BEATRICE, Neb - A southeast Nebraska arms dealer is coming up on its second go around of one of its busiest times of the year: deer rifle season.

“It’s been busy since August with people getting ready for it”

Steve Swarthout is the owner of R and B Arms in Beatrice and the store is taking learnings from their first year of deer rifle business into their second year. The rifle season begins this Saturday and with southeast Nebraska a hot spot hunting location, R and B has stocked up.

“When we bought this, we were coming off of COVID so we were pretty short on ammunition… I did learn you can’t have enough .243 or .308. We’ve got that covered this year,” Swarhthout said. “We’ve got about twice the inventory and at least twice the inventory of hunting rifles we had last year.”

As the store gains more prominence and word of mouth travels throughout the region, Swrathout says people from Omaha and Lincoln do venture down to shop. After his first few years with the store, Swarthout says there’s one feeling he lives for the most.

“The coolest thing is watching a father, me being a father, with their child picking out that first rifle,” Swarthout said. “That’s a feeling that can’t be replaced. It’s just special.”