CandRsenal
patreon
State of the Project
🕑 Added 2017-06-24 21:38:09 +0000 UTC All right gang it has been a busy few weeks and I'm sure you're all aware of the social media buzz in all directions. So let's go over just what the heck you've been funding.Just to recap we've been on 2 episodes of The Great War this week and had our friend Jeff at Taofledermaus rehost some shotgun footage to lure in new viewers. Hopefully some of you found us through either of those channels. We've also had a few articles link us through Guns.com and TFB, so it has been some good growth.
I've also leaked that we have an MP18,I in hand. This gun is currently non functioning with a welded bolt and barrel. But both are repairable and someone had the sense to register the disabled gun rather than cut the receiver decades ago. That means it IS transferable and currently remains the property of our executive producer, who has funded this side project himself. So stay tuned for more interesting Anvil work (and make sure to head over to that show's separate patreon to support his projects)
https://www.patreon.com/anvil/
We're pushing hard right now and sort of running at near-triple capacity because we have to get ahead of episodes AND write several additional scripts before November. This is because Marty Morgan of American Rifleman has invited us to a private machine gun shoot where we hope to check off at least 5 episodes in a frantic weekend of filming. After that we have a standing offer in Wisconsin to knock down another 5 or so more if things go right (they never do).
In addition, two more machine guns are coming our way for Mark to repair. We'll get to feature those as well in both Anvil and Primer.
This is were you guys become the only reason we could do the show. Last month was our best ever in terms of views on YouTube with hundreds of thousands pouring over the Lewis Gun and T-Gewehr live fire demonstrations. Still, we did not break $300 on ad revenue and we've even lost monetization on the Beretta episode over an Italian company claiming they own a song recorded by a man who died in 1921.
Meanwhile we need thousands of rounds of hand loaded specialty ammo, custom dies and brass in many cases, parts and labor on near-complete guns, and lots of shipping and insurance costs for loaners. Add in the occasional opportunistic purchase to round out an episode *cough*10.4mm Spanish top break*cough* and the need to maintain vehicles and gas in town, let alone sleeping 4 people for 3 nights after a 12 hour trip... well it gets messy.
I've dialed my "take-home" to less than $400 a month, which means I'm working just to cover my most basic bills and leaving the rest to expand the show as much as possible.
If this seems like a lot, understand that the MP18, Winchester 1907, Lever guns, and other exciting tidbits we're seeing now are the products of efforts started months ago using the funds you guys provided THEN (maybe 2/3rds of today's funding). We have run the budget to 0 every month in an effort to stockpile the rarest pieces and develop the hardest ammo. We can always make time to cover the more common (but still requested) US standard stuff and we will get there.
As always, thank you ALL and if you have any questions check in here for sure. I'm also considering some sort of community offering once in a while. If anyone has any ideas for a virtual get together once a month, let me know.
Comments
I know this has probably been thought of and rejected but have you thought of getting the original manufacturer to support his guns ? If carefully done to prevent greedy fingers you could even loan the next months weapon to supporter for advertising for them and , if I may , us . It would open up , in some cases ,
C&Rsenal
Thank you!
David Gummo
I love your guy's work, i'm excited enough about it i up'd my pledges to both you guys and anvil. If it can get this history preserved and documented, it is worth making more room in my budget. The production values are higher than what you find on many TV shows.
Bruce Brodnax
Duuuuuuuude! HOLD A RAFFLE where the winner gets to come out for a weekend of helping you guys produce range footage [& oh BTW, gets to fondle & fire some of the cool old guns in your collection.] And talk to Patreon about starting a "Jefferson Division" of $2/mo subscribers for those of us who're too broke to step up to the $5/mo level but are ready to grab our eagles & go freedoming w/ ol' Thom at double the $1/mo base level... Best o' luck, love your work!
C&Rsenal
It seems our 2 week show views are about 30,000 regulars now. Imagine if each just gave $1
C&Rsenal
You can set your own amount. $1 is the minimum
John R. Dorn
I thought Othais was looking a little thin in the last video. Can't have that! I double up my pledge for you guys and anvil. Granted it's now $2, but with 2 kids in college at the same time money is a little tight. Keep doing what your doing, it's great!
Sorin Cioriciu
man, i can't wait for the anvil show on that bergmann
Simon Tan
I hope you enjoy doing this as much as we enjoy watching it because you arent going to get rich off this. The actual content here far exceeds all the rubbish being produced by commercial channels and it would be great it fear and prejudice was not so rampant in big media.
I was surprised to see trfledermouse knew him and just wanted to warn you folks in advance . I am still new to civilian life and if I make a mistake please let me know. I think I put some thing else in the wrong place and I will try to move it . On another subject there was only space for a one dollar pledge is that right ?
Ron Johnson
I look forward to Mark's video on how he tackles at welded up gun.
C&Rsenal
I am completely confused as to why this has come up..
C&Rsenal
To each their own!
I can only warn you to stay far far away from Jörg Sprawe he was being investigated by the German authorities the last time I was there . You may think him funny but he is enormously strong and always trying to get stronger . Personally I won't be in the same town as him and that is no joke .
bryant autrey
why do people do stupid stuff like welding bolts shut?
Phillipthe2
Huh. I've been following Jeff (aka Taofledermaus) on Tube for years now, but up until his shot v grenade episode had no idea that he followed ya'll as well. Jeff, C&R, and Great War are by far my favorite channels on the infotainmentwebnet. Try as I might, I can't seem to get the wife and teenager interested in either/all...too much history and not enough cute puppies and/or chick fights for me, me, me generation.
C&Rsenal
Wouldn't be anything like C&Rsenal without it.
C&Rsenal
Not sure yet, will be next year
Thanks for the detailed update. Very much looking forward to all of the guns mentioned!
Primal Tempest
What part of Wisconsin are you guys stopping by?
Brett
I'm super excited to hear that you guys have got your hands on an MP18. Can't wait to see how that turns out. Also, it sucks how terrible YouTube's monetization/copyright policies are. I'm just glad we have this avenue to support the channel.
C&Rsenal
Well, we're not going to leave even small money on the table since this is a BIG project. But we've never relied on YouTube as our primary funding. Good thing!
C&Rsenal
When we travel we try to make time to have an evening free for a meet and eat.
Bruce Stein
Thanks for the update! Personally, as to virtual get togetherness, I'm just as happy to see you guys continue to march (and get some rest)---so don't worry about me (or, I hope, other patrons). Just keep up the good work. And YouTube seems to be destroying its own creators. Karl and Ian, as I'm sure you know, have demonetized all their videos in an attempt to escape the YouTube controls by relying on Patreon. If this works, it may be the way forward for other sites, including, perhaps, yours.
Ethereal
If you're coming to Wisconsin,will you be available for public access?
