with Gerald Missbach who is the CEO of Austrian archery manufacturer Steambow. Gerald recounts how a fascination with crossbows lead him to creating a company and product range with a unique place in the market. He also details what he thinks the bow industry could and should be doing better, and what the biggest opportunities are in this fa...

“Being a pioneer is in our DNA.” It’s a bold statement by Laurynas Pranckus, head of digital marketing at thermal imaging and night vision expert Pulsar. The brand is part of the Yukon Group and over the years it has done nothing but pioneer in the industries in which it operates. The first company to release a digital night vision riflescope Check. The first to release a thermal imaging device fo...

It sounds like something from a Hollywood blockbuster. A newly formed company that combines the talents and experience of leading experts from around an industry – an ‘a team’ of staff, ready to do things differently and shake up the market. That is roughly the story behind German Precision Optics (GPO), a manufacturer of high quality scopes, binoculars and more based near Munich in southern Germa...

Achieving success in a new territory relies on a complicated recipe of different things. Your products must be of good quality and right for the market you are targeting, your shipping and availability need to be on point, and your communication must be first class. Thankfully, many of these attributes can be achieved by working with the right distributor in your chosen country. German optoelectro...

Loved by enthusiasts, dedicated to hand-made quality, and combining the best of both old and new, Davide Pedersoli is a company with few peers. The Italian family business was founded in 1957 and has forged an excellent reputation as one of the market leaders when it comes to the modern manufacturing of replicas of historical firearms.  In this episode, we speak with Davide Pedersoli's grandso...

We welcome back David Ding to the Gun Trade World podcast. David is the founder and owner of optics expert Leapers, including its brands UTG and Integrix and has been in the business for more than 30 years. We hear from David how the last 12 months was for Leapers and look forward together to SHOT Show in Las Vegas where the company will have one of its biggest ever presences.

In our latest podcast we speak to IWA’s Georg Loichinger and Polenar Tactical’s Samo Sterger about why the build-up to the 2024 edition of Europe’s biggest trade show in our industry will lead to a special event. Part of the build-up to what will be IWA's 50th anniversary event in 2024 includes the IWA Campfire programme, where the show will be getting closer to the industry by attending event...

Trulock Chokes president Scott Trulock gives us his views on the values required to be a successful family business, why the company has almost 3,000 SKUs, and what the future holds for the shooting industry as a whole. “We believe that our customers are buying a part of the Trulock brand reputation when they buy from us. We stand behind that 100 per cent. If you’re going to spend your money on ou...

In this episode we speak with a true industry legend – David Ding. David is the founder and owner of optics expert Leapers, including its brands UTG and Integrix. David has been in the industry more than 30 years and built his company up from nothing to become a global player in shooting, so it’s really worth listening to his thoughts and insights on running a business. For more, head online to ww...

We’re getting on the hype train for one of the biggest events in the hunting, shooting and outdoor industries: IWA Outdoor Classics 2023. The show will take place from the 2nd to the 5th of March next year and we wanted to find out what’s new, and why everyone should attend. So who better to speak to than Georg Loichinger – the marketing coordinator for IWA’s organisers Nurnberg Messe. Georg gives...

With a history that began by creating products for NASA, high-performance lighting provider Steamlight has a very interesting tale to tell. VP of sales, Allen Lance, takes us on the journey from those beginnings to becoming and international brand with customers in multiple markets. “We have a close bond with our distributors all over the world, especially in Europe. We work to cover as many marke...

With a focus on quality and an ambition to grow its product range and its network of global partners, Armament Technology Incorporated has quite the story to tell. The company’s VP of sales, Trevor Publicover, gives us an insight into life at the high-end of performance optics and how being an entrepreneurial company at its core has helped it more easily navigate challenges and grow its global dis...

With a history stretching back more than 100 years, a family-run and owned model, and a core product that hasn’t changed since the early 1900s – Ballistol is a name you can trust in the world of gun care and maintenance. The company's managing director Andreas Zettler and marketing and PR manager Leif Jacobsen tell us about Ballistol's past, present and future and how its wide range of products ha...