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As honestly as you can answer, would you take your gun, car, or computer to someone who learned their craft from a home study course?
It's not that you can't do home study and be a good gunsmith, it's that you'll have an incredibly difficult time getting real world experience at the beginning.
Due to my love of guns, I joined the Army many years ago to learn gun smithing and I did attend their small arms repair school at the small arms repair school at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD, so, I did get my assured wish.
After being discharged (yes, an honorable discharge) I still wanted to have a little gun shop or at least get into civilian gun smithing and that was before all the 1968 bull shit new gun restrictions and laws. Easily saw that it just wouldn't be worth the time and expense to go to a civilian trade school for this profession so gave up on that idea. Now with the questionable future of firearms ownership, I for one sure wouldn't risk that profession NOW unless it would just be for a hobby type thing. Just my thoughts of course.
Do it! But go to Trinidad and learn precision rifle gunsmithing [Beer]
My .02:
Many have touched on some very, very key points.
One does not just wake up one day and decide to be a Gunsmith, if one does they will not be successful.
It's not something one can learn just by going to a school or taking a correspondence course.
I will let you in on something- it needs to be a part of you, of your core and your soul. It sounds stupid but it is true.
I was blessed to grow up in a family that was very gun friendly, and I have always been fascinated by mechanical contraptions. Be it a bicycle, a mini bike or just a gadget I picked up somewhere, I took it apart, figured out what made it work then put it back together (not always successful).
I took my sisters BB gun apart when I was nine or so and under the encouraging words of my dad: "You WILL put it back together or you won't sit down for a week" I got it put back together.
My cousin started letting me tag along to black powder shoots and Rendezvous. I built my first rifle as a Freshman in high school and after high school I was convinced I wanted to build custom muzzle loaders for a living.
My dad was supportive and said he would stand behind me in anything that kept me out of jail. But he also said there probably are a lot of guys that want to do the same thing but are also pretty hungry.
Even at 17 I got it, it takes a long time to build a reputation to where folks are willing to wait 4 years and pay $5k for a custom rifle.
I went to school to be a machinist instead, did it off and on for 12 years. But I always kept monkeying around with firearms.
You need to at least have a working knowledge of many different skills, machining, hand working metal, forging and tempering, mechanical design and engineering, welding and soldering, ballistics, trigonometry, physics, non ferrous metal working, polishing and finishing, wood working and finishing. Each of these is an art in itself that takes years to truly master.
You have to have a knack for it and that cannot be taught.
Learn some machining and welding prior to going to a school. I have worked as a general machinist, welder and fabricator for a long time and it has saved my hide many times. The machining and welding taught in a Smithing sense is of narrow scope and limited.
A school will just get your piggies wet, you will spend years getting to where you are proficient.
Realistically the schools prepare you for an entry level position with a manufacturer, a smith at Cabelas or similar, maybe a very lucky shot and get in someplace like Cylinder and Slide or Wilson Combat.
Glamorous no? No, you will work your fingers to the bone, get greasy filthy for $12-15.00 an hour.
Hang out your own shingle? Welcome to a hand to mouth existence. CSTONE was dead bang on about a pizza vs a Gunsmith.
Working on guns is actually a small portion of it, you are a stock clerk, customer service rep, salesman, accounts receivable clerk, accountant, bookkeeper, janitor, maintenance mechanic and secretary.
You have to be a business man first and a Gunsmith second.
Your not gonna get rich, as a matter of fact your going to be lucky to make $5.00 an hour some days.
It's not an easy row to hoe and some days downright miserable.
You need to be willing to accept the responsibility of what you are working on and understand what you are working on is life critical.
You foul up and that mistake can cost a lot of money or a life. Buying a suppressor because you screwed up a threading job is not fun (ask me how I know).
All that being said if you decide you want to do it, go for it. But get the best investment you can, go to a well renowned and reputable school such as Trinidad, Lassen, Murray State or the like.
The correspondence courses will get you laughed out of any shop you would try to get a job in.
Feel free to give me a call if you like.
And then there's the guys that will beg you to use your gunsmithing skillz and tools to drill holes in Jeep parts for them.....
Shee-it!Quote:
Originally Posted by rondog
And you thought I used a drill[LOL]
I've been a machinist for 20+ years and I still learn something new each day. If I were to quit my day job to be a 'smith, it'd be a Pistolsmith. Custom 1911's because I have a passion for the platform and the artwork in machining that top pistolsmiths have done. Do it because you love it.
I'd stay at a Holiday Inn Express the night before any important job.
A little off topic, but always tip your gunsmith! A box of ammo or an extra 20%.
They don't make enough for the overall happiness that they create in our lives. Other things that give us joy usually cost a premium and the good gunsmiths seldom charge enough.
Tip your gunsmith!