Needing advice from a gunsmith

[¤_Ozark_¤_Hunter_¤]

So theo start with, you know how they say if you get a job you love you'll never work aday in your life? Well I would love to be a gunsmith. Maybe a short story? I'm 18 and until about two and a half years ago I was only interested in guns for hunting use.I was raised to believe they are no more than a tool, my grandparents and other elderly family members took this point of view because that's all they ever used them for. Then my mom remarried and we moved and my neighbour was a gun fanatic, at first I thought him to be crazy he always ranted about Obama being a communist and preparing for the government to take our guns and to tell you good folks the truth I wouldn't have stayed around if not for the fact I was being paid $1 a t-post to drive them into this hard ozark mountain ground (basically rock). Then one day he decided to show me his collection (my love for Ruger Hawkeye rifles began that day) every single gun I seen and held and after that my love for guns began and so did my friendship. To finish it off I just graduated from my GED program and have enough money in earned scholarships to go to college..... but I would like to be a gunsmith I just don't really know where to start because there is no gunsmith college in the state I've heard about online colleges but I dont want some bs flybye class. So how reliable are these online college classes? I would eventually like to open my own shop so what would the cost of something like that being aside from the shop itself? Any and all advice would be great.

 

[JohnKSa]

While you're figuring out how to get your gunsmith training, see about taking some basic accounting, finance and business classes from a community college. To be a gunsmith, you also have to run your own business. You can be the best smith in the world and still fail if you can't make the business end of it work.

While you're checking out community colleges, ask them if they have machining classes. It won't hurt to have a basic working knowledge of metal working. You'll want to know how to run a mill, a lathe, wouldn't hurt to know how to read blueprints, etc.

 

[Slopemeno]

Do a search on this forum- the subject has been covered lots of times.

In life- it never hurts to have a plan B. You're 18- your interests will change over time. Life is going to wave hundreds of different opportunities under your nose.

I did the arc you're wanting to do, and it didn't "work out" whatever that means. The shop I worked at hit a real cash flow situation, and I moved on. My gunsmithing experiences helped find the next job, and that next job gave me some valuable experience I'm still milking today.

 

[Wyosmith]

Well I know how I did it when I was young.
I found 3 REALLY good gunsmiths in my area and stared to ask a lot of questions about how things were done. All 3 were open with their info, and would talk to me about smithing. After about 1 year, one of them invited me to his shop. After a bit longer i was doing some smithing for him and learning the ropes. I was blessed to know a few gunsmiths who were VERY good at their trade and they were also willing to teach me because i was willing to do things the way they showed me and take the time to do things right. That is a real key. Go as slow as you have to to get the work perfect. Speed comes by itself. Like learning to walk. Mommy and Daddy probably helped you in your first steps so you could learn to walk, but no one had to teach you to run. that comes all by itself.

Go to gunshops and talk to other gun lovers and ask them who they know that is a good gunsmith. Find a few that are REAL gunsmiths, not just parts changers. Meet them and talk to them. Show respect and it is usually returned to you.

 

[g.willikers]

On the other hand, one of the best ways to ruin a passion for a hobby is to turn it into a business.

 

[Slopemeno]

Boy- isn't that the truth....

 

[dakota.potts]

Come join us in South Carolina. We have a gunsmithing program here at Piedmont Technical College. There is a bit of a waiting list, but a lot of the credits can be used for a General Technology/Machine Tool Degree. Total cost of my two year degree with two gunsmithing certificates will be just shy of $20,000 thanks to it being a public college.

I was 18 when I decided to go. Took me a little more than a year to get everything situated. Now I'm 20 and I'm doing machining this semester and gunsmithing next semester.

I haven't lost my love for gunsmithing but have found a new interest (maybe love) in machining. I really think machine tool training (even just lathe, mill, and surface grinder) will do a lot for an aspiring gunsmith.

 

[kilimanjaro]

Local Community College here had a smithing program back in the 1970s, graduated maybe two dozen students each year after a two-year experience. I've run into a few of the graduates over the years, every one of them had a 'normal' job to pay the bills, ranging from truck driver to gun shop owner. They all enjoyed the program and the gunsmith work became a hobby or a value-added portion of a regular retail business.

I'm sure some of the graduates made a full living off of gunsmith work, but I've not met any, myself. I know one locally who had all his bluing work ended by local regulations about hazmat in a home business, that was half of his work, and his gunshop side of things is just marking time.

So go ahead and take the schooling, get some experience, but keep your head level about things.

 

[4V50 Gary]

You can apprentice for a willing smith. Do clean and lubes to learn how to assemble and disassemble the actions. Then as you get proficient and learn how they operate, get into repair. Over time as you become more competent, he'll teach you more. While you are learning part time, take machine shop classes and learn to use a lathe and milling machine.

 

[James K]

It is hard to find a gunsmith who makes enough money to hire an apprentice, but it won't hurt to ask. The best alternative is to work at something else and save enough to go to a good gunsmithing school.

But the warnings about a hobby business are well founded. Gunsmiths, auto mechanics and cooks all fall into that trap, investing a lot of money (and it will take a lot*) into a business they just know will make a fortune. But without knowing how to run a business, they will fail.

*Get a copy of Brownells catalog and check the prices of common stuff like chambering reamers. Check out the price of a good lathe with a hollow headstock. And good quality milling machines and drill presses.

Jim

 

[tangolima]

I talked to one of the local major shops to offer my service as an part-time apprentice at minimum wage. I thought I might have a chance as they had back log of months. They declined. They didn't seem interested in shortening their customers' wait time. It is to their best interest to keep things the way they are, I suppose.

Since I still have a day job to pay my bills, I am not in a hurry to do it either. I work on my own guns while fixing my friend's pro Bono, just to build up experience. I will go professional just for fun when I don't need to work for food any more. Gunsmithing is fun. Working as one for food sucks.

-TL

 

[James K]

"They didn't seem interested in shortening their customers' wait time. It is to their best interest to keep things the way they are, I suppose."

Please don't take this wrong, but another way to put it is that they don't want to take the risk of having an untrained and unskilled worker (and for all they know a total klutz) playing around in their shop, doing whatever to their expensive tools and to customers' guns (and maybe hurting himself or others). All kinds of legal liability, plus damage to their reputation, etc.

Jim

 

[tangolima]

"They didn't seem interested in shortening their customers' wait time. It is to their best interest to keep things the way they are, I suppose."

Please don't take this wrong, but another way to put it is that they don't want to take the risk of having an untrained and unskilled worker (and for all they know a total klutz) playing around in their shop, doing whatever to their expensive tools and to customers' guns (and maybe hurting himself or others). All kinds of legal liability, plus damage to their reputation, etc.

Jim

YEAH!

They told what apprentice would do. Cleaning the guns. I could only go "upstairs" when I was told to.

After talking for about half an hour. He went to the back room, came back and told me they were not hiring at the moment.

I understand where they are coming from. I have no misgiving about that, as I would probably do the same thing. The point is it is rather hard to get in the trade. I wouldn't expect beginning of an easy and prosperous career right after school. All things considered, I'd rather do something else to make a living, and keep gunsmithing as a hobby.

-TL

 

[4V50 Gary]

Since no one wants an apprentice, consider taking those NRA week long summer schools. There are numerous colleges that host that program.

 

[James K]

Even applicants with a school certificate shouldn't expect to start off working at much more than an apprentice level. The bosses want to evaluate an employee, judge him/her based on actions, see how he/she handles tools, observes safety rules, and everything else that will be involved.

The same is pretty much true in any business. If you want to be a securities trader, a college degree in business may be the key to unlock the door, but no one is going to put you in charge of "the Donald" Trump's account the first day on the job.

Jim

 

[kilimanjaro]

One thing you could do is get an FFL and hit the local shops again, offering your services to clean the guns. Pick 'em up, clean and lube, and return. Make a little money and schmooze their comfort zone.

You'll need transport cases, overnight security, etc., for the guns.

 

[Dixie Gunsmithing]

If I were you, I'd look at taking one of the two courses at Modern Gun School. They actually have you do some hands-on work, during the course, and supply you with the tools and materials to do it. Then, I'd try to find a Gunsmith to let you apprentice under, as that education will help you get that position. Without basic gunsmithing knowledge, such as how all guns operate, and things such as gun engineering and ballistics, they'll not want to give you a position.

Modern Gun School:

http://moderngunrepair.com/

If you ask me, the AGI course is priced too high, but you can buy their DVD's one at a time, and learn a good deal extra, on top of the Modern Gun School course, once you graduate from it. You can also buy DVD's on machine shop training from several places.

 

[kraigwy]

I think leaning to be a machinist is pretty important. Without that you're just another one with a few screwdrivers and files.

Then there are the machines, lathes, mills, grinders, etc. Big bucks. Sure lots of used machines out there that are still pretty good, but then you have to compete with the big boys with their CNC machines.

I was at a well known gunsmith's shop in Stugis. He pointed out a new machine he just got, then pointed to a rather new heavy duty pickup telling me the machine cost more then the pick up. Hard to compete with a guy like that, he's good, damn good, but he has many years behind him and hundreds of thousands tired up in machinery and tooling.

You're not going to make a living starting out. I've seen several go under because there isn't that much work for those without a name. Diversity is the key. Meaning don't neglect to take on small machine work. Most good machine shops wont take any jobs for less then $1000. That leaves a market for small shops and small jobs.

Depending on the area, you could make a living while you build your gun smithing business.

But its gonna take big bucks to do it right. and a lot of hungry days. As mentioned you're going to need some Accounting and business training also.

 

[James K]

" Pick 'em up, clean and lube, and return."

I know folks who do that, but it has all kinds of potential legal and liability problems and I would never suggest a gunsmith let customers' guns out of his shop that way, especially to an unlicensed individual.

Clean and lube, yes, but on the gunsmith's licensed premises.

Added:

There are several areas where a good living could be made for the right person. One is in stock work. Not fancy, just plain dog work of duplicating broken or cracked stocks, patching stocks, etc. Another is making replacement parts that are unobtainable - auto pistol firing pins, recoil springs, revolver cylinder stops, front sights, etc., etc.

Jim

 

[Roby]

Question

Not sure if this is the place to ask, if I'm asking in wrong thread please let me know..

A few weeks ago in a state of boredom and a bit upset at my brother. I took to his Japanese made Replica 357 non firing handgun , long barrel, it had a rod down the centre to stop it firing) with a grinder and cut it up!! Yeah I know not nice..

What I was wanting to know is.. Have I caused any problems in my shed, for myself, as I didn't wear a mask or eye glasses, or for anyone else who comes into my shed, with the dust that would have come from the grinding etc. IF it was chrome plated ( and I'm not sure if it was or painted as it's a replica that he had from early 1980) would this dust contain Chromium etc and be a problem to anyone coming into my shed...

I'm not too familiar with guns (real or replica) as you may well be able to tell from this rather odd question..Thank you for your time..