Rifle repair sticker shock

[geezerbiker]

I sent my Ruger rifle from hell out to a somewhat local gunsmith and today I got an invoice for the repair that seems way out of line.  A little background info.  First off none of this is Ruger's fault.  It's all stuff done to it later.  To start with I paid way to much for it, then I had a pretty serious illness right after I got it so I couldn't shoot it much.  Anyway it had a pretty serious gouge in the chamber from a poorly done rechamber to K-Hornet and I'm pretty sure the owner of the gun shop knew about the problem and didn't say anything then when I tried to get his help with the problem he told me I was full of sh*t.  Well that SOB died of natural causes and his shop is gone so I can say I got the last laugh but the repair is costing me a fortune.

When I was told it couldn't be fixed without a new barrel, the gunsmith told me he'd write off the $140 in labor he'd put in it if I chose to have it rebarreled.  I was given a bid of $550 to install the new barrel and another 50 to thread it for a silencer.  Today I got a bid that frankly stunned me and I'm not sure how long it's going to take me to pay it.  I don't like to complain but CORVID19 has devastated my small business and hasn't done my health any good either...



So does this look out of line or am I just whining?

Tony

[Dee]

You can buy a new rifle $850.00.

[geezerbiker]

To make it worse, I paid $450 for it to begin with.  Right now it's already the most expensive rifle I own and I have to pay another 500 bucks to get it back...

Tony

[Land_Owner]

Tell the SOB to "Keep it!", stop the financial hemorrhaging, be $450 light ($900 total when you find another at $450), and write it off.  There are others out there and you are NEVER going to like this rifle after this experience.  Stick the SOB with the repair bill (or is it only a "bid" [sic]).  Cut your losses.

[oldandslow]

Frankly I'm confused. You got a bid of $550 which wasn't honored and you received a bill of $870 but you only have to pay $500 to get your rifle. From these figures it appears you are 50 bucks to the good on the original deal. If I'm misreading your posts I'm with Land_Owner. Tell him plainly with punctuation to stick it where the sun never shines and eat the original price of the rifle. Also let every gun owner you know about his business practices.

[pastorp]

The last rifle I had rebarreled/chambered was 20 years ago and it cost about $550. I’d say it’s within reason for today’s prices.

[oldandslow]

It might be in reason with today's prices but the bid was $550. The next to last bid job (new septic tank and drain system) I had done the guy made me a price over the phone and it was sometime before he could get to it. When he told me what I owed him after it was finished it was more than he quoted me on the phone and I reminded of the quote. He immediately said that if that was what he originally told me then that was the price. That's called keeping your, word which seems to have pretty well gone out of style now.

[Dee]

To make it worse, I paid $450 for it to begin with.  Right now it's already the most expensive rifle I own and I have to pay another 500 bucks to get it back...

Tony

Ok, you paid $450.00, had it re-barreled, and floated, and threaded for a suppressor.
You say you now owe $500, but posted an $870.00 bill. I TO, AM CONFUSED. Which is it?

If the bill is $500.00, I'd say that ain't too bad.

[neckisred]

Was the bedding, thread protector, and return shipping included in the original $600 quote?

[geezerbiker]

I had to send him $300 to get the work started.  So if I tell him to keep it, I'm out the rifle and my $300 deposit.

I'm really feeling like he has me over a barrel on this one...

Tony

[Bob Riebe]

You do not do business over the phone, has been that way for a looooong time.
You do it face to face and get a WRITTEN quote.

The only people I know of who still honor their word, for any reason, would be auto mechanics you have been doing business with for ten years or more and have all the same old guys working there.

[neckisred]

A written quote protects both parties from a verbal misunderstanding. The Benchmark barrel alone was $300+. So $570 to install and chamber the barrel, thread muzzle and provide thread protector, bed the stock, and $40 of that was return shipping.

I don't think $530 labor is highway robbery for the amount of work performed. Good work's not cheap and cheap work's not good.

[oldandslow]

Things have become a little clearer. I haven't really kept up with ordinary machine shop rates around here for awhile now but I'm guessing that $530 might buy you four hours of work, maybe only 3 1/2.

[geezerbiker]

So it's sounding a bit more reasonable.  I'm going to eMail him about my concerns about the cost of the muzzle threading and the glass bed job.  It's going to take me awhile to pay this one off and I hope I really love this rifle when it finally comes home.

Tony