Florida-based European American Armory Corporation was founded in the early 1990s and has since earned a reputation for bringing quality, affordable firearms to the U.S. market.
Initially, the company imported Tanfoglio firearms from Italy and Wierauch pistols out of Germany. The company also imported the Astra Unceta and Star pistol lines from Spain and spent many years importing the popular Russian Baikall and Izhmash lines of long guns. Recently, EAA has expanded to include the world-renowned Girsan pistol and Akkar shotgun lines from Turkey.
Shooting Sports Retailer recently caught up with EAA President Keith Bernkrant, a third-generation firearms industry professional, to discuss the company’s past, present and future.
SSR: What can you tell us about EAA’s brands and how they fit together?
Bernkrant: All of the imported firearms lines have in common a good reputation for dependability, accuracy and performance while possessing exceptional value for the American consumer.
SSR: What makes a brand worth bringing into the EAA portfolio?
Bernkrant: Because EAA has a reputation of providing excellent vendor service with their overseas partners, EAA is often pursued by other foreign firearms manufactures. We choose our partners based on quality of product, ability to work together to design products specific for the American market and capability of delivering top-notch products in a timely manner.
SSR: What has EAA done to gain market share over the past 30 years?
Bernkrant: EAA has consistently provided the American public with reputable and proven brands from around the world. Our Tanfoglio line of competition handguns are most often found in the winning hands of world-class competitors, and the Girsan pistol line has been the choice of many international law enforcement agencies as well as first-time gun owners.
SSR: What are your biggest challenges in today’s shooting sports industry?
Bernkrant: Besides continuing to provide exceptional value with quality products, the current challenge is keeping up with demand for product, especially as new customers enter the shooting sports and personal defense communities.
SSR: Is there a specific product or brand that drives business for EAA, or is it more evenly split?
Bernkrant: EAA prides itself in having product for a variety of customers or for customers who participate in a variety of shooting sports activities. Besides competition-level handguns, EAA has multiple models for personal and home defense, target shooting, hunting a variety of game and even for collectors looking for unusual and highly decorated pieces.
SSR: Tell us more about Girsan and how it’s positioned in the U.S market.
Bernkrant: The Girsan brand is world renowned for its incredible performance, fit and function. Girsan pistols are carried by the Turkish armed forces and police, and they’re the gun of choice in many other Turkish government agencies. It is also the pistol for the Malaysia Special Forces Command and several other international military and law enforcement agencies. The international pedigree of the Girsan brand may open some American retailer doors, but it’s really Girsan’s quality, balance, fit, design, grip and accuracy that stand out to the firearms dealer and consumer. Girsan just provides amazing quality at an affordable price.
SSR: The past year has been filled with disruption, but also increased demand. How have you met those challenges?
Bernkrant: It was a challenging year for many firearms manufacturers and importers. As soon as a shipment arrives and is inspected, it is sold. Retailers are eager for more first-time gun owner types of products since this the fastest growing segment of our market. Many of our lines fit this description. They are easy to use, safe and instill confidence in new shooters, with a price point that is a comfortable entry point. We continue to try to meet demand and expect this trend to continue, at least through the first quarter of 2021.
SSR: What new products should retailers be looking for this year?
Bernkrant: Our newest products feature our patent-pending Fast Acquisition Red Dot Optics (Far-Dot). The first to become available will be the Girsan MC9 in Standard and Match grade. What makes this new optics pistol line unique is that the optic mounts without an optics adaptor plate, plus the use of integral fiber for fast target acquisition. For the shooter, that means no hunting for the red dot in the sight and no distortion of the target during shooting. Like its name implies, the new optics pistol line allows faster target acquisition.
SSR: What does the future look like for EAA Corp? Are you looking to expand your offerings?
Bernkrant: EAA’s future looks bright. We listen to our customers and are committed to finding product offerings that will continue to expand upon our belief that good quality firearms don’t need to cost a ton of money. As far as expanding our current lines, we are always taking customer feedback back to our manufacturers to create the next evolution of a model. New lines are always possible as long as they meet our customers’ stringent needs and our requirements.
SSR: How do you expect the industry to change in the coming years, and how is EAA preparing to change in response?
Bernkrant: EAA is constantly evolving our business practices to stay top of mind with our customers, from the new gun owner to the seasoned competitor. When most companies steered clear of what was happening on a digital level, EAA jumped in, providing our customers with online accessory purchasing and loads of immersive videos and online content. The next generation is already at work at EAA to ensure the legacy of EAA goes on.
