In any case, you would have to sell a whole lot of them to justify tooling costs. Maybe I am completely off the wall, but I just don't think the mass market is there for another bolt action super-sniper rifle that weighs 25+ pounds and has (IMHO) limited appeal. The writeup in G&A will be great, with lots of pictures of blown up plastic jugs, but that does not translate into firm orders, as many people with new gun ideas have found out.
Also remember that an old gun industry rule of thumb is that the retail price has to be around 7 times the production cost to allow everyone in the chain to make money. So if the gun costs $1000 to make, it would have to sell for $7000 at retail to make money. As to $200k development costs, that is small change for a real development effort. Developing a totally new rifle can take years, cost in the millions, and produce a lot of scrap metal.
(Now Boonie will produce his gun, which will sell by the thousands and make him a multi-millionaire, and I will have egg on my face. Could happen, I just don't think so.)
Jim
Also remember that an old gun industry rule of thumb is that the retail price has to be around 7 times the production cost to allow everyone in the chain to make money. So if the gun costs $1000 to make, it would have to sell for $7000 at retail to make money. As to $200k development costs, that is small change for a real development effort. Developing a totally new rifle can take years, cost in the millions, and produce a lot of scrap metal.
(Now Boonie will produce his gun, which will sell by the thousands and make him a multi-millionaire, and I will have egg on my face. Could happen, I just don't think so.)
Jim