Selling built guns (2)

[jaxenro]

The prior thread on this had me thinking:

How much time, on average, does it take to complete an average (if such a creature exists) flintlock rifle from parts? From a kit?

I was seeing prices quoted as $300 over parts to $1,000 over parts. Seems kind of low to a novice like me. I mean, if it's 100 hours and $750 plus parts, we are only talking $7.50 per hour, which I don't think is minimum wage here in the PRM.

I realize as the skill level goes up the time probably goes down to a degree, but there can't be anyone getting rich on these prices. For a skilled craftsman, $3,500 wouldn't seem out of line for a hand made custom gun but no one seemed to be quoting those prices, and even at that I'm not sure if he could go full time.

Any makers/sellers/buyers want to comment on this?

 

[msb]

I have purchased 2 rifles built rifles from the same person. total cost, well lets just say they cost a little more than 2 kits from pecatonica river. I told him I wanted simple guns. NO inlays, no carving, no engraving. He didnt listen still did an inlay and some carving and engraving. Couldnt be happier, Guns shoots great and looks great. He said he does it to keep busy and to make a few dollars. Says he will never get rich building but loves it when he sees people with his guns shoot well.

 

[cdg]

I don't make firearms, but if you are a craftsman/artisan of any type this holds fairly true. There are very very few artists that can demand the prices that they really deserve.

I have made jewelry before- this is a reasonable way to make money. I made all my pieces by hand- down to the bezels that the stones were set into. Bottome line: I had a ton of fun making a few earring/necklace sets, and made money on the deal. The best I could do was about 6 bucks an hour if you put a pencil to it.

I also make some custom furniture- by the time you're done, you make less then 10 bucks an hour. I'm faster with wood then I am with jewelry, but you still don't make a lot of money.

Generally the way that jewelers sell professionally is to make about 3 times what the raw materials are, and buy about double what you think the project will need. So you need 4 dollars in silver for a piece, charge the costomer for 8 dollars times your markup. So if you made solid sliver figures using 4 bucks in silver, you charge the cutomer about 24 for the earrings and you're doing OK...

Don't know if this is relavent to firearms, but my suspicion is that it's done similar. Not high profit, but if you're doing what you love and making OK at it, you're doing far better then most people in this world.

I should also say that with wood projects you can often make several at any given time. In other words while that cofee table is gluing up, you can put the stain on the bookshelf and start cutting the legs to the library desk. I'm sure you can do that to some extent with firearms as well... In other words, maximize your productivity to maximize your profit.

 

[rich pierce]

The prior thread on this had me thinking:
How much time, on average, does it take to complete an average (if such a creature exists) flintlock rifle from parts? From a kit? Any makers/sellers/buyers want to comment on this?

Many custom makers start from stock blanks with the barrel inletted, ramrod channel made, and hole drilled. If a gun was made from this as a start and the maker made no parts (bought all small parts), a plain rifle with nice lock panels, a little carving around the tang, and a sliding wooden patchbox could be made in 50-70 hours by many makers. That does not count the time of ordering parts and supplies, etc. or much design time. A plain gun like this could sell for from $1200 to $1800, so maybe that's $600-$1000 clear depending on parts selection, quality of wood, etc. Very few builders can make a decent wage building rifles this way.


Adding carving, engraving, a 4-piece brass patchbox, other niceties can easily add another 20-60 hours but double, triple, or quadruple the pricxe depending on the reputation of the builder. The sky is the limit there on time and money that can be realized especially for relatively unique guns. But still, it would be hard to turn out more than a dozen fine high end custon guns a year, and a $2000 reward for work done per fine gun would be average, and $3000-$4000 and up reserved for precious few builders.

Other options are to assemble and finish fine kits, or develop patterns and have stocks precarved closely for one's own patterns. This will save lots of time, but limit creativity and therefore the high end market somewhat.

Back in the early 80's before I went to grad school I entertained thoughts of going into business. I had sold several guns for "profits" of $200-$1000. But I did the math and came to see the light about dealing with customers. The customer is always right, which means I must often be wrong. That kind of takes the fun out of it. I am getting back into building for sale but will only build what I want to build.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

I tried to find someoen I could pay a a few hunderd to, to assemble a kit fo rme. Heck I even have all the parts. No luck are here.

I blew out both elbows, not going to learn how to do wodd work with my feet :-O

 

[cdg]

I tried to find someoen I could pay a a few hunderd to, to assemble a kit fo rme. Heck I even have all the parts. No luck are here.

I blew out both elbows, not going to learn how to do wodd work with my feet :-O

At my store (own part of a southwestern gift store), we have a metal sculpture by a guy who had no arms at all. He did the work with his feet, and teeth. I suppose wood might be a different game though- can't see using a saw with my toes... :grin: