What's the reaL STORY?

[Muley Hunter]

It's August. You still have time to sell Christmas presents.

 

[Two Feathers]

It's August. You still have time to sell Christmas presents.

No one seems to be interested, that's why Buck suggested that I have a sale.
Stoney

 

[Buck Conner1]

For 30 years we ran several major muzzle-loading shooting events in Colorado. I got stuck with handling the prizes, write the beg letters to the manufactures, go to shooting sports type businesses, anyone that would donate something. After a few years our sources started to dry up with some folks closing their doors with a lack of interest in black powder.  

Then one day I was thinking about this while doing our yearly inventory for taxes and it hit me we have some old inventory that has been counted several times (dead items). The following day I had to go to town and stopped by a friend's store, looked around at the items that never seem to move. I asked Mike (the owner) if he would think about donating his dead old inventory and get a donation slip for his taxes.  For taxes 1/3 back off retail is better than zero with the donation slip, it took about 30 seconds and he's handing me items that haven't sold in several years. I used the same approach at every store that had old stock we knew about and usually came away with some good shoot prizes.

This is why I told Stoney to have a sale on slow items, at least he'll get the material cost back and a little for his labor.

 

[Two Feathers]

For 30 years we ran several major muzzle-loading shooting events in Colorado. I got stuck with handling the prizes, write the beg letters to the manufactures, go to shooting sports type businesses, anyone that would donate something. After a few years our sources started to dry up with some folks closing their doors with a lack of interest in black powder.  

Then one day I was thinking about this while doing our yearly inventory for taxes and it hit me we have some old inventory that has been counted several times (dead items). The following day I had to go to town and stopped by a friend's store, looked around at the items that never seem to move. I asked Mike (the owner) if he would think about donating his dead old inventory and get a donation slip for his taxes.  For taxes 1/3 back off retail is better than zero with the donation slip, it took about 30 seconds and he's handing me items that haven't sold in several years. I used the same approach at every store that had old stock we knew about and usually came away with some good shoot prizes.

This is why I told Stoney to have a sale on slow items, at least he'll get the material cost back and a little for his labor.

Thanks Buck, but my sale doesn't seem to be generating any interest? I have 2 more of the patch knives very similar to the one that Russell Shaffer won in the postal shoot, but it seems like a waste of time to photo them and ask Jonathan to post the photos?
I just keep making things, but it's getting costly in time AND materials for no sales.
 I've been thinking about just closing the store and putting my effort into something more constructive, but I love doing this.  However... if I can't even get back my material costs then it isn't worth the investment. Thanks for all your help and advice.
Stoney

 

[Muley Hunter]

I'm going to have an Isaac Haines rifle built Stoney. I'll be getting a patch knife from you and maybe some other stuff.

It will be a while, but i'll do it.

 

[Two Feathers]

I'm going to have an Isaac Haines rifle built Stoney. I'll be getting a patch knife from you and maybe some other stuff.

It will be a while, but i'll do it.

Pete
 Thank you, but that's not necessary. I'm sure you have better places to put your money, but I appreciate the support. If you truly do want/need the stuff, then I'll never turn away sale, I just don't want you to feel obligated to help me out.
God bless:
Stoney

 

[Buck Conner1]

There you go A SALE .... 

 

[Two Feathers]

There you go A SALE .... 

Buck
 Yup... but I don't want folks to feel obligated to keep me here. I want sales due to the quality of my work and reputation, but I appreciate Pete's interest.
Stoney

 

[Muley Hunter]

Not at all bud. I wouldn't buy something I didn't like.

 

[Two Feathers]

Not at all bud. I wouldn't buy something I didn't like.

Thank you Pete.
God bless:
Stoney

 

[PaperPunch]

In case anyone wonders about other subs besides the white stuff, when I first got into BP a friend of mine sold me his almost new PA Hunter and I had read a lot of "horror" stories about black powder rusting up your gun.....so naturally I wanted to avoid all that.
I began thinking on my own and came up with the idea that maybe I'd use triple se7en with 4F in the pan. It shot.
Then I tried Shockeys Gold (Amer.Pioneer) 2F and it shot. There was very little fouling with either one, but there were TWO flaws in my neophyte plan.
1) There was a crust ring just where the base of the PRB seated down in the barrel, which could have been problematic.
2) The ignition was reliably slow, that is to say both reliable AND slow. Now I was smart enough to be very picky and careful to keep the flash channel open, and my 4F away from plugging the hole, so I had no problems lighting the replica powders except slow ignition (which did cause some accuracy issues).
After shooting with my buddy one afternoon, I asked the question of him why was his firing sequence so much quicker than mine......As the good friend that he is, he smiled and answered "I shoot black powder"!!!
Now I shoot black, and I'll never go back!
I leave the other GREAT SUBS for my inline rifle. That's where they really shine!

 

[Two Feathers]

In case anyone wonders about other subs besides the white stuff, when I first got into BP a friend of mine sold me his almost new PA Hunter and I had read a lot of "horror" stories about black powder rusting up your gun.....so naturally I wanted to avoid all that.
I began thinking on my own and came up with the idea that maybe I'd use triple se7en with 4F in the pan. It shot.
Then I tried Shockeys Gold (Amer.Pioneer) 2F and it shot. There was very little fouling with either one, but there were TWO flaws in my neophyte plan.
1) There was a crust ring just where the base of the PRB seated down in the barrel, which could have been problematic.
2) The ignition was reliably slow, that is to say both reliable AND slow. Now I was smart enough to be very picky and careful to keep the flash channel open, and my 4F away from plugging the hole, so I had no problems lighting the replica powders except slow ignition (which did cause some accuracy issues).
After shooting with my buddy one afternoon, I asked the question of him why was his firing sequence so much quicker than mine......As the good friend that he is, he smiled and answered "I shoot black powder"!!!
Now I shoot black, and I'll never go back!
I leave the other GREAT SUBS for my inline rifle. That's where they really shine!

PaperPunch1
 I (personally) would NEVER use anything but true Black, however the guy I built the rifle for last year. (I built a .50 cal. percussion for my Dr.), knew nothing about BP, :?: and all I knew was that sub was working in percussion guns. Had I known that he would have me build him ANOTHER .50 cal. this year, but in flintlock, I would NEVER have gotten him sub. I'd have just gone with BP from the start. My concern was the issue of confusing him with all this flintlock stuff (and new powder) all at one time. I was trying to KISS, so he didn't blow himself up? PLUS.... he's my doctor, who would watch out for me if he killed himself? :shock:
 We got it straightened out finally. This forum is a great place to get answers, but like everything else, everybody has his (or her) own opinion, so once you test all the info. you can use what works best for you. Thanks for your input, much appreciated.
God bless:
Stoney