Not to happy

[bigngreen]

Right now $550 is probably average, LRI will come in a little lower SAC a little more but over all if you having someone who is brick and mortar full service that what it is, you can save some coin by finding someone in a garage with less over head, maybe!

 

[Rhett Crider]

Smith I use in Hempstead. Great work but usually 6 months out. Note upcharge for Blaser R8 or R93 muzzle threading. Also thread protector.

 

[jpfrog]

Right now $550 is probably average, LRI will come in a little lower SAC a little more but over all if you having someone who is brick and mortar full service that what it is, you can save some coin by finding someone in a garage with less over head, maybe!

Honest question- $550 to chamber and thread 1 barrel? My smith has always been more fair than the rest of the country when I take things to him…but that is a price I would think normal if I wasn't supplying the barrel and I was getting that from him (depending on the price of the blank)

 

[bigngreen]

Honest question- $550 to chamber and thread 1 barrel? My smith has always been more fair than the rest of the country when I take things to him…but that is a price I would think normal if I wasn't supplying the barrel and I was getting that from him (depending on the price of the blank)

Yes, fit and and chambered, muzzle threaded and barrel marked by someone making a living, paying equipment cost that will stand behind the work and pays insurance. If I was paying a lot less I'd really question where all the money saving was happening!!

I would challenge you on the use of the words "more fair". If you use a guy who is just putting extra money in his pocket not trying to run a business based on this then your not comparing honestly to someone trying to make a living at it.

A steel barrel blank is running about $350ish average for decent quality that means your getting a chambered and muzzle threaded barrel for $200 so he's probably pocketing about $50-75 an hour. Decent if you figure zero costs but there are only a few ways to do that in the real world.

 

[338 dude]

Yes, fit and and chambered, muzzle threaded and barrel marked by someone making a living, paying equipment cost that will stand behind the work and pays insurance. If I was paying a lot less I'd really question where all the money saving was happening!!

I would challenge you on the use of the words "more fair". If you use a guy who is just putting extra money in his pocket not trying to run a business based on this then your not comparing honestly to someone trying to make a living at it.

A steel barrel blank is running about $350ish average for decent quality that means your getting a chambered and muzzle threaded barrel for $200 so he's probably pocketing about $50-75 an hour. Decent if you figure zero costs but there are only a few ways to do that in the real world.

OP supplied actions and barrels

 

[tobnpr]

that means your getting a chambered and muzzle threaded barrel for $200 so he's probably pocketing about $50-75 an hour.

You misread the post. Labor only, $600 per barrel.
Compared to what I charge ($325 + $100 muzzle thread) it's considerably higher. When threading the muzzle as part of the barrel fitting process (as opposed to someone sending it for threading "standalone") I drop it to $75. I've got to dial in the muzzle anyway just to crown it.

This is why I NEVER...I'll repeat...NEVER take in work without emails documenting scope of work and firm pricing if at all possible.
At the very least, I provide a range of cost with a "cannot exceed" cap. That's just good business far as I'm concerned.

Bottom line is, any smith is entitled to charge whatever they want for their work, this is 'Merica, right?
You've got high-tech large shops, with significant overhead and six figure CNC's they gotta pay for.
At the other end, you've got retired or semi-retired smiths that do excellent work, and are happy with a small clientele.

I've seen sh** work, and beautiful work, turned out by both. At the end of the day, the indicators don't lie.

 

[jpfrog]

Yes, fit and and chambered, muzzle threaded and barrel marked by someone making a living, paying equipment cost that will stand behind the work and pays insurance. If I was paying a lot less I'd really question where all the money saving was happening!!

I would challenge you on the use of the words "more fair". If you use a guy who is just putting extra money in his pocket not trying to run a business based on this then your not comparing honestly to someone trying to make a living at it.

A steel barrel blank is running about $350ish average for decent quality that means your getting a chambered and muzzle threaded barrel for $200 so he's probably pocketing about $50-75 an hour. Decent if you figure zero costs but there are only a few ways to do that in the real world.

Thank you- much appreciated reply! I get all that you have outlined as far as equipment cost, etc., which is why I said "honest question." But OP is supplying the barrel. I say "more fair" simply as an expression (perhaps incorrectly) because my smith for the last 15 years or so has always been below what I think he could be charging, and I've told him so. He enjoys the work and doesn't advertise, and only deals with people he already has done work for in the past, so I suppose he doesn't mind being below the cost of other places.

That said, 550-600 is hard for me to swallow for a chamber/thread of a barrel that the OP supplied. I suppose if you're so busy you have a 12 month waiting list, you can charge whatever and people will likely pay it, but it seems steep. I'm very glad to have my smith- his rifles have produced groups for me in the .1xx range, and I'm not even a good shot, haha! And, he is generous with his time and teaching me how to do chambering/threading/action truing, so that I can tinker on my own for fun with the lathe he just helped me track down and buy.

 

[codyadams]

Straitjacket armory chambers, threads, installs, and does muzzle threads for $450/barrel, and it's done by either Nick or Trystan, not some high schooler pushing buttons on their CNC machines. They do great work, I have watched their process on a barrel as I live 30 minutes from them. They are good people and stand behind their work. $600 per barrel for just labor seems pretty dang steep. If it was top of the line work, from a very, very talented Smith I could maybe, MAYBE see it. But I know the quality I get for $450 from Nick or Trystan, personally I wouldn't ever pay that much.

 

[bigngreen]

You misread the post. Labor only, $600 per barrel.

Re read what I was responding to, you read too fast!

 

[waspocrew]

Deep South Tactical chambered and threaded muzzle on my Zeus pre-fit for $300. Outstanding work and great company to deal with. Will be sending more work their way for sure.

 

[FEENIX]

Sent 2 barrels and 2 actions off to a shop and I got a invoice at 600 for each chambering and muzzle threaded $1250.00 shipped for 2 barrels chambered and shipping. I may ask them to just mail it all back. What do y'all think?

Did you ask ahead for the cost before sending your barrel, so there are no surprises? I have a go-to gunsmith since 2003, and I still ask him; I do not like surprises, esp. when it comes to unexpected costs.

 

[lancetkenyon]

I agree with getting the price BEFORE sending parts.
On that note,$600 does sound quite high for a chamber, fitting, and muzzle thread.
Maybe if you Cerakoted and/or Nitrided action/barrel, plus a thread protector, and barrel lazer engraving.

My last rifle was $770, for chambering, barrel thread, time and install muzzle brake, Cerakote barrel/bottom metal, lazer engrave barrel, install trigger, and fully bed stock.

 

[RidgeTop]

Did you get a quote? Is there a published price list? What caliber, did they have to buy the reamers?
To me about $350 each plus shipping seems fair.

 

[Ken61]

Trueing the threads and all that included?