Selling built guns

[dkloos]

Im thinking of building a rifle and a smoothbore in the next year, but not to keep, just to sell. My question is how much luck have you all had with selling guns you have built? Before I do this, I would like to be somewhat sure that I will be able to get some money back from it. My reason is because I love working on guns but I just don't have the money to hang on to them at the moment. So... how hard is it to sell a handmade ml?

 

[Mike Brooks]

I build and sell 17 to 25 a year.

 

[musketman]

My reason is because I love working on guns but I just don't have the money to hang on to them at the moment. So... how hard is it to sell a handmade ml?

A logical step would be to work on commission, don't build until they ask, you can even require they pay half the cost up front...

Keep a good photo album of your work to show potential customers, people will say things like: "That's nice, could you make one like that for me?"

 

[dkloos]

Thanks for the tip. I will certainly make some sort of album. Luckily I am doing a gun building demo at a nearby museum next month. Hopefully it will attract some interested people.

 

My question is how much luck have you all had with selling guns you have built?

Selling is not a problem. Any gun is saleable for the right price. There's a huge market out there.

Before I do this, I would like to be somewhat sure that I will be able to get some money back from it.

Depends on how much you want back. There's a never ending supply of $500 guns built from $800 worth of parts. These guns, for the most part, are created by novice builders learning the trade. We all have to learn somewhere. However, I've seen $300 guns, made from $800 worth of parts sell for $1000 :shake: , because it was "custom built". $800 worth of parts can be made up into a $10,000 gun. Based on your skill experience and exacly how fancy, a reasonable value range would be $500 to $10,000.

 

[dkloos]

Where would I go to sell my pieces, once completed? Are there areas where I can talk to people looking to purchase custom weapons?

 

[paulvallandigham]

Advertise in Muzzle Blasts, and Muzzle Loader magazines, contact TOTW, to sell guns through them by consignment, put up your own website, and post pictures of the guns you have made, or have to sell or both, look at the auction sites, etc. All those ways are good ways to reach the audience most likely to be interested in buying a hand built rifle or smoothbore.

 

[TN.Frank]

This reminds me of when I tried to start a Holster business in Phoenix. It was just when Cowboy Action Shooting was really starting to take off and I have a natural knack for making holsters so I thought, "Hey, I'll make up a few and sell em' at the next gun shot." Well, it ended up that I only sold a couple because most of the others had one thing or another they the customer didn't like or thought should be different. Moral of the Story: Let em' order what they want and build/make it, don't make up a bunch of what you think they want. :v

 

[dkloos]

Well I just ordered a longrifle kit from pecatonica. I figure ill do one, and use it as a demo at local museums, and let the customers do the rest. Thanks, all.

 

[CrackStock]

But Mike, did you start by having people beating on your door for a custom made gun or did you have to make a few and pray that they would sell?

I would just build a few to start and the let my quality sell the gun so I could buy more parts and tools for the next project. Ya gotta start somewhere. It is a leap of faith.

I also suggest that you try some carving and engraving early in the game. Take that plunge as well.

Track will sell your gun on consignment, but you won't get a lot back on your early guns.

Finally, let the suppliers know that you are building to sell so that you get a bit of a price break.

CS

 

[chuck-ia]

I dunno, I would like to work at my own pace, and not have a deadline set for when the gun would be done. Not having someone calling all the time to see if it's done yet, or changing their mind about style or whatever when you are half done with it. Just me I guess. flinch

 

[Vaino]

A question that begs asking....how many LRs have you built?....Fred

 

[oldarmy]

You shouldn't have any trouble selling your work.
But you have to honset with yourself about the quality and workmenhip of it.
If you are just starting out and haven't built any rifles at all, expect the first one to be a learning curve, however I have seen some mighty fine first build rifles on this forum :thumbsup: I would expect they took the builders a long time to complete....
TOW is where I have sold most of mine. They are very tough and don't mince words when they see errors and flaws :redface:
They also charge 20 to 30%.
Because my work is plain without carving I usualy make $200 to $300 per rifle.
However, it's just a hobby and the money pays for the parts, sandpaper, etc.
I say go for it.
Buy good quality parts and do the best work you can.

 

[dkloos]

This will be my third build. My first one was a reading style rifle, the second was a Fusil de Chasse. Both of them have come out well, and I think that by building them I have learned enough to go ahead and try to sell this next one. Its going to be a Bedford County longrifle in .45.

 

[rich pierce]

You can also sell on consignment in gun shops.
Generally if you want to build and sell you should make what most people want. Nowadays that is a .54 caliber early longrifle with a swamped barrel (Getz, Rice, Colerain) and a Chambers lock. That is at the top of the list. It would be fun to build a Bedford but it is a unique gun not appealing to everyone.

When Hawkens were king, I built Hawkens. They sold like hotcakes.

 

[Henry]

I will add my .02$ ( Can )
First , learn about the gun you want to make .

Ok, most customers do not know better and will ask for a gun " like the one in the movie "
so build those on comission ( like the one used in the movie ) but if you make something for the market , do it right .

F&I war re-enactor ,on the french side at least , are always looking for french guns repro , but it is very difficult to find one that is really PC . It would be dumb to pay 1 000 $ for a gun that
has to be modified again .

 

[dkloos]

Thanks alot for the tip. What unit are you in? I'm really interested in French F/I but can't find any units near me.

 

[oldarmy]

If you have a pertictular "sorry about the spelling" style that you like to build and are good at then you should build them. But some times that stifles your creativity.
Build what you want to build.
If it's done well then you can always sell it :thumbsup:

 

[Brawdhead]

However, I've seen $300 guns, made from $800 worth of parts sell for $1000 :shake: , because it was "custom built". $800 worth of parts can be made up into a $10,000 gun. Based on your skill experience and exacly how fancy, a reasonable value range would be $500 to $10,000.

Er, that's a range of $9500. Were you making a joke, or did you actually mean instead "$500 to $1000"? If so, I hope that's not with $800 in parts.

If a builder is only capable of making $500 guns, he probably shouldn't be using the pricier parts. For that matter, neither should a builder who only has one or two completed guns in his portfolio; few buyers would put down big bucks on a product from an inexperienced builder, even if he does show remarkable skill and used expensive parts.

Dan

 

[dkloos]

Well even if I just made back what I paid for the kit, it would be fine with me at this point. All I want to do is build guns, but I can't afford to not sell them right now.