When To Order Blue Gun?

[deloeracustoms]

I've had some folks request holsters for which I have no blue gun... and honestly there just isn't that much demand for them. How have you found is best to handle that? I hate to lose a customer over it, but I would also hate to be stuck with a blue gun that I'll never use again...

1. I could fulfill the order if he purchases the blue gun
2. I could fulfill the order if we split the cost of the blue gun
3. I could quit complaining, fulfill the order, and eat the cost of said blue gun.

Just the cost of doing business? Something I'm missing? Thoughts?

Edited June 29, 2015 by deloeracustoms

[TRADERnel]

Fulfill the order buy the blue gun, you can always sell it?....

[chiefjason]

For me, it depends. For repeat customers, buy the blue gun. For local gun board guys, buy the blue gun. If it's new and is getting good press, buy the blue gun and take the chance. For eBay, unless I think I'll move enough I turn it down. I probably have 45-50 blue guns. Maybe 2 I have not broke even on. Most I have done pretty well with.

Cost of doing business, unless you want to just work from your collection.

On real odd ball stuff I'll borrow the gun to make the holster. On rare occasions they can bring it buy and leave the same day while I'm left to finish the holster. Main problem there is the fit check is done when they return with the gun. You'll want to check local laws on gun possession or private party transfer.

[Lobo]

A few simple facts about the holster business:

1. New handgun models are introduced all the time, and each new handgun model can be expected to result in some level of holster demand. Whether that demand will continue will not be known for some time. Some will remain popular while others will just seem to fade away.

2. Dummy guns are usually offered only for current production handguns that have achieved a significant market share. That frequently takes a year or more before any of the dummy makers commit to making them. Most handguns will never be offered as dummies. Any handgun that goes out of production is likely to be dropped by the dummy manufacturers.

3. There are a lot of handguns that have been out of production for some time, but there may be millions of them still in use. Holster demand for some of the older handguns can be greater than demand for any of the newer models.

I remember when Sig introduced the P238. There was significant demand for holsters, but no dummies available, so I bought the pistol. Used it to fill several dozen orders. Then Sig changed the design (thicker slide profile) so my piece was essentially worthless for my purposes. Since then demand for the P238 has dropped quite a bit, and I receive only a few requests per year. I have dropped it completely and sold the pistol. Dummies are available now, but the level of demand doesn't seem to justify even that.

S&W Bodyguard .380 and Ruger LCP came along with big splashes, but after a year or two the demand for holsters has dropped off sharply.

I remember when the German police surplus H&K P7 PSP pistols were imported in large numbers. Quite a bit of demand for holsters and no dummies available. I purchased the pistol (excellent piece, very collectible and quite valuable) and used it to fill dozens of orders. Since then the market has dried up, but the pistol I bought is worth double what I paid for it.

I remember when Soviet bloc 9X18 Makarov pistols were coming in by the tens of thousands. Lots of holster demand, and a good pistol (Russian, East German, Bulgarian, etc) could be had for well under $100. Bought the pistol and filled many orders with it.

Couple of years ago Glock introduced the Model 42. Lots of demand and no dummies readily available. I bought the new Glock 42, used it to make dozens of holsters. Now the demand has tapered off a lot, and the new Glock 43 is all the rage.

But I have to say that there is no pistol introduced over the past 20 years that has caused more holster demand than many handguns that have been around for 100 years or more, some of which are still in production. Despite all of the propaganda and advertising on the super-duper new semi-autos, the number one seller in my shop is the J-frame Smith & Wesson revolvers (about 30% of all orders). That is followed closely by the N-frame, L-frame, and K-frame revolvers (about equal demand). Rugers (GP100, SP101, LCR, Blackhawk) produce a solid stream of orders. Colt revolvers (Python, Trooper, Detective Special, Cobra) are in steady demand.

My Colt Single Action Army revolvers see more use in the holster shop than most of the modern stuff, and that design dates back to 1873. The S&W Model 39 has been discontinued for about 30 years, but it still sees more use in the shop than anything introduced in the past 25 years. 1911-style pistols are being produced by more than a dozen manufacturers on several continents, and in a wide variety, and those remain a strong seller all the time. Browning Hi Power (FN Model of 1935) is used several times every month. I could list several more, but I think this illustrates things well enough.

I can see two possibly viable business plans:

1. Take advantage of the spike in demand for every new model brought out by the major players (Glock, Sig, H&K, S&W, Ruger, etc). Steal the march on the market, don't wait for the dummy makers to make their decisions, just order the new gun, advertise that you have it, and take the orders. If demand falls away in a year or two you still have the handgun, which should retain most, if not all, of its value.

2. Monitor demand for 6 months or a year, then decide whether or not to proceed. If a dummy becomes available that makes it easier ($45 to $60), but if there is enough demand go ahead and buy the gun ($400 to $1000). Ride the wave as long as it lasts. You will know that you are missing out on some orders early on, but you will have a better assurance of continuing demand (and greater likelihood of a dummy) if you wait a while. The used dummies may bring a few bucks, while the actual handguns will hold their value quite well.

Either way, if you are doing this as a business the cost for your equipment is a tax-deductible business expense. Essentially, a good portion of the expense is saved in reduced taxes on income. This assumes, of course, that you are doing enough volume to produce taxable profits. If not then it isn't a business, it is a hobby. But even a hobby is better when it can cover its own costs.

Making such decisions will be a lot easier if you have a plan.

[Red Cent]

I will let you inform the wife.

[deloeracustoms]

Well Lobo, I've definitely managed to make a profit, but it's definitely a hobby as of now. I sold three last week and that is the record so far. I guess that's my concern, I don't do enough volume to feel comfortable investing in several molds/guns. To Red's point, the wife isn't to thrilled with that idea either... anyway...

The initial holster will cover the cost of the dummy gun (plus about 10 bucks) but if I never get another order for that gun, I'm stuck. Guess I could sell it like Trader suggested. After all, I'm not working for toy guns here, I like that green stuff

[RVM45]

Selling something somewhere down the line proves that you never should have bought it in the first place.

A Blue Gun is a TOOL. TOOLS aren't so much bought as they are adopted into a loving Family.

{And that goes 10 times over for Real Guns.}

"Swapamania" is a sign of deficient moral character.

One of the most insulting things that I know of is to be asked if I want to sell something that I own.

I have my faults, but selling Family Members isn't among them.

…..RVM45

[chiefjason]

. To Red's point, the wife isn't to thrilled with that idea either... anyway...

The easiest way to keep that under control is to keep it self sustainable. Which means saying no early on, which is painful when you want to sell something. If you have personal guns, using them to create some cash flow to expand into blue guns. I've said it before, I started with $500 or so and a pass fail proposition. It sustained itself, or we eat the loss. I'm still going. FWIW, I don't consider myself anywhere near a serious player in the field. But I take the product seriously and have a good enough fan base to keep me busy. IMO, better to start of slow, stable, and debt free than to go head long into it and neck deep in debt.

[cgleathercraft]

Take everything in my post with a grain of salt as I'm just jumping into holster making myself.

I agree with about 90% of what has been said already. Keep up with newly released firearms, buy blueguns for popular firearms and so on.

Here's where I veer off just a touch - when someone asks for that oddball holster don't immediately push them away. If they are a store owner or collector they could potentially send you lots of work.

I recently took on a job for a Ruger P90 for a local store owner. I'm not sure how popular this particular mold is so I may not make another holster for it. He did say he'd send anyone my way that was looking for a leather holster. Indirectly I'll turn a profit on it.

It's a risk. I know. but it's a calculated risk.

[Lobo]

Very well said.

[malabar]

To me, blue guns are a cost of doing business. Between blue guns, gray guns, and aluminum guns, I've probably got 60. Others here have a bunch more than that .

If I get two requests for holsters for a particular gun, I'll get one. Admittedly, my costs are substantially lower, since Rings is a local business and I have a connection that gets me a discount.

And one note: They frequently come out with the "hot new guns" quite quickly. I had a G-43 in hand only a couple of weeks after Glock started shipping the guns.

But the thing you need to get a feel for is, "who are your customers?" Day in, day out, the guns I get the most requests for are Glocks, J-frames, 1911s, P-238s and P-938s. The G-42 has not been as popular as I would have expected, and I'm just starting to get orders for the G-43.

I suspect this also will be affected by the holster models you offer.

tk

[jrny4wrd]

There is another suggestion that not many people think about. You can buy a few blue guns, buy something from a craft store to make a mold out of it, poor in the mold. Essencially making your own cheap version that really doesnt need to hold up to the abuse of defensive tactic practices such as a blue gun. Sell the blue guns.

[JLSleather]

Tuesdays. The answer to the question "WHEN to buy blue guns?" is Tuesday.

[deloeracustoms]

Not all Tuesdays... only those that follow a Monday. Unless it's a leap year.

[cleanview]

I am just starting to get a handle on which Semi Autos are the best purchase

Revolvers are like starting over again.........

[JLSleather]

I'm surprised you never see anybody "swappin". Perhaps they do, just - as they say - under the table.