Analytics and Market Reporting

It’s the desire of Ronin’s Grips to move the industry away from subjective opinion and towards data driven decision making. The following are reports created using specialized tools that analyze websites, social media and the opinions of thousands of posts relating to the law enforcement, military and firearms industries. Click here if you’d like to learn more and why data driven analytics matter.

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Vendor reports (not weapon or platform specific) are in the US Market category. Click here. This is where you find analyses on MAC, Oracle, SIG, WatchTower, etc.

The following are categories and further below are all analytics posts sorted by date from newest to oldest:

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  • 9mm Self-Defense Pistol Market: A Sentiment and Performance Analysis for Q3 2025 August 27, 2025
    The United States personal defense firearms market in the third quarter of 2025 remains unequivocally dominated by pistols chambered in 9mm Luger. This cartridge’s balance of manageable recoil, sufficient terminal performance with modern ammunition, and high-capacity potential has solidified its position as the de facto standard for concealed carry (CCW), home defense, and professional duty ...
  • State of the Market: A Sentiment and Performance Analysis of Commercial .223 Remington & 5.56 NATO Match Ammunition Q3 2025 August 26, 2025
    The commercial market for precision-grade .223 Remington and 5.56x45mm NATO ammunition has evolved into a highly segmented and technically sophisticated ecosystem. Once dominated by a few legacy offerings, the landscape is now defined by intense competition across distinct performance tiers, catering to the specialized demands of competitive shooters and long-range enthusiasts. The market’s premium segment ...
  • Global Special Operations Forces: A Comparative Assessment of Capabilities August 26, 2025
    In the landscape of 21st-century international security, Special Operations Forces (SOF) have evolved from niche, clandestine assets into primary instruments of national power and foreign policy. Their utility spans the entire spectrum of conflict, from high-intensity conventional warfare to asymmetric counter-terrorism, counter-insurgency, and the ambiguous challenges of “grey zone” competition. These elite units, characterized by ...
  • Commercial 5.56x45mm NATO & .223 Remington Ammunition: A US Market and Sentiment Analysis Q3 2025 August 26, 2025
    The U.S. commercial market for 5.56x45mm NATO and .223 Remington ammunition is fundamentally shaped and driven by the unparalleled popularity of the AR-15 platform. This analysis reveals a market sharply divided between two consumer philosophies: high-volume, cost-conscious purchasing for training and recreational use, and performance-at-any-cost purchasing for specialized applications like personal defense and competition shooting. Legacy ...
  • From Revolvers to Robots: A Technical and Tactical History of the American SWAT Team August 25, 2025
    The concept of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team was not a proactive innovation born from strategic foresight. Instead, it was a necessary, and at times desperate, reaction to a series of profound societal and tactical crises that overwhelmed the capabilities of conventional American law enforcement in the mid-20th century. The 1960s presented a ...
  • An Analysis of Precision Rifle Platforms in Contemporary U.S. Law Enforcement Q3 2025 August 25, 2025
    This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the top ten precision rifle systems currently in service with United States law enforcement agencies at the federal, state, and local levels. The ranking is determined through a qualitative assessment of frequency of use, based on documented agency adoptions, prevalence in industry literature, and influence within the tactical ...
  • An Analysis of the Differences Between Economy and Professional Rifle Scopes August 25, 2025
    The price of a rifle scope is not an arbitrary figure but a direct reflection of a complex matrix of engineering decisions, material science, manufacturing precision, and rigorous quality control. To the uninitiated, the chasm between a $150 hobbyist optic and a $4,000 professional instrument appears inexplicable. However, a rifle scope is a system of ...
  • An Analysis of the Evolution of Chinese Special Operations Forces August 24, 2025
    The modern Special Operations Forces (SOF) of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) are not a recent invention but the culmination of a long and evolutionary process rooted in the PLA’s foundational identity. The force’s origins as a guerrilla army instilled a deep-seated appreciation for the principles of infiltration, small-unit autonomy, and asymmetric tactics, which serve ...
  • From Sword and Shield to Scalpel and Algorithm: The Evolution of Russian Special Designation Forces August 24, 2025
    The evolutionary trajectory of Russian special forces is a complex narrative defined by a persistent, foundational dichotomy. From their inception in the crucible of the Bolshevik Revolution, two distinct lineages of “special purpose” units emerged and developed in parallel: one rooted in the state’s internal security apparatus and the other in the military’s external intelligence ...
  • Save Up to 80% on Premium Optics that are Demos, Used, Blemished, or Refurbished at EuroOptic August 23, 2025
    Yes, this is a blatant ad because I need to pay my monthly analytics tools bills and it’s an ongoing sale at EuroOptic that you can check at any time for some amazing deals on premium glass. Right now, EuroOptic is offering one of the best-kept secrets for savvy shooters: incredible savings of up to 80% ...
  • Overmatch vs. Mass: A Comparative Analysis of U.S. and Russian Small Arms Adoption Lifecycles August 23, 2025
    This report provides an exhaustive comparative analysis of the small arms adoption lifecycles of the United States and the Russian Federation, examining the entire process from the identification of a military need to final field deployment. The analysis reveals two fundamentally divergent philosophies rooted in distinct strategic cultures, industrial models, and historical experiences. The United ...
  • The 2025 U.S. Small Arms Optics Market: A Report on Manufacturing, Product Lines, and Market Sentiment August 23, 2025
    The United States consumer market for small arms optics represents a highly sophisticated and competitive landscape, defined by complex global supply chains, intense brand rivalries, and a discerning customer base whose demands shape the trajectory of product development and market positioning. The sector is characterized by a fundamental tension between established, legacy brands that emphasize ...
  • 9mm Luger / 9x19mm NATO Self-Defense Ammunition: A Comprehensive Market and Performance Sentiment Analysis August 22, 2025
    The 9x19mm Parabellum self-defense ammunition market in the United States is a mature and highly competitive landscape dominated by a handful of established manufacturers. Brands such as Federal and Speer have achieved market supremacy through decades of proven performance and widespread adoption by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. This institutional trust has translated ...
  • Small Arms of the People’s Republic of China: A Technical and Strategic Assessment August 22, 2025
    The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of the People’s Republic of China is currently executing the most comprehensive and technologically ambitious small arms modernization program in its history. This transformation is centered on the system-wide adoption of the QBZ-191 modular weapon family, a development that signifies a profound strategic and doctrinal evolution. The prevailing trend is ...
  • Convergence and Collision: A Comparative Analysis of U.S. and Chinese Military Philosophies in the 21st Century August 22, 2025
    The strategic competition between the United States and the People’s Republic of China is the defining geopolitical dynamic of the 21st century, and at its core lies a fundamental divergence in military philosophy, doctrine, and strategic posture. This report provides a comparative analysis of these competing military worldviews. The United States continues to operate under ...
  • Analysis of Top 10 Service Pistols in U.S. Law Enforcement: A Data-Driven Industry Report August 22, 2025
    This report provides a data-driven analysis of the top 10 semi-automatic pistols currently in service with United States law enforcement agencies at the federal, state, and local levels. The modern law enforcement sidearm is a critical component of an officer’s equipment, and procurement decisions by agencies are influenced by a complex matrix of factors including ...
  • The AK-200 Series: A Pragmatic Evolution of the Kalashnikov Platform August 21, 2025
    The Kalashnikov AK-200 series of assault rifles represents not a revolutionary leap in small arms design, but rather a critical and pragmatic evolution of one of the world’s most iconic firearm platforms. In the landscape of 21st-century warfare, the core principles of the original Kalashnikov design—unflinching reliability, simplicity of operation, and ease of mass production—remain ...
  • Value & Performance in the Modern Optics Market: An Analytical Report on Overlooked Gems for the Discerning Firearms Buyer August 20, 2025
    This report provides an in-depth analysis of the contemporary firearms optics market, with a specific focus on identifying brands and product lines that deliver exceptional value across four distinct buyer profiles. The market is undergoing a significant transformation, as challenger brands leverage globalized manufacturing and rapid feature innovation to compete directly with established premium names. ...
  • Forged in the Bloc: An Analysis of the Adoption and Evolution of the Bulgarian Kalashnikov August 19, 2025
    The Kalashnikov assault rifle, more commonly known as the AK-47, represents one of the most significant and prolific small arms designs of the 20th century. Its global proliferation is a testament to its rugged simplicity, reliability, and ease of manufacture. While its origins are Soviet, the story of the Kalashnikov is incomplete without examining the ...
  • An Industry Post-Mortem: Strategic Lessons from 20 Defunct Small Arms Manufacturers August 18, 2025
    The global small arms industry, a sector defined by intense competition, cyclical market dynamics, and significant regulatory pressure, offers a fertile ground for studying corporate failure. This report conducts a detailed post-mortem analysis of 20 defunct firearms manufacturers to distill actionable strategic lessons for modern industry stakeholders. The findings reveal that while external shocks—such as ...
  • Armscor of the Philippines: An Analytical History of a Global Arms Manufacturer August 17, 2025
    Armscor Global Defense, Inc. (AGDI) represents one of the most compelling and often underestimated success stories in the modern small arms industry. From its origins as a modest mercantile establishment in the early 20th-century Philippines, it has evolved into a transnational manufacturing powerhouse, recognized globally as the world’s largest producer of 1911-pattern pistols.1 The company’s ...
  • Beneath the Brands: An In-Depth Analysis of the World’s Top 25 Firearms Optics Manufacturers August 17, 2025
    The modern consumer of firearms optics is presented with a seemingly vast and diverse marketplace. Dozens of brands, from household names with a century of history to agile newcomers, compete for market share across every price point. This proliferation of choice, however, is largely an illusion. Beneath the surface of distinct branding, marketing campaigns, and ...
  • The U.S. Commercial 9mm Ammunition Market: A Comprehensive Performance and Sentiment Analysis August 17, 2025
    The 9x19mm Parabellum cartridge remains the undisputed leader in the U.S. commercial centerfire pistol ammunition market, a position solidified by its inherent balance of manageable recoil, sufficient terminal performance, high platform capacity, and cost-effectiveness.1 This report presents a comprehensive sentiment and performance analysis of the top 50 commercial loads available to the U.S. consumer. The ...
  • WBP Poland: An Industry Analysis of a Modern Kalashnikov Powerhouse August 16, 2025
    Wytwórnia Broni Jacek Popiński (WBP), a privately-owned Polish firearms manufacturer, has rapidly established itself as a dominant force in the U.S. market for imported Kalashnikov-pattern rifles. Occupying a strategic position in the premium mid-tier segment, WBP has cultivated a formidable reputation for producing firearms that exhibit exceptional quality, fit, and finish, often exceeding the standards ...
  • A Tale of Two Russian Arsenals: An Industry Analysis of Kalashnikov Concern and Molot-Oruzhie August 15, 2025
    This report provides an in-depth analysis of two of Russia’s most significant small arms manufacturers: JSC Kalashnikov Concern and Molot-Oruzhie OOO. While both are rooted in the Soviet arms production system and are globally recognized for their Kalashnikov-pattern firearms, they represent divergent models of the modern Russian defense industry. Kalashnikov Concern stands as the flagship of ...

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