Gunsmiths?

Quadagon · February 23, 2011, 07:43 PM

I've loved guns for a while and now i'm looking at getting a gunsmith course. For any of the gunsmiths i have a few questions.
1. would you recommend getting a course at all from a college? This is the exact course i'm looking at: http://www.ashworthcollege.edu/progr...ourse-outline/
2. if I took this course, should I apprentice under a gunsmith after completing it or during it?

So pretty much, what is the best way to become a gunsmith? I don't plan to set up a business but i want enough knowledge to work on all form of guns, just for my personal use and neighbors.

Thanks

Dfariswheel · February 23, 2011, 08:35 PM

DO NOT sign up for this "course".
It's an internet/mail course that will NOT prepare you to be a real gunsmith, and will offer at best, some information on hobby gun work.
All it's intended to do is take your money.

If you want to be a real gunsmith, you need to go to an attendance school where real Master gunsmiths teach you the trade while looking over your shoulder at the work you're doing.
The two schools with the best reputation are Colorado School of Trades in Denver, and Trinidad Junior College in Trinidad, Colorado.
There are several others with good reputations too.

These schools train you to be a hard core professional gunsmith and issue a real diploma upon completion that's accepted industry wide as proof that you're a real pro who knows what you're doing.
These internet and mail order "degrees" are worthless when looking for a job, and will not prepare you to open up a shop.

Here's a link to a listing of REAL gunsmithing schools:

http://www.midwayusa.com/Content/pdf...ng_Schools.pdf
(Note, the site may be down right now)

If all you want to do is some light hobby work for yourself and a few friends, you might look into the American Gunsmithing Institute.
These are a series of videos that can get you started.
These will NOT prepare you to be hired as a gunsmith.
Costs is high.

http://www.americangunsmithinginstitute.org/

Quadagon · February 24, 2011, 09:06 AM

Ok, thanks.
I'm not planning on going professional, and i'm going to a different school in fall, so I was hoping to find a course that would teach me the basics over summer. So would you recommend the video lessons then? I was also going to look for work just apprenticing under a gunsmith for the summer to get an idea of it.

Thanks

Dfariswheel · February 24, 2011, 08:05 PM

The videos will help, but the complete course is expensive.
What you might do is buy a Jerry Kuhnhausen shop manual for a gun you own and use it to learn some basics.

These shop manuals were written by a Master gunsmith who also trained gunsmiths for the industry.
The books were intended to be used as supplements for the new students.
These show factory type gunsmithing on specific firearms.
You won't find any of the old time techniques like heating and bending or making parts.
These are to show how to repair guns the RIGHT way, which is how the factories do it.
Use the manual to disassemble a gun and learn how and why it works, and what repair techniques are used.
Most of these techniques will be used on other guns.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/cid=0...ch=shop_manual

February 23, 2011, 07:43 PM	#1
Quadagon Junior Member Join Date: February 22, 2011 Location: Canada Posts: 8	Gunsmiths? I've loved guns for a while and now i'm looking at getting a gunsmith course. For any of the gunsmiths i have a few questions. 1. would you recommend getting a course at all from a college? This is the exact course i'm looking at: http://www.ashworthcollege.edu/progr...ourse-outline/ 2. if I took this course, should I apprentice under a gunsmith after completing it or during it? So pretty much, what is the best way to become a gunsmith? I don't plan to set up a business but i want enough knowledge to work on all form of guns, just for my personal use and neighbors. Thanks

February 23, 2011, 08:35 PM	#2
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,478	DO NOT sign up for this "course". It's an internet/mail course that will NOT prepare you to be a real gunsmith, and will offer at best, some information on hobby gun work. All it's intended to do is take your money. If you want to be a real gunsmith, you need to go to an attendance school where real Master gunsmiths teach you the trade while looking over your shoulder at the work you're doing. The two schools with the best reputation are Colorado School of Trades in Denver, and Trinidad Junior College in Trinidad, Colorado. There are several others with good reputations too. These schools train you to be a hard core professional gunsmith and issue a real diploma upon completion that's accepted industry wide as proof that you're a real pro who knows what you're doing. These internet and mail order "degrees" are worthless when looking for a job, and will not prepare you to open up a shop. Here's a link to a listing of REAL gunsmithing schools: http://www.midwayusa.com/Content/pdf...ng_Schools.pdf (Note, the site may be down right now) If all you want to do is some light hobby work for yourself and a few friends, you might look into the American Gunsmithing Institute. These are a series of videos that can get you started. These will NOT prepare you to be hired as a gunsmith. Costs is high. http://www.americangunsmithinginstitute.org/

February 24, 2011, 09:06 AM	#3
Quadagon Junior Member Join Date: February 22, 2011 Location: Canada Posts: 8	Ok, thanks. I'm not planning on going professional, and i'm going to a different school in fall, so I was hoping to find a course that would teach me the basics over summer. So would you recommend the video lessons then? I was also going to look for work just apprenticing under a gunsmith for the summer to get an idea of it. Thanks

February 24, 2011, 08:05 PM	#4
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,478	The videos will help, but the complete course is expensive. What you might do is buy a Jerry Kuhnhausen shop manual for a gun you own and use it to learn some basics. These shop manuals were written by a Master gunsmith who also trained gunsmiths for the industry. The books were intended to be used as supplements for the new students. These show factory type gunsmithing on specific firearms. You won't find any of the old time techniques like heating and bending or making parts. These are to show how to repair guns the RIGHT way, which is how the factories do it. Use the manual to disassemble a gun and learn how and why it works, and what repair techniques are used. Most of these techniques will be used on other guns. http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/cid=0...ch=shop_manual