Custom AR Interest

[175gr7.62]

Just wanted to float an idea to see if there is any interest out there.

I have had some conversations with Momma about doing something on the side to potentially bring a little extra income in. I'm a former Marine Corps HOG and have never lost my love for shooting extremely accuract weapon systems and have built a few AR-15's for personnel use. I'm a mechanical engineer now with access to all the latest/greatest 3D design software and have a close personnel relationship with a a guy who owns one of the highest capability machining facilties in Texas (who is also FFL licensed). That being said, I have been giving some serious thought into building custom uppers (for now).

Like I said, I'm a bit of a gun nut and love tinkering so I have also noticed that the lead time on getting complete uppers is extremely long from the reputable folks so they are obviously busy. What does the green screen have to say about testing the waters on something like this? My primary concern is getting folks to take a chance on an unknown source.

[J. Colwell]

I may be going out on a limb and say that it may be hard to start off and make it without a name since there are so many out there already doing it. But, if you can maybe do this on the side until you name gets out there then it may be worth the sacrifice. I just don't think you could make a living do it until you get recognized. Hope this helps!

[TexMax]

What exactly would be "custom" about it. Why would i buy it over a colt, bcm, dd, etc.

[keatonskidmore]

What exactly would be "custom" about it. Why would i buy it over a colt, bcm, dd, etc.

This^^

Its all about selling it, if you can show why yours would be better and not twice the cost of another brand of equal value, you'll do good

[Luck_of_the_Draw]

Some manufacturers are over a year on back order. If you wanted to order a dtech upper it'll take over a year to get one.

You have to find a nitch th fill.

[txcntryboy]

Make the price low enough to sell but still turn a profit, Have a quick turnaround time, And offer one AWESOME warranty on em. I'd jump for it if you stood behind it 110%.

You have to have a good enough price though. If your only 100 bucks under colt or even RRA I dont know how many people will take the chance on you when they spend the little extra and know exactly what they are getting.

[175gr7.62]

I am talking about custom barrels (Shilen, Kreiger, Douglas, Green Mountain), real headspacing (not what the tech manual says), ect. I've had a bcm and a dd and while they ran good, they were not 1moa sticks. Also, it's hard to get a RR, DD, LMT 6.5 Grendel, 264 LBC, ect.

Certainly wouldn't be looking to quit my job, just make a little on the side and have fun. Who knows, Yankee Hill and LMT both started as machine shops. I figured it would involve putting some together and basically loaning them out for review. Would certainly have to rely on word-of-mouth.

With regards to selling them-the big boys, like I said, make nice stuff but built right is build right regardless of the name on it. Then again, I wouldn't be buying them.

[Artos]

Go for it...sign up as a tbh sponsor & peddle them here like the custom knives. Build a spec upper, post how well it shoots.

I personally am out of the bug hole AR build & am happy with moa+ / battle gun accuracy. Lots of varmint hunters to cater to though.

good luck!! I wish i had gotten into the machining racket as i had access as a lad too.

[Coach W]

Ive got a couple lowers that arent currently setting under uppers.

Im willing to take an "upper loaner" and run it through the ringer...

I will even keep a thread here about it, to help spread the word. Plenty of ammo to waste through it aswell.. Just say the word!

Just let me know and I will give you my shipping address...

[vortech347]

Your biggest challenge will be "Oh great another AR manufacturer" mentality since there have popped up so many of them since 2004 when the AWB expired.

If you provide a quality product at a fair price then you have a shot. Larue didn't make AR's until he had a well known reputation for his other parts. He didn't jump into the actual gun making market until it showed to be profitable enough to do it.

As far as lead times go you will probably be in a similar situation as some of the reputable builders. Not all of their lead time is back log. Parts availability is often a large part of their back log.

Also, if you really want to make a go of it you need a target audience much bigger than TBH. There are plenty of gun people on here but I'm sure you know that M4Carbine.net and AR15.com are HUGE sites compared to TBH with a much larger audience for what you are wanting to sell.

I would certainly consider someone like you if you show you have a reputable product and stand behind it. For instance, I will be in the market for a new 6.8 upper in the next 6 months to a year and I plan on it being a higher spec one compared to the over the counter offerings out there.

Best of Luck. I think there is always room for someone that does things right.

[Bily Lovec]

you will have a hard time out shooting a Noveske or LeRue...
do that, and you stand a chance

[texas_red_19]

Dude if its what you wanna do go for it. Have fun and you never know u might get lucky and make something of it. if not. pass the time and make some extra gas money while while doing what you love.

[dbaio1]

Just wanted to float an idea to see if there is any interest out there.

I have had some conversations with Momma about doing something on the side to potentially bring a little extra income in. I'm a former Marine Corps HOG and have never lost my love for shooting extremely accuract weapon systems and have built a few AR-15's for personnel use. I'm a mechanical engineer now with access to all the latest/greatest 3D design software and have a close personnel relationship with a a guy who owns one of the highest capability machining facilties in Texas (who is also FFL licensed). That being said, I have been giving some serious thought into building custom uppers (for now).

Like I said, I'm a bit of a gun nut and love tinkering so I have also noticed that the lead time on getting complete uppers is extremely long from the reputable folks so they are obviously busy. What does the green screen have to say about testing the waters on something like this? My primary concern is getting folks to take a chance on an unknown source.

Price would be the key.
Let's get this started and see. I am looking for .300 ACC Blackout upper for my AR. What kind of cost am I looking at ? I like the idea of a Shilen barrel.

[txfireguy2003]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say it's VERY doable, although you won't make much at it, at first anyway. Here's what I would do:

Start building "budget priced" uppers, but do them correctly. It doesn't cost any more to stake the gas key right, headspace correctly (although "real headspacing (not what the tech manual says)" may not sit well with the M4C guys, as they are all about the military tec manuals), basically do it right, and price them for budget guys. I'm not saying sell them at del-ton or model 1 prices, but offer the first ones much cheaper than LaRue or Noveske, just make sure they perform. Don't put a bunch of high dollar parts on them at first, just the basic (but correct, well made parts) stuff. Your profit margin may not be very big, but that's okay at first, since you already have a good job and make a decent living (I'm guessing here) the money you make at first on the AR's isn't critical. Your name WILL get out, and faster than you might think, if you produce a great product at a great price. Think about Bravo Company....their stuff, initially, wasn't much higher priced, if at all, than the cheap crap, Spikes was the same. Now, those names get attention because their parts are right. There are enough people out there right now, buying into the AR market that are less than knowledgable on AR's, and will buy whatever is cheap. Once some of those people start posting pics on M4C and AR15.com etc....word will spread that there is a company producing quality rifles at a decent price, at that point, you can start gradually increasing prices until you make a comfortable profit.

Another option, that seems like it might work these days, is to build the biggest, baddest, best rifle you can imagine, with all the tactical techy goodies on it, and price it higher than anybody else. There will be those that say "it's the most expensive, it must be the best" and they'll buy it. The only caveat to that is, it better be the best, or word will spread and your name will be trashed.

[vortech347]

Forgot to mention earlier.

Make sure you have a well thought out and easy to use website. That can make or break your online business.