Simón Samaniego started an online gun silencer store aimed at hunters.
A Chesterfield startup wants to muzzle Virginia hunters – but only to help them shoot better.
Simón Samaniego III launched Hunter’s Dream Silencers last month, an online retailer that specializes in silencers and some firearms.
Samaniego, 64, said he hopes to attract people who prefer to hunt on private land.
“My niche is to appeal to people from the standpoint that I got probably the best silencer on the market, and you can go out quietly and not have a loud footprint,” Samaniego said.
Samaniego said a quieter shot means animals are less likely to scatter after a shot is fired, and landowners don’t have to deal with as much noise.
“The most overlooked benefit of a silencer is the accuracy,” Samaniego said. “It’s an extension of the barrel and makes (the bullet) fly true.”
Another benefit for Samaniego is the profit margins for silencers. His products start at $695 and can cost as much as $2,000. Samaniego buys inventory from South Dakota-based Dakota Silencers.
“Silencers have a much better markup than selling firearms,” Samaniego said.
Startup costs for the business ran about $4,000, Samaniego said. He’s keeping on-hand inventory low starting out, both to keep costs down and to avoid attracting unwanted attention, he said.
Samaniego said he bought his first gun in 1990, a Colt 45. Two years ago, he bought his first hunting rifle, an AR-15. At his day job as a bank security guard he wields a .38 revolver. He said he enjoys hunting wild pigs for their meat.
In launching Hunter’s Dream Silenncers, Samaniego said he had been searching for a career in something tied to national and self-defense.
“I wanted to do something that was personally satisfying to me in terms of my security consciousness,” Samaniego said.
Simón Samaniego
While studying for an online master’s degree in digital forensics and cyber investigation, Samaniego came across an ad for FFL123.com, a website that offers help with the firearms dealer application process.
“I came across Brandon’s ad,” Samaniego said, referring to FFL123’s owner Brandon Maddox, who also owns Dakota Silencers. “I thought, ‘Why not get your federal firearm’s license?’”
Samaniego began the firearms and Class 3 dealer licensing process in October 2013. Samaniego’s website advertises a handful of different silencers and two kinds of rifles.
To buy something from Samaniego’s site, customers pay up front and undergo a background check that involves fingerprints and a photo. The process can take between three weeks and three months. Once customers get cleared, they can either have the product mailed to them or pick it up at Hunter’s headquarters. A pickup requires an additional security step.
“Nine times out of 10, people know whether they can buy something or not,” Samaniego said of the background checks.
Samaniego still works as a security guard but hopes to make Hunter’s Dream Silencers a full-time job.
Still in its first month, the retailer has yet to close its first sale. To get the word out about Hunter’s, Samaniego is relying on search engine optimization and getting on popular firearms websites.
“You have to be known, and it takes a while to be known,” Samaniego said. “It’s a difficult market, but it’s a loyal one once you get established.”
Simón Samaniego started an online gun silencer store aimed at hunters.
A Chesterfield startup wants to muzzle Virginia hunters – but only to help them shoot better.
Simón Samaniego III launched Hunter’s Dream Silencers last month, an online retailer that specializes in silencers and some firearms.
Samaniego, 64, said he hopes to attract people who prefer to hunt on private land.
“My niche is to appeal to people from the standpoint that I got probably the best silencer on the market, and you can go out quietly and not have a loud footprint,” Samaniego said.
Samaniego said a quieter shot means animals are less likely to scatter after a shot is fired, and landowners don’t have to deal with as much noise.
“The most overlooked benefit of a silencer is the accuracy,” Samaniego said. “It’s an extension of the barrel and makes (the bullet) fly true.”
Another benefit for Samaniego is the profit margins for silencers. His products start at $695 and can cost as much as $2,000. Samaniego buys inventory from South Dakota-based Dakota Silencers.
“Silencers have a much better markup than selling firearms,” Samaniego said.
Startup costs for the business ran about $4,000, Samaniego said. He’s keeping on-hand inventory low starting out, both to keep costs down and to avoid attracting unwanted attention, he said.
Samaniego said he bought his first gun in 1990, a Colt 45. Two years ago, he bought his first hunting rifle, an AR-15. At his day job as a bank security guard he wields a .38 revolver. He said he enjoys hunting wild pigs for their meat.
In launching Hunter’s Dream Silenncers, Samaniego said he had been searching for a career in something tied to national and self-defense.
“I wanted to do something that was personally satisfying to me in terms of my security consciousness,” Samaniego said.
Simón Samaniego
While studying for an online master’s degree in digital forensics and cyber investigation, Samaniego came across an ad for FFL123.com, a website that offers help with the firearms dealer application process.
“I came across Brandon’s ad,” Samaniego said, referring to FFL123’s owner Brandon Maddox, who also owns Dakota Silencers. “I thought, ‘Why not get your federal firearm’s license?’”
Samaniego began the firearms and Class 3 dealer licensing process in October 2013. Samaniego’s website advertises a handful of different silencers and two kinds of rifles.
To buy something from Samaniego’s site, customers pay up front and undergo a background check that involves fingerprints and a photo. The process can take between three weeks and three months. Once customers get cleared, they can either have the product mailed to them or pick it up at Hunter’s headquarters. A pickup requires an additional security step.
“Nine times out of 10, people know whether they can buy something or not,” Samaniego said of the background checks.
Samaniego still works as a security guard but hopes to make Hunter’s Dream Silencers a full-time job.
Still in its first month, the retailer has yet to close its first sale. To get the word out about Hunter’s, Samaniego is relying on search engine optimization and getting on popular firearms websites.
“You have to be known, and it takes a while to be known,” Samaniego said. “It’s a difficult market, but it’s a loyal one once you get established.”