gunsmithing school

[youngbuckfl]

i wanted to get into gunsmithing all aspects i researched schools that teach it online was wondering if anyone knew about them is it a good idea or not i know nothing beats hands on with a gunsmith but thats not an option right now

 

[koginam]

Why isn't an apprenticeship an option?

 

[dfariswheel]

Online or mail schools are "OK" for learning enough to do hobby work on your own guns, but are useless if you want to be a real professional.

If you want to just open up a business, these schools will not qualify you to work on other peoples guns, and a fast road to bankruptcy or law suits is to try to learn the job on someone else's gun.

If you want to hire on as a gunsmith, no business hiring a gunsmith will look twice at a gunsmith self-trained online or by mail.
Applications from these people go straight into the trash can.
A business simply can't afford to trust their business to someone without an education in a good attendance school or without a recommendation from a well-known professional willing to vouch for you.

A major problem with these schools is, you never have a real pro actually look at your work, so you never really know if you're doing it the right way.

So, if you want to do some personal hobby work for yourself, these schools are better then nothing.
If you intend to take money for work, you better know EXACTLY what you're doing, and if you want to stay out of a Federal prison, you better have a Federal license to do it.

Sorry that this isn't what people want to hear.
They want to hear that some course offered online or by mail will qualify them to make money as a pro gunsmith.
Try working as, or getting a job as say, a medical technician, without an education from a good attendance school.

 

[Lookn4Brass]

Good advice guys, especially in the light of our current legal state in this country. My advice also would be to invest in some used guns that you personally are interested in, say, a S&W revolver that could stand a trigger job, or a used 1911 that needs some work, and stay up late studying the Kuhnhausen manuals on these guns, some AGI videos, the Wilson Combat videos on the 1911, and do some serious study and work on something. Preferrably ONE GUN AT A TIME. Nothing beats hands-on experience. Worke on your own stuff first - be safe for yourself before you dare to be safe for someone else.

Sometimes there are some experienced gunsmiths around who will let you ask questions and work with them for an hourly rate to learn also. Well worth it. I traded out favors and labor with a well-renowned gunsmith near my town years ago, and am very glad I was able to glean from his knowledge. He helped keep my butt out of trouble and out of serious mistakes too. Be warned -alot of these seasoned gunsmith guys are fairly "blunt" about their opinions, and will nail you down about why you want to learn. They don't want to waste time - it is precious to them. They have a right to be, so just say "yes sir" and jump in. If you get your feelings hurt easily, gunsmithing is not the business to be in.

One more thing: Please don't waste money on very expensive, fancy tools that are extremely specialized to start off with (in my case the SIG sight pusher, among other stuff!). It will help you go broke quickly. A good start in the business would be some polymer refinishing, cleaning guns for people before hunting seasons, and sighting-in and scope mounting are good starters too. Just my opinions. That's all. Good luck. Get an FFL, good insurance, and plenty of knowledge. And never stop learning.

 

[exospex]

I'm in the same boat. There are no gunsmiths in my area that are willing to take on an "aprentice". I'm a professional machinist and tool maker by trade. I know my way around mechanical devices very well. I've always been an avid shooter as well. My plan is to take one of the better distance learning courses at Penn Foster. I have a family and a job, so it's not like I can go to an attendance school that is 700 miles away (the closest one is Penn Foster). My plan is to start slow and learn as much as I can, from whomever I can.

 

[charleybundrum]

I have been considering gun smithing as well. I have been an auto tech for 18yrs, and I'm looking for a change. Built some 1911s, ARs, and lots of small repairs. Seems a lot like what I have been doing, except everything is smaller. Has anyone looked into the Colorado school of trades ? I just starting to look into local folks I could work with. Seems like an underground trade in my area. I would be great to hear from any working smiths out there.

 

[koginam]

I work as a gunsmith apprenticeship coordinator for TAOGART www.taogart.org and deal with people wanting to be gunsmiths every day.
I spend most of my time trying to get sponsors for their apprenticeships, Most of the time we are able to work something out with a local smith once the benefits to them are explained and they meet the person wanting to be a gunsmith. In most cases apprentices with machine experience or those that have mechanical ability are easy to place and with credit for Pryor experience they can finish the program in less then the 4 year time table.
As Lookn4Brass said if you can't take criticism and if you are not dedicated you won't last. Most smiths have their own way of doing things, to them they are tried and true and that's how they want things done so they may not have much patience if you don't follow directions. Until you own your own shop its their reputation that suffers if you make a mistake.

 

[Matt Almeda]

Gunsmith

Hi Guys,
My two cents on being a Gunsmith. However, there is SO much more to it......

I don't think the online/CD courses are really worth it. I've taken a few and most of the time you really can't figure out what is going on and many aspects of the job are left out. You probably will be able to break the gun down and clean it but can you properly diagnose problems and repair them to factory specs? Probably not.

My advice is to take a Short Term NRA class at one of the colleges or if you can swing it, a Factory Armorers Course. They are not very expensive and are typically only a couple of days long. These classes are hands on and will give you the basic repair specifications you need for a particular firearm. They are worth every penny. From there, you can start to branch out to similar guns with similar internal mechanics.

Next is to stock up on every complete firearms disassembly book you can find. There are thousands of different gun disigns out there. If you find a gunsmith that is good, he probably has a room full of reference manuals. Practice on your own guns over and over and over before you work on someone elses gun.

Build up a database of parts suppliers. You will need them for ordering parts.

Stock up on just the basic tools at first. (Gunsmith screwdriver set, feeler gauges, variety of hammers etc.) More tools will come as you need them. MSC Direct is a pretty good tool supplier.

You must have an FFL, Business License, insurance, Tax ID and be correctly zoned. Most home gunsmiths are liabilty lawsuit targets. If you plan on working out of you house or a backyard shed, stop by your local zoning office/community planner and see if it is allowed. If it is not, you will have to lease a business that is in a correctly zoned area. If it is allowed, seek legal assistance to assist you in starting your home business so that you don't loose your house if sued.

Work on friends/family guns as your first customers. They hopefully will always give great reviews. Be honest and realistic in your abilities if someone asks you to work on their gun. If you have (and maintain) a good reputation, more customers will come than you can handle.

My last piece of advice is to network with other gunsmiths in your area and constantly take classes from every source you can. If you run into a bind, your "buddy" gunsmiths might have seen that problem before and can help you out.

There is a lot of work to do before you start gunsmithing but it is very rewarding and I think after all the headaches are all over, you will be glad you did. If you have any questions, feel free to send an email.