Cost of rifle stock work

[sable tireur]

Keep in mind that there are several custom stockmakers still working in the U.S.:

Doan Trevor is a master in the art of stockmaking.

Masterclass stocks
https://www.masterclassstocks.com/

 

[flyguy1]

I'm having a Model 70 redone; pillar bedding is $210, refinishing stock $350.

Here's how the stock is looking so far with a few coats to go.

 

[shortgrass]

View attachment 536161I'm having a Model 70 redone; pillar bedding is $210, refinishing stock $350.

Here's how the stock is looking so far with a few coats to go.

Purdy nice stick, there! English?

 

[flyguy1]

Purdy nice stick, there! English?

No idea. It was on a Winchester Model 70 Varmint from the factory, though, so I doubt it.

 

[Elk Hunter 338]

$50/hr won't keep the lights on in shop today!

Aint that the Fricken truth!

 

[Philward]

$50/hr won't keep the lights on in shop today!

To be literal, you need different lighting, led runs pretty cheap. But as far as paying the bills and some profit to boot yeah can't live in that.

 

[bdlesh]

What most people that have never ran a business don't understand is the entire cost of producing the product. I have had people yell me" how can you charge that much? I only make x". I respond, how much does it cost you to work there? Do you share in the cost of rent? How about keeping the lights on? Or the computer you work on? They daily to grasp that their employer is not only paying them with the cost of whatever they produce, they are paying for everything that goes into the product. So factor in the cost of tools, machinery, rent on building, utility's, insurance and you will soon see that $50 per hour is cheap. That's not even mentioning the experience to do the job. Also with this type of work, one mistake turns a beautiful piece of wood into kindling. That is another cost that has to be calculated. If something does go wrong, who pays for that? You hand him a $1000+ piece of wood and want him to turn it into a $2500 piece for <$500. I am sure you could find someone that will do it for less, those people are always out there, but will you be happy with the results? The old saying....you get what you pay for hold true.

 

[Gregg C]

Chiming in with my two cents.
I've built a couple stocks, from raw dimensional lumber. Laminates, so to speak. I don't cut inlet by hand, I use a router. And it's still very time consuming. I made one for a buddy, bedded it for him. Start to finish, over 500 hrs. He wanted to help me start up stock making business... I said Heck no! And then I showed him all the little boogers that I left in his stock, and explained that no way in hates would any one pay a premium price for that level of work, and frankly, I'm probably not capable of getting to that level.
Mind you, for myself, my stocks are nice. But they couldn't even hold a candle to a..say, a Joel Russo. No way.

 

[kevin0270]

I believe Al Biesen and his son Roger have both passed on.Both built great rifles!!