Gun Related Businesses

[TXGunNut]

Between now and the first of the year I'll be considering several business opportunities and it seems only natural that one of them should be in the firearms field. Not looking at a store front operation so I guess that leaves service-related, mail-order and gun shows. I'm very involved in the pre-64 Winchester collector scene so that may be a direction I should consider. I'm planning on retiring in the next ten years and a business that I can sell when I retire would be a plus. I'm not planning on finding employment again but it's possible I could run a small business or two while I work at my next job.
I have a few ideas already but am using the next few months to look around a bit. Any one have any ideas? Maybe a small business for sale? Feel free to PM me if it's not something you want on an open forum.

[Eldon]

The small gun store business is DEAD !

Gun shows are DEAD.

The internet will soon put the big box gun stores in the grave.

Then, of course we have the prospect of more mass shootings, gun bans etc as the snowflake (anti-gun) generation takes over.

Absent a civil war of left vs right or Muslim vs everyone else, the USA will steadily migrate to become Europe, Australia or Canada.

When I was a kid, we took our guns to school on the opening days of bird and deer season and nobody was shocked.

See how far we've come when a kid is expelled for draw a gun picture.

Think what another 50 years will bring.......

[M-Tecs]

I do a fair amount of gun shows. Overhead is high and judging what the market wants is problematic. A friend has a small store front for AR stuff but FFL transfer keep the doors open. He is doing on average 100 a week. Another friend does high end collector firearms at gun shows. When buying he pays more and when selling he charges more but he always has top quality items and a very good repeat business. That model works for him.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

The last 8 years, we have had the single best salesman (in the WH) for guns and gun related stuff. Why do I bring that up? while having a democrat in the WH creating panic buying can seem like a good thing, there is also the risk of the democrats finally getting what they want, which is re-defining the 2nd amendment as a States right, instead of a individual right.

Anyway, those are the thoughts that travel through my head when I think about starting a gun related business in 2017 and leads me to these conclusions...which are my opinions...which are only worth what you are paying, LOL.

1. We've had 8 years of panic buying...I suspect that there will be a lull in guns sales while there is a Republican in office. That could be 4 years or 8 years?

2. If #1 is true, then starting a business during a lull, will be challenging. But it could pay off if the WH would get a anti-gun occupant, but if that occupant gets their party in control of both houses, then there is the risk of it all ending within 10 years and you not being able to sell an established business as you hope to.

3. There is always the Court, it's looking favorable to stay "2nd Amendment friendly" for a good long time...but that can change with the wrong type of event happening.

my 2¢,
I'd say the risk is high that starting a gun business in 2017 won't be successful.

[snowwolfe]

Gun sales are in the toilet, period. Tons of great buys on the market for new stuff and 90% of used stuff is worth 20-30% less than what it was a year ago. Cant compete with the big online sites for ammo, powder, or components.
The only good business venture I can see is going to school and become a good gunsmith.

[Handloader109]

If you want to learn something new, learn how to cerakote. And do it right by taking some training. I still see a lot of ARs and for that matter, older guns getting coated. There are a Lot of guys that do it half/@ssed and the guys that have learned and do good job, seem to have a good business stripping and redoing work. Appears to be good money in it also. But lot of detailed work, have to have blasting system and quality spray gun.

[shooter93]

truth is most any small business will be a struggle and don't count on any real value when and if you decide to sell out. I have been doing truly custom and specialty building for over 50 years and have lately been shifting more to the upper end cabinets and furniture end of the business. It will take time and investment because in that market it has to be available Nation wide. I'd love to find a young man or woman to teach and I have no illusions that selling the business would ever happen I'd gladly hand it over to them.
With that being said I believe the higher end products of most any small business will do OK. people buying those things aren't beat up financially like most of us. You mentioned pre-64 Winchesters. They have been over priced for years but continue to sell well as collectors are always "trading up' Near me we have one of the premier collectors of pre-64 Model 70's. He is known world why in that circle. When you look through the definitive Winchester book you see a number of them captioned...." one of only two known to exist" The second one is in his collection and many of the pictures in the book of are in his collection. He is semi retired and does the gun show circuit and does well. Wayne simply knows everything about the older Winchesters.
As you said it will take some investment and time to find which shows etc. to attend that are good for your sales but I think you could do alright. Not all shows will work but once you find those that draw "your" kind of people they will always be looking for you. I wish you the best of luck.

[Geezer in NH]

Don't ruin your hobby. It did when I had part ownership and managed a shop.

[MT Gianni]

Do not think a business has saleable value when it is based 90% on your own knowledge.

[zymguy]

How about a range? some sporting clays, long, and short benchs ????

[abunaitoo]

We've had a number of new gunshops open up in the last few years.
I really didn't think most would make it on this small island.
But they all seem to be doing fine.
Used to have 4, but now I think it's around 15.
Cost to get anything here is very high.
Powder, primers, ammo, firearms all have an extra cost, on top of the shipping cost.
Probably why gunshops are popping up here.
Only 2 shops, I know of will, do FFL transfers.
Other shops bring in to sell, but will not do transfers. Not sure why.
I'm hoping gunshops here will stay in business.
If not, we won't be able to get anything.
I wonder if Alaska has the same problem????

[am44mag]

Don't ruin your hobby. It did when I had part ownership and managed a shop.

Been there, done that. I used to do a lot of custom woodworking projects, and it's easy to get burned out doing what OTHER people want. If you don't truly love what you're doing, your hobby will become a burden. It took me awhile to come back to woodworking, and there are still some parts of it that I don't have much interest in anymore.

[6bg6ga]

Gun sales in a slump? Visit the next gun show in my neck of the woods and you will find it packed. Guns sales seem to be strong on everything except AR sales. The AR's seem to be going for around $450 and up depending on the brand. Unfortunately gun dealers stocked up on AR"s thinking they would continue to sell them at $1000-1500 like they had been. The general public seems to have purchased the AR's they wanted and only a few repeat buyers are left of some first time buyers. The panic buyers don't seem to be there with the exception of a few Democrats wishing to arm up now.

Gun dealers the small shop attitudes in my opinion need to change. Recently the wife and I went to a local shop in town only to have the owner not even bother to come to the display case to service us. Instead he wined about no one coming to his store that day. I guess he didn't consider us to be customers and that was his loss because I was going to whip out the charge card to purchase the Kimber stainless 1911 that had been sitting on his shelf for the past month. He didn't bother to serve us so we walked out the door without the Kimber. Its the last time we will visit his business and certainly his loss. Unfortunately some of the dealers seem to think that if you come in your automatically going to purchase 100% guaranteed. People do like to pick them up look at them think about it and maybe purchase them. Sometimes I may look at a gun and go home and think about it and probably come back the next day and buy it.

[6bg6ga]

I do a fair amount of gun shows. Overhead is high and judging what the market wants is problematic. A friend has a small store front for AR stuff but FFL transfer keep the doors open. He is doing on average 100 a week. Another friend does high end collector firearms at gun shows. When buying he pays more and when selling he charges more but he always has top quality items and a very good repeat business. That model works for him.

Finding how to specialize seems to be the key. Having to pay $30.00 for each table means he needs to make $300 in profit just to break even on the 10 tables he rented at the show. Making FFL transfers seems to be the key for some dealers but then again one doesn't need to charge $50 for a transfer either. A simple charge of $15 or $20 for a transfer will guarantee the dealer more business and repeat business. I have a guy in my woods that charges $30 for a transfer but when you deal with him he will make deals in what you are purchasing from him making the trip to him worth while instead of costing an arm and a leg. A smart dealer will charge less for a transfer and once your in his shop you will generally purchase something simply because you have more money left in your pocket.

I once watched a small town grocery store owner mark his goods at less than what you could purchase the same items in the large chain store. I asked why he did it this way and he answered that he would rather run more goods thru the store and except a little less profit than try for a larger profit and run very little thru his registers. Volume is what keeps this old guy in business and will continue to do so. Unfortunately most peope nowdays don't want to work to remain open and in the black.

The gun dealer I went to Monday not only lost a sale on a Kimber but also lost a new sale on a S&W 170320 the weighted 44 magnum. I walked into his store wanting to purchase a NEW 44 magnum and was prepared to purchase and have him make $100 on the sale but that is where as a consumer I will draw the line. He didn't need to expect to make full retail price when I could purchase the same gun for less than $1200 off Gunbroker. Guess what? He didn't get the sale and never will and I will purchase the same gun off Gunbroker now and pay the shipping and FFL transfer and end up with less in the gun than if I had purchased from the shop in my town. The gun could have been sold to me for $1250.00 he would have made a profit and I would have been happy. Note* I know what his purchase cost was on the gun because I had a friend that works there check on the price ahead of time for me.

[waksupi]

Gun sales in a slump? Visit the next gun show in my neck of the woods and you will find it packed. Guns sales seem to be strong on everything except AR sales. The AR's seem to be going for around $450 and up depending on the brand. Unfortunately gun dealers stocked up on AR"s thinking they would continue to sell them at $1000-1500 like they had been. The general public seems to have purchased the AR's they wanted and only a few repeat buyers are left of some first time buyers. The panic buyers don't seem to be there with the exception of a few Democrats wishing to arm up now.

Gun dealers the small shop attitudes in my opinion need to change. Recently the wife and I went to a local shop in town only to have the owner not even bother to come to the display case to service us. Instead he wined about no one coming to his store that day. I guess he didn't consider us to be customers and that was his loss because I was going to whip out the charge card to purchase the Kimber stainless 1911 that had been sitting on his shelf for the past month. He didn't bother to serve us so we walked out the door without the Kimber. Its the last time we will visit his business and certainly his loss. Unfortunately some of the dealers seem to think that if you come in your automatically going to purchase 100% guaranteed. People do like to pick them up look at them think about it and maybe purchase them. Sometimes I may look at a gun and go home and think about it and probably come back the next day and buy it.

That is a good point on AR's. Most are satisfied having one, while lever action, single shot and bolt action shooters are always looking for another.

[bedbugbilly]

Geezer in NH has it right - when a "hobby" becomes a "job", it's a whole different story.

No one has a crystal ball to look in to and see what lays down he road in ten or fifteen years. Who knows what is going to happen with the political scene? Yep. We have someone in there now who is fighting for the working people but unless he really does "drain the sewer" . . . I mean "swamp" . . . . things can reverse overnight.

I was self employed most of my life. There are several things to look at and be realistic about. #1 is "overhead". A store front or similar will only increase in costs as time goes on - insurance, utilities, taxes, etc. So look for something with low overhead. I don't even go to gun shows anymore as where I am, most have turned in to "jerky, knife and surplus" shows.

You don't state what your "skills" are or your work experience. I owned and rn a custom woodworking/cabinet/millwork shop - loved it but every year was a struggle with overhead as it never ceased increasing. My wife and I are retired. All of my life I "repaired" and "fixed" and "built" as I had the skills to do it. But, I'm older and my health isn't the greatest so now we have to depend on finding someone to do things once in a while and it's near impossible to find anyone reliable who will actually "work". If I was newly retired, I would start a "rent a man" business. You set your own limits on what you want or will do. Keep the jobs small and charge a reasonable rate. The baby boomer population is ever increasing as far as retirees, etc. and it's hard to find someone to mow, fix a door or replace a electrical outlet. The potential is unlimited and "word of mouth" is the best advertisement for repeat business. You can work the hours you want to and other than a vehicle to get you back and forth and the tools you might need, the overhead is very minimal which equals more $$$ to put away.

The biggest issue that we find with hiring someone to do a job is the lack of communications. You must be able to communicate with the customer, be there on time when you set up an appointment to do something and perform the task in a professional manner. It amazes me, that with most people today having cell phones, they can't call if they can't make it to an appointment or are going to be late. If you run a business, any business, you must be able to effectively communicate with your customer base and put them first - otherwise - you won't survive.

Not really "gun" related business but there will always be a place for a "service" business. I am always amazed when I hear people say "I can't find work" or "there are no jobs". Thee are jobs and jobs that will pay decently if you look and see what is "needed". A good example is lawn mowing. Think about it. Years ago, if you couldn't mow your own lawn you found a kid or a retired person who could do it for you. There was a "need" - didn't make any difference if you were rural or lived in a town. Widows who couldn't do their mowing, etc. That "need" blossomed into the lawn care service businesses that exist today and they provide a fair wage to a lot of folks. Small repairs will always be needed and even in a small town, a "fix it" guy who is retired can usually keep as busy as he wants to.

There are a lot of possibilities out there. It's fine to draw on your expertise and hobbies and "like to dos", but put the time into the research as to what is going to be the best "fit" for your situation. The suggestion wass given for going to school for gunsmithing - but that also depends on you, your skills, and your location. You can be the best gunsmith in the world, have a great store front but if the customer base isn't there to walk through your door your overhead will put you out of business quick - machine cost expense, general overhead, etc.

Ssit and spend time listing your "goals" that you want and develop a good business plan - lay out your start up expenses and the the return you need to keep your head above water - then do your research on what the market is for what you are looking at. Too many start a business without planning because they are enamored with the idea of being self employed but ignore the hard work and expense it takes to get there.

Best of luck to you and hope you find something that works out for you.

[popper]

Small business 'assets' are only the client base. If you were in the country I'd say start a bakery - but DFW? nope. Take a few SBA classes, mostly free - find what it takes to make a business plan, then decide. You'll drop $50K min the first year and no income. In the 70s SBA average was 3 yrs to break even. Real estate sales used to be the easiest to get into, not so much anymore.

[Battis]

Bob Hoyt does a great job relining barrels, at good prices - he has found a niche. I don't know of anyone else doing what he does. Here, in the northeast, there's plenty of used and antique guns, but I cannot find a "qualified" gunsmith to work on them.

[TXGunNut]

Wow, some great ideas and some very good advice. Thank you all very much.
I've pretty much ruled out a gunsmith business. I'm pretty good at working on a few guns but it generally takes me awhile to figure out how to do something and my lack of skill and patience means I often have to walk away from a complex job a few times before I get it done. I realize formal training will help but it's just not something that I'd be good enough at. A shooting range would be fun but land is very expensive around here, as are the improvements necessary for a proper range. I'm not really wanting to focus on selling guns, too many folks doing that around here now for very little profit. I'd love to have a reloading shop but don't think I can compete with the mail order folks.
For the last 39 years I've made my living in the dealership auto and truck parts business, I'm very knowledgeable about that business and can easily get back into that business if I desire to do so. Ideally I'd like to get a couple of small sideline businesses up and running before I do that. I have an associates degree in business management and several years experience as a manager so I can probably make a living in most businesses. I also put in 25 years with a very active reserve law enforcement organization but no longer have my license or desire to work as a law enforcement officer. I'm also a pretty fair bicycle mechanic but there's very little money in it and most bikes aren't generally worth what it should cost to repair them. I do OK at repairs around the house but not good enough to hire out as a handyman, it generally takes me 2-3 trips to the hardware store to do a simple job.
I'm looking at one franchise opportunity but best case it won't be enough to live on at the level I feel I can invest now. I'm looking for some niche of the gun-related business that is being underserved at this time. I know many people who purchase reloading supplies and equipment would benefit from being able to talk with someone who knows a bit about the process. Only problem is that in most cases they don't know or won't admit it. I'm thinking I need to do some market research at a few local shows. I'd rather do the collector shows but they would involve more travel expenses. I can use a few collector guns for eye candy but I'm thinking the smaller items are where the most volume lies. Only problem is I suspect there's lots of competition there so profit is likely to be skinny.
Keep the ideas and tips coming! Just had one crazy idea that's just crazy enough to work.

[Battis]

I just walked away from a totally non-gun related side business because there was so much demand and I wasn't ready to step into the "big time" and commit to it. Ready for this - ice skate sharpening. Hockey is big in this part of the country, but there's not many good skate sharpeners. They're charging $8 per pair of skates. I've been doing it for 20 yrs or so, basically at no charge. The local shop closed down and everyone started coming to me, but I had to turn away a ton of business.
Is it a big sport in TX?