I have my new krieger barrel on the way and im curiouse of what it costs ro have it threaded,chambered.crowned,and mounted. This is my first build and the gunsmith in my area quoted 500 dollars wich sounded a little expensive, but i could be wrong. Looking for a gunsmith any recomondations. Also need to know about the reamer i need to shoot 180 beeger vlds. My gun is a rem 700 long action that i want to do it in 7 mag. Any help is appreciaated.
barrel threading,chamber,and crown prices
- Thread starter harleybug
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bigngreen
Well-Known Member
For just a straight up barrel replacement 250 average but if you throw in any action work or inletting the new barrel to the stock or having to buy a custom reamer you'll run it up quick.
If you are sending him the new barrel and your rifle for a barrel replacement, that sounds reasonable.
stenger
Well-Known Member
A lot of times you get what you pay for! When selecting a a smith id be concerned about quality and not price.
I once paid 750 bucks for a chamber/ crown and timed brake install, but it's flawless and shoots lights out!!!
Best money spent
I once paid 750 bucks for a chamber/ crown and timed brake install, but it's flawless and shoots lights out!!!
Best money spent
J E Custom
Well-Known Member
+1
Fast work is normally cheaper. It takes time to do good work and some are faster than others but when a smith rushes it may not be his best work. So find a good smith that has a reputation for excellence and try to except his prices if you can.
I have seen lots of "Cheep" builds that everything that was agreed on was not done (Most of the time the blue printing was not done or tolerances were not tight).
Talk to a couple of smiths and if you can go buy and visit them and look at there operation. (That should help your confidence that his price is good for the work he does),
It is a case of you get what you pay for in most cases.
Just my opinion
J E CUSTOM
stenger
Well-Known Member
I've had to fix a few problems that you can tell were rushed or cheap. I won't fix another smiths mess ups anymore. Buy once cry once.
Example
I am doing a barrel for a guy and I told him exactly what to do and how to go about it because he wanted to order parts and mess with things. Well he tried to save a little money and did not listen (listening to internet gunsmiths) and now it might end up costing him a lot more.
I can't stress this enough there are gunsmiths. I am not a gunsmith ! Then there are what I call accuracy rifle smiths. Find yourself an accuracy smith! I have seen really bad work in the accuracy dept from general gunsmiths.
Good luck.
Example
I am doing a barrel for a guy and I told him exactly what to do and how to go about it because he wanted to order parts and mess with things. Well he tried to save a little money and did not listen (listening to internet gunsmiths) and now it might end up costing him a lot more.
I can't stress this enough there are gunsmiths. I am not a gunsmith ! Then there are what I call accuracy rifle smiths. Find yourself an accuracy smith! I have seen really bad work in the accuracy dept from general gunsmiths.
Good luck.
Rustystud
Well-Known Member
What is the hourly rate for gunsmith/machinist? I takes an experienced and set up gunsmith, 20-30 minutes to dial in a barrel at the chuck and at the spider or Gordy's method. It takes another 20 minutes to turn down a tenon. another 20 minutes to thread a tenon. Ten 10 minutes to counter bore. and 20 minutes to chamber, chamfer and polish. 5 minutes to check the headspace. 30 minutes to take the barrel out of the lathe, and cut an inch off it and return it to the lathe and dial in the muzzle and crown it. Then 30 minutes clean it and test fire it and another 20 inutes to engrave the Smith's name and caliber. The way I look at it you have 3 hours of pretty intense labor involved. Machine time and reamer and gauge cost.
Anything under $300.00 is a deal.
Nat Lambeth
Anything under $300.00 is a deal.
Nat Lambeth
shortgrass
Well-Known Member
+1 Yet there are guys out there that'll do it for $100 bill. Ya' gotta' wonder....
My neighbor used to do it very cheap, and he's good. Action blue printing and barrel threading/ chambering and mounting for $225.
Don't expect to find someone as good as he is for that cheap. It will probably be a disappointment.
My neighbor is out of Gunsmithing now due to his age and Pancriatic Cancer. The experience I got from him was rediculous! I don't do it for a job, but I build my own and have had some REALLY good ones to show for it!
He did my first build with me there alongside for every cut. I learned more about making a rifle shoot good in the first 8 hours along side him than I learned in my first 29 years of life before that.
Don't expect to find someone as good as he is for that cheap. It will probably be a disappointment.
My neighbor is out of Gunsmithing now due to his age and Pancriatic Cancer. The experience I got from him was rediculous! I don't do it for a job, but I build my own and have had some REALLY good ones to show for it!
He did my first build with me there alongside for every cut. I learned more about making a rifle shoot good in the first 8 hours along side him than I learned in my first 29 years of life before that.
specweldtom
Well-Known Member
I like the term "Accuracy 'Smith".
He may or may not have a pressure flush system for chambering. If not, it's a laborious process. A big chamber may take 8 hrs or so, involving pulling and cleaning the reamer and chamber 100 or more times. Small chambers might be 2 - 3 hrs, and 40 - 50 pull / cleans.
At any rate, I think that $500 is a fair price for a good job. If the action requires a cone breech and extractor cut, add ~ $100. Labor to install a brake could run from $50 for a concentric brake to $100 - $125 for a timed brake. both prices could include some tapering and barrel O.D. matching.
Any rebarrel should include test-firing and caliber marking. Add that to disassembly, set-up, machine time, headspacing and reassembly and it would be easy to have 20 hrs in it. About $25 / hr.
I've only done a few rebarrels for myself and my family, and have discovered that I'm slow, so I estimated these times from a statistically small number, knowing that it usually takes me longer than 20 hrs total time.
+1 on the pay once.
Good luck, Tom
He may or may not have a pressure flush system for chambering. If not, it's a laborious process. A big chamber may take 8 hrs or so, involving pulling and cleaning the reamer and chamber 100 or more times. Small chambers might be 2 - 3 hrs, and 40 - 50 pull / cleans.
At any rate, I think that $500 is a fair price for a good job. If the action requires a cone breech and extractor cut, add ~ $100. Labor to install a brake could run from $50 for a concentric brake to $100 - $125 for a timed brake. both prices could include some tapering and barrel O.D. matching.
Any rebarrel should include test-firing and caliber marking. Add that to disassembly, set-up, machine time, headspacing and reassembly and it would be easy to have 20 hrs in it. About $25 / hr.
I've only done a few rebarrels for myself and my family, and have discovered that I'm slow, so I estimated these times from a statistically small number, knowing that it usually takes me longer than 20 hrs total time.
+1 on the pay once.
Good luck, Tom
littlegunny22
Member
- Joined
- Jul 10, 2015
- Messages
- 13
I think everyone prior posted great advice. Smithing prices and how they are figured are going to vary based on each individual. Some charge by the hour and some by the job plus any additional tooling expenses. I would forget all that and ask yourself two questions. 1. Do I know the gunsmith that is going to do the work on my gun is going to give me the results I am looking for. ( this needs to be answered based on your prior experience or feedback from others that are knowledgeable on accurate rifles and what it takes to make them) the second question is easy. 2 How much are you willing to pay to get the desired results the first time and know that it's done right?
I have only been smithing professionally a few years now and have completed AGI's master gun smithing course, watched and studied most of Gordy's DVD's and applied his methods as well as having two good friends that are master machinists help teach me allot. I also have a lathe and tooling capable of producing great results and able to true a bore to 1-2/10,000 and less if I take more time. I have had excellent results and happy customers consequently I am able to charge a little more for action and chambering work because of this. I still have allot to learn and am constantly striving to improve in any area I can but already guys in my area know that I can build an accurate rifle or true a factory 700 to shoot pretty darn well. I still am charging standard or lower rates for other things that I can do but don't specialize in. Ask around and you will find a good smith that will do a great job or send it to Gordy. Also if you subscribe to Benchrest Central you can go on there and find out the names of guys that are winning on the bench rest circuit. Usually they list the name of the gunsmith that did the work. Hope that helps!
I have only been smithing professionally a few years now and have completed AGI's master gun smithing course, watched and studied most of Gordy's DVD's and applied his methods as well as having two good friends that are master machinists help teach me allot. I also have a lathe and tooling capable of producing great results and able to true a bore to 1-2/10,000 and less if I take more time. I have had excellent results and happy customers consequently I am able to charge a little more for action and chambering work because of this. I still have allot to learn and am constantly striving to improve in any area I can but already guys in my area know that I can build an accurate rifle or true a factory 700 to shoot pretty darn well. I still am charging standard or lower rates for other things that I can do but don't specialize in. Ask around and you will find a good smith that will do a great job or send it to Gordy. Also if you subscribe to Benchrest Central you can go on there and find out the names of guys that are winning on the bench rest circuit. Usually they list the name of the gunsmith that did the work. Hope that helps!
