Gunsmithing Business

[Carolina_Skinner]

So, I've been really enjoying making kits, and I was wondering if one could buy a kit, finish it, and then sell it. Is there anyone on here that does that? Is there even a market for finished kits, that have not been finished by the company that made them?
Thanks a lot!

 

[SgtErv]

Lots of folks sell rifles and smoothies built from parts kits. Not sure if you could do well with something like a Traditions build, but you might if you're just under going rate.

The fella I got my Isaac Haines from built it from a Track of the Wolf parts kit. Of course, those require a lot more work than something 'in the white' that would just need assembled.

How much did he profit? Hard to say. After you add up capital like tools then labor, probably not a whole lot. Still something though. I know that most builders don't get rich but they do ok and love their work. That in itself is valuable, in my humble opinion.

 

[Jim C]

So, I've been really enjoying making kits, and I was wondering if one could buy a kit, finish it, and then sell it. Is there anyone on here that does that? Is there even a market for finished kits, that have not been finished by the company that made them?
Thanks a lot!

From all the reading I've done on the matter the consensus is that even the best of builders average about $10 hr. for their effort, but they're not commuting back and forth to a job, punching a time clock, and probably not paying taxes on it either. I think it's more a labor of love than anything else because I don't know of anyone whose ever gotten rich at it.

 

[Carolina_Skinner]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I've been researching a lot lately, and I found a few kits for about $750, where the finished products go for around $1200. All in all seems like a fairly good profit to me, even with the labor and tools factored in. Obviously not a way to strike it rich, but it seems like a fairly good investment for a 15 year old like myself.

 

[Obi-Wan Cannoli]

It is unlikely you will even break even selling made up kits with a low to intermediate level of experience...However, if you are serious about gun building professionally:

I would start contacting people from this link, be respectful, LISTEN to what they say as far as training, apprenticeships, or other options. You will probably get a lot of polite rejections, but it could not hurt, and you are bound to get a lot of good advice and maybe an opportunity or two if you are determined and respectful enough. A lot of pros now a days have "studied under/apprenticed under an older pro" in their bios...
http://longrifle.com/artisans/artisanlist.asp?membersonly=yes#Longrifles,

There are a lot of pros on the forum you are on now, but you should cast as wide of a net as possible to see what opportunities you can take advantage of while you are still young. Good luck. :hatsoff:

 

[Vaino]

I doubt whether any 15 yr old is capable of skillfully building a pars set that would make money ...or for that matter, many adults would have the same problem. Parts sets from Chambers, Dunlap, etc. require many hours of skilled, efficient labor to complete and as the saying goes...." many can turn a $750 parts set into a $300 MLer".

Having built 4 of these parts sets and then selling them for approx. 4-5 times the cost of the parts sets, requires skills that take awhile to acquire.....years in fact. Under estimating what is req'd to complete a parts set results in disappointment and frustration.

My harsh assessment of your thinking of a way to make a few bucks is realistic.......By the way....what is your gun building experience?......Fred

 

[coloradoclyde]

You'd make more money and work less hours working at McDonalds...

 

[Pete G]

Building guns from parts "kits" and selling them is not a viable way of making a living, but it can be a hobby that pays for itself, unlike most hobbies (golf and fishing come to mind). To build a rifle requires about $700-$900 in parts and supplies and usually can be sold on the TOW web site for about $1200-$1500. This gives a return of about $3.50/hr. assuming you don't have to buy any tools. If you are looking for a way to make money, this ain't it, but if you are looking to gain some experience and enjoy working with your hands maybe so. Sure beats pounding a keyboard or flipping burgers.

 

[Gustavo Hoefs]

I think you would do better making the parts for some of these rifles. I called to order a barrel and it was a year and a half wait time, I waited 6 months for a set of rough castings with a missing part. I think there is more room on that end of the business.

 

[BrownBear]

The good news is that some smiths work that way, but on orders. You tell them what you want for parts, and they tell you where to order them. Once you get all the parts, the smith will schedule the build and take your deposit along with the parts. Or at least that's the way the smith I use prefers to operate. And his work ain't cheap by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[crockett]

It's purely a labor of love thing. Okay for a retired guy that has nothing else to do but you have your whole life ahead of you. Build them for yourself, one or two a year, and if you want to sell one or two to get funds to build something else- okay but that's a hobby not a business.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Some pictures of your work would be nice.... :grin:

 

[Carolina_Skinner]

Thanks all for the honest opinions and advice. I realize that I would not really be able to make a TON of money back, especially factoring in work hours, and my limited experience (only having assembled one kit). Obviously I would want WAY more practice in assembling kits/making guns before I went selling anything, I just wanted to know if it was a viable option. Colorado clyde, I probably would be able to make more a Mickey D's, but it is, as Pete G said, so much more fun to be able to make a gun than flip burgers. Again, I really appreciate all if the honest advice. That was exactly what I was looking for. Colorado clyde, when I get home, I will post some pictures of my build. Like I said, I will obviously need WAY more practice than one gun before I start considering selling for any great amount of profit.

Thanks!

 

[Eric Krewson]

When we first get enamored with a craft we see stars in our eyes and think we can make a living at our new found love.

I turned a duck carving hobby into a business and soon found I hated the structure of orders and deadlines and soon abandoned duck carving completely.

Next I took up bow building and having learned a lesson from my former carving debacle I kept the bow making on a hobby level. I am still making bows 20 years later.

Enter gun building, strictly a hobby with no intent to sell one although I know somewhere down the line I will to continue the process.

It is all about how good a product you turn out, I made very good ducks, people sought me out from all over the states.

I make very good bows, people have sought me out from all over the world, I no longer sell bows.

I make flintlocks that are "just OK", no one will be looking me up for a purchase any time soon.

Then it has to do with the customer, lots of naive folk out there who will plunk down big bucks for junk thinking they bought a masterpiece because they just don't know the difference. You can't take advantage of these folk, you have to supply quality 100% of the time.

There was a guy who posted a lot on Utube making horribly crafted flintlocks and stating up front he had a buyer lined up already. I cringed at the thought of some sucker being taken by this guy.

If you are really good, people will search you out, no advertising required.

I made 40 bows before I sold the first one, I wanted to learn the craft first, and I did.

Show us some pictures of your work, we will tell you honestly if building for people is a viable option for you at this point.

There are several of the major players in the gun building arena on this board that started when they were pretty young and turned out great work from the get go.

 

[Artificer]

When I was your age, I dreamed of going to the Colorado School of Trades to become a gunsmith, but I did not have the money to do it and the Viet Nam War sort of got in the way. 32 years after I graduated High School, I went there a few times as a short term Instructor, so at least I got to partially fulfill that dream.

I don't wish to curb your enthusiasm or burst your bubble, but you most likely have a lot to learn before you can begin to make any money in this, even as a hobby.

At your stage in life and unless you have someone in the family or close by to apprentice under, the best thing you can do is work where you can part time to make money and buy books and tools, as you can. (Your Christmas and Birthday wish lists should also be of books and tools.) A good library is invaluable to a gunsmith, no matter what kind of guns he/she works on.

Then concentrate on learning how to hand file wood and especially metal, because it is likely something you can do at home and you will definitely need those skills. Learn to do very good inletting. Read all you can when you are not doing that work.

If your High School has any kind of machine shop training and welding training, TAKE all you can while the time is on your side. After High School you have to pay for such training and also find time to do it from other work or studies.

Please understand we do not mean to discourage you by such advice. Actually if you follow this advice, you will be much more likely to do the work better and faster than rushing into building a kit too soon and before you learn the basic skills you need.

Gus

 

[ZUG]

A no truer statement has been said here by Eric :bow: . I think a lot of us went through this "learning" process for me it was gun stock work. I had an FFL when I was 17 - I started a business in my fathers name that made custom gun stocks. I was "Gung-Ho" for the first two years but then it became a drag and finally gave it up and went to college to get a REAL GOOD paying job :thumbsup: . My suggestion to you is if you want to be a gunsmith go to a gunsmith school and get a degree :wink:

 

[coloradoclyde]

I think you would do better making the parts for some of these rifles. I called to order a barrel and it was a year and a half wait time, I waited 6 months for a set of rough castings with a missing part. I think there is more room on that end of the business.

If one has interest and talent, I would highly recommend getting a well rounded education.... learn things like machining, manufacturing, computers, business, cabinetmaking etc....
Any one of these skills will aid you in gun building and give you the means to actually support yourself. :thumbsup:

 

[Artificer]

A no truer statement has been said here by Eric :bow: . I think a lot of us went through this "learning" process for me it was gun stock work. I had an FFL when I was 17 - I started a business in my fathers name that made custom gun stocks. I was "Gung-Ho" for the first two years but then it became a drag and finally gave it up and went to college to get a REAL GOOD paying job :thumbsup: . My suggestion to you is if you want to be a gunsmith go to a gunsmith school and get a degree :wink:

For most people, this is THE best way to do it, BUT then one has to consider what one is going to do after one gets the degree. I have seen way too many people who got such a degree, did good work that was worth paying for and then tried to open their own shop - then failed to make enough money to live.

Most often the BEST thing to do after getting such training or a degree is go to work for a gun factory or well established shop where you can actually make a living while doing the work and establishing your reputation.

Gus

 

[jimmy82]

I had ideas of being a gunsmith before I ever started building ML's. Took an online course, and spent two years working in my units arms room playing with modern military arms. I've only built 1 in the white, and 3 and half kits. My metal work is much better than my wood work at this stage. But I am "selling" my first gun, to my old company for the commander's going away gift. I am taking a 50% hit not just for amateur work, but also the fact that the unit pools money to pay for the gift, and I don't want to bend them over. If I hadn't spent 5 years in the company, they probably would not have accepted my deal to be honest. I have been keeping the 1SG and PSG's in the loop through the whole process in case they want to back out. I don't expect to try and sell another for well over a year. But I'm also employed full time and doing online college, plus family and there is a lot of competition for my time. Just to give you a little perspective of one example situation.

 

[Donny]

Two parts to a business.
My last mechanic went broke. One man shop,
An excellent mechanic, poor business man,
i guess he didn't get paid from too many customers.
Even if you make an excellent product,
can you market it?