If only ....

[Phil Russell]

Every now and then a thread appears that could easily begin with the words 'If only .....' It then continues 'company XYZ had done this or that to this or that then they would have had a winner ....'. Or words to that effect. I am sure anyone can appreciate or recollect such threads. Now I am not in a position to say the posters of such threads are wrong, indeed in many cases I agree with them. But it begs the question: Why did company XYZ not take such action, before or after the suggested course, to produce a winner?
Is there anyone that has definitive insider knowledge they could share? Have our posters just got it wrong and don't understand market trends? Is it all down to economics and the risks involved? Rather than get a plethora of biased opinions it would, for a change, be nice to hear first hand why suggested changes were not acted upon. Or is it all industrial secrets?

Just wondering like
Cheers, Phil

[Neil54]

It would be a brave company who would tool up a production line to make something that may not sell.

FX took the brave step with the impact. A tactical looking airgun that a lot thought wouldn't sell.

Most airgun shops have a wall full of bull pups to suit every wallet (or credit card) now.

[Mark Palmer]

"If only there was a decent British break barrel"... BSA launch a new Birmingham made break barrel and its "is BSA taking the pish?"
Strikes me that we , by nature want what isnt available, until it is available , then we dont want it!! Manufacturers that do detailed market research, usually supply what the market wants, if they plough money into a product that doesnt sell, it can break them. I'd like to see a half decent SSP, but I doubt I'd buy a new one as funds wouldn't permit!

[robs5230]

Air Arms / new break barrel springer.

In a telephone conversation with Claire of AA, a few years ago, she said she did not think folk would pay £600 quid for a new AA bb springer.

How times have changed and prices have rocketed.
I think she was and still is wrong (even accounting for the recent huge recent price rises and what that may mean in terms of that affecting the price she quoted)

At the time of the conversation, she stated that one of the barriers was the minimum order of 500 stocks from minelli.
FFS I'd have one in every calibre. Wouldn't take that many other enthusiasts to make it profitable.

I also suggested they could take up front orders / payment. Not enough / no go ahead and return payments.
Seems they're just happy to keep churning the same ol' stuff out

[angrybear]

Well I like to think I contributed to BSA switching from the old .243 barrels to true .25, after a chance meeting with their marketing director in a local RFD while shopping for a .25 sub 12.

I was somewhat "blunt & forthright" with my views on a 25 cal (.243") lightning, before being introduced to the chap sat with a coffee, Mr Peter Martineau,
he said there was no demand for .25 sub 12, I argued that if only it was a "real" 6.35mm that could shoot standard European pellets they'd sell, ideal as ratting rifles,
within a year they released several models with updated barrels.

RE the classic AA break barrel, it's not just that it would cost £750+ to buy, it's the ten's of thousands, it would cost to design & develop something with a very limited UK only market.

[robs5230]

Well I like to think I contributed to BSA switching from the old .243 barrels to true .25, after a chance meeting with their marketing director in a local RFD while shopping for a .25 sub 12.

I was somewhat "blunt & forthright" with my views on a 25 cal (.243") lightning, before being introduced to the chap sat with a coffee, Mr Peter Martineau,
he said there was no demand for .25 sub 12, I argued that if only it was a "real" 6.35mm that could shoot standard European pellets they'd sell, ideal as ratting rifles,
within a year they released several models with updated barrels.

RE the classic AA break barrel, it's not just that it would cost £750+ to buy, it's the ten's of thousands, it would cost to design & develop something with a very limited UK only market.

The development on an AA BB springer has been done for years.
In the conversation, Claire said they had 3 working prototypes
So development cost, isn't the reason for not making it.

[p.j.]

Surely the Pro - Elite design/production could restart, I'd one or two