I would not say custom gunmaking is dead but much easier ways to keep the lights on and the dog fed sure do exist. I love what I do but it can be challenging at times. The gun trade has changed dramatically in the last 25 years with the vast majority of the public embracing stainless and composite guns. Lovers of walnut and blued steel still exist, they are in the minority though. There are fewer and fewer gunmakers that focus on traditional styles and finishes , hence the long backlogs and cost of good work. Most successful gunmakers have a niche, Weibe builds bolt guns, mostly dangerous game guns but not exclusively. I do mostly restoration, a bit of restocking and a fair amount of custom metal work. Like LRF, I'll just keep on keeping on.
And thank you SKB for what you do and your oblivious apparent passion for "custom gunmaking".
To clarify, my comment was "custom gun business", I think custom gunmaking is still alive but not well. I found it interesting that Weibe, in his interview, mentions "part time gunmakers" or something like that. There was an injurious argument between the makers back in the late 80's. A friend of mine who was trying to make a living at CGun making was talked down to about the fact that he had a full time job bluing guns for a metal finishing company and not exclusively building guns. At an NRA convention where he was displaying he put up a sign that said (and I am paraphrasing) "Full time gunmaker make $30K a year, part time gunmaker make $60K a year." My friend left the gun making business to become a very successful pattern maker, however luckily his legacy lives on today. That squabble damaged the business and had lasting consequences. Times change and things change, I just thank Reto for making these interviews possible.
