Engraved Pistol Costs Today versus 1960's or 70's.

[Hawk54]

I wonder what it would cost today to hand engrave an 1851 Navy or 1860 Army like the early hand engraved repros from the 60's and seventies. I don't know what the early 60's and 70's pistols cost to have hand engraved in Italy but Navy Arms stopped importing the hand engraved ones around 1980 because the cost of the engraving had become to expensive. I would hazard a guess that it would push the cost today well over a thousand dollars. Anyone have any idea what engraving costs or know anyone that does?

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

I had the tops of the back straps on two 1862 Pocket Police revolvers engraved with a simple interlocking monogram. It was done on the part just below where the strap screws into the back of the frame, about the size of a thumbnail. About eight years ago, it was $50.00 each, done by hand.

 

[Hawk54]

I had the tops of the back straps on two 1862 Pocket Police revolvers engraved with a simple interlocking monogram. It was done on the part just below where the strap screws into the back of the frame, about the size of a thumbnail. About eight years ago, it was $50.00 each, done by hand.

$50 to do a simple monogram eight years ago. Think about what it would cost to engrave 50 to 70 percent or more of an entire 1851 or 1860 today.

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

Yes. Not only was it $50.00, but I supplied the designs too.

 

[SOLANCO]

Old school, full coverage engraving will leave $1000 disappearing in the rear view mirror. One website says the average job on a Colt SA is $1500 and could be more, depending on what you want. Most of the engravers don't post any $ numbers.

 

[sheriff john]

Quite a few offer laser engraving (as do some gun manufacturers) these days, but not much true hand-engraving happening in the U.S. that I've seen lately. I own only one, a S&W revolver presented to me by my deputies one Christmas and done by the S&W custom shop (or whatever they called it 40 years ago). Never fired it, never turned the cylinder. Some things are special.

 

[TDM]

I would think that professional grade hand engraving is going to become a lost art. Hope I’m wrong.

 

[Hawk54]

I would think that professional grade hand engraving is going to become a lost art. Hope I’m wrong.

Agree. I also think that the art of hand engraving is a disappearing art. Laser will it. Some of those early engraved repro pistols are a work of art. I would imagine a lot of the old engravers in Italy are long gone.

 

[ZUG]

Hand engravers are out there but it would take DEEP POCKETS to have any firearm hand engraved now a days - labor is not cheap. Just look at the price of eggs and toilet paper.

 

[GYJ]

I've had two guns engraved by Michael Gouse at +75% coverage for $1000 each.

 

[andy52]

I had one done about 5 years ago fully engraved and it was about 1700.

 

[Hawk54]

I've had two guns engraved by Michael Gouse at +75% coverage for $1000 each.

Nice looking pistol. I figured over a thousand dollars or more depending on what you had done for one pistol.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Around twenty years ago I had an 1860 Colt engraved by John Adams. Coverage is a bit over 50% and it cost $900.00. But that price included a one piece ivory grip. Worth every penny!

 

[moonlori83]

Look up engravers at the FEGA website. FEGA is the Firearms Engravers Guild of America.
There are a wide variety of engravers to choose from.
Hope this helps.