Pricing A Cartridge Belt?

[wildrose]

Let me preface this by saying I've not done a project like this before.

I had a repeat customer ask me to make him a belt that will hold ammo for hunting game in Africa...yeah, BIG bullets. My thing is usually swords and knives, so this is new ground for me. It has loops like other belts I've seen hereon. And it will be lined. And I'll also make a pouch for his leatherman.

Also, this has to be entirely hand stitched as I don't have a machine.

Is 350.00 too high, too low or about right? What did you charge for your first one?

Thoughts?

[mogwild]

Can't help you with pricing, but being a fan of big calibre African guns please be sure to post the results!

Is it for a double rifle? If so, the trend is 2 cartridges, with room to grasp them with a finger in-between, so you can shove them into the two tubes easyly and quickly, and space between each set of two.

Galco makes a lot of smaller ammo carriers for Double rifles and large bore calibres, you could check out there prices for there smaller gear, and get an idea of what to charge for a full belt. They don't make a full belt that I'm aware of but give you an idea of pricing for something that holds a few rounds

Keep in mind when hunting game that can very well hunt kill you, the bullets better be easy to get at, and pull out cleanly, and at the same time, be secure.

Here's some of the Galco ones I have (before I was into stitching, and these are stock photo's, not mine)

[Eaglestroker]

Some variables, I would think, would be time and materials invested into the project. I almost always undercharge the first time I attempt a new project, not intentionally that's just the way it is as you find things out while your working.

YOU know what your willing to work for and if the customer isn't ok with making it worth your time just as well. Look forward to seeing what you come up with should you take the job!

[wildrose]

Well I went with 400 and likely lost the job. The leather alone would've run me over 150 so I don't feel it was unreasonable.

[mlapaglia]

tell him to contact me, Ill quote him $550 and your $400 will look good to him

[Dwight]

My double layer, . . . 3 inch wide, . . . with buckle, . . . Western gun belts, . . . with 20 loops: $125, . . . holsters are $80 each.

These are all plain jane, . . . black or brown, . . . nothing fancy.

We're probably comparing apples to oranges here, . . . but I thought you might be interested as a frame of reference.

Personally, . . . dude goin' off to Africa, . . . he's gonna be huntin' stuff that may decide to hunt him, . . . I would not have wanted to take on the responsibility of making something that critical to keeping all of ones' parts and pieces where and how they belong.

May God bless,

Dwight

[malabar]

OK, I'm intrigued. What kind of leather would you have used that would have cost $150?

tk

Well I went with 400 and likely lost the job. The leather alone would've run me over 150 so I don't feel it was unreasonable.

[wildrose]

I'd've bought two hides at Tandy and the project would nOt have used all of either, so the leather supply for it would've run him 150-200. Then there's buckle, pattern, rivets and thread. Plus I have to HAND SEW it all aside from the other work going into it.

[camano ridge]

For future reference you might want to check out this site it shows Big game cartridge belts and price info. http://www.murraycustomleather.com/belts.htm

[katsass]

FWIW from the grump: My prices run right in there with Dwight --- and ALL of my stuff is hand stitched. I just can't imagine how you get a $150 to $200 cost factor for dead cow skin. You have 3 square feet of leather at the most, (3" x 72", divided by 144, times 2) and at even $9.00 a square foot that's only $27.00 for leather, actual cost. If I buy a 'special' double shoulder for a specific holster, I can't charge the customer for the ENTIRE piece when I still have most of it in stock for later use, and my holsters use twice the leather as most do because I use two layers of skin for each holster; a patern costs nothing, except the time to draw it; buckles be less than $6.00 at most; rivets and thread be incidental cost. I just don't understand. Mike

Edited June 22, 2012 by katsass

[wildrose]

I priced how I needed to, I have no hard feelings if he shops elsewhere.

[Thornton]

FWIW from the grump: My prices run right in there with Dwight --- and ALL of my stuff is hand stitched. I just can't imagine how you get a $150 to $200 cost factor for dead cow skin. You have 3 square feet of leather at the most, (3" x 72", divided by 144, times 2) and at even $9.00 a square foot that's only $27.00 for leather, actual cost. If I buy a 'special' double shoulder for a specific holster, I can't charge the customer for the ENTIRE piece when I still have most of it in stock for later use, and my holsters use twice the leather as most do because I use two layers of skin for each holster; a patern costs nothing, except the time to draw it; buckles be less than $6.00 at most; rivets and thread be incidental cost. I just don't understand. Mike

If you consider rivets and thread to be incidental costs you are selling yourself short. If it costs money that cost has to be paid.

[katsass]

If you consider rivets and thread to be incidental costs you are selling yourself short. If it costs money that cost has to be paid.

FWIW, I just add a flat fee for the 'incidentals' based on average use, and don't actually figure in an exact amount of dye, thread, rivets, glycerin soap, finish and stuff like that. Mike

Edited June 23, 2012 by katsass