Into The Real World

dakota.potts · May 19, 2017, 02:03 PM

I am excited to announce now that, after completing my course in gunsmithing from Piedmont Technical College, I have graduated and accepted a job offer. I will be working as an apprentice gunsmith/machinist at C&H Precision Weapons, a precision rifle and handgun company out of Labelle, Florida.

As many of you know, opportunities for gunsmiths (and especially apprenticeships) are few and far between so I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to enter the real world with a career that allows me to continue learning.

I won't be set up and running for a little while yet; but I look forward to producing high quality products in the industry. I also look forward to the thought that one day I might be able to make some custom dreams happen for some of the members on this forum.

Thanks for being a place for learning and communication from the time I started this journey. It is just a hair over 4 years now that I went from never firing a gun to pursuing the goal of being a full time gunsmith

Bill DeShivs · May 19, 2017, 02:11 PM

Congratulations!
I know this is a dream come true for you.

DaleA · May 19, 2017, 02:44 PM

I've enjoyed and appreciated your posts. Hope you continue posting.

Good luck in your new job.

FITASC · May 19, 2017, 02:52 PM

Excellent! Congrats as well..................that's a nice part of Southern Florida (as opposed to South Florida - which means Miami, for those unfamiliar)

peggysue · May 19, 2017, 02:55 PM

Congratulations!

JoeSixpack · May 19, 2017, 03:01 PM

Congrats, We need more "good" gunsmiths.

TJB101 · May 19, 2017, 04:22 PM

Awesome... post some pics of some of your accomplishments

2damnold4this · May 19, 2017, 04:35 PM

Congratulations!

g.willikers · May 19, 2017, 04:57 PM

Congratulations and the best of luck to you.
Had to look up where Labelle is.
Looks like it's about 30 miles east of Fort Myers, Fl.
Judging from their web site, it looks like you're going to be in with real experts.
https://chpws.com

K_Mac · May 19, 2017, 06:28 PM

Congratulations. I wish well in your new position.

rickyrick · May 19, 2017, 10:00 PM

Wow, it doesn't seem that long since you started. But I guess it has.
Congrats, you'll make a good one.

surveyor · May 19, 2017, 11:08 PM

Congratulations, ill look forward to seeing more posts of your projects.
Enjoy the swamp cabbage festival in Labelle, and the swamp buggy races in naples while you are there.

Looks like some nice work coming out of that shop.

Jim Watson · May 19, 2017, 11:17 PM

How neat. I had a college classmate from Labelle.
But that was 50 years ago and he is now retired to Petaluma California.

Best of luck in a paying job.

BarryLee · May 20, 2017, 10:20 AM

Congratulations, good luck and keep us posted on you progress.

jersurf101 · May 20, 2017, 09:42 PM

Congratulations! It doesn't get much better graduating with a job lined up.

kozak6 · May 21, 2017, 04:47 AM

Congratulations! It's quite an accomplishment to finish school, but it's something else to have a job lined up, just like that.

Well done.

Evan Thomas · May 21, 2017, 01:01 PM

Dakota, congratulations! It's been cool to follow your progress since you joined here, as a "gun guy" and as a person. Looking forward to following the next chapters, too.

**Spats McGee** · May 21, 2017, 02:09 PM

Congratulations, and know that we all wish you the very best!

Rob228 · May 21, 2017, 07:44 PM

Congrats!

PlatinumCore16 · May 22, 2017, 11:13 AM

Congratulations! Looking forward to pictures of your accomplishments/craft.

May 19, 2017, 02:03 PM	#1
dakota.potts Senior Member Join Date: February 25, 2013 Location: Keystone Heights, Florida Posts: 3,084	Into The Real World I am excited to announce now that, after completing my course in gunsmithing from Piedmont Technical College, I have graduated and accepted a job offer. I will be working as an apprentice gunsmith/machinist at C&H Precision Weapons, a precision rifle and handgun company out of Labelle, Florida. As many of you know, opportunities for gunsmiths (and especially apprenticeships) are few and far between so I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to enter the real world with a career that allows me to continue learning. I won't be set up and running for a little while yet; but I look forward to producing high quality products in the industry. I also look forward to the thought that one day I might be able to make some custom dreams happen for some of the members on this forum. Thanks for being a place for learning and communication from the time I started this journey. It is just a hair over 4 years now that I went from never firing a gun to pursuing the goal of being a full time gunsmith __________________ Certified Gunsmith (On Hiatus) Certified Armorer - H&K and Glock Among Others You can find my writings at my website, pottsprecision.com. Last edited by dakota.potts; May 19, 2017 at 10:09 PM.

May 19, 2017, 02:11 PM	#2
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,985	Congratulations! I know this is a dream come true for you. __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

May 19, 2017, 02:52 PM	#4
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,446	Excellent! Congrats as well..................that's a nice part of Southern Florida (as opposed to South Florida - which means Miami, for those unfamiliar) __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

May 19, 2017, 04:57 PM	#9
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	Congratulations and the best of luck to you. Had to look up where Labelle is. Looks like it's about 30 miles east of Fort Myers, Fl. Judging from their web site, it looks like you're going to be in with real experts. https://chpws.com __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

May 19, 2017, 06:28 PM	#10
K_Mac Senior Member Join Date: September 15, 2010 Posts: 1,850	Congratulations. I wish well in your new position. __________________ "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Benjamin Franklin

May 19, 2017, 02:44 PM	#3
DaleA Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2002 Location: Twin Cities, MN Posts: 5,313	I've enjoyed and appreciated your posts. Hope you continue posting. Good luck in your new job.

May 19, 2017, 02:55 PM	#5
peggysue Junior member Join Date: May 20, 2014 Posts: 1,835	Congratulations!

May 19, 2017, 03:01 PM	#6
JoeSixpack Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2017 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,048	Congrats, We need more "good" gunsmiths.

May 19, 2017, 04:22 PM	#7
TJB101 Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2017 Posts: 498	Awesome... post some pics of some of your accomplishments

May 19, 2017, 04:35 PM	#8
2damnold4this Senior Member Join Date: August 12, 2009 Location: Athens, Georgia Posts: 2,526	Congratulations!

May 19, 2017, 10:00 PM	#11
rickyrick Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2010 Posts: 8,238	Wow, it doesn't seem that long since you started. But I guess it has. Congrats, you'll make a good one.

May 19, 2017, 11:08 PM	#12
surveyor Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2007 Posts: 770	Congratulations, ill look forward to seeing more posts of your projects. Enjoy the swamp cabbage festival in Labelle, and the swamp buggy races in naples while you are there. Looks like some nice work coming out of that shop. Last edited by surveyor; May 19, 2017 at 11:23 PM.

May 19, 2017, 11:17 PM	#13
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,543	How neat. I had a college classmate from Labelle. But that was 50 years ago and he is now retired to Petaluma California. Best of luck in a paying job.

May 20, 2017, 10:20 AM	#14
BarryLee Senior Member Join Date: July 29, 2010 Location: The ATL (OTP) Posts: 3,946	Congratulations, good luck and keep us posted on you progress. __________________ A major source of objection to a free economy is precisely that it ... gives people what they want instead of what a particular group thinks they ought to want. Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman

May 20, 2017, 09:42 PM	#15
jersurf101 Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2013 Location: Eastern NC Posts: 553	Congratulations! It doesn't get much better graduating with a job lined up.

May 21, 2017, 04:47 AM	#16
kozak6 Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2005 Location: AZ Posts: 3,113	Congratulations! It's quite an accomplishment to finish school, but it's something else to have a job lined up, just like that. Well done.

May 21, 2017, 01:01 PM	#17
Evan Thomas Senior Member Join Date: July 7, 2008 Location: Upper midwest Posts: 5,631	Dakota, congratulations! It's been cool to follow your progress since you joined here, as a "gun guy" and as a person. Looking forward to following the next chapters, too. __________________ Never let anything mechanical know you're in a hurry.

May 21, 2017, 02:09 PM	#18
Spats McGee Staff Join Date: July 28, 2010 Location: Arkansas Posts: 8,821	Congratulations, and know that we all wish you the very best! __________________ I'm a lawyer, but I'm not your lawyer. If you need some honest-to-goodness legal advice, go buy some.

May 21, 2017, 07:44 PM	#19
Rob228 Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 2010 Location: Hampstead NC Posts: 1,450	Congrats!

May 22, 2017, 11:13 AM	#20
PlatinumCore16 Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2017 Location: Colorado Posts: 424	Congratulations! Looking forward to pictures of your accomplishments/craft.