Target Sports

How much would you charge?

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  • Bearkat

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    I'm really interested to know what folks think a gunsmith's time/labor is worth. Imagine that you are the gunsmith and a customer came into your shop and asked you to make a scope/battery cap, how much would you charge to make it? It has .7 metric threads at 36 tpi. You have to regrind your cutting tool 3 times into 3 different shapes to accomplish the operation.
    20230121_150629.jpg
     

    Duckyou

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    I would use 3 different cutting tools so that I did not have to regrind them in the middle of a job.
     

    nwfdub

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    Last time I priced machine work it's $60 or $100 per hour. You may ask "or"? "Or" is pretty simple. It's $60 per hour "or" you can tell the machinist how to do his job, then it's $100 per hour.

    Sent from my SM-G736U using Tapatalk
     

    stage20

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    I'm not a machinist but good with business. Too many variables and not enough info.
    If you quoted it, you eat it.
    By the hour is by the hour if your rates are posted, the customer had an idea when he walked in.

    It's not uncommon to have a 2 or 3 hr minimum to keep from doing these jobs too cheap.
     

    Bearkat

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    Last time I priced machine work it's $60 or $100 per hour. You may ask "or"? "Or" is pretty simple. It's $60 per hour "or" you can tell the machinist how to do his job, then it's $100 per hour.

    Sent from my SM-G736U using Tapatalk
    LMAO!
     

    War-Buff

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    I think I'd first ask the manufacturer of the optic if they could supply a replacement cap, but the OP may have done that already. I'm betting fabrication would be cost prohibitive unless it's a very expensive optic.
     

    Jhunter

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    Is your machinist looking for work? If not expect to pay the same amount his other jobs are paying him. I could spend over 2 hours messing with that battery compartment on my lathe. You could by most scopes for what I would charge
     

    skyydiver

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    I'm really interested to know what folks think a gunsmith's time/labor is worth. Imagine that you are the gunsmith and a customer came into your shop and asked you to make a scope/battery cap, how much would you charge to make it? It has .7 metric threads at 36 tpi. You have to regrind your cutting tool 3 times into 3 different shapes to accomplish the operation.
    View attachment 207394
    I'd charge way more than the part, and likely the scope, is worth unless the scope has some kind of sentimental value.
     

    Bamaboy19

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    I'm not a gunsmith, however I've never hesitated to do whatever to my own stuff, built a lot of nice stuff over the years. Family & friends bring me stuff to fix/clean, more & more lately, I usually just ask for a tool, ammo or supplies + the cost of parts I replace.
    However if you're running a business it's a whole different enchilada.
    Back 15 years ago I ran my own swimming pool business, I charged $75 to show up for a service call, that included the 1st hour of my time, unusual additional hours I'd change $50 plus parts/materials. But in that business, service work was not my bread and butter.
    Keep in mind that you're not only being paid for what you do, just as important for what know and specialty tools/equipment you own. And, as mentioned above, just because you can do something, isn't always justified if it can be replaced cheaper.
     

    Bamaboy19

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    Bamaboy19

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    eBay might be your friend to find an used scope / cap to rob.
    I picked one up at a thrift store yesterday for $10 just to have spare caps, I have 2 just like it. Actually the scope isn't that bad and I may mount it, lol.
     

    Bearkat

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    So at the end of the day, the owner wanted me to make the cap. I told him I have a $50 minimum to do any machining. He agreed to that. He is a fellow disabled combat veteran, so I gave him a discount and charged him $40. He was very happy.
     
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