I want to find a job in the firearms industry - how?

[jambrdly]

I am a 59-year old teacher in a private school. I have been to 38 countries and speak three languages. I have a masters degree. I am currently employed but looking for a job in the firearms industry.

Where would I start?

JCB

[ScottRiqui]

What's your education/expertise/experience?

It's a big industry - are you interested in retail sales, corporate sales, engineering, marketing, industrial design? Or are you thinking about teaching safety/shooting courses? Making bullets? Gunsmithing? Running a range? Designing/manufacturing accessories?

['88Scrat]

Like ScottRiqui said thats an incredibly large industry. I to am looking for a job, though not exclusively in the firearms industry; I'm just outta college.

Some places you might try:

Retail = Your LGS, Midway USA, or Brownells

Regional Sales and Distrubution = Any manufacturer of firearms (for example Springfield Armory Inc. Rep for Northeast Kansas).

Gunsmithing = Your LGS or you could venture out as your own business

Range/Instuctor = Your local bank, get a loan and open up a range. I always thought that running a fireing range would be one of the most profitable businesses around; you basically collect money for people to shoot on your property.

[45_auto]

I always thought that running a fireing range would be one of the most profitable businesses around; you basically collect money for people to shoot on your property.

Around here it seems that range expenses (property taxes, maintenance, insurance, lead remediation, etc) < money collected for people to shoot on your property.

It's a business just like anything else. When you have to charge more to cover your expenses than people are willing to pay, you go out of business.

Seems that the privately owned ranges last a year or two at the most. I would think that if it was profitable they would keep doing it.

Of course, I've only been shooting since about 1965 and seen 30 or 40 ranges come and go. I've been out of college for a long time, so I'm probably wrong.

['88Scrat]

You would need something that set you apart from other ranges and would bing in business from other than just the immidiate area.

For example having a nice skeet/trap range that offered a wobble shoot or a course. That same range could host 4-H shoots and recieve state recognition as well. For something like an indoor range being able to rent and shoot exotic firearms such as a full auto MP5 or a PS90 could be a selling point. An outdoor rifle range might set up a long range area where customers could pay X amount of money to shoot a magazines worth of .50 BMG through a Barret M107 or .338 Lapua from an M98 at bowling pins (or something like that).

Creativity and innovation is was what will bring success, I'm a firm believer of that.

[WillyKern69]

I too have been trying to get in this industry. NSSF website has a industry job posting.

http://nssf.org/jobs/

WK

[Doyle]

Master's degree in what? A master's in engineering, accounting, marketing, etc would be a foot in the door. A master's degree in some type of underwater basket weaving won't get you squat.

[BarryLee]

Well, not sure what options exist in your area or if you are considering relocating, but one that comes to mind is something related to training. With a background in education it seems like a natural fit and also seems like it would be an enjoyable pursuit. Now, it would obviously require you to acquire the proper training and credentials necessary for the job. Places you might want to consult concerning employment include gun ranges, Law enforcement Agencies, firearms manufacturers, etc.