Cost to work up a load

[obsessed1]

I need some advise. I have a guy who has offered to pay me to develop a load for his rifle. I understand all the laws about selling loaded ammo. This is simply about building a load for his rifle, accuracy testing, and giving him the load data and a ballistic profile of the round. His aim is for me to find the most accurate load for his rifle with a round that will meet his hunting parameters.
Obviously he will pay for all components used for testing, but what would a fair price be for my time on this type of thing?
It's possibly many hours worth of time.....(he says he doesn't have any to do it himself) my total task will be build a load, and collect range data out to 600 yds with that load for him.
This is the first time I've ever been asked to do this sort of thing so I have no idea how to charge him. I would like to be compensated for my time/ skill and not end up on bottom side of the deal.

Thanks for any advise

[fish_e_o]

you get to shoot hundreds and hundreds of dollars on someone else's dime? that is a lot of valuable practice.

so i would say if you like the person do it for free. if you don't then $20 an hour

[DiabeticKripple]

Why not ask for a set rate per hour for your time, then log any time spent on this load.

[marky_mark]

You’ll need a chrony for sure
Min 3 trips to the range
Don’t forget the time to really clean the bore to get a true baseline
You’d probably want to verify that scope and rifle are square and level
Brass prep
Etc

I’d say $500 on top of the cost of supplies

[obsessed1]

Originally Posted by marky_mark

You’ll need a chrony for sure
Min 3 trips to the range
Don’t forget the time to really clean the bore to get a true baseline
You’d probably want to verify that scope and rifle are square and level
Brass prep
Etc

I’d say $500 on top of the cost of supplies

I am well aware of the process, tools,requirements, I have worked up loads for 20 plus rifles in my own safe. Just have never been asked to do it for someone else.

[obsessed1]

Originally Posted by fish_e_o

you get to shoot hundreds and hundreds of dollars on someone else's dime? that is a lot of valuable practice.

so i would say if you like the person do it for free. if you don't then $20 an hour

Yes there is an upside to me doing this but my time is valuable to me. If you look at the time management thread you'll see why

[Kurt505]

Originally Posted by obsessed1

Yes there is an upside to me doing this but my time is valuable to me. If you look at the time management thread you'll see why

Well then only you know what your time is worth, you know what’s involved in working up a load, why are you asking the question then disputing any answers?i don’t get it.

[darren32]

Originally Posted by obsessed1

Yes there is an upside to me doing this but my time is valuable to me. If you look at the time management thread you'll see why

Answered your own question, it all come down to the value of your TIME.

Right now, in my life I would not do it for $100 / hr. In ten years when I am retired and the kids or older I would probably do it for free.

[fish_e_o]

Originally Posted by obsessed1

Yes there is an upside to me doing this but my time is valuable to me. If you look at the time management thread you'll see why

well it's different for everyone because i would probably be shooting this much anyway or be at the range anyway.

if you're going out of your way then tell them you want some money for your skills only you are going to know how much you want.

[elkhunter11]

I just developed a load for a rifle last week. I made four trips to the range and spent from ten minutes to an hour at the range each time, so likely three hours total.I spent a few hours looking up data and loading.I live 10 minutes from the range, so 80 minutes driving.So all in about 7-1/2 hours of my time. And of course it cost fuel to drive back and forth to the range. So it comes down to what it costs me to drive back and forth to the range, and what I feel my time is worth. In most cases, I have a load in three or four sessions, but I have had fussy rifles that took twice as much testing, and I have been fortunate enough to have a load developed in two sessions on occasion.
When you look at the precision rifle packages, like those by Gunwerks, you pay thousands extra, and a lot of that is for the time it takes to develop and test loads. That likely works out to a premium of $1,000 per hour in some cases.

[Dick284]

Cost of components, then double it.......

But as soon as you charge anything, you are sliding down a slippery legal slope.

[ken1989]

I really comes down to how much you value his friendship and your time. There may be a time you need his help. You may give a price that destroys the friendship. He obviously trusts you (and the friendship) by giving you his gun and supplies. Hunting season is 9 months away, lots of time to fit this in.

Personally I have done allot of things for friends and relatives at no charge and sometimes costing me money. Often things are done in return which I very much appreciate.

[catnthehat]

I used to do this on a regular basis , but would not work up loads unless I did a trigger check, and a bedding job first and a scope check on one if my own match rifles to check it .
Chronograph readings abdca trajectiry chart were supplied .
These days I charge for the components and my gas to the range only
Cat

[Salavee]

If you aren't already using Quickload you should consider getting it.Work it in with your load development deal.
I load for 18 different cartridges and the amount of time and $$ it has saved
me over the last few years me is almost incalcuable . It is a serious reloaders best friend .

[58thecat]

They supply all that is required to reload the cartridge, you do the rest and charge 20 bucks per hour.

[Benelli1]

He obviously knows what is involved in what he is asking you to do.
I would ask him what he thinks would be fair compensation for your doing this.
You then would be able to decide whether you want to negotiate, or simply say yea or nay.

[obsessed1]

He's my brothers boss. He lives in another province, he is mailing his rifle to me. He has a " friend" who will help him load in Sask but the friend doesn't want to develop the load. Right now he shoots blue box federal. He's pretty set on getting a load developed but he has no idea how or even how to build a ballistic table which is why he wants to pay me to do it.

[obsessed1]

Originally Posted by Dick284

Cost of components, then double it.......

But as soon as you charge anything, you are sliding down a slippery legal slope.

Is it a slippery slope to charge for sighting in/ building a ballistic chart? Thats pretty much what i will be " charging" for. All components will be paid for by him. Basically he will be payinb me to shoot his rifle. I will not be supplying him any loaded rounds. Once the load is built I will just give him the load data and the rifle zeroed with that load and a verified drop sheet out to his specified yardage. With all atmosphere data attached so he can have a starting point, he will have to figure it out from there as there will be a slight difference in drops due to all atmosphere/ altitude

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by obsessed1

Is it a slippery slope to charge for sighting in/ building a ballistic chart? Thats pretty much what i will be " charging" for. All components will be paid for by him. Basically he will be payinb me to shoot his rifle. I will not be supplying him any loaded rounds. Once the load is built I will just give him the load data and the rifle zeroed with that load and a verified drop sheet out to his specified yardage. With all atmosphere data attached so he can have a starting point, he will have to figure it out from there as there will be a slight difference in drops due to all atmosphere/ altitude

You are building test loads and supplying data, that’s where you begin back sliding, chances are slim to none that anything could happen, but I’m just being a bit of the devils spokesman for that bit of perspective you seem to be glazing over...... it’s your name all over the process, he might be a solid guy, but how will his wife react if the absolute worst case scenario unfolds......

[sns2]

You don't know this guy. Money is involved. Personally, I would never enter into such an arrangement. As mentioned, it is a slippery slope. If he knows a guy who is doing the loading, let him do it.

I have worked up and loaded for many friends over the years, but never for remuneration. It became more of a hassle than anything.

Tread carefully.

[Smokinyotes]

Originally Posted by sns2

You don't know this guy. Money is involved. Personally, I would never enter into such an arrangement. As mentioned, it is a slippery slope. If he knows a guy who is doing the loading, let him do it.

I have worked up and loaded for many friends over the years, but never for remuneration. It became more of a hassle than anything.

Tread carefully.

Exactly. If you don’t know the guy I wouldn’t do it.

You give him all the load data that you developed. He then gives this to a buddy of his who is either inexperienced or just dumps powder. He then takes this rifle with “your load” and blows it up loosing his right eye. He then contacts a lawyer and tells him I was just following this documented load data that I got from so and so. Now your on the hook and liable. Run far.

[Xbolt7mm]

Originally Posted by Smokinyotes

Exactly. If you don’t know the guy I wouldn’t do it.

You give him all the load data that you developed. He then gives this to a buddy of his who is either inexperienced or just dumps powder. He then takes this rifle with “your load” and blows it up loosing his right eye. He then contacts a lawyer and tells him I was just following this documented load data that I got from so and so. Now your on the hook and liable. Run far.

This is why load data should never be shared on this open forum,, dude followed the data on the forum now is blind in one eye with a disfigured face and now call a lawyer

[KegRiver]

I've had enough people try to blame me for their incompetance to never take on a job like that, for free or for pay.

Maybe if I knew them very very well, I'd consider doing it, for free. But once you take money for doing a job the whole deal changes.
You can find people expecting the same results that a fully equipped business can produce even though you only have home owners equipment/tools and they know it.

[Smokinyotes]

Originally Posted by Xbolt7mm

This is why load data should never be shared on this open forum,, dude followed the data on the forum now is blind in one eye with a disfigured face and now call a lawyer

It depends who you are. I would pretty much take cats, dicks or elk11’s load data as gospel. Elkhunter11 had a Tikka T3 6.5x55. He shared his load data with me and I tried it in my Tikka 6.5x55. Good velocity, great groups and zero pressure signs.

[Jeron Kahyar]

Originally Posted by Smokinyotes

It depends who you are. I would pretty much take cats, dicks or elk11’s load data as gospel. Elkhunter11 had a Tikka T3 6.5x55. He shared his load data with me and I tried it in my Tikka 6.5x55. Good velocity, great groups and zero pressure signs.

This is a good illustration of why not to share load data. I'm willing to go out on a limb and say any of the members you mentioned would say "Do not duplicate my load in your rifle". Perhaps something like "start low and work your way up watching for pressure signs".

Now not saying that anyone is giving out bad data or unsafe loads (or that you didn't use best/safe practices). Just as all reloaders I'm sure will agree on "what is safe in my rifle is not necessarily safe in your rifle".

[Smokinyotes]

Of coarse they would say that they would be crazy not to. The problem with the 6.5x55 is there is a lot of the load data that pertains to old military rifles. Getting Elks data just saved me not starting out quite so low.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by Smokinyotes

Of coarse they would say that they would be crazy not to. The problem with the 6.5x55 is there is a lot of the load data that pertains to old military rifles. Getting Elks data just saved me not starting out quite so low.

I would never give out data without a disclaimer, and even then, the numbers I give out, are not my max load. I supply a starting point, and let the person work up the load .

[obsessed1]

All good points. My plan was to start with a 180 gr ttx and use data straight out of Barnes load manual and try to find a node hopefully below max. It's a Tikka t3 300wm. But after further thinking on all the advise and possible issues with the guy on the other end I might just decline.
Thanks for all the advise

[Jeron Kahyar]

Originally Posted by obsessed1

All good points. My plan was to start with a 180 gr ttx and use data straight out of Barnes load manual and try to find a node hopefully below max. It's a Tikka t3 300wm. But after further thinking on all the advise and possible issues with the guy on the other end I might just decline.
Thanks for all the advise

Just mail him a reloading manual and a bill.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Dick284

You are building test loads and supplying data, that’s where you begin back sliding, chances are slim to none that anything could happen, but I’m just being a bit of the devils spokesman for that bit of perspective you seem to be glazing over...... it’s your name all over the process, he might be a solid guy, but how will his wife react if the absolute worst case scenario unfolds......

Just words across a table....never happened.....yes I had his rifle and shot it but that was about it......he did what he wanted to do with his rifle once he had it back.....I just borrowed it......and that's what happened.....wifey!