Check out my new web-site

[TA]

I just recently started a firearms accessories business and opened my website earlier in the week. I am a Milt Sparks Gunleather Dealer, Wilson Combat Master Parts Dealer and I make custom exotic hardwood grips. The plan is to eventually get my 01 FFL and also sell firearms. There is a need in my area for high end 1911's. When I inquired about Wilson, Les Baer, Ed Brown, all my local gunshops said "there isn't a market for those guns" or they would say "Les who?". So I bought my 1st Wilson over the internet instead.

Some of you know me from the original Handgun Review Board. I am still a member there along with the boards that spawned from it.

Check out www.topgunsupply.com and let me know what you think.

["DoubleAction"]

My high end gun dealer relocated to Florida about a year ago; He was about 60 miles north of where I live. Prior to the internet I ordered all my parts through the mail order catalogs, which costs me around $5. each on the average. With holsters, grips, gun parts, and gun catalogs, the costs of catalogs would mount up from one month to the next.

I also found out it is much more reasonable in costs to order from a distributer rather than direct. The manufacturers charges the full Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price most all the time, where distributers might save as much as 50 % and pass much of that savings on to the customer. I found much of this out from attending the International S.H.O.T. Show in '99.

[TMan]

TA, I was a little surprised by the color of the rosewood grips. We have several figurines from India that are made from rosewood and are much lighter in color. Originally they had a faint fragrance, but don't any more. I'm wondering if it a oil treatment or something you do to get the deep color.

Nice looking work. If I was in the market for 1911 grips, I'd sure consider them before I would Hogue. I had bad luck trying to order on-line from Hogue. I wanted grips for my CZ75 and in spite of numerous unanswered e-mails, never got them.

[TBT]

Nice TA!

I'm in the process of doing much the same thing though I'm leaning more toward general outdoor supplies.

[TA]

TMan,

Yeah, it does darken up and change color after it is oiled and finished. I was really impressed with this wood. It is nice to work with and has a great look to it.

TBT,

Best of luck to you! Do you have a web host chosen yet? If I can be of any assistance, let me know. I am far from an expert on this puter stuff, but I have been learning as I go.

[TA]

Also, I am adding some Makarov grips next week. There seems to be quite a market for them. Makarov fans are almost crazy about their commie pistols. I think I have 4 or 5 of them. I really want to get into the Sigs. I have been studying the factory plastic grips, trying to figure out the best way to make them. They look more complex than 1911 with a variety of different cuts. It may take a milling machine to do them right.

[klmhq]

Let me know when you get the Makarov grips. My dad's got four or five of the things too.

[TBT]

ta said:

TBT,

Best of luck to you! Do you have a web host chosen yet? If I can be of any assistance, let me know. I am far from an expert on this puter stuff, but I have been learning as I go.

I'm really leaning toward going with Yahoo Merchant Solutions. Their package is really good, though it can be expensive. I'm probably looking at a total running cost of over $100 a month for the site.

Who did you go with and why?

[5ontarget]

I excpect you will do well with the Mak grips. As you said people are almost religious about their maks.

[TA]

TBT,

I did some searching around and found a company that was rated very well by another company that actually signs up with different web hosting services, visits their physical addresses and rates them. www.IXWebHosting.com
They are very reasonable and if you pay 2 years up front, they waive the set-up fee and register your domain name for free. Their downtime was very limited. The site building software is web based and fairly user friendly, even for a duma$$ like me. They have a shopping cart, but merchant services is where you can start spending money. As much as I dislike Paypal, they do have a good product and it is affordable.

[TBT]

That actually sounds like a pretty good place to deal with.

You designed you're own page there?

[TA]

Yeah, they have quite a few templates to choose from. I didn't care for most of them. You can change colors and add pictures and text. It also has an HTML Editor. It takes some time, but it is much more cost effective that having somebody do it for you.

[TBT]

I've built a few "fantasy football" websites in my time, but the whole shopping cart makes me nervous. I don't really know how that works and all. I want to accept Visa, Mastercard, Amex, and Paypal ...

[klmhq]

tbt said:

I've built a few "fantasy football" websites in my time, but the whole shopping cart makes me nervous. I don't really know how that works and all. I want to accept Visa, Mastercard, Amex, and Paypal ...

If you accept Paypal, then anyone can pay with a credit card and Paypal will take care of it for you... I think that they do have to have a Paypal account, but that's free.

I looked at Yahoo (I'm thinking about a business as well) and they take care of most of the detail work... like checkout and shopping carts. You just put in what you sell.

I would also suggest an e-bay store... as long as it doesn't go bang, I think you can sell it there. If not, then try gunbroker.

[TA]

The shopping cart on paypal is very nice! It is easy to set up and manage. Like I said, I am not a computer genious by an means, but they make it easy. Just open a business account with Paypal and go to "Merchant tools", click on shopping cart and look around. They really cater to the internet business person.

I believe that once you have business account set up with them, you can accept all major credit crds without the buyer having to open a Paypal account. I think the fee structure is a little different, but still very affordable.