Best Gunsmith School

[Master of Arms]

Any of you guys go to a technical training nationally recognized Gunsmith school? I`ve done a little shade tree work on guns for the past 18 years or so and I`ve really grown more and more interested in the gunsmith trade thru the years. I`d love to find a nationally recognized technical school to earn a license, certificate, etc. but I reside in the southeastern portion of the U.S. and I`ve not found any suitable schools. I`ve checked some of the online classes out but I can`t get the idea of actually learning the trade over a computer monitor so does anyone have any suggestions?[/B]

I see people state that they`ve built their guns by ordering parts and putting them together which is fine but I would really love to build guns from ground up, maybe starting with a single shot short magnum or something of that nature. I want to learn about the actual machine work, how to bore, twist and crown a piece of stainless steel into a 30" barrel , building a bolt, etc. along with the other details. So can anyone point me in the right direction?

 

[frogomatic]

I'm a student at CST(colorado school of trades), I choose it becuase it's been around the longest, and I was most impressed when I took a tour of the place. We learn just about every aspect of manufacturing a gun, the only thing we don't do is manufacture parts that are required to have a SN(reciever's and such), and we don't do rifling, (that is a whole other stupidly complicated monster that I don't even want to talk about, let alone actually do it). We are taught hand tools, lathework, millwork, stockmaking, business aspects, part replacement, troubleshooting, welding(oxycetlyene and TIG), and conversions/custom work. We have opportunity to take many armoror's courses(so far I've got my certification for all Beretta pistols, the 1911, and the M15/AR15. I've got Glock, Remington, Mossberg, and Benelli lined up for this summer!) Just last week I completed my first custom build. I took a howa 1500 reciever, got a shillen bbl, cut the thread extension, cut the chamber for 35 whelen, torqued the bbl on, chopped it down, cut the crown, and set it all into an american walnut stock that I inletted, shaped, and finished myself.

All in all, it's a good school. I would reccomend attending. I've still got few month yet till I graduate, but I already possess the knowledge and skills to manufacture everything about a gun short of a rifled bbl. (making and rifling a bbl, is a complicated task requiring some very specialized tooling, and a very precise heat treating setup) I've looked into every method of making rifled bbls, and have come to the conclusion that it's not even remotely practical to try to make my own bbls. The cost of equiptment, the time involved, the issue of liability, and professional competition prevent it from being anywhere near profitable.

 

[Master of Arms]

No barrels?

I live in MS so I have the option of going to Mississippi State University. I don`t know anything about their Gunsmith program but building a barrel is going to have to be part of whichever program that I attend. Building a barrel is "where it`s at". Most people with a general concept of firearms can assemble or disassemble a firearm by simply getting a diagram or print and following a few simple- semi-complicated instructions. I want to forge, bore, rifle and crown a barrel. I`m not very concerned with building a reciever because the machinery that`s needed would be too expensive. Yesterday I sent an email to the school that you`re attending so that they could send me a little more info on their gunsmith program. Thanks

 

[ieszu]

I graduated from PGS (Pennsylvania Gunsmith School).... We did all the things that frogomatic mentioned, but we also had the opportunity to manufacture recievers... I did the right side plate of a 1919, as well as a mauser 98, 10/22 and AR-15.... (No CnC, just measure and machine). Of course, we had to stamp a s/n on them, and they got entered into the school's bound book as a new manufactured item. One guy even filed a Form 1 and did a silencer.... administration was a bit bothered by it, but they gave him no problems

We did not manufacture barrels, but we did see E.R. Shaws facility (about 30 minutes away) and it does require lots of complicated machinery, but it is all pretty much automated. We asked about manufacturing one at a time, and were told that the equipment needed for one barrel from start to finish ran close to $5,000,000....

I did do a 1911 barrel, but I used a special reamer I had made, and while the finish and accuracy was pretty darn good, it did take 8 hours of time just for the rifling, and then I still had to shape the profile to spec. I would hate to see how long it would take for a 26" rifle barrel!

If you have any questions, just shoot me a PM....

 

[Master of Arms]

one barrel from start to finish ran close to $5,000,000....

Wow!! Can`t imagine why.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Barrel rifling can be some of the most mundane things you can do. I helped out once for a little over an hour on the old Brockway (sine) rifling machine. There's a fellow in Oregon who will let you rifle your own. After eight hours, it may be the last barrel you will ever have rifled. Cold hammer forged barrels do have their advantages.

As to schools, I'd opt for Colorado. Lassen has good instructors, but their machinery was worn when I attended.

If you take nothing else, take engraving. You can turn a $200 gun into a $700 gun with some decent engraving.

 

[Master of Arms]

As to schools, I'd opt for Colorado. Lassen has good instructors, but their machinery was worn when I attended.

If you take nothing else, take engraving. You can turn a $200 gun into a $700 gun with some decent engraving.

Just got off the phone with them. $21,000.00 for a 14 month course with no barrel making instruction!

No way! That`s rediculous.

 

[frogomatic]

No way! That`s rediculous.

that 21,000 includes alot of tools(and I do mean alot), a complete rifle, and a pair of stocks. Not to metion a metric butt load of post-graduate support, job placement, reference materials, and a diploma that is nationally recognized and respected. By the way, those 14 months are full-time, hands-on, practical experience. There is VERY little classtime, it's almost entirely shop-time doing actual gunsmithing, and I'm not talking part replacement. I'm talking machining obscure or unavailable parts, bedding stocks, free-floating barrels, correcting headspace, re-chambering barrels, sight installation, bluing, crowning, trouble-shooting, conversions, and custom work.

Wow!! Can`t imagine why.

because the machinery needed to do the job is very precise, and very specialized.

I`m not very concerned with building a reciever because the machinery that`s needed would be too expensive.

and yet you fail to believe when people in the know tell you how expensive the machinery for rifling barrels is. For the cost of a single rifling setup i could buy a dozen brand new bridgeport's.

If you are really serious about making barrels, go to one of the barrel manufacturers, and get a job with them. There is no school I know of that will teach you how to make rifled barrels, simply because it is so cost prohibitive, and the demand is minimal at best. I apologize if I've been rude, but I see you stuck on a particular idea, and having misconceptions about that idea. I'm just trying to hit you with a good hard dose of reality.

 

[Master of Arms]

No problem but the cost is extreme when compared to some other universities that I`ve found. The criteria is about the same for any school that teaches the trade which is nationally recognized. At least the ones that I`ve found thus far. Thanks for the info.

 

[tkendrick]

No problem but the cost is extreme when compared to some other universities that I`ve found. The criteria is about the same for any school that teaches the trade which is nationally recognized. At least the ones that I`ve found thus far. Thanks for the info.

I am going to assume that you are just starting to look at this from a career point, and that you are fairly young, early twenties, maybe?

Something to keep in mind. You can pay (even if you have to borrow) to go to a good school, learn what they have to offer, then build on that to develop a reputation as being a good smith, and eventually become known as a go-to guy.


Or you can go to a cheap school, that will teach you just enough to get by on, and you'll have to learn the rest the hard way. After 15 years, you might get to the level as the good school grad is when he graduated, plus, you will already have developed a "bad rep" as the wannabe.

You know, "Master of Arms, yeah he's ok for the light stuff, mounting scopes and such, but if you got any real problems, better take to XYZ down the road. He'll fix it right the first time, and he won't have it for a year."

 

[Durby]

I attend Lassen College. It is in one week classes, one unit per class, community college is 26 bucks a unit, 16 or 17 weeks a semester, so about 300 bucks per semester (for a resident) for the school itself, 2 year program, with optional summer classes. The tools and guns are what get you. Just for the semester I am in, you have to have 3 bolt action rifles (Rem 700, mauser and a cone breech), 3 barrels to install, at least a couple of stocks (a semi-inlet wood, and a true fiberglass), aftermarket bolts to weld on, triggers, etc. You make many of the tools, like mandrels and action wrenches. You learn how to do all the machining and welding while making your tools, then work on guns. You learn all the stock inletting, barrel threading, chambering, crowning, action blueprinting, along with refinishing, like blueing, bake on, and parkerizing. The second year of the program is design function and repair classes. The one week classes go over all the different gun systems, and you need examples for all of them. Its not parts replacement though, Its hands on modification to fit the guns properly. The Colorado School of trades may be more expensive intitially, but I'll bet I end up spending just as much. The worst part is that I'm in CA, but we have some of the best hunting and fishing around up here in the mountains.

 

[Master of Arms]

and that you are fairly young, early twenties, maybe

How did you get the idea that I`m in my 20`s? I`m 37 years old and I already handle the "light stuff" including refinishing and repairing gun stocks, cold blue repairs, scope mounting, any cosmetic issue, replacing fixed sights, removing and filling for fixed sights, etc.etc. , I load ammo for a few people and teach the 4-H kids at the range etc. I just need the paper along with getting specialized in a few brands. I know how to almost do it, I want to know exactly how to do it but I also wanted to try to get in to the barrel design but like one of the guys stated earlier, it very uncommon.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

I was shocked at how cheap that was. 21k$ for 14 months of school. WOW, that is darn cheap!

I was figuring at least 25% more then that much per year.

You made my day. I was worried I was not saving enough for my daughter's college and now I know that at the very least she can learn to be a gun smith and work on dad's toys.

Seriously though, that is less then it cost me to get a master's degree now 20 odd years ago. I would consider that to be a bargain!

 

[simmonsguns]

feeling passed.

 

[skinewmexico]

The Midway catalog used to have a list of all the colleges in the US in the middle.

 

[Master of Arms]

Repairing gun stucks

lol