[tkbigbore]

How hard would it be to go into businesses making firearms. My interest in life is mainly shotguns I just love em. And im starting college sometime this year probably a machine class. The teacher there builds guns in his spair time. He even built a bolt action 50 bmg the action and all except thevbarrel since he didn't have that particular price of machinery. I've been reading about computered assited design and type 7 ffl. I also thinking look at ithaca all they are is basically a shop turning out shotguns. Overpricex I might add. How do you proof test barrels and what not?

 

[Quick Karl]

As with most things today - firearms manufacturers and gunsmiths would like you to believe it is, and that there is lots of voodoo involved.

 

[tkbigbore]

Is there alot of patents on todays shotguns? . I know there are older design one could improve upon like the 86 spence pump or a generic design

 

[kdub]

You are asking a question that needs to be answered by a patent attorney.

 

[cavebehr]

Isn't a patent only good for 17 years?

 

[Shawn Crea]

How hard would it be to go into businesses making firearms[?].

From out-of-nothing, probably really difficult. By that I mean...those that have made a go of it either got there by hard knocks in the marketplace over many years and found a foothold in their niche and have retained the talent that got them there, or, they have bought their way into the talent and kept going. Contracts for war firearms have undoubtedly kept many going.

Lately, it seems that some are purchasing the talent and then killing it in the marketplace, and also killing some competition.

 

[jaguarxk120]

Once you find out what go's into the making of any gun you will see the arms we have today are very cheap. Building one or two rifles or shotguns does not make you a manufacturer.
If you think Ithaca is expensive take a look at Kimber, Cooper, or Turnbull. Quality and real steel costs money. Start using cheap plastic and ally parts the quality goes down rapidly.

I was at Ithaca last year, they showed me a whole palet of finished stocks, they looked very nice, good figure and color. They were sent back because the grain didn't follow through to both sides of the stock.

If you want to make guns for sale you have a very long road ahead of you.

 

[seanh]

Hard? Depends what you think hard is. If 100 people tell you no that you can't do something do you keep trying? If you fail at something over and over again go you give up
If you believe that failure is a good thing, by all means go for it...you will be a failure at this on a daily basis. Are you Ok with that? If not, then No, you won't be able to do this. However if you're ok with failing everyday you'll do quite well.

Aside from the legal aspects of making a gun and marketing it, the design work is a daunting task that is 98% failure...unless you're just copying another design.

I worked for Briley years ago and Jess Briley, the owner was working on his own shotgun design. A gifted individual with talent and knowledge many in the industry would like to have. I don't think he ever was able to achieve the goal for his design.
When I worked for Other Stuff Gunsmithing we were working on several designs, which never came about. This is either due to people just not wanting it, incompatible issues; tooling problems...the list goes on and on. We did have one design that worked out, only to have it basically stolen. It was the longslide 45 that Mitchell Arms was offering.

That was to be our design from our company...when it was finally marketed, we got nothing.

Point, is. Yes, it can be done but it’s a long road to get there.

Really what you need is great attorneys and a lot of money. Oh, and a knowledge that it's a job of passion, not one to get rich from