2017 is here and let's ponder what can happen this year.
1. Favorable climate for the Second Amendment
With Donald Trump's win, the threat to the Second Amendment is reduced, and with both the House and the Senate majority held by the Republicans, it is far less likely that there will be more restriction on Federal level.
It doesn't necessarily mean Trump will undo decades of restrictions in one swoop of a pen, but at least gun grabbers will be stopped on their tracks, giving some room for breathing. It is a never-ending fight and if Trump administration undo some restrictions, it will give an even better climate for the shooting community.
2. Ammunition price could be holding on
With Trump administration in the White House, the Second Amendment will less likely be restricted, but California enacted several laws, one of which is restriction of ammunition sales.
The new law restricts where and how gun owners can purchase ammunition and retail stores have to keep a record of who purchased how much. It also bans internet purchases.
The law won't go in to effect until 2018, but with so many firearms purchased to before the new California Assault Weapon Ban, it is very likely that people will buy ammunition to shoot it, or at least stack up on ammunition.
California is a big market, and with all the demands, the national demand will stay the same, if not higher, which means price could stay the same.
3. More innovations
Innovations tend to be fostered when there are better climate for returns as well as bigger market. There was a lot of prediction that Hillary Clinton would win and a lot of companies expected a national run on firearms, so they probably redirected their resources to producing current models than developing new ones.
Now that risk is gone, innovations and niche items could grow a lot more. There are some firearms that will appear at the 2015 SHOT Show with innovative features, so by 2018 SHOT Show it would be an exciting time in the industry.
and yes, GNB will be heading to SHOT Show as always.
