Seven Steps

I've heard repeated mention of the "seven step" method to sales.  At length, I finally looked it up, but there appear to be varying definitions.  From one in particular that's most straightforward, the steps are:

1. Greeting
2. Establishing a relationship with the customer
3. Qualifying their needs
4. Presentation, demonstration, and information
5. Transforming interest to desire
6. Overcoming objections
7. Closing the sale

Now I know I'm a lousy salesman, but those steps could be useful for "selling" other things like Appleseed.

Shooting Jackets

Fred's is now out of the XL shooting jackets, and apparently the manufacturer has gone belly-up.  A search turned up a few other choices, such as Creedmore Sports and Champion's Choice.  CMP also sells one, but it's blue.  Military Logistics has cloth jackets for reasonably cheap; the details are scarce and the country of origin isn't indicated.

OTs-38 Silent Revolver

I thought the Nagant M1895 revolver was the only one capable of using a sound suppressor.  Apparently there's also the OTs-38, which has an integral suppressor.  It fires through the bottom cylinder, like the Mateba and Rhino.  The cartridge is 7.62x42, and appears (from the photo) similar in shape to the 7.62x38R cartridge except longer and without a rim.  I'd love to get my hands on one of these guns!

PPPoE

When putting an integrated DSL modem into bridge mode (RFC 1483), one loses the capability to access the web configuration of the modem, because the router doesn't pass LAN packets out onto its WAN port.  The usual option is to take down the Net connection by unplugging the modem from the router's WAN port and plugging it into a LAN port.  Apparently there are a few other options, but none of them are really satisfactory in that they either cause additional latency (through use of a switch between the modem and the router) or route instability (via wacky topology).  If using a Linux-based router, there appears to be a way to force the system to pass the reserved address out on the WAN port:

#!/bin/sh

#IP Address of the modem, must be a different network from your local LAN.
#If you use 192.168.x.x for LAN then use 10.0.0.x for modem, etc (basically, pick a free IANA reserved range)
#Obviously you need to configure the actual DSL modem to use the address you select in MODEM_IP.
MODEM_IP="10.0.0.1"

#IP address that will be bound to vlan1, usually safe to just increment MODEM_IP by 1.
VLAN_IP="10.0.0.2"

#Setup network interface and firewall rules.
ifconfig vlan1 $VLAN_IP netmask 255.255.255.0
iptables -A forwarding_rule -d $MODEM_IP -j ACCEPT
iptables -t nat -A POSTROUTING -d $MODEM_IP -j MASQUERADE

Saiga Conversion

It's possible to modify a Saiga rifle to an AK-47esque pistol-grip configuration.  Apparently a different modification is necessary to make the rifle compatible with standard AK-47 magazines.

Thoughts on Building a Vault

This turned up in my framing search, which I thought was amusing.  Arfcom has the most out-there posts.

Framing Code

I've been looking for guidelines on framing of a 6' rough opening.  A couple contractors I've talked with seem to think it's ok to widen a 5' 10" rough opening by either removing one trimmer/jack stud 2x4 on either side, and replacing it with a 1x4 board.  According to the International Residential Code (IRC 2009), for a ground snow load of 50 psf, which is specified by Minnesota State Building Code, regardless of the building width, at least two jack studs are required for each end.

The free online IRC isn't searchable, so the code finder from This Old House is useful.

This is problematic.  Perhaps I should consult a structural engineer regarding the engineering margin.

Tree Headstones

While looking for more information on Occupy Wall Street's origins, I ended up at AdBusters' site.  There was an issue with a cover of a guy shoving two guns through the side of his face and out his mouth, so I clicked on it, and there was an article entitled "The Holy Shit", so of course I had to see what that was about.  The article itself is an idealistic piece, but the interesting tidbit was the concept of a tree headstone.  That is, when you die, you're buried in a biodegradable coffin a couple feet below the surface with a tree planted over the coffin.  The tree would then grow from the decomposition of the body and so a bit of the essence of the deceased would continue to exist.

I didn't particularly like the idea of being cremated or being preserved, so this might be how I'll ask to go.

Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs died today.  I liked his company's products, and although I didn't care for his politics, his philosophy, as quoted in the press, is something that I can appreciate.  On television:

When you're young, you look at television and think, There's a conspiracy. The networks have conspired to dumb us down. But when you get a little older, you realize that's not true. The networks are in business to give people exactly what they want. That's a far more depressing thought. Conspiracy is optimistic! You can shoot the bastards! We can have a revolution! But the networks are really in business to give people what they want. It's the truth.

On work:

Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.

On death:

Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

Eastern White Pine

So my silver maple decided to break in a strong wind, and I'm considering replacing it with an Eastern White Pine.  Apparently the needles have more vitamin C than lemons?!  Anyway, prices for larger-than-seedling trees on one site are $140 for an 8 ft, or $220 for a 10 ft.  Not too bad.  I have a feeling that the expense will be in removing the old tree and stump and planting the new tree.

5.56 Propellants

While searching for information on WC867 and WC872, an article came up regarding a Vietnam-era controversy regarding propellants for the 5.56x45mm cartridge in the U.S. military.  Sounds like a sordid mess, but it's good history to know.

Ammunition Manufacturing Business

In case anyone's thinking about starting an ammunition manufacturing business, I found a useful bit of info on THR regarding the requirements:

You will need
to comply with local zoning for a firearms and manufacturing business
Type 06 FFL $30 for 3 years
ITAR registration* for $2250 per year

*ITAR is the International Trade in Arms Regulations and is the US State Department's jurisdiction (ie the ATF can't and doesn't enforce it directly). Basically in a nutshell everything firearms related including ammunition and components is a "defensive article" and the manufacturers must be register and pay that stupid fee. I have found an exception and will share it, but will not hold anyone's hand during the process or offer any additional advice beyond what's posted here.

If you are a manufacturer of "whatever" and intend on solely selling it to
Domestic civilains
Domestic dealers or distributors or wholesalers
Domestic civilian law enforcement agencies (ie cops)

you can submit a Commodity Jurisdiction Request to the US State Department requesting determination of whether your products are "defensive articles" having a military application. This must be a letter from scratch (no form letter is provided or "out there") detailing what you make, whom you sell to, and whom the end user is. You will need to submit drawings, blueprints, techinical documents, etc. If they determine you are not manufacturing for any military or paramilitary force, they will not make you pay ITAR.

That's it for the licensing BS.

Now the business aspect.

Marketing is fun and a PITA all at the same time. Buy the book "Guerrilla Marketing" and read it cover to cover. Not the gospel but gives a different perspective than "buy a magazine ad and wait for the phone to ring" mentality of marketing. The book explains it all but here's my perspective:

Marketing isn't about getting a sale. It's about setting up a client relationship. The last thing you want is a customer. A customer comes in, buys some ****, and leaves. That's not good. You want a client. You want long term, loyal, repeat business. Marketing is showing them your product/service, informing them of the value, and showing how you will be there to support them after the sale.

OK, now insurance. If you think you can form a fancy corporation and be protected you are dead wrong and I just saved you millions of dollars. GET LIABILITY INSURANCE!!! It's a couple thousand dollars a year (as in less than $200 per month) for a basic $1 million policy. If $2,000 a year is too much, STOP. You are not cut out for this business. Operating without liability insurance is simply retarded for any business. That's settled. Get insured or go flip burgers.

Equipment. Have to go blue here. Dillon is your brand. Learn it, love it, live it. For the type of loading you are doing, you will need volume but not primer pocket swaging. Get at least one Dillon 650 press with case feeder for each press. Get one set up for small primer and large primer. Then change out the other stuff for caliber changes. This will give you 800-1000 rounds per hour production. That's a good start. If you can't load at least 500,000 rounds annually, it will be a hard living, even as a part time retirement income source.

Then there's the FET or Federal Excise Tax (I don't care if it helps wildlife crap, it's retarded and a burden to my business and you end up paying the tax anyway because me and every other manufacturer rolls it into the cost of the ammunition). Tax is 11% on the sale price of ammunition you load. Exceptions are
Local (non-federal) law enforcement agencies
Department of Defense including the Coast Guard
Reloading customer brass

Hit up www.ttb.gov for more info. Basically if you buy brass, load it, and sell it as ammo, FET is due. If you sell to law enforcement other than federal or DOD, no tax due. If you reload customer brass and you ship it as ammo (no substituting your brass for their brass or replacing worn brass with your brass to make even count), no tax due. Tax on ammunition is 11%.

That's about it. The rest is on your own just like I learned the hard way. Give 'em hell!

The excise tax kind of impacts profit, and the ITAR registration and insurance definitely eliminates anyone thinking of a small-time operation.