I'm Considering a Step Onto a Slippery Slope

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Michael Tinker Pearce

Michael Tinker Pearce

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Need to consult the hive-mind here...

Many of you are aware that I dabble in a bit of 'hobby' gunsmithing, a lot of which involves converting cap-and-ball revolvers into cartridge conversions. The other day I came across a really nice Remington C&B revolver for $100 and couldn't pass it up. It occurred to me that perhaps I could do my Bulldog' conversion, leave it as a C&B revolver and sell it to finance my hobby.
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Since C&B guns are not legally firearms there is no issue with shipping them around, working on them etc.; no FFL or manufacturers license required. I really do not want to go to all the trouble and expense of a manufacturer's license, so no selling conversion cylinders. Hell, Kirst does them better than I do, and maybe cheaper- plus I don't want to deal with the potential liability issues.

I'm leery of turning another hobby into a money-maker; been there done that. It can really take the fun out of things. But if I can sell one occasionally to finance reloading and other projects it would probably still be fun and help out around here.

Thing is I have no idea what I should ask for such a thing or even where I would try to sell it. Those are just details, of course. Worst that happens is I make it and no one buys it, and I still have fun and can do a cartridge conversion at my leisure. But it crosses a line I never wanted to, so I am on the fence a bit.

What do you all think?
 
To know how much to sell it for you need to know exactly how much you have invested. How much is your time worth? You should be able to sell your wares easily enough to folks right here on THR. That is very nice work, and who wouldn't want a custom like that in their collection? Good luck and have fun along the way. Oh, don't rule out doing custom work on other peoples guns for them either.
 
I think you'll have to offer them for sale at "places" that know you. Like THR for instance, since we have seen your work repeatedly and that body of work would add to the value.

Pricing is another matter. Customization takes time and money. Of course, we all here would like "buddy" pricing, but then you might only break even.
 
Tinker

Like ontarget said, you have to have a fair idea what your time and materials are worth in order to come up with some sort of pricing guideline. I would say start with posting your guns here on THR and see what kind of reaction/feedback you get. Sounds like a great way to make some money on the side to finance your other interests. Only you can decide when it stops being something fun to do before it becomes too much of a time and effort consuming business proposition.
 
That’s a very cool, niche in a good way, revolver.

I second what was said about finding your cost. That’s good skilled labor and shouldn’t come cheap. What it’s worth to someone else is the final say in whether I’d do it or not.

For me, if I can make about $30 an hour doing something I love to finance other things I love, I do it. Its just the cost-benefit amount in my mind for doing more work instead of sitting in a lawn chair in my driveway drinking Miller Lite, chewing Redman, and telling kids to stay off my lawn.
 
Hmm never heard of such conversions but you have me attention! What do you start with and what do you rechamber to?
 
SamT1 said:
Hmm never heard of such conversions but you have me attention! What do you start with and what do you rechamber to?
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Gunsmiths started converting C&B revolvers to fire cartridges about the time of the Civil War, and Colt and Remington started doing it around 1870. Since .44 C&B revolvers are actually .451-.454 caliber the modt common conversion is to .45 Colt for Remington repros, and .45 Schofield for Colt repros (they have a shorter cylinder.) I've done conversions to .45 Colt. .44 Colt (which uses a heel-base .451 bullet) and have sleeved the chambers and barrels of some guns to fire .38 S&W. I even did a Remington in .450 Adams. Typically I start with an unmodified Pietta Remington C&B, and 1851 reproduction or an 1860 reproduction and work from there.
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Unfortunately the act of converting a C&B revolver to fire cartridges constitutes 'Manufacturing a Firearm,' and this can only be done for the purposes of selling the resulting weapon by a licensed manufacturer. I have no interest in the trouble and expense of obtaining a manufacturer's license, thus why I am sticking to C&B revolvers.

Of course there is no reason I cannot offer a C&B gun that is 'Kirst-ready;' IOW one that has the recoil shield cut away so that a Kirst gated conversion can be dropped in by the owner.

In response to pricing- I'll do a bulldog and see what labor and expenses come to and price it accordingly. Then it's just a matter of seeing if anyone wants to pay for it.
 
Determining market interest seems a good idea in addition to determining your cost.

A simple pole may help you determine just how many you'd may sell and at what price point.

Remember to half it though. Gun enthusiasts love to state and nterest, but their wallets can't always keep up.
 
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