Canjar Trigger History

[Kerf]

Anyone know what happened with Canjar trigger company? They made a first rate trigger and I know they're out of business, but was thinking about them earlier today when I bought a used rifle with a trigger shoe on it and was hoping it was a canjar. No such luck. I ordered a bunch of triggers from them over the phone and they said it would be awhile before they could fill the order. That was about 7-8 years ago. So I waited about six months before calling them about my order and their phone was no longer connected.

Just wondering if anyone knows why they are no longer in business. Thanks, it will ease my mind somewhat.

kerf

 

[Jim Watson]

The short version is that Mr Canjar died without a proper succession plan and the staff did not have the technical nor business knowhow to run the company.
Lots of discussion to be googled from 2007 when the shop went down for the last time.
Here's one, with one very unfavorable review.
http://www.handloadersbench.com/forum16/4706.html

 

[Kerf]

Thanks Jim, that’s a very sad story, (I had no idea how things went down) but I guess there’s a lesson in there for all of us. I always considered Canjar triggers first rate, high precision, quality products. I tried to place a large order (six) with Mary over the phone; guess I’m lucky I didn’t get them.

You would think that someone with a little business acumen would reverse engineer the design and with modern machining technology revive the product line. Stranger things have happened.

kerf

 

[4v50 Gary]

Canjars are highly rated. I wish I bought some when I had a chance.

We buy Timneys at Trinidad and polish the sears on them as well as removing any burrs on the trigger housing.

 

[Jim K]

A bunch of lessons there on things not to do in a business. It sounds like a typical "hobby" business, where one man runs things the way he wants, making things the way he wants them made, and not really knowing or caring about how to run or expand a business.

When someone asks on this site about becoming a gunsmith, I always respond that the first thing is to learn how to run a business, not which tools to buy or when to get an FFL. The best gunsmith in the world will go broke or create a business that won't survive him if he is ignorant on basic business practices.

Jim