Did Edgun stop doing business in U.S.?
There hasn’t been any word on the Edgun section for some time now, except for odds and ends on existing guns.
What’s going on?
Hoot:
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Wasn’t the Chinese clone synthetic? 😆
I don’t think Ed has shipped any synthetic stocks. There were some painted wood stocks, but I don’t remember any synthetic stocks. Where did you get it and what is wrong with it?
We increased out production capacity almost 100 % every year for last few years, and that took as a lot of power and money. I can tell that making 100 guns a month and 300 guns a months is completely different things. And having had that increasing we managed to improve the quality, putting new decisions in the guns etc. So we decided to stop at that level for a while, just to drag the tails 🙂 When we get stabilized I think that we can reach up to 10 000 guns a year, we have all the resources for that.
We tried to make few attempts to make synthetic stock but the quality was pour and I rejected it as I told you before I prefer to make quality things. So I just didn’t find the company which could offer me the good quality for good money to make the synthetic stocks.
That is what we are talking right now with one of those who would like to be a dealer 🙂
Ed
I bought a Edgun with synthetic stock and I was sad to learn that the stock is not quality. Help me ED. 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄
Hi Eduard,,,and Guys,,,
what do you think about Pyramyd Air ???
they are one of the biggest retailer online web/ Com in the world…
Edit; their customer services are really really great ,,, even they didn’t forgot about me since i am even not in US..
I have no idea if Wild West Airguns/Steve would be interested in Edguns but Ernest certainly has the skill set to support, repair, and tune them and Steve and staff the reputation to support and sell them. I would stay clear of AOA at this point.
We increased out production capacity almost 100 % every year for last few years, and that took as a lot of power and money. I can tell that making 100 guns a month and 300 guns a months is completely different things. And having had that increasing we managed to improve the quality, putting new decisions in the guns etc. So we decided to stop at that level for a while, just to drag the tails 🙂 When we get stabilized I think that we can reach up to 10 000 guns a year, we have all the resources for that.
We tried to make few attempts to make synthetic stock but the quality was pour and I rejected it as I told you before I prefer to make quality things. So I just didn’t find the company which could offer me the good quality for good money to make the synthetic stocks.
That is what we are talking right now with one of those who would like to be a dealer 🙂
Ed
Good insights into your business Ed. Glad to get an answer to questions everyone has probably thought about. Of those 4,200 units, how many make it into the US (percentage wise)? What do you think your production capacity is? 6,000, 8,000 units per year?
My personal opinion is many folks would welcome a synthetic stock if that allows for a slight price reduction. It appears that many take your guns out into the field to hunt and a nice walnut stock would be a shame to damage. Plus existing owners would purchase the stocks alone so that’s only added business. A while back you had explored a soft touch coating but I guess wasn’t fully satisfied with the results? Is that an end to that idea?
And lastly, I think if you open up the discussion on which resellers would carry your Edguns and Tony being the sole distributor (not getting involved in selling himself and becoming AoA) you’d get considerable interest but that simply means meeting production demands. Buyers get put off by having to wait. Whether it’s a $5 hamburger or $1,300 gun.
Now we produce 350-360 guns a month. That makes about 4’200 a year. That is only Matadors, I don’t consider Veles, Lelay, Morana.
I don’t know the inside kitchen at Kalibr company for sure. But having had the meeting with owner of Airgun Techology (who makes Vulkan bullpup) in Prague this spring we talked about it. He used to work for Kalibr company in Czech Republic. I was also interested how it happens. I don’t know if it is truth or not as he left the company with great scandal (by the way as many other kep persons of that company before) but he said the following. Maverick (the owner of Kalibr company) is ready to take as much market as possible even working with low or even negative profit, as he is operating the money he doesn’t own. The owner of the money doesn’t care about the profit, the “gun plant” is a kind of toy for him. When I asked that it is a stupid policy to sell with no profit as in a while it will ruin the business. He just repeated that there are enough money to keep that model. Well, I have nothing to do with it.
The other issue, the details for the gun. Just the barrel, I order barrels from LW, made based on my drawings with all my requirements, the every barrel now cost me more then 100 euro, as blank barrel from LW cost less then 40 euro. The CZ barrel Kalibr use cost 20 euro. I use good quality walnut, every stock cost me more then 150 euro. They use cheaper walnut or plastic, etc, etc, etc. I don’t want to go this way, as I told before my guns are my kids, it is still not the business, a kind of hobby instead. So I just prefer to close the business rather then to save some money using cheaper parts or technologies. I am completely stupid from the point of view of money, I know….
I was thinking about it, having other dealer, I am open for talking about it with those who is interested. As for the stocks, I explained it before.
You are right, there are some logistic problem regarding spare parts. No problem to send some parts directly from Russia (as I did many times for some clients, who applied to me directly) if those parts doesn’t look like “gun parts”. If they are, I cannot send it from Russia. So I can send it from EU, but I don’t often have some parts there. I am working on it.
Ed – On average, how many Edguns are produced and shipped annually worldwide?
Just curious if Kalibrguns is a much larger operation that can afford to streamline production and thus supply to distributors at a lower cost as well? There seems to be quite a few Kalibrgun resellers selling the Cricket anywhere from $1,250 all the way to $1,900+. Despite what some say, even those selling at the low end of that price range is making some profit otherwise they wouldn’t be in business.
If Edguns had a synthetic stock and was able to lower the price say $200-300 and open up distribution, he’ll have a larger market share. Machining a Walnut stock is probably not all that cost effective plus raw materials is always going up. Plastic molding is cheap in comparison. Instead of having Tony be the distributor and reseller, make him the sole distributor and allow other resellers to sell and provide product support. It would be a win-win for everyone. Now you’re importing 100 guns every few months when it can be 100 gun each month + misc parts. Given the airgun choices out there and bullpups being a niche market, more buyers can take stab at a $1,500 Edgun synthetic stock but as it currently stands, only a small minority can fathom a $2,000 Edgun.
Another discussion is the support after purchase. Like buying a premium luxury car (i.e. BMW, MB, Lexus and etc) their customers are taken care of through a network of resellers/dealers. Having a sole importer/reseller doing it part time can’t tend to the 100+ Edguns sold to the US market annually. Ultimately it’s Ed’s decision to keep his business scaled down for his own reasons. Be it quality assurance, prestige or other. I’d just hate to see his products not be able to reach more enthusiast due to cost and future competition. I think Edgun has a chance to grow the US market as did Kalibrgun. It too was once a $1,900+ bullpup.
Tony….thank you for the update!!!
Hoot:
Yes, I must said thank you to those who didn’t answer there email.It was the fastest Edgun I ever bought.Thank you
Tony.
I think Tony might move his existing supply if people knew he had them. No mention was made here about his existing supply, so perhaps Tony might
let us know what he has. There are buyers out there, at all price ranges. We just need to know they are available.
Regards,
Hoot:
Everyone from the waiting list was emailed a few times. I have pretty much all models in stock for some time now. No .30s
Well I love my Edguns (.25 and .30 standard) but do wish we had a full service dealer selling them like Wild West Airguns (Tony seems like a nice enough guy though). I do think if that was the case 100 at a time would not be a problem – demand wise. Right now – only folks words on forum sell them now and there no advertising or full direct support. That is probably not the most efficient way to penetrate the very large US market. Of course the other side of the coin is being able to supply for a bit higher demand. I am glad I am a customer and not making those tough decisions. 
I think Tony might move his existing supply if people knew he had them. No mention was made here about his existing supply, so perhaps Tony might
let us know what he has. There are buyers out there, at all price ranges. We just need to know they are available.
Regards,
Hoot:
Hoot makes a good point. We have all gotten accustomed to the order and long wait approach that many may not be aware there is inventory out there. Also – Ed’s commitment to continue to support his guns what ever the future holds is not surprising and comforting to hear.
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I personally would love to have a light Synthetic stock, I sanded my wood stock down and bed liner’ed it. Go ahead and tell what a nitwit I am, But its my opinion that bullpups are just meant to be Black. And lets face it if we could shave a Lb or 2 off the EDgun that would be a big plus. Ed if you ever find a company that produces a stock that meets your approval I’m all in for 1. 😀