The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - What's Stopping You From Buying a Silencer?

Wyosmith · November 15, 2013, 11:46 PM

Hummmmm
Let's look at this closely.

"I can tell you that due to the huge amount of extra paperwork the mark-up is rather high across the board, from manufacturer, to the distributer, to the dealer; we all have to charge higher margins to actually make up for all the extra man-hours spent on dealing with BATFE regulations."

Years ago I did gopher work for Huston Oil and Mineral Corp. We purchased high explosives 2 times a month for mining in open pit and strip mines. Dealing with the ATF was something we did about 3 times a week and the paper work was constant, but we could go through it in about 1 hour on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. If you have a system down pat it's not hard to do and it's not THAT time consuming.

Now....are you really going to tell us that you have to charges HUNDREDS of dollars PER SUPRESSOR to fill out a few pages and mail them in?

You do say "the mark up was high across the board". I agree. TOO HIGH! BY FAR!

It’s nothing more than greed and there are apparently enough buyers to support that greed, but I stand by my first post.

If the suppressor manufacturers can make enough money to feed that greed by ripping off a few people, and if those people are willing to be ripped off, then more power to them. I don't care that much myself, and I don't have a need for one if it costs me much more than a few good sets of ear muffs.

But just knowing something about marketing and assuming greed is a factor, I for one would rather make $150 dollars 40 million times than 1000 dollars 3000times. I think it would be a better way to run such a business.

If I am wrong, it's ok with me. I hope I am wrong.

But if I am wrong, why are these companies’ not growing and selling cans at the same rate as other companies can sell barrels, or muzzle breaks for that matter?

I say it's because the prices are FAR too high, and as I said in my first post, there is no reason other than greed to explain it.

Cans are not that precise. Barrels are. Cans are not much more precise than muzzle breaks.

I have shot with suppressors several times in my life. I have used a Maxim, a few Sionicks suppressors, a Gem-Tech, a British Reflex and one that a friend in Nevada made himself.
Some were quieter than others, but none were “head and shoulders” better than the others. Certainly not enough to make me believe that there was all that much money spent on getting them quieter. If there was they didn't spend that money very wisely.

If a company were to have spent $2,000,000 on R and D (VERY UNLIKELY) and sold 20,000 cans, that still only come out to $100 a can.

But if I made a guess I’d bet that average company that makes cans has probably spent about $10,000 on R and D and maybe not even that much.

I don’t think there is any way to get around this argument.

Facts are facts. They are priced to rip off the shooters. I would hope I am wrong and I am humble enough to admit it if someone can show me some FACTS that might prove it. Until then, I stand by my assertion that they are priced about 7-10 times too high.

November 15, 2013, 11:46 PM	#54
Wyosmith Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2010 Location: Shoshoni Wyoming Posts: 2,713	Hummmmm Let's look at this closely. "I can tell you that due to the huge amount of extra paperwork the mark-up is rather high across the board, from manufacturer, to the distributer, to the dealer; we all have to charge higher margins to actually make up for all the extra man-hours spent on dealing with BATFE regulations." Years ago I did gopher work for Huston Oil and Mineral Corp. We purchased high explosives 2 times a month for mining in open pit and strip mines. Dealing with the ATF was something we did about 3 times a week and the paper work was constant, but we could go through it in about 1 hour on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. If you have a system down pat it's not hard to do and it's not THAT time consuming. Now....are you really going to tell us that you have to charges HUNDREDS of dollars PER SUPRESSOR to fill out a few pages and mail them in? You do say "the mark up was high across the board". I agree. TOO HIGH! BY FAR! It’s nothing more than greed and there are apparently enough buyers to support that greed, but I stand by my first post. If the suppressor manufacturers can make enough money to feed that greed by ripping off a few people, and if those people are willing to be ripped off, then more power to them. I don't care that much myself, and I don't have a need for one if it costs me much more than a few good sets of ear muffs. But just knowing something about marketing and assuming greed is a factor, I for one would rather make $150 dollars 40 million times than 1000 dollars 3000times. I think it would be a better way to run such a business. If I am wrong, it's ok with me. I hope I am wrong. But if I am wrong, why are these companies’ not growing and selling cans at the same rate as other companies can sell barrels, or muzzle breaks for that matter? I say it's because the prices are FAR too high, and as I said in my first post, there is no reason other than greed to explain it. Cans are not that precise. Barrels are. Cans are not much more precise than muzzle breaks. I have shot with suppressors several times in my life. I have used a Maxim, a few Sionicks suppressors, a Gem-Tech, a British Reflex and one that a friend in Nevada made himself. Some were quieter than others, but none were “head and shoulders” better than the others. Certainly not enough to make me believe that there was all that much money spent on getting them quieter. If there was they didn't spend that money very wisely. If a company were to have spent $2,000,000 on R and D (VERY UNLIKELY) and sold 20,000 cans, that still only come out to $100 a can. But if I made a guess I’d bet that average company that makes cans has probably spent about $10,000 on R and D and maybe not even that much. I don’t think there is any way to get around this argument. Facts are facts. They are priced to rip off the shooters. I would hope I am wrong and I am humble enough to admit it if someone can show me some FACTS that might prove it. Until then, I stand by my assertion that they are priced about 7-10 times too high.