Talk about an impressive milestone

[RayOdder]

According Jesse at Extreme Velocity, The extrusion die for the Phantom frame has finally worn out from use, so once the current inventory is all gone, the next batch of frames with be made on CNC machines.

[Have Blue]

Well dang, Jesse had mentioned that they were going to a billet made frame - he didn't note that it was due to the die itself getting worn out! That by itself is a hallmark, as the frame has been the serial numbered part.

I don't know when Mike started numbering trigger frames, as the original original Phantoms used Crosman frames, but let's say he started making his own frames at serial #1000. Last I knew, frames were in the 44k range (and likely higher at this point). We'll say there's 43k Phantom phrames that have been manuphactured. We'll be generous (or perhaps realistic, depending on your appraisal of shop operations) and say that each frame takes 1 inch of extrusion.

So, at a rough guesstimate, that trooper of an extrusion die has pooped out far over half a mile of aluminum. Imagine that. Stacked side-by-side, St. Casady's progeny over the decades would be able to nearly line each side of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington DC.

[RAZRBAKK]

I don't know anything about manufacturing, but this sounds like it's just going to drive the new phantom price even higher.

[Ecapnation]

Yes and no..... The current cost for custom extrusion is astronomical. Last quote I had the scope of cost to the customer would id required them comiting to about 2 miles of extrusion to off set die costs

[SignOfZeta]

I don't know anything about manufacturing, but this sounds like it's just going to drive the new phantom price even higher.

That was my first thought too but these days small run CNC isn’t as expensive as it used to be and the old version frame certainly needed a decent amount of machining itself beyond the basic shape so it may even out…or close to it.

If The Phantom was going being around for 30 more years/41,000 more guns a new die would be worth it but there is zero chance we’ll see that. It’s much more niche and expensive now and it’s going to stay like that for the rest of its days. It’s not 1992 anymore. Now most kids starting out just by semi auto Chinese garbage and simply don’t get why anyone would pay more for a pump. There is nothing to be gained trying to match the old price of $200-250 for a complete gun.