It was very hard to compete with the "big boys" so i tried to NOT to have to!!! The big boys can and do buy the same guns cheaper than the little guys can!! (common guns)
Best way i found to beat the big boys was to know more than any of them!!! I kept up on the latest of everything!! People will drive a long way out of there way for your knowledge!
I handled brands (Valmet, Krieghoff, Zeiss, ect..) that they wouldn't, and i was willing to teach customers how to "reload" if they bought the equipment from me. I also reloaded ammo for sale.
I would order things for customers no matter if there was profit in it or not, just to keep them comeing back!! Things like bench rest equipment, and bullet swage tools.
I sold high grade gun stock blanks, and found a good place to send them for a complete finished stock. I also did stock work in my shop.
I designed a few cartridges, and had bbls. chambered for them. Then i loaded ammo for them and had it forsale too!
I swaged "bonded core" bullets when none of the big guys were doing it, and sold them through shot gun news, along with selling them at gun shows ect...
I did many things like this, and ALSO i NEVER lied to a customer, my customers knew that, and came to me instead of going to a shop where they would be told what ever they thought the customer wanted to hear.
It was a lot of work and took a lot of time, but it allowed me to do the things i wanted to, like spend weeks at a time in the bush...
Oooh yeaaaa, did i loose money at times??? YES, but not on purpose!!! :>
))
Drilling Man