What Costs to Expect For Gunsmithing Services?

[Phil3]

I am trying to budget for a few rifle builds and need to get an idea of what to expect for gunsmithing services. I have checked around a bit, and they vary a lot. Maybe the quality does as well. For instance, one well regarded gunsmith (as best as I can tell), wants $340 to chamber the gun, another $125 to thread the muzzle end, another $125 I think to install a muzzle brake, action/bolt truing is $250, a new bolt knob is $115. Painting the entire gun is $250. Epoxy and pillar bed stock is $315. Are these kinds of costs about right, or...?

Phil

 

[potatoe]

I am trying to budget for a few rifle builds and need to get an idea of what to expect for gunsmithing services. I have checked around a bit, and they vary a lot. Maybe the quality does as well. For instance, one well regarded gunsmith (as best as I can tell), wants $340 to chamber the gun, another $125 to thread the muzzle end, another $125 I think to install a muzzle brake, action/bolt truing is $250, a new bolt knob is $115. Painting the entire gun is $250. Epoxy and pillar bed stock is $315. Are these kinds of costs about right, or...?

Phil

That chamber price is quite high. The highest I've paid is $250, normally around $200. $100 to thread for muzzle break, $50 will get you a good muzzle brake from Harrell's. Bolt fluter on here will get you a knob installed for like $75. The pillar bedding is quite high also, I'd say that should be $250 or less.

After you put all that extra $ into the action you would be better off getting a custom

 

[savagedasher]

Some at low . Unless he is doing the complete job on the gun. Larry

 

[potatoe]

Some at low . Unless he is doing the complete job on the gun. Larry

Whats that mean?

 

[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

 

[savagedasher]

Some at low . Unless he is doing the complete job on the gun. Larry

Whats that mean?

Painting a gun the cost of the paint is over $ 100.00 and very time consuming If he has the gun apart peeping for paint is easy. Larry

 

[potatoe]

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.

 

[Phil3]

I am trying to budget for a few rifle builds and need to get an idea of what to expect for gunsmithing services. I have checked around a bit, and they vary a lot. Maybe the quality does as well. For instance, one well regarded gunsmith (as best as I can tell), wants $340 to chamber the gun, another $125 to thread the muzzle end, another $125 I think to install a muzzle brake, action/bolt truing is $250, a new bolt knob is $115. Painting the entire gun is $250. Epoxy and pillar bed stock is $315. Are these kinds of costs about right, or...?

Phil

After you put all that extra $ into the action you would be better off getting a custom

Your point is very valid. Let me explain. First, the action is a Howa, which are inexpensive to start with. I got it at a good discount for less than $400 new. With the bolt handle upgrade ($115) and truing work ($250), I am at $765, quite a bit less than custom actions. Because of the Howa design, I do not need to worry about improving the recoil lug (built into the bottom of the flat bottomed receiver), nor an improved extractor (Howa comes with AR-15 style), which would cost more money if I had to do. And then I really would be looking at customs.

Secondly, in California, since January 1, 2014 I believe, all long guns are registered with the state upon purchase. No legal purchase can happen without this happening. I got the Howa before that date. If I move to a custom action now, the state will have a permanent record of that purchase and my ownership of it. No thanks.

I do want a really good job done. I am willing to pay for that, but do not want to overpay. I am not even sure I will do the action truing because I am just shooting at 100 yards and not sure of the benefit. I was also considering Straight Shot Gunsmithing, who seems to be a bit less that SAC.

 

[potatoe]

Ohhh, well then I hear bud, stick with what ya got. Here's a link to Bob Green's price list - I've used Bob on about a half dozen guns and he does very good work.

http://greensrifles.com/Services.html

Also look hard at a Harrell's brake, they are cheap and work well.

 

[hogpatrol]

You can have it Fast, Good or Cheap. Pick two.

 

[savagedasher]

Phil After you find the coast . The next question would be the time frame and references you can check Larry

 

[watercam]

The Howa actions are metric barrel threads which may contribute to a higher chamber/threading price as many recut the threads to something more standard (for future barrels). Not a thing wrong with them, very stout actions.

 

[BigBlueandGoldie]

I'm a big fan of Howa actions, but what you saved on the action you will lose on smithng costs. The fact of the matter is 99% of gunsmiths are tooled up and prefer to work on Remington actions. Any time they need to change their machine setups they pass the time costs onto the customer. At the end of the day you were probably better off buying a used custom.

With that said, Howa actions run really true out of the box so I don't know that I would bother having it trued. Paint can be done by yourself, as can the bedding. Or you can get a chassis system that doesn't require bedding. I personally like the factory Howa knob, so that's a taste thing. Your spec sheet is marquee, so you may need to raise your budget.

Whether it's a Howa, Remington, Savage, or Tikka, smithing costs money. Read up on people's reputations and decide for yourself if their pricing sounds congruent with their reputation.

 

[maxscm]

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

 

[Dans40X]

Spend a dollar more on your Howa & you won't be able to give it away next month.

Shoot it as is.

If you don't want your communist state that's full of illegal immigrants to be nosing around in your personal life-MOVE elsewhere.

 

[noload]

Ohhh, well then I hear bud, stick with what ya got. Here's a link to Bob Green's price list - I've used Bob on about a half dozen guns and he does very good work.

http://greensrifles.com/Services.html

I'll second.... Bob Green
He has a Price list on his site...

 

[Gabe22BR]

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

Far from it... No service !!

 

[Greyman]

Just an FYI it doesn't matter when you bought that gun it is already registered with the State of Jacked up California, unless you bought from a private seller which is also a no no there for a longtime now. That is one of many reasons I left.

 

[Phil3]

Just an FYI it doesn't matter when you bought that gun it is already registered with the State of Jacked up California, unless you bought from a private seller which is also a no no there for a longtime now. That is one of many reasons I left.

Please see the first post in http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=856370. And...
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2013/12/27/shoppers-stock-up-on-rifles-shotguns-before-california-long-gun-registry-begins/
The bill itself is here. http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201120120AB809

 

[Phil3]

Spend a dollar more on your Howa & you won't be able to give it away next month.

Shoot it as is.

If you don't want your communist state that's full of illegal immigrants to be nosing around in your personal life-MOVE elsewhere.

You say I won't be able to give it (Howa) away in a month. Who said I wanted to get rid of it? I bought it to KEEP it!

Can't shoot it as is, as it is just a barreled action that Howa sells. My investment so far in the Howa is less than $400, plus tax, DROS, etc.

"MOVE elsewhere". How many times do I have to hear this? Of course I want to do that, but circumstances prevent. I won't detail all the reasons why, but hope to be out of this hell-hole within 10 years, hopefully less. And "communist state that's full of illegal immigrants". Man, you are being waaaaay too kind.

Phil