That's also what my friends in the firearms, optics and component business say. The number of target shooters is not only increasing, while hunter numbers remain the same or drop, but target shooters are far more willing to spend considerable money on rifles, scopes and bullets. This is why there are far more "tactical" type rifles and scopes appearing all the time, many of them pretty pricey, not to mention scope reticles that often aren't all that practical for a lot of big game hunting. It's also why more and more bullet companies have gotten into the match-bullet business, when many of them started and made their name in hunting bullets. Target shooters use a LOT more bullets, whether competitive shooters, or simply guys who want to ring steel at longer ranges.
