What Costs to Expect For Gunsmithing Services?

[Phil3]

Just Buy a Cooper Rifle.
Shoots excellent.
Holds it's resell value.
No waiting.
Buy it and go shooting.

Thanks, and I had looked at those, but not my kind of style. They appear to be well made. A friend has one, but was unnerved when he pointed gun skywards and the open bolt slid out of the action hitting the pavement. Gotta believe that was a rare exception. I hope so.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

If you like cooper youll love dakotas. Fine wood, actual good triggers (mine has a jewell from the factory) and a test target fired with multiple loads at a believable distance not a sham

 

[potatoe]

Dang Dusty he said "budget"

 

[Dusty Stevens]

It was already derailed when they tried to tell my man to just simply move over his howa getting barreled.

 

[Kakumba]

I am guessing this is Short Action Customs, who are well regarded. But, as you have seen, they arent the cheapest around. The question is, how much is it worth to you, to have peace of mind that you are going to get a really good job done? Their prices are in line with other well known, bigger shops, like GA Precision, or Kelblys, last I looked

Larger shops or a TM'd name doesn't make you the best (many times far from it) . They will have more overhead to run these types of shops so thats probably where the extra $ goes. Heck the last chamber job I had Dwight Scott do was only $175. Personally I'll stick with the one man shops with decades of experience and their name sake being stamped on the side of the barrel.

Very true, and I didnt mean to imply that a big name guarantees good work. As you say, some of the very best rifles around are built by a small, often single person, shop. Where that one person will take care of every aspect, and make sure that everything is absolutely perfect.

But if I were choosing between a random local gunsmith whose work is unknown, and a shop that has a reputation for good work, then its a different story.

 

[KennyE]

Potatoe hit the nail on the head. I've been down this road a few times. I find Bob Green to be as straight as they come he's done a couple for me, the price is fair, they look good, and shoot even better. Good luck! Kenny

 

[Ledd Slinger]

My gunsmith charges me $150 to chamber AND crown a barrel. Its an extra $50 to true the action and lap the bolt lugs while he has everything apart. So $200 for chamber, crown, and action truing.

Threading barrel for a brake, contouring the brake to the barrel, indexing the brake, and bead blast finish on the brake... $35.

If I bring h a barrel blank and want it contoured...any contour, $40.

Sounds like the work might be shady at those prices to most I'm sure, but he has built me 6 or 7 rifles now and every single one is extremely accurate. The last hunting rifle he built me will easily shoot 3/4" groups at 300 yards. Nothing shady about that

 

[swd]

Some guys have incomes from other occupations and only work for beer and gas money and others actually have to make a living. Some gunsmiths live where you can buy a house for 60K others live places where 300K doesn't get you much. As long as their work is good don't ding a guy for having a decent standard of living in the area he lives.

 

[Phil3]

So true! I don't live in Silicon Valley, but work right in the heart of it, and no house is under $1,000 a square foot, most being around $1,300 or more. A Silicon Valley gunsmith would have to be charging a pretty penny unless his circumstances were unusual.

Phil

 

[Dans40X]

Stock your Howa & shoot it.
Reload for it.

The mendacious politicians are trying to price you out of the shooting sports game!

 

[Caleb85]

Heck, I think the last stiller I bought was $870 out the door.

 

[BigBlueandGoldie]

Heck, I think the last stiller I bought was $870 out the door.

Yeah, it doesn't make sense to start out with a factory action if you plan on truing, adding a bolt release, fluting the bolt, adding a bolt knob, bushing the firing pin, changing the extractor, changing/pinning the recoil lug, opening up the base holes, etc. They will shoot as good as a custom action, but the resale will be pennys on the dollar. A custom can be had for $1,000 from Pierce, Stiller, and others.

 

[DickE]

I am quite familiar with Nathan Dagley at Straight Shot Gunsmithing. He is a real gem of a guy, quite busy, but I would advise you to give him a call.
If it isn't perfect, it doesn't go out the door, Elizabeth, his wife does the final inspections, and doesn't let anything go out the door that isn't right. I am sure if you asked for references, Nathan could give you scores of recommendations, as can Donovan Moran, a well respected member of this forum. He does everything himself, and is quite innovative with tooling and CNC, to manual equipment.
I only post here because of your mention in your OP, I highly recommend him.