Looking for Amourer Courses

[TreadProof]

Hey,
I am new to this forum and am just getting started here, but I would like to pick some of your brains about good places to look at for instruction on gun repair courses. Thanks so much for any and all information!

Kind Regards,
Todd M.

 

[entropy]

Your natural instincts as a lover aren't good enough?

Oh, Armorer. The US military has some excellent schools, and you get paid to learn.

The FBI has a very good school at Quantico.


Most other Armorer courses are manufacturer sponsored and specific to that brand.


Most other commercial schools are more gunsmithing schools than Armorer training.

Some good ones are: Colorado School of Trades, Trinidad Colorado

Lassen College in Lassen, CA.

Pine Tech in Pine City, MN

Murray State in KY.

 

[TreadProof]

Thanks entropy! Haha

What a good name, especially on a forum where terminal ballistics is key, entropy is a great nod to physics!

I appreciate all the info!

I am actually in the process of started a training facility with my family in TN. While I have shot my whole life, I have not but am interested in either getting some training or in the future hiring someone with said training. Hope you are having a good night.

 

[TreadProof]

Sorry autocorrect on my phone makes me sound a bit slow...haha

 

[Jim Watson]

Agree with Entropy, it is hard to get into a corporate armorers' school unless you are sponsored by a government agency.

Glock says: "(To be eligible to take the Armorers Course you must be an active/retired law enforcement or military officer, private security, GLOCK Stocking Dealer/Range Program Employee or current GSSF member.)"

Sig is a bit easier:
"A legible copy of a current, valid license to carry. Permits must be no more than 5 years old from issue date. OR
A legible copy of your current, valid law enforcement or military credentials OR
A legible copy of a current, valid firearms identification card OR
A Criminal Record Release Authorization Form (BACKGROUND CHECK)."

Smith & Wesson lists armorers' courses under Law Enforcement Academy. An agency is to be specified on the application form.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

There are also some online gunsmithing schools, FAR less effective than being there in person but of some value if there are no other options.

If you can get into the military (seems it's down to 20% of Americans qualify now) don't rule out the National Guard so long as they will give you the right MOS you want. Get the training and then come back home.

 

[SwaneeSR]

TreadProof - welcome to the forum. You will not find better information delivered by polite people.

So you gunsmiths out there. How did you learn your craft? Why are there so few training options?

I have seen the online options but I have always been skeptical of the quality.

Swanee

 

[entropy]

A combination of self-taught and later becoming an Armorer in the Army. I started shooting Trap at 12, and was given the use of my Dad's spare Remington 1100. Learned how to maintain it to keep it running, others at the club had trouble, found out I knew how to keep 'em running, and it snowballed from there!

Also when I was 12, I shot a hole through the kitchen floor because I did not know how a DA revolver worked. I vowed to learn about every gun I could so that did not happen again. Add in that I come from a family of mechanics (Grandpa owned an Auto repair shop, Dad & uncle worked for him until Dad became a cop, and uncle a high school shop teacher) and it all kinda fell into place.

I enlisted intending to become a Green Beanie Weapons Sgt., and at the time, you couldn't just go into SF like you can now, so I became a 76Y, Unit Supply Specialist. (That MOS also includes Unit Armorer) I requested to become the Armorer when I got to my posting, and was made the Unit Armorer for an HHD unit, becoming in effect the Batallion Armorer. Completed an SMOS of 45B, SMall Arms Armorer. (Division and Depot level weapons maintenance) Got a ton of experience with US and some with Soviet small arms. Developed asthma from the fog of Ft. Ord, and decided not to re-enlist, as that made my goal impossible.

Got out, got a job at a gun shop, (sales, but I did do scope mounts and light gunsmithing) built my own AR, built an FAL for a customer, got out of the field for a while, but did work on my own guns and for friends and family. Worked as a gunsmith for another shop for a while, but it was too sporadic, and sales didn't pay much there. So I just do my own work and for friends & family.

 

[Taurus 617 CCW]

I went the formal school route, have taken some armorers courses, and have worked in the industry for a handful of years so I have some insight I can share.

The formal school route will cost you around $20k to $30k. It's nice because you get the hands-on experience along with focused instruction. There's nothing better than having an instructor standing at your lathe with you explaining or showing how to do something. When you graduate you will have enough training to become an apprentice gunsmith. It qualifies you for entry-level work. I have spent years becoming more proficient and have found that I am better at one or two specific areas rather than general repairs. With general repair you have to be fast and knowledgeable if you want to make money. I am more of a tinkerer so I was a bit slower at coming to a solution. With the formal school route you get reference materials, armorers books, tools, access to gages/instruments and collective knowledge.

The online courses are great for reference material if you have prior knowledge. The information is great but you have to have the guns and tools on hand to work on in order too really learn. One reason why the formal school is more expensive is because you get a tool issue. You don't get much with the online course. The videos made by American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) are very high quality and can be purchased individually.

Armorers courses are great for getting the paper certification to work on that specific platform. They teach you disassembly/reassembly, planned parts replacement, and some common malfunctions to diagnose. They aren't going to teach you about replacing sights or other upgrades. The armorers course is mostly for someone with a retail outlet so they can advertise to their customers that they have a repair facility for that platform of gun. Most armorers courses start at $200 and go up from there. Most expire so you have to renew them.

Unless you want to go the long route of attending a formal school and then gaining experience through time I suggest picking a specialization and focusing on that. There is good money to be made in refinishing of firearms. Not as much in general repairs. You won't become a millionaire working on guns but in my case at least I enjoy doing it. Hope that helps you out.

 

[Sunray]

"...online gunsmithing schools..." Those are a colossal waste of time and money. Those companies are usually in the business of selling videos and you cannot learn smithing from a video. Ditto for the assorted mail order stuff. Primarily because nobody recognizes then and you need an example of whatever the lesson is about. Hard to do a trigger job on a 1911 if you don't have one.
"...manufacturer sponsored and specific to that brand..." And as mentioned, none of 'em, are open to "civilians". LEO, military or sometimes dealers only. Including SIG(none of 'em appear to be comprehensive covers everything courses either.). Mind you, the VA Educational Benefits opens the SIG door too.
Colorado School of Trades and the others, I believe are 2 year Community College level courses. They get into machining and stock finishing, among other courses.
And there are very few entry level jobs that pay enough to live on. Minimum wage work. If you can find a job. Nobody wants to hand their high priced toys over to an FNG.
Hiring a guy is no different than hiring anybody. Experience counts, not just training. For a family business you'd likely be better off sending whatever out to a local smithy with experience doing what you want done.

 

[loose noose]

I went the formal route thru Trinidad Junior college, as well as Lassen Jr. College, not to mention on hands self learned gunsmithing for over 40+ years. A lot of good it did as our illustrious President just issued an executive order that states small gunsmiths are supposed to pay $2250.00 fee to practice any type of repair work Needless to say I've quit working on others firearms until that order is repealed.

"State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls must require manufacturers and gunsmiths to register as exporters under the Arms Export Control Act and International Traffic in Arms Regulations and pay $2250.00 in annual fees".

Quite possibly why there is so little information on firearms repair here lately.

 

[Taurus 617 CCW]

Yeah I heard about that little stunt too. What it's going to do is push everyone underground or out of business all together.

 

[kitsapshooter]

An executive order is not law.

 

[CLP]

https://www.americangunsmith.com/

 

[Zeke/PA]

Your natural instincts as a lover aren't good enough?

Oh, Armorer. The US military has some excellent schools, and you get paid to learn.

The FBI has a very good school at Quantico.


Most other Armorer courses are manufacturer sponsored and specific to that brand.


Most other commercial schools are more gunsmithing schools than Armorer training.

Some good ones are: Colorado School of Trades, Trinidad Colorado

Lassen College in Lassen, CA.

Pine Tech in Pine City, MN

Murray State in KY.

Colorado School of Trades is in Lakewood CO while Trinidad State Jr, College , In Trinidad CO offers a Two year Gunsmithing course.

 

[entropy]

Thanks, I didn't realize it was two different schools.

 

[4v50 Gary]

You might want to check out the NRA Summer Gunsmithing School. There are several schools that offer that program including Trinidad State, Lassen College and others.

 

[boom boom]

Glock has a pretty quick and dirty armorer school open to pretty much everyone at their hq in Smyrna with minimal cost. S&W and Sig also have armorer schools but not sure if you have to be law enforcement/military affiliated.
Otherwise, the NRA Summer program is a bargain and would let you check out the schools without full enrollment/relocation/tuition costs.