Soliciting Work From Gun Retailers

As a gunsmith, how often have you been approached by someone who said something like this: "I’m a dealer. What will you charge me to blue this gun?" This usually means that this person has an FFL and sells a few guns out of his house or at gun shows. And he thinks he deserves a discount from you.

Let’s look at what constitutes a "dealer," and I’ll tell you how I feel about "discounts." First of all, I don’t believe that the mere possession of an FFL makes anyone a "dealer." A "hobby dealer" may be able to buy guns from wholesalers and resell them, and he might have the necessary city, county, and state licenses and a sales-tax license. If he does, fine, he’s a dealer; if he doesn’t, I consider him just an individual with an FFL, and he qualifies for nothing in the way of discounts or special prices from me.

I explain to the "dealer" that I first need copies of any licenses that are required in the area. If he has them, I then explain to him that I like to work for people like him, and offer to give him give an "X-percent" discount on all work, including bluing’after he’s reached $500 worth of work (or any figure you like) per year. I will then credit his account with the discount I against future work. This usually takes of care discounts for the part-time dealer who wants a few guns worked on from time to time.

The bottom line here is that there’s no legitimate reason for anyone to get special consideration from you’unless he can provide you with a substantial volume of work. Remember the dealer is not going to tell his customers what a great gunsmith you are or even that it was you who did the job. In effect, you are "ghost gunsmithing" for him. In a case like this, I’d just as soon turn him down completely, because I’d probably end up getting the work anyway through one of my legitimate dealers.

Now let’s now look at what I calla "legitimate dealer." This is usually a gun shop or sporting-goods store. They are established businesses, and have a lot of customers. They usually want to be a full-service store, offering repairs, rebluing, recoil pads, sight mounting, and so forth. If they approach you, how do you handle them? This could be a good deal for you’ these people sell a lot of guns. But do you offer discounts? No. Why no? Because you don’t have to.

You’re going to do several things to increase the dealer’s business. If the dealer can offer your services, the shop becomes a full-service store. They can offer their customers any modifications or repairs on a guaranteed basis, with fast service (more about this later), and they’ll make more money. How will they make money if you don’t discount your services?

Right away, they’re going to add 20 percent (or more) to whatever you charge them on every job, plus they are assured of a profit on the sale of mounts, sights, scopes, pads, etc. You’ve given them a profit on a gunsmith shop with no overhead, let alone any investment. And what do you give them in addition to the 20-percent markup? Plenty. You’ll pick up and deliver once or twice a week, and they can plan on this service.

They’ll get your best work and your highest priority because their volume rates this kind of treatment. And they’ll actually sell more guns, thanks to you. Why? Because when the customer wants a recoil pad or sling swivels or a scope, they can tell the customer: "No problem. Our gunsmith will have this done in a few days," thus more and bigger sales. What do you get? Depending on the store, you could get many thousands of dollars in work each year.

The store will be working for you as your sales force, and you’ll be working for them as their gunsmithing department. That’s a win/win situation that’s hard to beat. How does this kind of deal work? For your part, you’ll need to pick up and deliver on a regular schedule. You’ll furnish the store with prices for common procedures, and supply prompt quotes for all other repair jobs. You’ll give them priority service’and your best quality.

In exchange, the store should agree to pay you upon delivery of each gun. (Call ahead, if you must, so they’re prepared.) My rule is "no credit regardless." You should ask the store to agree to give you all of their gunsmithing work, and ask them to put a sign in the store offering gunsmithing services (your name need not be on it). Also, ask them to mention "their" gunsmithing services in their newspaper and phone-directory advertising.

Now that, my friends, is the kind of business deal you can earn a living from’and one that makes a lot more sense than giving discounts to kitchen-table gun dealers.