How much should I anticipate having to spend to have a stock made for a single shot 1885 Winchester, cut, shaped, finished, and installed~? I already own the blank.

Start at $500 and go up!!! I always charged more when others furnish the wood and recoil pads. Keep looking and maybe you can find a new person trying to get into the stockmaking world and will give you a break on cost.

add a zero if you want something really nice (Shurley prices)

CPA (http://singleshotrifles.com/) that I referenced in your other inquiry would charge about the following (from dealing with them, and their website pricing):

Extend customer blank to fit duplicator $10
Set up for customer stock duplicating $45
Duplicate Stock $80
Fit Winchester stock $95
Fit Buttplate $50
Sand and finish buttstock only $475

That totals $755 plus shipping. Add another $200 or so to do the forearm.

They are on the lower end of cost for this type of work, and the work is good, but not guild or show quality.

I hate to price someone else's work; you would really need to call and get a quote and set the quality level you expect to get a firm price; but I'd expect most decent custom stockmakers would charge $850 to $1500 for a custom duplicated stock, fit and finished from your blank. It would go up from there with higher skill/better finish. CPA is really about the best deal going out there.

Depends on the level of quality you want. Just like pricing; quality varies from absolute dog feces quality to top notch quality. Pricing usually coincides. For me, anything less than $3500 for an easy to fit up stock type I’d assume just apply myself elsewhere. Bolt guns once again more, sidelock guns higher. I won’t lessen my quality to meet a price point, there are other people who can do that.

Duplicating services are the same, I’ve seen cheap services where it would have been money saved to just start from the blank. Or worse yet have to trash a blank because of it. Likewise a guy like Gene Simillion does outstanding work, so long as the pattern is good. The results he produces are more than worth their higher rates in time saved.

I remember Beitzinger commenting that from a blank to a stock took on average 40 hrs. Maybe not including checkering and maybe not finishing.

This was probably while at G&H.

Far too many variables to come to that conclusion. What kind of gun, made to what standard, what options(shadowline cheak, sling studs, various grip caps, butt plates, skeleton bits, etc…), what kind of finish, checkering patterns vary wildly. 100-150hrs is a realistic expectation for a high end bolt gun stock with oil finish, and wrap around patterns. Poly finishes and simple patterns reduce time. Not having cheakpieces or other more time consuming bits to do reduces time.

So the question becomes, what is the craftsman’s hourly rate?

Russ Gould is getting closer to reality.

$3000 to $3500 for a decent full blown custom rifle stock, and maybe twice that, too many factors to give an exact price, cost to make it? is one question, cost to buy one finished? the sky is the limit..variation in cost of wood is the catch...

The OP posed a loaded question lacking any parameters. Is he just looking for a functional handle like what came on it from the factory? Or is he looking for a finely crafted example like Roger posted recently from family homestead grown lumber?
Time = $$$
A stock is a stock is a stock??
KNOT!

Don't forget all the $$ spend shipping and re-finishing the metalwork. Expecting the stockmaker not to disturb the existing patina is asking a little much. Unless he's willing to pony up the extra $$ for the pain in the a$$ to walk on eggshells up close to the action. I stocked a fully engraved Perazzi once while preserving the metalwork. Adds a lot of time and pucker to the project.

This is in the category of "If you have to ask....."
You know.
True custom stocks from top makers cost real money.

Regarding restocking guns and avoiding existing metal finish. My butt was quenched tight during the restock of two pre-war Woodward o/u’s. Talk about anxiety.