Welcome back to another episode of Gun Industry Insider—today is April 1, 2025. I’m your host, Ray Toofan. Today’s episode is packed with info for shop owners, reps, and gunsmiths. We’ll dive into a new NSSF report on Black gun owners, exploring their motivations, barriers, and what it means for your business. Then, we’ll tackle the Justice Department’s proposal to merge the ATF and DEA, and how this could shake up compliance and operations. So let’s get started.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation’s recent report, Developing Firearm Ownership and Sport Shooting R3 Communications for Black Americans, shows that self-defense, safety, and security are the top reasons they buy guns. This is a long report, 294 pages to be exact, but we’ll summarize the main points here so you don’t have to read through the entire thing. However, if you would like to browse the report, it’s available on the nssf.org website, along with a ton of extra digital assets you can use to promote in your store or on social media.

To start off, data reveals 82% of Black firearm owners have gone sport shooting, with two-thirds doing it in the past three years. While they value the skills and enjoyment, practicing for protection is their primary motivator at the range.

For industry pros, this shapes how you approach your business. Shop owners should prioritize handguns and concealed carry gear—products that align with self-defense needs. Reps can focus on pitching firearms built for reliability in protection scenarios. Gunsmiths might offer custom modifications, like better grips or trigger adjustments, to enhance usability. Training matters too. Defensive shooting courses could attract customers who want to sharpen their skills for real-world situations. Customers are telling you what they need—your job is to listen and deliver.

However, access to a range remains a hurdle. The report highlights that 42% of Black firearm owners lack a nearby range, 40% face state or local restrictions, and a third feel unwelcome at ranges. Among those who’ve visited, 18% report discomfort, with roughly 11% of all Black firearm owners pointing to racism as a factor. Travel time averages nearly 34 minutes, and the data ties longer trips to less frequent shooting. These barriers limit participation and signal where the industry needs to act.

Range owners can start by training staff to ensure every customer feels respected—customer inclusion isn’t optional. Retailers and manufacturers could back efforts to build more public ranges wherever possible; the report shows 81% interest in affordable public options. You can point customers to resources like the NSSF’s wheretoshoot.org to help them find places to shoot. Solving these access issues opens doors to more business and builds loyalty.

And as always, safety is non-negotiable. Black firearm owners prioritize it in their purchasing decisions, storage habits, and range choices. Three-quarters use safes or lockable cabinets, and they prefer ranges with clear safety standards. This is your chance to stand out. Retailers can stock trigger locks or host free workshops about safe firearm storage. Ranges should enforce rules consistently—and should have a safety officer on the line. When safety is part of your brand, you earn trust, and trust turns into repeat customers.

Mentoring plays a big role in getting people started. The report found three-quarters of Black firearm owners relied on a mentor when they began, but only a quarter have paid it forward. A third of those who haven’t mentored are willing, though. Learning from an expert is the top reason they try sport shooting. Industry professionals can bridge this gap. Shops and ranges could run mentorship programs or host days where customers bring a friend to learn. Manufacturers might fund workshops with seasoned shooters. It’s straightforward—share knowledge, build skills, and watch the community grow. That growth benefits your bottom line.

Messaging needs to hit the right notes. The report tested several approaches and found self-defense, skills, and safety resonate most. The standout message, scoring over 8 out of 10, was: “Self-defense is a basic right, and firearms are an important form of self-defense.” Social aspects, like time with friends, matter less but still connect. Focus groups, especially women, responded to “empowering” as a theme. For marketing, emphasize protection and skill development. A handgun ad could spotlight its dependability for self-defense. A range offering a women’s-only class framed as empowering could attract a larger than normal female crowd. Keep it grounded in what customers value most.

Demographic trends point to untapped potential. Younger Black firearm owners, aged 18 to 34, show strong interest in hunting—20% of non-hunters say they’re extremely or very interested. Parents aged 35 to 54 lead recent purchases, with many buying in the last three years. Inactive owners lean toward handguns. These insights can guide your strategy. Retailers, you can try hosting hunting clinics or family range days to draw in those younger shooters and parents. Reps, you can try pushing starter hunting kits or handguns tailored for protection. Meeting these groups where they are—offering products and programs they want—expands your reach.

Social events influence participation. Around 2020, a third of Black firearm owners ramped up sport shooting during the pandemic and after the George Floyd hysteria. Focus groups cited the 2020 election and January 6 as triggers too. These moments aren’t just history—they show how unrest drives demand. Shop owners should monitor current events and stock self-defense firearms when tensions climb. And when that happens, ranges will see an influx of first-timers, so beginner classes should be promoted and will likely fill quickly. Staying responsive keeps you ahead of the curve and ready for what’s next.

Moving on, on March 25, there was a recent proposal by the Justice Department to merge the ATF and DEA. Should this happen, one possible result of the merger would be delays in getting FFLs approved, renewed, or changed. Combining two agencies with different focuses—firearms for the ATF and drugs for the DEA—means they’d need to mesh their systems and workflows. That kind of overhaul, especially in government, generally leads to backlogs. 

For shop owners or gunsmiths, this isn’t just a paperwork headache. If your license renewal gets stuck in the process, you’ll be working on an LOA and be left wondering if there’s an issue with your renewal. If you need to move your license to a new address, this could end up being a real problem if your license doesn’t get updated in a timely manner. Same goes for new licenses—delays could hold up opening a shop or expanding your business. Picture waiting weeks longer than usual, maybe even months, while the new agency figures itself out. That’s time most of us can’t afford to lose.

Then there’s the issue of resources getting pulled in too many directions. The ATF already has its hands full with regulation. Add in the DEA’s drug enforcement priorities, and you’ve got a bigger agency with a broader mission. Chances are, they’d have to split their people and budget between the two. For you, that could mean fewer agents available to handle those few times where you need to contact the ATF. For example, have a compliance question that you need answered? Response times might drag out, causing project delays or possibly putting a sale on hold. 

Audits could take a hit too. With fewer resources focused on firearms, the agency might not have the manpower to keep up with routine audits. That sounds like a break from the pressure, but it might not that simple. For some, that might ease the burden—less time spent prepping records or sweating an inspection. But don’t assume it’s a free pass. Compliance doesn’t go away, and if they do show up, they could be less forgiving about mistakes since they’re covering more with less. 

However, the whole agency merger is still up in the air—feedback is due by tomorrow, April 2, and Congress might need to sign off. That leaves a lot of uncertainty. It could be a smoother system down the line, or it might mean gaps in oversight while they sort it out. Either way, you’d be smart to keep your books in order and keep up with the latest compliance updates through the various industry groups. Delays and resource shifts are tough enough without getting caught off guard by a changing rulebook.

We’ve covered quite a bit today—from the NSSF report’s insights on Black gun owners, highlighting the need for better access, safety, and mentorship, to the proposed ATF-DEA merger, which could bring delays and resource shifts. These developments aren’t just headlines—they could directly impact your shop, your sales, or your bottom line. Got thoughts or ideas for future episodes? Email us at insider@gunindustryinsider.com or hit us up on X at @GunInsider. Stay tuned for our next episode, where we’ll be diving into fresh developments that could affect your business. Thanks for listening. Until next time!