July 3, 2012, 02:27 PM | #1 |
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Join Date: April 23, 2012
Location: Texas ... north of houston, east of el paso
Posts: 214
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how to become a smithy
I am 50 years old and find myself at yet again having to reconstruct my life. My question is how would a person become a gun smith, and are there different classes of gun smiths? My main problem is I am a truck driver by trade and my doctors aren't letting me return to that due to my back issues. I am fairly versed in engineering and know alot about the functions of guns of all sorts but there are so much more that i would need. I do have alot of tools for gun smithing so it would be a good fit I'm thinking!
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July 3, 2012, 06:46 PM | #2 |
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Join Date: December 1, 2011
Posts: 108
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Start with a whole bundle of money, and plan on not making much.
Seriously, if you search the forum, you'll find lots of advice on the subject. |
July 3, 2012, 08:10 PM | #3 |
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Join Date: March 17, 1999
Posts: 24,383
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If you have back problems, gunsmithing might not be the job for you, other factors aside. Most gunsmithing work is done on the feet, bending over a lathe or milling machine or drill press. Bench work involves bending over the work, sometimes for long periods of time as you tediously file and fit a replacement part. I did it, but now have lower back problems and probably could not do it today without constant pain.
Before spending money and time on a gunsmith school, I would try to locate a local gunsmith who will allow you to sit in and observe his work for a day or so. Tell him what you want to do and perhaps he will let you actually do some work if he feels he can trust you. I don't think he will be worried about possible competition; most smiths fully recognize that there is a lot more work than there are good smiths and are more than willing to share their knowledge. Jim |
July 4, 2012, 03:06 PM | #4 |
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Join Date: February 2, 2008
Posts: 3,150
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It is tedious painstaking work, requires a huge investment in tooling and doesn't pay very much most of the time. At the end of the day your fingers and wrists and elbows and eyes will hurt. The worst part is you get to sign your Constitutional rights away to get a Federal license.Do you like used car salemen? Then you'll love the punks at BATFE. I enjoyed it very much for the few years I did it but I would not do it again knowing what I know now.
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July 4, 2012, 06:52 PM | #5 |
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Join Date: May 4, 2001
Posts: 7,477
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To answer the question more fully, the best way to become a real professional gunsmith is to attend a gunsmithing school.
These are trade schools or junior colleges that offer hard core gunsmith training by master gunsmith/instructors. This typically takes at least 2 years and costs some significant money. However, if you can graduate from one of the better schools like Colorado School of Trades, or Trinidad Junior College you'll have world class training which is recognized industry wide as the best. A degree from a good school will get you a serious job interview anywhere. These schools aren't internet or mail order rip-off Billy Bob "training". If you're not stone cold serious, don't bother coming. Here's a list of the available schools: Colorado School of Trades 1575 Hoyt Street Lakewood, CO 80215 Phone: 800-234-4594 Lassen Community College P.O. Box 3000 Susanville, CA 96130 Phone: 530-257-4211 Modern Gun School 80 North Main Street, P.O. Box 846 St. Albans, VT 05478 Phone: 800-493-4114 Montgomery Community College 1011 Page Street P.O. Box 787 Troy, NC 27371 Phone: 800-839-6222 Murray State College One Murray Campus Tishomingo, OK 73460 Phone: 580-371-2371 Pennsylvania Gunsmith School 812 Ohio River Blvd. Avalon Pittsburgh, PA 15202 Phone: 412-766-1812 Piedmont Community College 1715 College Drive P.O. Box 1197 Roxboro, NC 27573 Phone: 336-599-1181 Pine Technical Institute 900 4th Street Pine City, MN 55063 Phone: 800-521-7463 Trinidad State Jr. College 600 Prospect Trinidad, CO 81082 Phone: 800-621-8752 Yavapai College 1100 East Sheldon Street Prescott, AZ 86301 Phone: 520-776-2150 |
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