You got an idea for an airgun?

by Tom Gaylord

Just get into the airgun-making business and you'll soon hear from all the people who have great ideas about "What you oughta do!"

They usually start like this. "Hi, you don't know me but I have one of your airguns and I really like it. I'm an amature machnist and I cut a hole in your air tank to fit a pressure gauge. Now I can read the pressure while the tank is on the gun, so I know when to refill. I have modified guns this way for several of my friends and they love them, but I really don't want to go into full-time business doing this. Many people want to know what air pressure is in their gun, and this would undoubtedly be a big seller for you. I would be glad to send you copies of my drawings and parts lists, if you would like to start making this improvement to your fine guns."

Now this guy means well, but he hasn't thought this all the way through. When he cut a hole in our air tank, he compromised the integrity of a D.O.T.-certified pressure vessel! That means that if there is ever an accident with one of his modified tanks, he will be the one getting the summons. And he will be liable for damages caused by his modification.

Liability insurance costs airgun manufacturers from $100,000 to over $1million EACH and EVERY year! It's based on the number of guns produced. No manufacturer is going to modify his airgun in a way that firts with disaster like this.

"Yeah." you say, "but that wasn't what I wanted to do! My idea was just to modify the stock and grips a little to improve the look of the gun. I did mine and I love it!"

Bully for you. I bet you can find 20 others who agree your way is better. So what you are asking is for the manufacturer to tool up to produce a thing that may, at best, satisfy 100 customers? Yeah, he'll want to stop production of his ten thousand guns and rush that one to market right away!

The people who approach manufacturers this way are not thinking that the manufacturer has other things going on all the time. And no manufacturer has time to do custom work to a few airguns unless he is set up for it. Some of the smaller British firms do it, but they are building only 200 to 400 guns a year out of a garage or small shop. Their staff consists of three or four enthusiasts who will be doing something else in three years. The advertising budget for a real rate production facility is about the same as the gross for some of these small shops.

So the next time you get a wild hair about a great new idea for airguns, do this. Develop a prototype, then test it and write up a test report. Then develop a production model and cost each component or operation (if you will be making the parts in-house) Then produce five production guns and test them. Then develop a marketing plan that includes advertising, packaging and literature for your new gun. When all that is finished, make your approach to the manufacturer. You and he will have something to talk about because you will have followed his development plan.