Custom rifle cost going to the moon , when does it end ?

[Buck Fever]

For me, its not as much about the setup as it is my money mentality. I can't bring myself to blow $8k in one package, so what do I do? - Buy the components, spread out the expenditure over many paychecks, tricking my mind into thinking it's less irresponsible. It's stupid, I know, but I confess. Sure, its fun to build, but it's going down a rabbit hole.

If anyone ever wanted to torture me for some reason, all they would need to do is clamp my eyes open and force me to read an itemized list of what I've spent on my (still not finished) custom setup, including changes, selling components at a loss to upgrade, etc. . . . "N-o-o-o-o - I'll tell you anything - just don't show me the total!!! A-h-h-h!!

You need to learn to bite the bullet and go top shelf from the beginning. I dont skimp on anything beside optics and I do that because my upgrades have a trickle down. Eventually all of my rifles will wear nice scopes and my best will have top notch optics. Instead of taking a loss on good parts or scopes, I'm just rotating out the budget scope placeholders that were cheap to begin with.

 

[villagelightsmith]

It's their money, and they can throw it any way they want, as long as they don't come looking to me for more. In the meantime, Mom's old 4-digit M-70 30-Gov't-'06 will still shoot sub minute of moose, and it was paid for a long, long time ago.

 

[Buck Fever]

They're actually putting thought into them these days. The Axis still exists, but their other lines are far better than even a few years ago.

I like the Axis. I am putting together a dirt cheap custom based on one and the action turned out very nice.

 

[Buck Fever]

As for gunsmithing rates, $60 an hour should be enough, then add overhead in the shop, time on phone calls, tooling and materials, that could add another $20-30 an hour. If it is a big operation with HR, janitors and advertising budget, it could be more than that.

I won't say it's not justified but I dont want to pay the bill.

My latest rifle only requires torquing the barrel, installing the trigger and bolting it in to the chassis to have a "custom" rifle. That should be 1/2 hour of work.

I actually asked a fairly well known local Smith to quote a barrel job for my new action and chassis. Before he gave me any number, he said I should use a different action and stock. To be fair, I asked him about throat dimensions and what he would recommend for that but he wanted me to sign up for a full custom instead of a barrel job. I still don't know what that barrel job would cost because I realized there was no point working with him.

My alternative was to order a prefit from Lothar Walther and I'll torque it on myself. That barrel is about $650 with muzzle threads, no fluting and I think that was pretty cheap.

If I had started with a $350 barrel blank, I probably would have gone with a $500 barrel job if the local smith would have just quoted it and told me what he thought the throat length should be.

 

[bigngreen]

The going rate to put a barrel on is 200 to 250. The going rate for Piller bedding is 200 to 250. Doesn't matter what shop you go to. If someone is going to charge you more because you brought them all the parts that's not right. Go get the barrel put on at one smith and pay him and then take your barreled action to another and get it bedded. Cost 400 to 500. Or pay your smith 1000. I'm sure he welcomes the extra 500 dollar bonus. Or just because we tossed your build around bring it to me and I will do it for free. Only thing is you have to stay and watch me do it.
Shep

ONLY in the land of retired disability are those the going rates!! How out of touch with the business and cost are you!!

 

[Buck Fever]

In a lot of parts of this country, I think he is right on rates. In more urban areas it is higher due to overhead. If you are in an urban area and then look for a reputable gunsmith to ship it to, the shops with a good name charge more because they can so it makes those urban prices seem standard.

The real question is what kind of job will the average gunsmith in a more rural area do? I would say fine for most hunters and recreational shooters but most probably don't pay attention to barrel alignment and concentricity as much as a target shooter would like.

 

[adam32]

ONLY in the land of retired disability are those the going rates!! How out of touch with the business and cost are you!!

Kampfeld is $275 for a barrel install. Pretty close to $250.

 

[bigngreen]

I was and know a LOT of rural gunsmiths and builders and none charge those prices!!

You've got to be kidding me that you think being rural has ANYTHING to do with quality!!

 

[25WSM]

The most expensive I could find was 425. Even kelblys charge around 300. McGowan charges 205 to 230 for a bolt action. At 250 bucks I didn't feel like I'm giving away anything. I only charged veterans 125. Even though I closed my shop 1.5 years ago due to being a veteran and continued health problems I'm still very much up on what's going on. I still shoot compatition at several ranges. It takes me 3 hrs to chamber a barrel and crown it. My friend has a CNC and he can do one in 1 hr total time. Takes less than 5 minutes the get the shank done. Most big shops use CNC. 1 hour to do the job. I don't care what people want to pay from other places. This thread is about prices going to the moon. And some places have. But others haven't. Most guys asking for a barrel job price sees 550 to 600 dollars
for barrel and install and say the rifle didn't cost that much. Kelblys sells most of their prefits for around 600 bucks. 325 for barrel leaves 275. It is what it is.
Shep

 

[25WSM]

Kelblys is about as hodunk rural as it gets. Can't even find the place when the corn is up.
Shep

 

[bigngreen]

The most expensive I could find was 425. Even kelblys charge around 300. McGowan charges 205 to 230 for a bolt action. At 250 bucks I didn't feel like I'm giving away anything. I only charged veterans 125. Even though I closed my shop 1.5 years ago due to being a veteran and continued health problems I'm still very much up on what's going on. I still shoot compatition at several ranges. It takes me 3 hrs to chamber a barrel and crown it. My friend has a CNC and he can do one in 1 hr total time. Takes less than 5 minutes the get the shank done. Most big shops use CNC. 1 hour to do the job. I don't care what people want to pay from other places. This thread is about prices going to the moon. And some places have. But others haven't. Most guys asking for a barrel job price sees 550 to 600 dollars
for barrel and install and say the rifle didn't cost that much. Kelblys sells most of their prefits for around 600 bucks. 325 for barrel leaves 275. It is what it is.
Shep

Here a hunting rifle from Kelbly, same pricing as Gunwerks, are they ripping people of too?

https://www.kelbly.com/product/kelbly-light-weight-hunting-rifle-in-308-winchester/

 

[shortgrass]

It'll be an "ice cold day" when a 'outsider' can tell me what I should or should not be charging for my labor, for my work... This is still the good ol' U.S. of A., and I can charge what my clients are willing to pay me. If I charge too much, I will have less business. If I don't charge enough the only one I am 'cheating' is myself! It's called "Free Enterprise"! Rural or urban, it makes no difference, skilled labor is skilled labor. I can imagine a lot of the pre-fit barrel nut guys that seem to be doing all of the complaining in this thread are way over paid for what they really do to 'earn' a living............

 

[Coldfinger]

Exactly. I have dumped alot into shooting, scopes, always looking for something better. I realized why am I doing this. Buy two good rifles and scopes that cover 99 percent of game and dump the money into the hunts. You'll remember the hunts, not the rifles. As the topic, there are so many semi custom rifles you can buy for 1800-3000 that shoot exactly the same. The biggest thing is load development. Give me a 800 dollar Savage and I'll find a load that outshoots half the custom rifles out there shooting factory. But hey, people like nice things and I'm guilty myself.

Give me an $800 dollar savage and I'll use it for a boat anchor!! I'd need a boat to toss it from. Have had 3 savages all shot great dealt with customer service 1 time and will never buy another!!!!!!! They lost a customer over pennies.

 

[Coldfinger]

I just built my own custom hunting rifle. As a gunsmith I'm sort of like the guy that builds your street rod. My guns are always piece meal left overs but don't shoot against me with them because they all shoot awesome. Just like the street rod guys cars don't have paint jobs and have torn seats but they will kick your but in a Drag race. So my custom cost 700 for a Gunwerks action. 675 for a proof carbon barrel. 350 for a slightly used McMillan htg. But would cost around 550. A ptg bottom metal. 75 bucks. Mag box and follower 60 bucks. And a 200 dollar box and Andy trigger. So less than 2300 for parts. If I charged myself labor it would be 400 more. So 2700 for a full custom. 2500 because I used a stock I had bought for 350. So a full custom with carbon fiber barrel and McMillan stock great trigger custom action all for about half the price of what you see customs for. I just don't know they can charge another 2500 for the build. That's like 3000 dollars profit for less than 500 dollars of smithing. I charge my customers for the work I do. I charge 200 for a chamber job that includes finishing. 50 more if you want a break when I crown it. 200 for a full Piller bed. I'm not going to charge for putting a trigger in. I do that anyway. There really isn't to much more on a custom.
I couldn't sleep if I charged that much for a custom. There is just not 3000 dollars of work there. Period.
Shep

With labor price of $400 how long would it take to pay off a lathe, mill, cnc and all the other tools none of which are cheap. Plus building payments insurance and greedy old Uncle Sam slipping his bit out for the betterment of America! I use prefits and short chambered barrels for myself and after accuracy testing $400 for labor would seem low unless you have a waiting list and popping out several a day. Just my 2 pennies!!!