Don't know what's "unsubstantiated." First two are facts, and third is opinion/recommendation based upon known facts. To be clear, I'm not on here to bash Bonesteel. I'm a big fan of CNC Warrior. And I like Chris' designs/products. I don't like his customer service or communication or inventory management (or lack thereof).
1) US consumers by and large want instant gratification. Consumer marketing is predominantly built upon that behavior. If a product that they want isn't available, 9 times out of 10 American consumers substitute the next best/closest to rather than wait. I'm very particular about things and will wait, but I'm an exception to the rule on most things and realize that...
2) Private companies can do what they wish. But it's unfortunate when those decisions not only harm consumers due to lack of product availability but also harm the US manufacturing base that supports the retailer... If even one person who would have purchased a bonesteel item opts for another foreign manufacturer due to lack of availability (I know for a fact that has happened, I'm one of them), then there has been harm to that retailer's suppliers. If CNC Warrior knows of immediate demand and immediate sales upon completing production, like any manufacturing business, they'd produce enough on the first run rather than retooling and setting up for their next project and then wasting production time by setting up to run the job again a month later -- yes CNC Warrior has a minimum but like most things production, the higher quantity you run the lower per piece cost so the higher per piece profit...
3) Bonesteel does not proactively update customers on product availability and is ridiculously hard to reach. To the extent of folks posting on these boards asking if he's even still in business -- and "fraud warnings" on other forums (like the AK ones) -- the only efficient way folks have resolved in a normal manner is directly w/ CNC Warrior (example:
http://www.theakforum.net/forums/22-optics-accessories/170848-bonesteel-arms-stock-issue-resolved.html ). His wait times for products are absurd. He told us he wouldn't be offering next batch until June or July of 2015. After a bunch of us contacted CNC Warrior, suddenly a batch will be available in December. Draw your own conclusions, but it looks like CNC Warrior has taken the lead and implemented their usual awesome customer service and demand-based inventory best practices that has led to DIY builders as well as the "best of" "niche" weapon system builders like Jeff Miller/TennGalil using their products exclusively for their builds...
Insofar as to what we know about CNC Warrior, there is a lot of corporate research out there on P&L approximations based upon marketplace data regarding corporation credit ratings, etc... You just have to search for it.
CNC Warrior is the firearms business of Derita Precision Machine Company. They employ ~20 machinists (~10 years average experience so they keep competent staff on board) and have less than half that in front office, customer service, and fulfillment personnel. Approximated annual revenue between the two is $10-25 million annually. And most of their corporation officers are also the folks you talk with when call and need something, so it fits the small business profile of active owner management.
I have dealt with CNC Warrior for a few years now with receiver group buys and various parts from their online store. Group buys that haven't pulled through in the past at the promised rate have negatively affected their cash flow -- this is a small profit margins company whose entrance and rise into prominence in the firearms industry largely coincided with all the 922r regulations. They were about the only ones consistently putting out affordable and quality US made 922r products. And that base has allowed them to continue to expand and offer new and interesting product parts, upgrades, and accessories. The ability of small businesses to R&D is ultimately tied to revenue and profits as unlike massive corporations or startups spending others money, they can't afford to suffer fiscal year losses or else they can't make payroll, let alone do anything else...
Regarding Bonesteel, I have no idea. BUT I can't find any LLC listing on the corporate database listings and/or name conflict on Michigan Department of Commerce website. So it's probably jsut a sole proprietor where he threw the LLC on his website... If Bonesteel was a DBA name for another LLC, he likely couldn't legally use "LLC", uncertain of exact Michigan laws though and definitely can't use the legal term "LLC" if he's DBAing himself. But regardless, Bonesteel's business setup, beyond its functional inadequacies on our customer experience side, isn't germane to any of the points I made.
