What's a good average hourly rate for a gunsmith?

Honestly, I woulda' tipped 'im an extra $10 on toppa' that. Be happy! :smile:

You got useful service out of a gunsmith for $10, and you're checking to see if that's reasonable??!?

You don't pay a gunsmith or any other expert for his labor. You pay him for his knowledge. If you couldn't get the flash suppressor off, and wanted it off, you need to figure what it was worth to have someone with the knowledge and the tools do it.

If you figure $75.00 as a shop rate, that's very low as machine shop rates go. But if it's an individual running a small shop, I'd say it's fair.

Feel lucky he didn't charge a 1/2 hour minimum.

Divebum said:

You don't pay a gunsmith or any other expert for his labor. You pay him for his knowledge.

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10$ didn't even pay a portion of his knowledge or time. So many GS's wouldn't even waste their time doing something that trivial without charging a minimum of one hour. I would bet he did it because the GS was in a similar situation and someone helped him out in the past. Congrats PP, it was your lucky day.

Good thing GunSmiths don't charge book rate like auto mechanics to. With a mechanic it doesn't matter if it take 5 minutes or two hours, if the book says 1.5 hours at $ per hours that's what you are billed.

Not saying that you should have left him a tip, but a big ole "Thank You, I appreciate it" would sure have been a nice gesture.

Since it's something you couldn't accomplish on your own, I'd say it's a bargain at twice the price (probably thrice).

For a quick fix like that, I've never left less than a $20 on the bench.

A couple smiths I know have done super simple things like that for me on occasion and didn't even want to be paid since they considered it a favor to someone who steers customers to them and gives them the occasional job.

i always insist on paying. Like the others said, you are paying for the knowledge, not the work. I figure it's worth at least $20 to not have to replace anything I broke doing it myself.

Well, it woulda' cost you $80-$120 minimum just to walk through the door of any doctor's office and there, you're not paying for his tools, experience or knowledge...:dry:...just his Porsche.

Sometimes it depends on whether the gunsmith is fixing your gun or fixing your fix.

Around my area, there are no gunsmiths left except me, and with the economy around here this time of year
it is hard to find a reasonable balance in rate per hour................
Generally I will charge anywhere from $20.00 to $50.00 an hour depending on the mood I am in, and what the
customer is needing done....................

I would say that was more than fair.

I would have given the gunsmith at least $20 for the work he did for you, more likely $30. And I would have given it to him folded together so he didn't know you were giving him more than he asked for. If he had not done the work for you, you would have had to either try to do it yourself (which may have resulted in him having to fix what you messed up) or you would have had to try to find another gunsmith to do the work. By giving the gunsmith some extra money, you would have helped him cover his costs and helped him stay in business so he'll be there the next time you need him.

My grandson took a 1100 to a gunsmith a couple of years ago, and after something simple, a five minute deal, he charged him $75 minimum, and his normal rate was $75 an hour. The problem was the recoil spring yoke was broken and the gunsmith left the 1100 in a dangerous condition if anyone were to have tried to shoot it. Really good gunsmiths are hard to find.

When I charge its $35 an hour. The shop gunsmiths in this area average about $75-$90 an hour. Cimarron guns in Texas charges $75 an hour. So your quote seems in line.

I think this is a regional thing.... depends where you are in the USA; east coast $$$

In the Commonwealth of Kentucky That is about Going Rate ($50 - $75 an Hour) for major work.. Cost me $10 for an Extractor Fitting on my Dad's 1911. I left him a $50 (Had to convince him I had nothing smaller and he had no Change.). Dad's 1911 is Priceless to me, so any price would have been worth it. I love shooting the Same Sidearm he carried on Omaha Beach in '44.