Machinist gun owners

[simonstough]

Im a cnc machinist in northwest ohio, most of the guys in my shop own/use firearms. Same with the last place i worked, at first i thought it was just coincidental because im from rural northwest ohio but i recently joined a machinist group on facebook and theres almost as many gun posts as there are on my gun groups. I know gun owners come from all walks of life but how many of you work in machine trades?

 

[MachIVshooter]

Im a cnc machinist

Also known as a programmer

(Us guys running manual equipment gotta give you flak)

Anyway, I'd say it's more tradesmen in general, although machinists are likely going to have a greater appreciation of firearms from a design and manufacturing standpoint. I've been a wrench for almost two decades, and a pretty substantial percentage of the guys I've worked with over the years were firearm enthusiasts.

 

[Willie Sutton]

Not "In the trade" but there's a South Bend Heavy 10 lathe and a J Head Bridgeport in my garage shop. An appreciation for fine machines and an appreciation for firearms are more or less the same thing.


Willie

.

 

[kcofohio]

Toolmaker by trade

 

[antiquus]

Lol live probably 50 miles from you and work in an aerospace machining facility in Livonia, MI. About 50% either shoot for fun or hunt, probably 70% own a gun. The boss owns a Barrett and a $10K AR, our chief engineer shoots benchrest, probably a dozen of us reload, a couple of guys shoot IDPA/PPC at least 10% have a CPL. And I think we're pretty typical for the Midwest.

Always loved the mechanisms. I used to work in munitions and that was fun too.

 

[lxd55]

not a machinist, but I was a pipefitter for 20+ years and I agree,
in my trade we were of one mind. I love tools.

 

[vongh]

Lead Machinist in charge 9 cnc lathes, and 5 cnc milling machines in Albuquerque NM. Half the guys where i work are car guys the other half are gun guys,

 

[rcmodel]

I was a machinist / tool & die guy among other things for 20+ of my 36 year working life.

But I have been a gun owner my whole life.

rc

 

[jj1962hemi]

I work in an office job, but have a shop in my garage too, have always liked working on cars and have a great appreciation for machinery, which is part of the reason I love guns. The whole "snick-snick" feature of metal on metal, tightly put together and highly functional is something I really appreciate. I spend a decent amount of time on manufacturing factory floors and feel the same way about that equipment as I do guns.....well, almost!

 

[lxd55]

hey hemi I agree. I love a well built machine, including my wheel barrow.
as to your sig line necessity is also the mother of invention.

 

[Robert]

I'd love to pick up a decent mini mill or mill drill for little firearms project. That and I love to make stuff with my hands...

 

[Oldman1151]

Journey machinist by trade

I got my Journeyman Machinist Certificate in 1973 from state of Ohio. Did my school portion at Terra Tech in Fremont, Ohio. Did some NC and CNC programming too. I was not a machinist all that time but am and will always be a machinist. Retired this last May. I have all of my tools but have no access to decent equipment of my own except for a lathe and drill press. :banghead: I do have friends with equipment that I can use. I just wish I had my own Bridgeport Mill with tooling.

 

[WestKentucky]

Apparently I'm a rare bird. I'm an EHS manager and so far I have met exactly one other (today actually) gun nut in my profession. I do however know enough to get into trouble on CNC machines and am trying to figure out a way I can convince the wife that I need a trakmill at home. Once I get that a lathe isn't too far behind (can run that too). In my factory though all of the machinists and mechanical engineers are gun guys, and at least one ar15 lower has been built out of a stainless block at work.

 

[lxd55]

be careful about talking about that lower, cause we know the walls have.........
what is it? I know it was something

 

[WestKentucky]

It was made off the clock with permission of the plant manager. The guy who programmed the machine also ran it and owns the completed rifle. It's heavy as hell but it shoots pretty good....too bad it fell out of his truck into a river...

 

[Bristol Mt.Man]

Retired Machinist

I worked as a machinist for 25 years. Many of the guys I worked with were heavy into guns. I can not tell you everything that went on in that shop, but I will say this. No one would believe the things we did in there! It was awsome! And yes, we actually did work for the company too!

 

[tyeo098]

Learning to make firearms is what got me into machining!

 

[slumlord44]

You also see a lot of car guys that are also gun guys. Not so many gun guys that are car guys in my observation.

 

[TRX]

On one of the machinist forums a while back, an aggrieved member complained, "does anyone here have a hobby that *doesn't* involve cars or guns?" I think the clock makers finally went off and set up their own forum...

 

[kcofohio]

Oldman1151, I took a few classes at Terra back in the early 90s for my apprenticeship. That was back when they were transitioning from technical to community college.

 

[lxd55]

you would have to be REAL good to build some of the clocks I have seen.

 

[Baron_Null]

I'm not so much a machinist as I am an operator, but it seems like to me that most of the guys in the shop are either into cars or guns, with motorcycles being common to both.

 

[Walkalong]

My buddy growing up became a machinist (RIP). He taught me a few things. I have a small hobby lathe, and will add a small milling machine some day.

 

[Nickb45]

I'm at a small shop where it's just the owner and me. We are both into guns. I'm into guns and cars.
I'm fortunate enough to be able to come to the shop anytime I please and work on whatever I want.
I would be broke if I had to pay for all the parts I've made for cars.
I also could not afford to pay someone to work on my, besides I have access to a full machine shop, so why would I pay someone?

 

[Zach S]

Most of the machine work I've done on guns was flat topping 1911 slides, a few fulls, one partial (to preserve the front dovetail). Never bothered cutting my own dovetails or anything. A local smith does it for less than the cost of the tooling, plus my time.

I work on the fabrication of the shop much more than the machineshop. Comes in handy, since I'm a car guy too.