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Old January 11, 2013, 05:42 PM   #24
Aguila Blanca
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Join Date: September 25, 2008
Location: CONUS
Posts: 18,433
Quote:
Originally Posted by HK Flo
AFAIK he doesn't run the machines himself. I am assuming he is going to hire a machinist/smith that has built guns before.

Sorry I am a little light on details of what exactly he is doing. I haven't talked to him for a few months and he called me with a domain name question and I asked what was new and he said he was going to start manufacturing 1911s.

I plan on going over to his shop when it is setup to get a better idea.
I hate to rain on anybody's parade, and I love the 1911 so I think more coices are always good, but ... to be blunt, I think he's nuts if he thinks a one-man show with NO reputation as a custom gunsmith can just fire up a CNC machine and successfully make and sell 1911.

Even if he can turn out functional pistols (and that's a big if), who's going to buy them? ALL the price points in the 1911 market are saturated. You're a marketing guy. What should ANYONE looking to start a small business do?

Look for a niche, right? There just is no "niche" in the 1911 market. Grab a copy of Gun Digest from this year or last year and go through it with your friend. Log onto M1911.ORG ( http://forum.m1911.org/forums.php ) and take a look at the "Manufacturers" area. That'll give you a basic idea of how many major manufacturers there are in the market, but keep in mind that there are more than a few lumped together under "Other 1911 Manufacturers."
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