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This week on the Peak, Ari, Shelley, and Ben meet with host of the 3-Gun Show and Marketing Manager of Stag Arms, Dave Hartman. They start off discussing Dave’s recent relocation, and small-town life across the United States and how it is to travel to different matches. The conversation includes everything from making friends to making wind calls, and the importance of travelling to majors and shooting outside of your comfort zone. There is an emphasis on never being “ready” for your first major, and being unafraid to suck – shooters can benefit so much from just showing up, and are guaranteed a great experience with the right attitude. Within this conversation is the topic of how shooting sports can improve your shooting across the board, and how getting involved not only makes shooting more fun and dynamic, but adds an element of challenge you won’t get from just standing on the range.

Dave and the crew also discussed the increased demand for firearms from COVID fears, and possible long-term repercussions for the industry, including the possibility for increased participation in the shooting sports. With a lot of new gun owners purchasing guns right now, there’s a lot of enthusiasm about the positive change outreach to these new members of the firearms community could bring.

Education is an important thing for any new gun owners, and it’s more difficult to access than ever, so the question is: how has firearms training adapted, and how will it continue to adapt? Some firearms owners have brought training free online, but it’s important for firearms enthusiasts to be available for their friends to ask questions. Kindness and availability has become more important than ever, and providing education where it’s needed is going to be incredibly important moving forward. This conversation also includes the possible negative impacts of the rise in new firearms owners at a time when education is difficult to come by, including the possibility of more accidents or gun owners who may not be taking safe storage seriously, especially in a time when accidental gun deaths are down and there is serious emphasis on safe storage education.

Of course this episode wouldn’t be complete without discussing Dave’s new position at Stag Arms. Dave is excited about the products he’s representing, emphasizing the modernity of Stag’s products and the experience of the crew at Stag. Stag’s current focus is not only on products, but also on customer service – something that has long been important to Rainier Arms as well. Dave discusses overcoming some of Stag’s last mistakes and the importance of listening to customers and adapting based on what customers have to say. Wyoming has been a welcoming place for Stag’s rebuild, and it will be exciting to see what the future holds for the company. Dave teases a .300 Blackout, other calibers, and product refreshes to come among other big projects they’re working on at Stag.

Dave and the team also discuss Triggrcon, and are hopeful for the reopening of America. The show is still on, and everyone is looking forward to getting out of the house and spending time with their friends. The pandemic has raised other challenges – from fulfillment to personal – and the effects of the weight on the industry and on family life are far-reaching.