Re: why no cheap mag bottom metal??????
Believe me, i have tried to figure out a cheap mag solution. Lets say i wanted to make a mag like AI's. Im not into copy'n anyone else if you haven't noticed, but it will make a good example.
Engineering time- Assuming i worked a solid 6 months on my WSM mag x 40$/hr (that's cheap Engineering time BTW and it took me longer than that)
6 months, 693 hours = $41,600
Tooling costs for volume production $45,000 (no shit, this is average quote i got on my mag's)
Total $86600.00 + for the first part
Add in the hard cost of the mag's i was quoted around 18$/mag body at 1000 minimum orders. (material, inspection, assembly, spring, follower, packaging, time dealing with customers) probably ????? another 20$ depending on overhead costs. Real cost about 38$. Now add in your profit margin because no one works free for long. Remember, price scale needs to include Distributor price , then dealers price, then retail because everyone that touches it wants their cut.
Now, explain to me how i make a mag and sell it for 10$ or even 20?????
Answer,
you make 10's of 100,000,000's of them and your price will go way down (AR15 mag's) OR you are supplemented by the government (china) so you can steal the work from the USA and pay your employees 3 fish heads a day.
There are always cheaper ways to produce a quality product, but your startup cost goes up because it takes more time (sometimes way too long for the benefit of cost). If you want it fast and cheap, the quality will be crap because you get what you pay for. If you want it fast with good quality the cost goes up. There are always 3 sides, Cost, Quality and Time. Its a fine balancing act to actually achieve your goal and sometimes it is un-realistic.
Hope this helps..