How much would you pay for Left hand charging handle AK/Saiga/PSL conversion

[RobT2K]

I'd pay around $80 for this, looks like a great improvement.

[kel-tec-innovations]

there is a guy on gb that sells them w/ topcover for 75 $

Thats a great deal. Not sure how he even makes anything at all. Labor is around $60-$65/hr. slotting dust cover and welding charging handle. , Charging handle is approx. $10-20. Dust cover ranges from $10-$20 and carrier with gas piston can range from $30-$70. At $75 practically giving them away.


I guess my service will be for saiga's, AK74's, and PSL. What I plan to charge isn't going to make much of anything. I'll be bringing the carriers and handles to the machinist who charges labor cost and i'm just offering the service to bring to machinist. Still need money to cover my gas and charging handles so I won't be able to beat $75 but would be under $100

[kel-tec-innovations]

I'd pay around $80 for this, looks like a great improvement.

$80 is do able for just switching the existing handle to the left side and slotting the dust cover.

A new charging handle like the one pictured at top of thread is about $20-$25


I'll talk to the machinist and once everything is ready to go I'll post a service ad on marketplace under commercial sales & good deals

[Rob454]

I personally would not do it for less than 140$. you still have the overhead of
additional electrical bill
shop area to do the work ( possibly rent a space or use your garage ) either way it would be abusiness deduction to your business ( the rent you pay on the space)
welding materials ( rod and gas) not to mention the cost of the equipment Pay yourself and your partener the initial investment of tools welder cutting mill whatever tools etc.
time to prep weld and cut
Time to rebox the item and time and fuel to go to post office send it back
pay for shipping back to customer
pay tax on additional income
Any additional things you may need or have to replace etc

Warranty the work against defects
After you pay all the $$ to run the business you and your buddy finally get to split the left over money which would be your profit. But some of it will go right back in the pot.
people think that because you are doing it as a side business it should be cheap. Nothing is free in this world. A good welder will charge you 50$ and thats jsut for the weld. Thats not any prep or cutting or whatever else may be needed. And a welder may have no idea how a gun works or what you need to function correctly. i mean after all do you want a s*8 weld or do you want a work of art. A s*8 welds is gonna run you 30$
I feel that the mod is worthwhile to some people and someone that can provide a turnkey item like that for 140$ is more than fair. There are gunshops that charge a lot more than that. Stop giving your labor away so freaking cheap. 75$ i wouldn't even talk to you cause its not worth my time to do all that. if you want to play around and be a nice guy charge 75$. if you want to actually make it worth your while you need to charge more. Most shops have a minimum set rate and obviously some charge a lot more to do the same mod.

Also youhave the added liability if somethign you f up you have to pay to replace so thats another reason not to give s*8t away

[C.W.M.V.]

Damn I love this place. Guy says hes willing to do something for the board at large for a very discounted price and makes no illusion about not making much profit, and everyone tells him hes doing it wrong...

OP Id be down for $100 or less. I'm sorry if I missed it but would you need the whole rifle or just the bolt carrier and cover?

[Rob454]

Damn I love this place. Guy says hes willing to do something for the board at large for a very discounted price and makes no illusion about not making much profit, and everyone tells him hes doing it wrong...

OP Id be down for $100 or less. I'm sorry if I missed it but would you need the whole rifle or just the bolt carrier and cover?

The op was saying he wanted to do it as a side business so if you are doing it to just pass the time and be a nice guy by all means charge as cheap as possible or whatever you feel is a reasonable price. if you plan on making it a side business and actually make some money then charge accordingly. nothing wrong with giving a discount but like anything else people will take advantage. Eventually you will raise your prices and you will have a bunch of pissed off people cause they are not getting the same "deal" as everyone before the. Nothing wrong with doing some for a discount to get the word out on the type of work you do but to do it all the time for a small profit is not very business savvy. There is a reason I rarely do side work. Because I can make more money working my regular job / Now i don't mind going over and helping a friend for free at all. if you are gonna start a business do it right from the beginning. its easier to offer a discount than it is to raise the rates later. Either way gun smiths charge more than that. most have a minimum charge and that does not include parts.

[vintagedude88]

My rifles all use the side mounted rail so the left side charging handle would not be applicable. However, I know this may be the rifle forum but I'd be willing to do it on my Saiga 12 which doesn't use a side mount. If you can offer this service and the addition of installing the CGW LRBHO for the S12, you would be getting a lot of calls for your service.

[Pred@tor]

http://www.lastroundholdopenak47.com/home I am just waiting for that to come out no price on these yet but want one when they do!

[kel-tec-innovations]

Damn I love this place. Guy says hes willing to do something for the board at large for a very discounted price and makes no illusion about not making much profit, and everyone tells him hes doing it wrong...

OP Id be down for $100 or less. I'm sorry if I missed it but would you need the whole rifle or just the bolt carrier and cover?

Send in the bolt carrier and dust cover only, wouldn't want to waste money in shipping and responsibility of watching after the rifle.

I'm doing this to help out my Retired Air Force Machinist and helping Calgunners. I made this thread to get a survey so I don't over charge or undercharge. I really appreciate all your guys input.

My rifles all use the side mounted rail so the left side charging handle would not be applicable. However, I know this may be the rifle forum but I'd be willing to do it on my Saiga 12 which doesn't use a side mount. If you can offer this service and the addition of installing the CGW LRBHO for the S12, you would be getting a lot of calls for your service.

Wouldn't recommend side mounted scope. We would be able to swap the handle on the saiga 12. I looked at the CGW LRBHO, it is do able but I'm unsure the time it will take it have it installed and functioning 100% as I saw some videos on the installation and looks like there is extensive modification needed to the item. The drop in product itself looks as if it needs modification and so does the bolt. Another issue is the gun will need to be function tested with the CGW LRBHO and going to the range multiple times to work out the bugs doesn't seem very efficient in cost unless we have a shop like Sons of Gun with a shooting range in the back

[kel-tec-innovations]

http://www.lastroundholdopenak47.com/home I am just waiting for that to come out no price on these yet but want one when they do!

Me too, but me and other calgunners have been contacting them without any response. I was waiting for them to come out but its been over a year and a half and i'm not waiting any longer thus I went to my machinist to covert a left handle instead. Just offering this service to other Calgunners whose tired of waiting for www.lastroundholdopenak47.com and or having to pay $250 for AKlightning bolt.

[kel-tec-innovations]

Here is the latest video testing it. Bolt handles are in and were ready to take order



Click on link for service

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?p=6274173#post6274173

[ZX-10R]

I think its pretty cool. But you are right. $100 is not exactly making a buck off of it. This isnt china and time is money. I think the work and time going into it is worth more than $100, but then you run into the issue if people will do it.

People are charging $45 for a piece of treated kydex... there is a considerable amount of work that goes into this type of job. you will also have those that expect near perfection and they will complain cuz a weld is not pretty enough.

Good luck... I like it.

I would pay up to $200. I would not mind having that done to one of my WASRs...I have cataract on my right eye that needs surgery. This would be very nice indeed.

[kel-tec-innovations]

Again Service is available CLICK HERE >>>>> http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=425481

Thanks to all that answered my question on the thread.