2003 Gun Week Reader Survey Provides Profiles and Guidance
December 20, 2003

by Joseph P. Tartaro
Executive Editor

In the Sept. 1, 2003 issue of Gun Week we printed a reader survey form for voluntary completion and return to us by Sept. 30. The survey was intended to provide a profile of Gun Week readers for the guidance of our editors and as a marketing tool for us and potential advertisers.

While the survey form was intended to be anonymous, we goofed because we forgot that the mailing address for each subscriber issue would be laser inked on the back of that form. Fortunately, those who replied either copied the face of the survey or inked out the address.

Two-point-eight percent of you responded and we thank you for your participation. Before reporting some of the key findings in the survey in this column, I would like to take note of two areas on the survey in which respondents were supposed to tell us the things they liked or disliked about Gun Week. I was delighted to see that there were not many things people disliked. In fact, the few dislikes seemed to be almost evenly balanced by readers who liked the same things.

Future Changes
So there are unlikely to be any huge changes in future issues. There may be a few. For instance, you may see some slightly different department head graphics in 2004, and some slight changes in the content of what have been known as “Industry News” and “Shooters Corner.” Those two sections will cover a somewhat extended beat. The one will become known simply as “Business” while the other will be simply “Sports.” Of course both will still focus on gun, hunting and shooting-related news, but we will be offering information about a lot more shooting sports activities than we have in the past. Of course, we won’t be covering the ball sports which are available in every daily newspaper, unless the sport involves shooting at the balls.

Gun Show Calendar
For those who felt that our Gun Show Calendar did not offer enough listings about shows in your general area, we remind you that the listings are provided free to show promoters as a service to our readers. However, the sponsors of the show, whether collector organization or commercial promoter, have to supply Gun Week with the show schedule information.

Other changes we plan, both from a subscription and editorial standpoint, will focus on trying to make Gun Week more relevant for young shooters and prospective shooters.

Otherwise, we plan to continue to be first with the kind of firearms-related news you won’t find anywhere else.
Where Gun Week Readers Live
City over 500,000 population 12.26%
City 100,000 to 499,000 6.86%
City 25,000 to 99,999 22.06%
Suburban Community 28.43%
Rural Area 30.39%
100.00%
Education
Grade School Graduate 1.30%
High School Graduate 12.73%
Some College 22.80%
Two-Year College/Tech School 13.60%
Four-Year College Degree 29.39%
Post Graduate Degree 20.18%
100.00%
Marital Status
Married 67.80%
Single 27.12%
Children under 18 living at home 5.08%
100.00%
Home Ownership
Own 88.11%
Rent 11.89%
100.00%
Average Age of Readers
18-25 0.43%
26-35 2.18%
36-49 11.74%
50-64 40.43%
Over 65 45.22%
100.00%
Average Income
Under $25,000 per year 10.45%
$25,001-$40,000 per year 21.36%
$40,001-$70,000 per year 30.92%
Over $70,000 per year 37.27%
100.00%
Average Number of Products Owned
Rifles 9.50
Shotguns 6.40
Handguns 16.20
Airguns 1.46
Muzzleloaders 4.70
Reloading Equipment 6.10
Optical/Electronic Sights 3.70
Percent Who Own Related Items
Archery Gear 38.00%
Hunting Dog(s) 15.00%
Pickup, Van or SUV 88.00%
Huntable Acreage 31.00%*
49.35% purchased an item or service advertised in Gun Week during the past 12 months.
Average number of readers per issue 3.2
No. of years subscribing to Gun Week
Less than One year 5.31%
1-3 years 23.89%
Over 3 years 70.80%
100.00%
Percent of Readers with FFL 6.58%
Percent with Home State CCW 64.91%
Percent who Live in Carry-Legal States
Shall-Issue 69.19%
Discreationary 30.81%
100.00%
55% of Readers are Hunters.
Approximate Days per Year hunting:
Small Game 11.0 days
Big Game 8.6 days
Waterfowl 2.5 days
Bowhunting 14.75 days
Black Powder Hunting 16.4 days
XX
Ammo used for hunting:
Factory Ammo 40.88%
Reloads 18.98%
Both 40.14%
100.00%
Percentage of Target Shooters 64.00%
Trap 21.80%
Skeet 16.20%
Sporting Clays 16.20%
Smallbore Rifle 33.00%
Highpower Rifle 26.80%
.22 Pistol 33.00%
Cowboy Action 10.60%
Centerfire Pistol 42.30%
Action Pistol 13.40%
Benchrest 13.20%
Muzzleloading 8.40%
Plinking 56.31%
Airgun 19.00%
XX
Ammo Used for Competition
Factory Ammo 29.79%
Reloads 20.57%
Both 31.92%
XX
Percent in Registered Competition 17.1%
Collecting
38.33% buy or trade guns for collecting.
18.57% members of collector organization.
7.40% exhibit at gun/knife shows.
92.60% attend gun/knife shows.
51.2% use the Gun Week Gun Show Calendar to exhibit or attend shows.
90.35%wrote government officialduring the past 12 months.
49.13% phoned or met an official in the last 12 months.
47.81% wrote to a newspaper editor or phoned a talk show in the last 12 months.
57.71% used Gun Week editorial references in letters or speeches.
97.38% of Gun Week readers voted in 2002 elections.
*Those who own huntable acreage own over 150 acres on average.
XX=Totals will not add to 100% because of multiple answers.
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