Where to start? Learning to gunsmith

[FlynnCastle]

So, what's the best way to learn gunsmithing if you can't just relocate? I'm in SW Illinois, and I guess you could say I'm a budding hobbyist. Wondering which avenue (be it videos, books, distance learning, or whatever) will teach me the most. Where should I start? Any advice would be welcome.

 

[Winky]

brownells.com is a great place to start. Order a catalog,check out the excellant videos and books offered.They also have a tech library

 

[Jim K]

This topic has been covered dozens of times on this site and others. I suggest a search on "gunsmith" and related terms. IMHO, you can't learn gunsmithing from a video course; you need hands on the machinery. (Would you want to have your appendix removed by a doctor who learned from a video course?)

One thing you can do at low cost is to see if a local community college has a machine shop course (the one in this area has an excellent one).

Some folks will tell you that all you need to become a gunsmith is a screwdriver, a mill bastard file, and an FFL. Alas, that kind of thinking has resulted in a lot of ruined guns and a lot of very unhappy people.

Frankly, unless you are willing to invest a lot of time and money to learn the job, and then go into business right, I strongly recommend you not work on other people's guns. One of the hardest things to do is to make a business out of your hobby; unless you have a lot of dedication, it is almost a sure way to go broke, and maybe be sued, have legal problems, etc., as well.

Jim

 

[Winky]

Well, Jim, you are right that videos and books won't teach one to become a gunsmith.I am just a hobby gunsmith, and would take courses from one of the excellent gunsmith colleges if I were to want to enter into the gunsmith business.I am a 40 year machinist with a complete machine & fabrication business at my disposal and I only work on close friends and my own firearms.

 

[Jim K]

As long as you don't take any money for working on friends' guns, you should be OK, but otherwise it gets tricky about the FFL business.

You have two of the most important qualifications for gunsmithing already. You know how to use machinery and you know how to run a business. Far too many hobbyists (in many fields) try to make a business of their hobby and fail because they know the field, but have no idea how to actually set up and run a business.

You might think about doing some gunsmithing as part of your current business (after jumping through any legal hoops, of course). That way you will have a solid business base and can expand (or terminate) the gunsmithing side as appropriate.

Jim