agreed on the background

and some of the pics look like a soft focus or out of focus just a bit (viewing on a laptop, and yes I have my glasses on)


you have your list of services on the main page, and on the services page,
not sure they belong on the mail page

I like the colors used.

To me the suppressor alignment video had a very nice pace to it. I knew nothing about this topic but was able to follow along.

The reloading video was interesting and, again, well paced.

The HomeAboutContactServicesBlogFAQTestamonials all run together on my iPad.

Perhaps move the phone number on the home page to the black box on the top of the page

Possibly change the wording on the Blog links from Know More to simply More

Best wishes!

Silent

Assume you don’t have a retail shop location ? Because I wouldn’t be keen to have my home address anywhere on there. Then if you need to have people send you a firearm after email and phone conversation, you send them the physical shipping address. Also your hosting site in general. Whatever website is in the address box is not tonybenm14.com.

When time and success allow maybe re-film the m14 series of videos, the audio on a few is challenging. And get rid of YouTube if you can.

Best of luck to you I have used your videos to re-install and align my GI NM flash hider and front sight on a vintage M1a rifle I bought where those parts are not allowed by mere mortals. Thankfully the dealer gave me the parts in a bag. Had to invest in castle but pliers first.

I'll have my address removed.

Tony.

Benny, I know you served in the US Marine Corp. If you worked as a Armorer in the Corp, your site should reflect that. Do you recall Roland Beaver of Old Corp Weaponry? It's Honorable mention and guys who have Garands, M1As and ARs respect that. Just thought to point that out sir.

High Power shooters like to see a variety of woods offered for stock and hand guards. Roland Beaver offered all the common woods, some in over size and the very stable laminated stocks. Add stock woods to your site.

It is a great start, but you have to finish it. You know that, but I know it is easy to let other things get in the way.

I'll add the USMC logo somewhere on the page. I was a 6323, CH-53E avionics technician in the USMC. I was not an armorer.

It's going through changes. I'm typing up an "About Us" page today and I had the iron sight colors on my logo changed from green to black. We also changed the header colors to OD Green instead of forest green. I'm also removing my home address from the site.

I'm also having the main page header changed from tonybenm14.com to TonyBen, LLC and will add the slogan "Building quality rifles since 2016".

I'll post the "About us" here for review.

Tony.

Let me know what you think of this for an "about us" page.

About Us

Welcome to TonyBen, LLC!

My name is Tony Benavides. I began my professional career in 1991 when I joined the US Marines and became an avionics technician on CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters. I served as aircrew and a door gunner, deploying with the 15th MEU in 1994 and the 13th MEU in 1996. I served for nine years, total, before leaving for the private sector where I was initially employed in the semiconductor industry working in computer chip factories in Hillsboro for the next seven years. I then took a job working in laser and optics where I remained for the next fifteen years as an engineering technician working in the research and development.

While I have always been passionate about firearms, I got into M14’s around 2007. I joined the M14 forum and was instantly captivated by the platform. I collected parts and eventually had Ted Brown build my first rifle off a LRB M14SA receiver.

I read everything I could about the M14 and eventually started writing tutorials/pictorials for other owners. I eventually got a video camera and in 2011, using information I gleaned from military NM armorers and seasoned M14 builders, I began filming and posting “How To” videos on YouTube. Since posting my first video, I have built the only exhaustive M14 “How To” video library on the internet. My content spans from basic disassembly to maintenance and care, and even covers advanced gunsmithing topics, such as M14 rifle building, chamber cutting and bedding.

This exhaustive library had eventually earned me the reputation of “the M14 expert” and my tutorials are constantly touted as essential viewing for anyone wanting to learn how to maintain their M14 variant rifles.

In March of 2015 I built my first M14 off a LRB M25 receiver and documented everything on video. Shortly after, people asked me to do work on their rifles. After much thought, I obtained my federal firearms license, and in 2016 I officially began working part-time on and building and modifying customer rifles.

Since then, I have continuously purchased more and more machinery, tools, and equipment to expand my work on M14’s and M1 Garands, as well as other common platforms, like the AR-15 family of rifles, the Remington 700, the Savage-110 series and the Winchester Model 70.

I have built many M14-variant rifles in that time, including standard wood stocked rifles, lugged and double-lugged rifles in McMillan stocks, EBR's and other chassis system based rifles.

In 2022 I quit my laser and optics job, left Oregon and relocated to Auburndale, Florida where I have currently resumed operations and am now gunsmithing and building full-time.

Thank you for visiting my site. I look forward to doing business with you.

-Tony.

Do you blueprint your bolt guns ? Or is that level of accuracy outside your target market ? But I don't know if that type of work is normally done on the other guns you specialize in. In your case I'm not sure why you would mess with Savage bolt guns if you're specializing in those other special guns. If you don't blueprint Savage bolt guns there are lots of specialists who do that, so I'm not sure why you would compete with those guys in particular (specialists blueprinting lots of different bolt guns vice "just" Savage bolt guns).

You might look at other sites with similar business models, and use what you like, and avoid what you don't think works for your own site.

quote:

In 2022 I quit my laser and optics job, left Oregon and relocated to Auburndale, Florida where I have currently resumed operations and am now gunsmithing and building full-time.

This is what I would write, instead: "Originally operating out of Oregon, I relocated to Auburndale, Florida in 2022, where I currently operate and am now gunsmithing and building full-time."

That part about "quitting" is a negative, whether you meant it or not. The About Us page should always be positive.

I don't blueprint Remingtons or Savages at the moment, but it's in my plans of expansion. With newer high end receivers, like Defiance or ARC, I'm not sure how common blueprinting is these days.

I do barrel changes and pillar bedding jobs on those rifles right now.

Other services I plan on offering in the future include action blueprinting and barrel threading.

Tony.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:

quote:

In 2022 I quit my laser and optics job, left Oregon and relocated to Auburndale, Florida where I have currently resumed operations and am now gunsmithing and building full-time.

This is what I would write, instead: "Originally operating out of Oregon, I relocated to Auburndale, Florida in 2022, where I currently operate and am now gunsmithing and building full-time."

That part about "quitting" is a negative, whether you meant it or not. The About Us page should always be positive.

Noted!

Yes sir, I like the About us page. Along the way Tony, you should have a small stock of M14 magazines, enblocs for Garand, MRT and GI canvas slings, sight protectors, MT chamber flags, all things extra you might offer to Customers. Maybe someday, work up a 1903 or a A3 for your site. Don't forget the little carbine. Heck, buy Anniston... .

quote:

Originally posted by benny6:
I don't blueprint Remingtons or Savages at the moment, but it's in my plans of expansion. With newer high end receivers, like Defiance or ARC, I'm not sure how common blueprinting is these days.

I do barrel changes and pillar bedding jobs on those rifles right now.

Other services I plan on offering in the future include action blueprinting and barrel threading.

Tony.

Good point, you would know more than I. I heard the same thing years ago, that if you buy a super high quality action, it's already bluprinted because the high quality of cnc machining. Nice job on your website so far.

NOTE: This is my opinion only. I am not suggesting to scrap the site at all. Your web development effort may very well had bigger considerations than my suggestions. The important thing is you now have a very good web presence with your new site upgrade.

Pretty well laid out, pleasing color scheme (not too harsh), pretty good flow, smooth transitions to selection by no abrupt visual changes, a good user experience, but...

* (and this is a big one) How do I give you my money? I looked in services and saw your prices but I still didn't know how to do that from the content I saw. (Actually I did but it wasn't obvious) The number one rule is the fewer clicks on how to give my money to you the better.

* The home page is nice and attention grabbing. I did have to scroll down to see what services you actually do. I didn't notice until after browsing ( and nit picking ) that they are identical to the services menu option. Possibly consider placing the services "over the top of" the home page artwork so they are noticed immediately. (I'm no user interface engineer but that was recommended for the web site of company I work for)

* Possibly add a link on each of Services (no matter where you display that) to give a bit more detail on what is involved with the service in the "Services" menu option. Definitely let me know how I can take advantage of your services. I might not have time to call right now and I may forget what I was looking at today. My M14 work maybe something I was just thinking about doing and your site caught my eye. That thought may be moved off of the top of my list 1 hour from now.

* Typically the "About" menu option should be to the right. It is usually one of the things the typical web surfer looks at AFTER you have got their attention.

* Put some fake FAQ questions. Not really fake but if I had to guess you get a lot of the same questions when you answer the phone. If you do put them there.

* You've got some REALLY good stuff in the blog section. Would this be better titled as "DIY" ? Maybe, maybe not. Depends on if you plan to do some editorials.

* Maybe give a bit more description on how you are affiliated with the industries in the "Industry Affiliates" menu option.

quote:

Originally posted by benny6:
Thanks! We'll make changes in the coming days. I'm noting everything you're pointing out.

Tony.

Everything still looks good Tony.
Simple and easy to navigate.

quote:

"Originally out of Oregon, relocated the facilities to Auburndale, Florida in 2022"

The previous was a vast improvement, but prefer to remove I, Me, from anything written as much as possible and simplify the text for internet and why tell everyone you were part time before, no need

This message has been edited. Last edited by: HRK,

The display of items for the mobile site (devices other than desktop) needs to be reorganized… as it is, it’s a bit jumbled in relevance/hierarchy.

Hero should appear on top, that’s the rotating image banner or, header and is generally used to grab enduaers attention, images should be pique a visitors interest, generally the first shot in developing interest in you product.

Remember, most people will be accessing your site from a handheld device.


Ipsum Lorem is ok for development purposes but should never appear on a production, forward facing website and should not have GA or GTM Tags enabled.
Google Alytics/tag manager.

This will detract from search engine rankings.


Note on Cookies data collection etc.
Also, cookie wise, don’t collect information that you do not use/need for the development of your online presence and continued delivery of optimized content to end users.

I see this all too often and unless you are willing to put the time in to analyze this data it’s intrusive.


I digress.

All the best
Billy