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Out of curiosity..
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Hi all,

Just wondering out of interest how many rifles the average custom 'smith produces per year? I suppose it varies some depending on man power available and tooling etc

Any ideas?
 
Posts: 210 | Location: Zimbabwe | Registered: 16 September 2010Reply With Quote
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I think the question is similar to this one: How long is a piece of string?
 
Posts: 2827 | Location: Seattle, in the other Washington | Registered: 26 April 2006Reply With Quote
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Yep there are some variables for sure...but there must also be a threshold where a gunmaker would have to make so many guns at "x" price to be profitable. Duane Wiebe for example according to his website makes just 10 guns a year, Purdey about 20 if I remember correctly. McKay Brown about 30 guns a year at 40,000 pounds each.

I suppose Im just curious what the smaller shops production is like. D'arcy Echols or Martin Hagn for example? Maybe 10 - 15 guns a year?
 
Posts: 210 | Location: Zimbabwe | Registered: 16 September 2010Reply With Quote
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How many gunmakers make more than minimum wage after paying overhead?
 
Posts: 819 | Location: Missouri | Registered: 24 May 2002Reply With Quote
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Labor rates run depending on the work from $40.00 to $60.00 per hour. That being said if it takes 200 hours to build a rifle that's 40 per hour for a top rifle. Of course the exception is probably the rule. You have to have some long ones to make up for the short ones. A great riflemaker will always be busy,most I have talked to recently are booked 1+ year out atleast.


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Posts: 858 | Registered: 27 October 2007Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by FAST996:
Labor rates run depending on the work from $40.00 to $60.00 per hour. That being said if it takes 200 hours to build a rifle that's 40 per hour for a top rifle. Of course the exception is probably the rule. You have to have some long ones to make up for the short ones. A great riflemaker will always be busy,most I have talked to recently are booked 1+ year out atleast.


It´s all about regulation. If one has too much to do he can rise the price in order to make things slow down. If he hasn´t much work he must lower the prices to regain a foothold in the market again.


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Posts: 2805 | Location: Denmark | Registered: 09 June 2005Reply With Quote
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