Question on having a percussion pistol made?

Reposted from the wrong area sorry I didn't see the gunsmith specific area

I am sort of looking for some general information for now as I am new to this sort of thing but here is my plan

I am working on the prototype of a percussion pistol I want to have manufactured for sale at some point in the future. I have most of the details worked out just a few odds and ends to finish up. This is a small two barrel derringer style and will be made from stainless steel, probably 416.

Percussion pistols are not considered firearms by the Federal Government (ATF) and most states and I intend to have them made in a state that does not consider them to be a firearm so no firearms manufacturers license will apply but I fully intend to follow all applicable federal, state, and local laws. Everything legal and above board. Plus I would imagine some sort of indemnifying the manufacturer would also be necessary (if, for instance, on resale they went to a jurisdiction by mistake that didn't allow them then the manufacturer should not be held liable although I intend to make sure things like that don't happen)

I definitely want them made in the USA not overseas

Also the barrels will be .410 bore and not rifled so no rifling would be required

My plan is to

1. Finish the prototype (still have a few bugs to work out with the firing mechanism and lock work) then deliver to someone who can turn it into whatever machinist or CAD drawings are necessary for manufacturing

2. Produce a small run, maybe ten or twenty, for testing and to identify any problems with manufacturing

3. Move to production in smaller lots, maybe 100 at a time. I'm not sure how big the market will be it might end up at just a few hundred a year.

So my questions are related to the manufacturing end as I have very limited experience.

Does this sound like a reasonable approach? How do I go about vetting a shop to do the job? Is ten large enough for a initial run or too small for a shop to take on? Would I be better to find a shop that can both turn the prototype into drawings and do the machine work (and does this exist)?

Thanks

I think you will find it difficult to find a shop to do this work. Most are afraid of "firearms" work and the quantities sound too low to get the price to a reasonable level. Since you say you need to have someone else do most of the work, you are going to need a pile of money up front to get this done. And should it become reasonably successful, you can bet that socialists will change the law so that it is not exempt.

GGaskill said:

I think you will find it difficult to find a shop to do this work. Most are afraid of "firearms" work and the quantities sound too low to get the price to a reasonable level. Since you say you need to have someone else do most of the work, you are going to need a pile of money up front to get this done. And should it become reasonably successful, you can bet that socialists will change the law so that it is not exempt.

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That was part of my concern. Although not a socialist I am not too concerned with making much money just not losing any. Think of it more of a vanity project I'd like to manufacture this gun to my design with my name on it for sale.

Considering the number of percussion revolvers companies like Cabela's sell monthly I doubt my 500 a year would be a blip on the laws.

I will finish working on my prototype and then see what I can some up with. I'm not looking to have the gun manufactured just some what the government classifies as non firearm parts

=

Even though Pre-1898 designs are not considered firearms by the ATF, it would be prudent to submit a sample of your design to the ATF's firearms technology branch to get a classification. If they call it a non-firearm, you are golden. If the fickle finger of fate strikes you and they classify it as a firearm, you save a lot of legal woes in the future. That classification letter also goes a long way in getting manufacturing shops to understand that they are not making guns for you.

GunBum said:

Even though Pre-1898 designs are not considered firearms by the ATF, it would be prudent to submit a sample of your design to the ATF's firearms technology branch to get a classification. If they call it a non-firearm, you are golden. If the fickle finger of fate strikes you and they classify it as a firearm, you save a lot of legal woes in the future. That classification letter also goes a long way in getting manufacturing shops to understand that they are not making guns for you.

Click to expand...

Excellent advice thank you.

In principle my designs are really no different than the classic arms double derringers (the so called Twister and Snake Eyes) that look like they were machined by some kid using a drill press in his back yard although a little more refined and definitely will be a lot better made. Yet these pieces of junk with machine marks all over them, burrs on the actions, and holes drilled in the wrong places or wrong size still sell for $150 to %200 unfinished. Essentially two barrels in a mono-block not drilled all the way though and a percussion nipple in the end of each one plus a frame, trigger, and action. Yet these are available via mail order to most states