How much does it cost to produce guns?

[WenULiVeUdiE]

How much do guns actually cost to produce? Spyders, Timmys, Mags, etc.

[m20power]

I once read that when spyders come out of asia they cost around 20 for everything including shipping.
It helps when the gun can be milled so roughly and still work normal.

Compare that to a mag that has to be milled to the thousands of an inch in areas like the on off assembly.

[yeahthatsme]

i remember seeing something about timmy's costing like 200-400 within that range to be produced, which isnt alot considering what they charge(1k and up)

[Target Practice]

It seems to me that what you guys are missing is that while the materials may be cheap, you still have to take into acount all of the hidden cost of production:

Equipment upkeep
Utilities payments
Research & Development (Huge. I think Tom can attest to this one... )
Advertising (Not so much with this one, though... )
Rent/Lease payments on the company buildings
Employee benefits (not sure on this one, just guessing)

Plus a ton of others that I can't think of off the top of my head. This is an expensive business. For example, take the DM4. First off, think of all the hours spent on CAD programs designing that body. You have to pay all of those draftsmen. Now think of all the power needed to run those CNC machines for as long as it takes to make one of those bodies. You have to pay the machine operators and buy tools for the machines. Then you have to get your new marker out into the world, which means marketing and a pretty box to ship it in.

I'm so glad I don't do this for a living. You're a stronger man than I am, Tom.

[SuiciDal Sn Y p ER]

everything comes from everywhere, i was surprised to find out that eggs were made in mexico. i thought it would be made in china or taiwan

[Kevmaster]

direct cost (metal, milling time) of a mid-high end gun....100-300ish.

of course, profits and expenses do have to be added in

[m20power]

I agree that there is a lot of stuff that goes into a companys expense sheet. Look at how angel sets up a booth at all the pro events. Thats gotta cost some money.
But If you look at the actual cost of the gun and nothing else they are pretty cheap.

You can also explain why certain markers cost more by looking at their production numbers. There are so many spyders that all of the R and D costs and workers wages can be spread over a large number of units.
So a company like Kingman might spend simmilar money on R and D or labor costs when compared to WDP. But WDP has fewer markers to spread that expense over.

And with all things after a while they get cheaper after R and D has been payed for and they find a cheaper way to make it.
We had one of the first Digital Cameras. It was a Kodak and cost 1000 dollars. Today you can buy a digital camera for 200 or less that could do more than that Kodak. Using this theory maybe one day the E blade will only cost 100 dollars and I will be able to afford the damn thing.

[Target Practice]

This is all true. However you cannot, IMO, compare the R&D cost for WPD and Kingman side by side. It's apples and oranges in that category.

Here is another reason why I am forever sticking with AGD. When I first went to buy my RT-ULE, I thought the $399 dollar sticker was a misprint. They keep their costs down through relatively little advertisement, and let thier products speak for themselves. Thats just good business.

[m20power]

he he he, i knew the kingman WDP comparison would get me in trouble. I know I wouldnt put them on the same level. Its like kia vs Porsche.
I was just trying to show a difference in production numbers and i tried to pick polar opposites.

I like how AGD dosent advertise. All the companies that take out 10 pages of adds in magazines are companies Id never buy. Smart Parts, Kingman, 32 degrees. They can spend a million dollars and ill never buy jack from them. But I bought a mag cause everyone I talk to about them mentions how wonderful they are. I would never buy a gun casue an add was pretty. Id buy it casue the people i play with use it and approve of it.
By the way the guy who told me to get a mag was Marty from Taag paintball in Coursegold California. He is a bonebrake tech (spelling) and such a wonderful ambassador to the sport. I wish there were more people like him around.

[WenULiVeUdiE]

This is why I love AO. I may not have a mag, but its the best forum on the net. If I made this forum over on PBN, people would have been arguring by the 3rd response.

This is what I was thinking. I remember hearing the reason for so many different timmys is because they can be made so cheaply. And I guess that does make sense. More money to pay an artist and maybe a machinest.

[Altimas]

I work in Retail and sell paintball stuff and alot of times Newbies see the big colorful adds and are like... WOW I want that totally awesome gun that shoots 26 BPS and is only 199$

ALTHOUGH I am totally opposite...I dont buy because of big flashy adds...I shop for the lowest price, ask other players, and watch what people tote around at the PB Field.