Club Obi Wan

I'm re-examining my choice of careers, and what I have read about gunsmithing is really fascinating. Anyone here do work like that? How do I get started? Any info is appreciated.

Check out the Pennsylvania Gunsmith School, right outside Pittsburgh.

A buddy of mine was medically retired from the Navy. The put him through gunsmithing school. I'll put you in touch with him if you like. Send me a PM.
R/S
Fritz

American Gunsmithing Institute ( AGI ) has a full library of gunsmithing & armorer's courses for sale on DVD ( netflix may have them for rent ). You can become a certified gunsmith through AGI as well - don't know how expensive the whole course would be, as I've only purchased several of their DVD's.

http://www.americangunsmith.com/

I have a Degree in Gun smithing I’ve never used it. With the way laws towards firearms can change at the drop of a hat it's a better hobbie than a full time career. That’s just my 2 cents that’s why I am going to law school.

I realize your in MA but you may also want to check out the Colorado School of Trades. My father and I deal in gun stocks and gun stock repair. So I learned a lot from him and the wisdom of our local old timers. Good luck!!

Sean

Thank you to all for the info. It turns out besides living in a very gun restrictive state(despite having a gun manufacturer here) it doesn't make much sense for me to change careers in this economy. There will always be people with decades of experience ahead of me so I've given up on this pipe dream as well.

Never give up on a dream. You all know some of the best careers start by doing something you love. I have two careers that have developed from my interest in reenacting and fitness. Both of them are going strong and are very adaptable to this economy.

Take some gunsmithing courses live or via DVD and see what happens.

Cheers,

Sebastian

Try watch repair/making. In your neck of the woods, there is a GREAT deal of interest in new folks entering the trade. There is such a gap between the oldtimers (average 60's) and those coming into the business, in the very near future there will be very few individuals who will be able to fix a mechanical watch movement.

You'd think it was a dying art (and in many way, unless new blood gets involved it WILL be), but there are a LOT fo collectors out there wanting to keep their collections operational...and crazies like me who still carry them.

I have a friend down in Tyler Texas who is a watchmaker, and he's swamped with work.

Regards! Michaelson

If you have any interest in working in Connecticut, I'll introduce you to the gunsmith I use.

Strangely, I've been thinking about this very thing myself. Just as a side-line, hobby type of thing to help fund my other expensive hobbies. There's a strong hunting contingency around here plus those who just like firearms. I've been checking into some distance learning classes to see what would work the best.

Gunsmithing is (in my opinion) a dying art. That is what the old timers do they say. Even the watchmakers and repairmen as Michaelson pointed out is fading away. On a side note and not trying to burst anyone's bubble. I just wanted to pass along some advice since I am in the world of gun repair. If you venture into gunsmithing on a commercial level you will need to obtain your FFL or work for someone who has one. You cannot work on the receivers or the pistol frames of "others" and receive compensation with out it. The law of the BATF. This even includes fitting (inletting) a receiver into a stock. However as a side hobby and your own guns, sky is the limit. PM if you have any questions. In a PM I can explain what is and what isn't considered gunsmithing. Again, not trying to rain on anyone's parade. I just don't want to see my fellow COW'ers in trouble. Because in my experience and what I have seen through the years. It only takes one time to put a damper on your day. I do hope I'm not out of turn. Also I want to point out that I AM NOT A LAWYER! I do not dispense legal advice. The information that I have provided can be found on the BATF website.




High Regards,
Sean

...or if your name is Smith and you have a gun...?

Michaelson wrote:Try watch repair/making. In your neck of the woods, there is a GREAT deal of interest in new folks entering the trade. There is such a gap between the oldtimers (average 60's) and those coming into the business, in the very near future there will be very few individuals who will be able to fix a mechanical watch movement.

You'd think it was a dying art (and in many way, unless new blood gets involved it WILL be), but there are a LOT fo collectors out there wanting to keep their collections operational...and crazies like me who still carry them.

I have a friend down in Tyler Texas who is a watchmaker, and he's swamped with work.

Regards! Michaelson

I'll second this, although it's just as hard to find a gunsmith most of the time. Anyway, even though mechanical watches are certainly down in popularity, they will never be 'gone'. In fact, the type of mechanical watches you see most today are the higher-grade ones and the Asian copies, many having Swiss movements. I wear only automatics (in watches or pistols) and the good ones cost hundreds to just clean and oil, much less repair.
I can do many things on a gun, including building certain types, and I do my own maintenance, but there is very little I can do on a watch except clean the exterior. Plus, its almost impossible to find a watch repairman who will even work on the Asian clones, even the ones with an ETA movement. WTF? Its just a watch. I have both authentic and replica watches for use in different situations. I think a motivated individual could learn this trade and make a fortune in most any densely-populated area - particularly if he doesn't draw indignant lines in the sand about what he thinks he's too good to work on.

Since this thread is already getting of topic, I'd like to voice my agreement with Michaelson and 191145.

I, too, am a fan of automatics: I wear an Omega Seamaster automatic wristwatch and carry a Kimber Eclipse Custom II .45 caliber 1911. I love 'em both. However, over the past few years, it has cost me far less to pay a gunsmith to repair the Kimber than it has to have my watch serviced.

Makes me wonder if I should continue to wear my Wenger 25j GST automatic now.

No, wait, I KNOW a watchmaker who works on mine.

I agree with Sean 100%. I, too, was pursuing a side career of gunsmithing back in the late 70's/early 80's. The intrusion and amount of hurdles one had to jump to keep the BATF happy was a real pain, let alone trying to learn the intricities of the innards of a revolver while keep the government at arms length. I eventually gave up my license and returned to the land of a LITTLE more sanity of tinkering with my OWN firearms.

Regards! Michaelson

Michaelson wrote:Makes me wonder if I should continue to wear my Wenger 25j GST automatic now.

No, wait, I KNOW a watchmaker who works on mine.

I agree with Sean 100%. I, too, was pursuing a side career of gunsmithing back in the late 70's/early 80's. The intrusion and amount of hurdles one had to jump to keep the BATF happy was a real pain, let alone trying to learn the intricities of the innards of a revolver while keep the government at arms length. I eventually gave up my license and returned to the land of a LITTLE more sanity of tinkering with my OWN firearms.

Regards! Michaelson

My grandfather got out of the business in the mid '80's for many of the same reasons Michaelson. They moved to a town, Friendship, IN in '75 or '76, where the NRA and NMRA hold the spring and fall national shoots. He had a small gunshop on his property where he built custom muzzle loaders, rifles, and stag horn hunting knives. He also did repairs to the afore mentioned items as well as revolvers but he wouldn't touch any automatic rifle or handgun. I know the last couple years he had it open he wasn't taking any new customers but only working on items for close friends and family. He tore the shop down in '87 or '88. He was always afraid he was going to get into trouble for some of the work he did.

Still mad at him and my dad for getting rid of a .410, .22 over under rifle he custom built for me. My grandpa gave it to me for my tenth birthday and it was the first thing I learned to shoot with. When I moved out of the house when I was 22 my dad asked me if I wanted to take the rifle with me, I declined at the time as I didn't feel I had safe place for it in my new home but would still have easy access to it at my parents. Two years later I ask for it as I am getting ready to move out of town and I find out dad traded it back to grandpa for an item so I call grandpa about it and find out he sold it. I haven't owned a real firearm sice and that was 11 years ago.

Man...both those stories hit hard. Especially the way the economy is today and looking back at some of those golden years there were so many mom and pop gun stores and gunsmiths. To find a competent smithy today is a rare find. Treasure and treat kindly if you are fortunate to have one.

High Regards,
Sean

On a side note...I agree with Michaelson as to working on your own guns. Less stress and by far much more rewarding.

IndianaSean wrote:Sean

On a side note...I agree with Michaelson as to working on your own guns. Less stress and by far much more rewarding.

Yep, and if they blow up after the repair, fewer lawyers involved in a injury suit.

Regards! Michaelson

Michaelson wrote:

IndianaSean wrote:Sean

On a side note...I agree with Michaelson as to working on your own guns. Less stress and by far much more rewarding.

Yep, and if they blow up after the repair, fewer lawyers involved in a injury suit.

Regards! Michaelson

So true. Only then you have the wife on your case because you can't do the chores!

Sean

cowboy827 wrote:Since this thread is already getting of topic, I'd like to voice my agreement with Michaelson and 191145.

I, too, am a fan of automatics: I wear an Omega Seamaster automatic wristwatch and carry a Kimber Eclipse Custom II .45 caliber 1911. I love 'em both. However, over the past few years, it has cost me far less to pay a gunsmith to repair the Kimber than it has to have my watch serviced.

My Omega Seamaster Professional Chrono is my favorite too - a little slimmer and smoother than a Submariner and easier to see. For anyone interested in working on guns, I recommend 'Gunsmith's Kinks' available at Brownell's. It's a series of books composed of tricks developed by gunsmiths and is very interesting to most anyone with mechanical apptitude.

My buddy Chris back east was in the Navy and lost most of his hearing. The VA paid for his gunsmith schooling in Colorado many years ago. He used to work out of his house in Western Mass when I was a kid. I went to work for him cleaning his shop, which graduated into cleaning the guns that came in. It was a good education, because I got to fire many fine military firearms. I was well prepared to enter the Corps in 1987. While in the Corps, the laws changed for Chris. He had to move his shop out of his house. Eventually, he had to move out of the (Mod edit) state of Massachusetts, to the (Mod edit) state of Ne Hampshire. (Mod edit) His liability insurance was so high that he decided to hang it up. He still works on his own guns for a hobby, but there are very few around with his skill.

If youd do go into smithing, let the folks on this forum know. There are Webleys and Smiths to work on!

(Moderator note: please leave comments free of politics as per the rules posted at the top of this section.)

Well I see those ads for mail-order careers where you can either be a Gunsmith or a Crime Scene Investigator, or even a diesel mechanic, all while studying at home in your Barcalounger in your pajamas!