Factory labor rate

[Jeff Kuss]

I just saw this parker letter that pertains to labor charges for repairs.
$.50 an hour for repairs to a customer's gun.

[Bob Hayes]

I have wondered about that for awhile.I have seen the charges for a number of services but never could find what Parker charged to cut barrels down.If anyone knows please post.

[Brian Dudley]

Some people still expect gunsmiths to work for 50 cents and hour.

[Jerry Harlow]

I have seen some work from "gunsmiths" and that was what they should have been paid.

Had an octagon barrel muzzleloader tapped for a scope. Could not get the bullet to seat over the powder. You can guess why. :cuss:

"All are not hunters that blow the horn."

[Dean Romig]

Fifty cents per hour was their retail labor rate but I wonder what the worker was paid.




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[charlie cleveland]

what time period did the workers get 50 cents and hour...i got paid 50 cents and hour back in 1963 useing a pick and shovel for the summer...charlie

[Erick Dorr]

January 1904, but as Dean said that was the retail rate. Laborer might have made $.20 or $.25/hr. would be my guess.

[wayne goerres]

I remember reading that they made .10centper hour and there wasn't any such thing as overtime.

[Robin Lewis]

I searched the web and it seems that the average wage in 1904 was $.22 per hour. I also learned that 18% of the households had at least one full time servant or domestic. I doubt that at $.22 per hour that they could afford a Parker, BUT I assume that at least 18% of the households could. Business must have been good for Parker.

[Phil Yearout]

I need some trigger work done; I figure it ought to run me about two bucks :).

[Bill Murphy]

"Business must have been good for Parker." is a bit of a fallacy. From reading thousands of pages of Parker orders, I have found out a few facts that should be thrown into the mix. First, various levels of marketing sucked off profits at a great rate, leaving Parker with a small percentage of the final selling price. Second, their discounts for volume wholesale sales were astronomical. Third, Parker routinely took back guns that their wholesale and retail partners could not sell. Fourth, their comp guns, some of which were high dollar examples, were of dubious value to their marketing efforts.

[Robin Lewis]

Thanks Bill, sounds like you have done some sound research...... how about a detailed Parker Pages article? I'm sure it would be of interest to all of us! It's a great topic and I for one would like to hear more.

[Fred Preston]

I have the impression that Charles senior was indulging his sons and his own appreciation for fine shotguns. I doubt the Gun Works contributed much to Parker Industries bottom line.