Canadian Parts Manufacturing

Gryffon said:
I have seen some of Alberta Tactical Rifle's work and I have seen a couple of Robertson stocks and have a great deal of respect for them both. These are companies which have carved out their own niche in the market and earned a name for themselves.
The original question though was not about high end specialties or even after market accessories but about replacement parts for manufacturers which have a very slow or non-existant supply for parts. I meant, could a company make a go of it making firing pins, sears, hands, etc. for stock replacement for Browning, Star, Bul, Beretta, etc. A line of stock replacement parts made in Canada for a wide variety of makes and models which would not have the time problems involved with importing these parts.
Click to expand...

Technically it would be possible, realistically financially impossible.
The cost to make as many replacement parts as there are gun types, models and brands would make it far to expensive.
Even to just produce replacement parts for something common, like Rem 700 would be cost prohibitive, there are just not enough folks in Canada to support the venture. Guys squawk like hell now about a mass produced, and usually offshore outsourced $20.00 , firing pin for a 700, imagine the uproar if it was $100.00
To set up and make small parts for such a limited populace would bankrupt the maker instantly.

Example, I can no longer import Tubb recoil lugs from the US as Tubb has not registered for exports. So now make my own.
To make the fixture to hold the material to make lugs took 8 hours, with the fixture and best suited tooling, time to make 1 lug in the CNC mill and finish 1 is about 25 minutes, machineshop time is $125.00 per hour, the 17-4 stainless material is $35.00 per foot and I get 15 lugs from a foot of steel, I figure my actual cost per lug is $70.00, not taking into account tooling wear, or the purchase cost of the machines. I used to buy them for $40.00 CDN.
Possibly if there was enough demand, the process could be further automated and the cost would be less, but that would involve ALOT more equipment and making them in large quantities. And how many would be sold every year?
 
I have used Ian's stocks and they are beautifully made...

Here is a picture of the lug you sent me Rick..

A heavy lug about .360 thick, nice bevels inside the ring and down the tapers...

ATR%20lug.jpg
 
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