Changing Rear Sight Blade Cost

[jimmyj]

In my area there is but one Gunsmith and the Gun Shop is 20 miles away.
I took two Smith and Wesson Revolvers ( Model 14 and Model 15) with the parts from Brownells to have the rear sight blades changed to blades with white outlines.
The Gun Shop notified me the the Revolvers were ready. One Revolver is $45.00 and the other Revolver is $35.00.

Is the charges normal ??

 

[armorer951]

Sounds outrageous to me. You provided the parts. The labor would have been about 30 minutes for someone who knows what they are doing. Thirty minutes labor time would translate into approx. $30-$40 total.


I would've been happy to change them over for you for free, minus the shipping.....which would have been about $10.


Carter

 

[Tom S.]

Sounds outrageous to me. You provided the parts. The labor would have been about 30 minutes for someone who knows what they are doing. Thirty minutes labor time would translate into approx. $30-$40 total.

I would've been happy to change them over for you for free, minus the shipping.....which would have been about $10.


Carter

Well, don't ask any professionals to do any work for you then because you're going to have a heart attack. Car mechanics are in the $80 to $120 per hour range. Electricians $125 to $150. Car dealerships: $125 per hour. A brick and mortar gunsmith who is qualified will be in the same neighborhood. Tools, knowledge and workspace isn't cheap.

While I would be willing to do the work for a friend cheap or free, I wouldn't expect someone in business to feed their family to do so. I think what he paid was reasonable.

 

[MygunisaS&Wrevolver]

Years back I bought a white outline sight from a gunsmith. He asked If I had the gun with me and I retrieved it for him. He changed the sight out in about five minutes and charged nothing for the work. Needless to say I have had him do tons of work since. That use to be the way a business developed a following and it paid dividends for the old time smiths. I doubt that you would see this type of service in this day and age.

 

[GypsmJim]

Last Winter I had a live 9 mm get stuck in the chamber of a Glock. It would not go into battery. I was at my club's indoor range. If it had been Summer I would have waited until the weekend and taken it to my camp with a rubber mallet. I would not have done it in my basement or at the club.

A local gunsmith took it into his back room and came back in maybe 2 minutes. 65 bucks.....plus tax.

It was a bulged case shoulder. Funny thing it would not fit in the Glock, but it was fine in my 39-2, and 3 other nines I had.

 

[SmithNut]

If you have the parts and a screw driver, this is a ~10 minute job.....

Here's a Youtube video showing the process....

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hdXGQrUs4g[/ame]

 

[chief38]

A quick and easy job like changing a sight blade is easy to do right at your kitchen table if you don't have a workbench - lol. There are many tutorials on line and few tools are needed. It's actually a good beginner's task.

Gun-smithing charges just like any other professional fees are often dictated by where you live. My Son & DIL live in PA. I used to live on Long Island, NY. A plumber on LI gets about $450 to install the toilet YOU provide (yes I know, a half hour job for a Pro). The same job in PA would typically cost about half or less. Remember, you supplied the parts and typically a GS might mark them up 15% - 20% so he did not make anything there. Kind of like bringing in your own oil and filter then asking your mechanic to change your oil.

Personally I think you paid about the right price. The GS has to make a living as he also has expenses. I doubt there are too many multi millionaire GS's. More importantly, did he do a good job? There are probably guys who would make great GS's but for the modest living they would make, their talents often seek out more lucrative livings. The very few super star GS's (like a Doug Turnbull) who are nationally well know, probably charge up the wazoo & have ridiculous wait times. Again, I think you got about the right price as long as he did a good job.

 

[Vtgw938]

I could have done it, but I would love to have a gunsmith near me that even knew how to do it. I would expect to pay that...if I had a gunsmith.

 

[OldK22]

You paid a fair price. I have lost count of the number of people who tried to do it themselves and seem perplexed when the little spring and plunger go flying off into never ever to be found land. Or they do the installation but don't peen the nut correctly and it all comes apart when they are at the range.. yes it is a simple task for those who know how to do it..

 

[austintexas]

payment

My gunsmith has a large sign "HALF HOUR MINIMUM"
swca 892

 

[sigp220.45]

I'd say you got off cheap.

 

[Walter Rego]

Jimmyj was charged $80 in labor to change out the two sight blades. It sounds like he got charged at least an hour's labor for what was about a half hour job tops. Maybe the gunsmith has a one hour minimum.

I remember a similar situation where I had a screw on a Colt revolver with a damaged rear sight that wouldn't come out. I had the replacement parts but was afraid to put too much pressure on the stubborn screw. I took it to a gunsmith. He went in the back room and within two minutes he was back with the old part removed. "That'll be $40 sir".

 

[chief38]

I was in my own business for 30+ years and had 18 employees. People who are not in their own small business truly have no idea what it takes to keep the doors opened, pay for insurance, disability, employees (if any) rent, heat, light, power, advertising, etc. etc. etc. They forget about the lean times when business is slow, people are away, weather is lousy and people don't venture out unless they have to. The bills and the salary's still have to be paid. I know many who are not businessmen think the business owner sticks the cash right in their pocket - not so! Being in business was never easy and today it is even harder!

 

[martyd]

6 months ago I had a white outline put in a Model 57 by one of the best gunsmiths in the area, I provided the blade - $65

 

[H Richard]

Most Gunsmith's will have a minimum charge of a quarter hour or half hour. With hourly rate of at least $65- $70 p/hour, looks like he charged you for a 1/2 hour each. Reasonable in today's environment.

You can change your own, I've done maybe 3 or 4 over the past 30+ years. Only thing I do different from the Brownells video is I place the gun (and sight) inside a large clear plastic bag when removing the windage adjustment screw as the Teeny detente and spring can fly away and be impossible to find.

 

[zonker5]

Once upon a time a guy was having problems getting his car to run properly so he took it to a mechanic. The mechanic listened to the car for a minute, popped the hood and gave one screw on the carburetor a twist and the car ran perfectly.

The mechanic said to the owner "That will be $100".

"$100? all you did was twist one screw.".

"It's $5 for turning the screw and $95 for knowing which screw to twist".