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Posted: 12/25/2016 3:32:11 AM EDT
As of right now, I'm about 2.5 weeks away from graduation from the Pennsylvania Gunsmith School in Pittsburgh. It's a 16 month long course that offers hands on experience and instruction on a number of gunsmithing operations, and is designed to take someone who has never touched a firearm before in their life, to being able to safely build one from a literal box of parts. Topics covered are hot rust bluing, parkerizing, and painting (cerakote/duracoat, alumahyde); one piece and two piece stock making, adjustible recoil pad and cheek rest installation, tool and part manufacturing utilizing lathes and mills, barrel chambering and head spacing for various rifles, TIG and Oxy/Ace welding, heat treatment, barrel threading, action truing, sight mounting that includes drilling and tapping barrels and receivers and cutting dove tails for pistol sights, milling slides for Novak sight base installation, reloading basics, crown cutting, stock refinishing and repair, recoil pad installation, and finally in the last semester, you will build at least 2 custom firearms in addition to performing a number of repairs and alterations to firearms. All work is done on firearms you own or can acquire from family or friends. There is also a business lecture portion to the curriculum that goes over item to consider when either opening your own shop, or simply looking for employment. That instructor was a member here for a while. If you have any questions about the school, shoot me a message, or give the school a call. Tours are available to those who can do one, but you'll have to call to schedule one. Cheers.
Link Posted: 12/25/2016 3:50:56 AM EDT
[#1]
Always wanted to enroll there, never could afford it or find the time. 
Link Posted: 12/25/2016 5:44:11 AM EDT
[#2]
Have you heard any comparisons to the Colorado School of Mines program?  

How does your program compare?
Link Posted: 12/25/2016 10:50:05 AM EDT
[#3]
Good luck, we need more gunsmiths.  And I mean gunsmiths, not hacks.   In my area I feel safer doing most work myself rather than trusting the local guy.
Link Posted: 12/25/2016 11:11:47 AM EDT
[#4]
Is it easy to take one or two classes? Or are they pretty structured and subsequent classes have prerequisites?
Link Posted: 12/25/2016 2:06:52 PM EDT
[#5]
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Is it easy to take one or two classes? Or are they pretty structured and subsequent classes have prerequisites?
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It's set up to be like a full time 40 hour a week job environment. We start at 8 am with a roll call, break for a 45 minute lunch at 1145, and then end the day at 430 pm. It's 95% hands on, with a handful of theory lectures thrown in as needed to address where you are. Once you start, you have to go the entire way, or else you get dropped from the program. If you talk to the owner, Bob, he will tell you flat out, that if you're there just to do it as a hobby, then it's not the right school for you. It's meant to place people into jobs.

There are no prerequisites aside from not being a felon. Edit: oh I see what you mean by prereqs. Semester 1 is bluing and heat treatment; semester 2 is checkering, stock making, and specialized techniques (adjustable cheek pieces, sling swivel installs, amongst other things); semester 3 is sight mounting, machine tool (you'll make tools including a micrometer), reloading, chambering, welding, and you'll start business lectures; semester 4 is when you'll throw it all together and build 2 custom guns (i did a 6.5 Creedmore on a BSA U9 action and a 1911) from scratch. and you'll do a ton of custom alterations and repairs. Once you finish one semester, you go right into the next.

As to how it compares to Colorado School of Trade, I've heard CST is a good school, but the employers that I've spoken to have said they've found PGS grads to have a more rounded experience base and prefer to hire them. Of course, they may just be saying that because they were talking to us. There are several PGS grads that post in GD. Half of Turnbull Restorations guys are PGS grads, Colts custom pistol shop has 4 or 5, Nosler rifle shop has a couple, one guy is going to work for FN USA building machine guns for the government, and there are countless smaller shops that have hundreds of grads. Vince Buckles and Will Sabatini from Sons of Guns are grads as well. The school puts out 40 to 50 graduates a year.

If you're in VT, you should make a trip and drive out to Pittsburgh for a tour!
Link Posted: 12/25/2016 2:57:58 PM EDT
[#6]
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Quoted:
Have you heard any comparisons to the Colorado School of Mines program?  

How does your program compare?
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Think you mean Colorado School of Trades in Lakewood, CO.. The School of Mines is compleatly different.

I went to CST in 82'-83'. Well reguarded at that time. No idea today ? But from description of course work in OP. We did the same.
Link Posted: 12/25/2016 7:02:16 PM EDT
[#7]
Realistic placement chance with a livable salary? And I'd guess most people have to pack up and go where the jobs are?
Link Posted: 12/25/2016 7:30:49 PM EDT
[#8]
Hey OP, STI is hiring a gun builder now.  Georgetown,TX.   Go west young man, go west.

I left SW PA in '76 and never looked back.
Link Posted: 12/25/2016 7:46:26 PM EDT
[#9]
Are Gary and Jim still instructor's? They are both great instructors but Jim had this incredible ability to teach and simultaneously bust your balls when you made a mistake.
Link Posted: 12/26/2016 12:23:42 AM EDT
[#10]
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Quoted:
Are Gary and Jim still instructor's? They are both great instructors but Jim had this incredible ability to teach and simultaneously bust your balls when you made a mistake.
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Yes they are! Those two codgers will die there lol. Cheif passed about 7 years ago and his son Bob took over. Dunno who is going to take over for him, as his kids aren't interested in the business. Too much red tape. Papi also passed away not too long ago.

Instructors are Jim, Gary, Rob, Zach, and Chris.
Link Posted: 12/26/2016 12:30:47 AM EDT
[#11]
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Quoted:
Realistic placement chance with a livable salary? And I'd guess most people have to pack up and go where the jobs are?
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90% placement. Part of the curriculum is writing a resume, researching a place to live, finding a bunch of prospective employers and then contacting them.
Maria Brickman is the placement director and hunts all over the country for job openings, and will work with you even after graduation to help find a job. There is a board in the main lecture room with job listings from about 20 different states. If you ever go to Shot show and talk to the gun manufacturers and smiths there, there's a pretty good chance they'll know of the school. I was going to go along with a group of 10 or so students and 3 staff, but I just dont have the money .
Link Posted: 12/26/2016 9:45:58 AM EDT
[#12]
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Quoted:



Yes they are! Those two codgers will die there lol. Cheif passed about 7 years ago and his son Bob took over. Dunno who is going to take over for him, as his kids aren't interested in the business. Too much red tape. Papi also passed away not too long ago.

Instructors are Jim, Gary, Rob, Zach, and Chris.
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Are Gary and Jim still instructor's? They are both great instructors but Jim had this incredible ability to teach and simultaneously bust your balls when you made a mistake.



Yes they are! Those two codgers will die there lol. Cheif passed about 7 years ago and his son Bob took over. Dunno who is going to take over for him, as his kids aren't interested in the business. Too much red tape. Papi also passed away not too long ago.

Instructors are Jim, Gary, Rob, Zach, and Chris.

It's good to know Jim and Gary are still there. I knew that Chief had passed. I was lucky enough to be able to study under his tutelage but unfortunately I was a young punk who didn't use my short time with him wisely. I wish I would have gleaned more information off of him while I was there. That old man forgot more in his time then I will ever know. I had heard that John had passed also. That guy would crack me up.
Link Posted: 12/26/2016 3:50:48 PM EDT
[#13]
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Quoted:

It's good to know Jim and Gary are still there. I knew that Chief had passed. I was lucky enough to be able to study under his tutelage but unfortunately I was a young punk who didn't use my short time with him wisely. I wish I would have gleaned more information off of him while I was there. That old man forgot more in his time then I will ever know. I had heard that John had passed also. That guy would crack me up.
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Are Gary and Jim still instructor's? They are both great instructors but Jim had this incredible ability to teach and simultaneously bust your balls when you made a mistake.



Yes they are! Those two codgers will die there lol. Cheif passed about 7 years ago and his son Bob took over. Dunno who is going to take over for him, as his kids aren't interested in the business. Too much red tape. Papi also passed away not too long ago.

Instructors are Jim, Gary, Rob, Zach, and Chris.

It's good to know Jim and Gary are still there. I knew that Chief had passed. I was lucky enough to be able to study under his tutelage but unfortunately I was a young punk who didn't use my short time with him wisely. I wish I would have gleaned more information off of him while I was there. That old man forgot more in his time then I will ever know. I had heard that John had passed also. That guy would crack me up.


Chris, the 2nd semester instructor, used to say papi loved to crop dust guys. He'd eat some nasty shit and then go stroll down an isle. A few seconds later guys would be gagging and unassing the area.
Link Posted: 12/26/2016 8:50:07 PM EDT
[#14]
He was definitely a character. When I was there, Corsi used to like to mess with this guy we nickenamed Fubu. You'll have to ask Jim and Gary about ol Fubu. That guy was a walking soup sandwich.  Every morning you'd hear the sound of Fubu loosing a barrel with his barrel spinner or flinging the wrench off the mill. If you were really lucky, he'd leave his key in the lathe and beat it off the bed when he tried to start it.
Link Posted: 12/27/2016 2:30:15 AM EDT
[#15]
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Think you mean Colorado School of Trades in Lakewood, CO.. The School of Mines is compleatly different.

I went to CST in 82'-83'. Well reguarded at that time. No idea today ? But from description of course work in OP. We did the same.
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Yep, my error.    OP caught it too.
Link Posted: 12/27/2016 3:01:28 AM EDT
[#16]
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Good luck, we need more gunsmiths.  And I mean gunsmiths, not hacks.   In my area I feel safer doing most work myself rather than trusting the local guy.
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Every gunsmith in my state that I can find is the type where everyone says they do good work, but it's hard to get ahold of them, they take your gun, and WHO KNOWS when you'll get it back, it may be months and many phone calls before they even decide to get around to it.  

Link Posted: 12/27/2016 3:57:05 AM EDT
[#17]
besides tools and the like, what was the base cost of the complete program? I would love to do this, and my sister lives in PA, so I might be able to swing free board at least
Link Posted: 12/27/2016 4:09:04 AM EDT
[#18]
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Quoted:


Think you mean Colorado School of Trades in Lakewood, CO.. The School of Mines is compleatly different.

I went to CST in 82'-83'. Well reguarded at that time. No idea today ? But from description of course work in OP. We did the same.
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Have you heard any comparisons to the Colorado School of Mines program?  

How does your program compare?


Think you mean Colorado School of Trades in Lakewood, CO.. The School of Mines is compleatly different.

I went to CST in 82'-83'. Well reguarded at that time. No idea today ? But from description of course work in OP. We did the same.

You know Charley Robertson?
Link Posted: 12/27/2016 5:21:10 PM EDT
[#19]
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Quoted:
besides tools and the like, what was the base cost of the complete program? I would love to do this, and my sister lives in PA, so I might be able to swing free board at least
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Tools are included in the tuition, which is about $25,000 for the program. And you get a LOT of shit. My desk is over flowing with tools. If you have stuff of your own, it can be discounted from your cost. In 3rd you make a fuck ton of stuff too. Like barrel vice inserts. It's $30 for the raw material to make your own set, but to buy them is like $1000 from brownells.
Link Posted: 12/27/2016 5:26:21 PM EDT
[#20]
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He was definitely a character. When I was there, Corsi used to like to mess with this guy we nickenamed Fubu. You'll have to ask Jim and Gary about ol Fubu. That guy was a walking soup sandwich.  Every morning you'd hear the sound of Fubu loosing a barrel with his barrel spinner or flinging the wrench off the mill. If you were really lucky, he'd leave his key in the lathe and beat it off the bed when he tried to start it.
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Oh I'm sure gary will have stories. One of his favorites guys to talk about is about a guy named little Josh. Apparently the guy had a 18" length of pull. Nearly 7' tall and weight something like 435 pounds. Shot skeet using an 870. With one hand. Apparently he was good too.
Link Posted: 12/27/2016 5:32:23 PM EDT
[#21]
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Every gunsmith in my state that I can find is the type where everyone says they do good work, but it's hard to get ahold of them, they take your gun, and WHO KNOWS when you'll get it back, it may be months and many phone calls before they even decide to get around to it.  
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Yeaaaa according to the NSSF the firarms industry as a whole has increased 79% over I think the last 5 years, and it's not showing any signs of slowing down.

Right now the average gunsmith is backed up anywhere from 4 to 6 months. I've heard of shops that have actually stopped accepting new jobs bacuse of how swamped they are. If you have a gun you want worked on, it's best to drop it off and forget about it for at least half a year. Wanting a receiver drilled and tapped for a scope base a week before deer season isn't going to happen.
Link Posted: 1/2/2017 1:39:19 PM EDT
[#22]
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Tools are included in the tuition, which is about $25,000 for the program. And you get a LOT of shit. My desk is over flowing with tools. If you have stuff of your own, it can be discounted from your cost. In 3rd you make a fuck ton of stuff too. Like barrel vice inserts. It's $30 for the raw material to make your own set, but to buy them is like $1000 from brownells.
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Do you get to keep said tools as well?
Link Posted: 1/7/2017 1:39:28 AM EDT
[#23]
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Quoted:

Do you get to keep said tools as well?
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Quoted:


Tools are included in the tuition, which is about $25,000 for the program. And you get a LOT of shit. My desk is over flowing with tools. If you have stuff of your own, it can be discounted from your cost. In 3rd you make a fuck ton of stuff too. Like barrel vice inserts. It's $30 for the raw material to make your own set, but to buy them is like $1000 from brownells.

Do you get to keep said tools as well?


Well, yea. You bought the material, and put the time in to make the stuff. The school really does its best to try to make you able to jump right into an actual shop and get cranking without having to hunt for new tools (which will happen anyway).
Link Posted: 1/16/2017 3:05:30 AM EDT
[#24]
I see you're prior (or possibly current) .mil.  Did you explore getting the GI bill to pay for this?

Realistically, what what type of compensation does a gunsmith expect to make after getting a job in the field?

I'm leaving AD after 10 years here pretty soon and I'm looking to get into a trade, just not sure what yet.  If it involved firearms, I'd be ecstatic.
Link Posted: 1/16/2017 4:03:21 AM EDT
[#25]
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Quoted:
I see you're prior (or possibly current) .mil.  Did you explore getting the GI bill to pay for this?

Realistically, what what type of compensation does a gunsmith expect to make after getting a job in the field?

I'm leaving AD after 10 years here pretty soon and I'm looking to get into a trade, just not sure what yet.  If it involved firearms, I'd be ecstatic.
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I'm on the waiting list for PGS.  according to the print out I got from the local VA guy, the GI Bill pays 21,085 per year and 1,543 per month for housing. According to the local VA guy, with current tuition costs, you'd be paying 2,315 a year out of pocket. I was also told that supplies and tools are not covered. But those numbers don't add up with the PGS info that says tuition is 6,123 per semester, with between 1000-1800 a semester for tools and supplies. I don't know how much of the tools and supplies are covered as part of tuition and what's considered a separate purchase. OP can you answer that?

Also keep in mind that the wait list for PGS is about a year and a half.

OP, what tools and supplies are required or would you suggest that are hard to find in the area or might be found cheaper elsewhere? I've got plenty of time to hunt for bargains. And what's the housing situation? GO/NO-GO neighborhoods, etc.
Link Posted: 1/17/2017 12:53:55 AM EDT
[#26]
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I'm on the waiting list for PGS.  according to the print out I got from the local VA guy, the GI Bill pays 21,085 per year and 1,543 per month for housing. According to the local VA guy, with current tuition costs, you'd be paying 2,315 a year out of pocket. I was also told that supplies and tools are not covered. But those numbers don't add up with the PGS info that says tuition is 6,123 per semester, with between 1000-1800 a semester for tools and supplies. I don't know how much of the tools and supplies are covered as part of tuition and what's considered a separate purchase. OP can you answer that?

Also keep in mind that the wait list for PGS is about a year and a half.

OP, what tools and supplies are required or would you suggest that are hard to find in the area or might be found cheaper elsewhere? I've got plenty of time to hunt for bargains. And what's the housing situation? GO/NO-GO neighborhoods, etc.
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Tools and supplies ARE covered under the post 9/11 bill. As a matter of fact, every semester I got a check cut by the school that exceeded $800 that was excess out of the "tool fund" you'll have. BAS is about 1800 if you live in the Pittsburgh area, and that'll stack with whatever disability you get every month. Also, PA has a state pell grant where if you live here for over a year and apply for it, they drop something like $5000 into your lap for shit every school year (so about $10,000). BUT you need to be a resident of PA for over 1 year, so if you can get here before that, it'd be best. Plus you can apply for FAFSA grants, and Carrie will hound your ass for the paper work. In other word, don't worry about money. If you're going to come under the Vocational Rehab program, and your counselor tells you the school isn't covered, find a new counselor. The school IS covered under Voc Rehab. Again, Carrie knows her shit in and out and is constant contact with some fine people at the PGH VA. I know the VA gets a lot of shit, but the VA in PGH is pretty fucking solid in helping out with the GI bill stuff.

Um, as for shit they DONT give you?
Gesswein polishing stones and honing oil for sure. They're magic ding, dent, and pit erasers. Get the tester pack, it's like $50, and you'll get stones from 220 grit up to 1200 grit.
A set of soft magnetic soft jaws with the channel groove are indispensable.
Small compartmentalized containers with lockable lids for gun parts. I think I had 7 guns apart in 4th at one time. It was a fucking nightmare keeping track of where everything was if it wasn't in a box.
Bring a 16/17mm open ended wrench, and a 11/16 drill bit for a mill! For some reason there are only 2 of those wrenches for 4 of the schools lathes, and usually only one can be found at a time. It's a pain in the dick having to share.
If you really want to get fancy, get a nice set of parallels. The school has some, but they've been dropped a bunch. You'll need them anyway, I just never bothered to get a set.
A dremel (I have the 4200 model, but guys get the fancy foot pedal job) and craytex wheels.
Ear pro and a good NIOSH dust mask. You'll be hack sawing 1/8" cold rolled steel plate for the first week, and it's fucking loud. Plus you'll be in the basement, and that's where they do stock making. Lots of dust. The buffing room gets loud as shit too. Like C130 loud.
Coffee maker. Preferably a french press (and a water heater), and BRCC coffee. People will love you. Trust me.
Clampable desk lamp, with a magnifying glass. They're expensive as fuck, but if you have the extra coin, well worth it for seeing small shit.
Bar magnet on a stick. You will launch springs and pins.
Jack First catalogs. You'll need to call JF to get them. They're a hidden gem.
An extra tool box. I have a cheapo 4 drawer husky, but I filled that thing FAST.

Other than that, it's really a case by case basis as to what you'll need. The school has a tool room that has a lot of shit in it that you can use plus a decent library. If you want to see a small list of good books, go look at my other thread on the 1st page. Brownells does give discounts for a lot of shit too if you're a student, and during holidays they give all kinds of promo codes, and if your class chips in on their free shipping program, it's gets even cheaper. Stuff like shop towels, brake cleaner, latex gloves, and liquids like acetone, wd40 and tung oil can be picked up from the home depot that 15 minutes away, or from one of the auto parts stores up the road. You're really honestly not going to be hurting for tools. Come 3rd, you'll be making a lot of shit anyway, like an action wrench and a barrel vice. IF you plan on doing anything funky in 4th, you may need to rent a reamer, but there are resources for that sort of thing.

Housing. DO. NOT. GO. TO. MCKEES ROCKS. It is the ghetto. Also, try to avoid Brighton Heights. I lived in the nice area of it, but it backed up to ghetto goblin central. There was a high speed gun fight between two vehicles, both being pursued by the cops. 2 weeks after that, a double homicide right near the mckees rocks bridge. 2 guys were shot to death in their car. My guess is they were involved with the gunfight. Now I live in Emsworth. LOTS of apartments. I live in a basement prison cell with no windows, but it's $500 a month. Electric is like $40 at most, and internet is $85. There are lots of storage places around, so if you have extra shit, you can get a unit. Prudential owns a lot of property in Emsworth, so it wouldn't be difficult to find a place, and I-79 is a 2 minute drive away. It's a really decent spot. If you need a kinda halfway house to park your ass for a month or two, I can point you to a former classmate who owns an old house nearby. He's in the middle of fixing it up, so it isn't pretty, but it'll work until you find a more suitable place. Kinda why he bought it in the first place.
Link Posted: 1/17/2017 1:01:26 AM EDT
[#27]
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I see you're prior (or possibly current) .mil.  Did you explore getting the GI bill to pay for this? It's 100% covered, plus you can apply for grants. Call the school and ask for Carrie. She's the financial aid wizard.

Realistically, what what type of compensation does a gunsmith expect to make after getting a job in the field? Depends on location. You're not going to be driving a Ferrari, but you're not going to be broke either. Expect $15 average, unless you want to open your own shop, but they'll go over that as well.

I'm leaving AD after 10 years here pretty soon and I'm looking to get into a trade, just not sure what yet.  If it involved firearms, I'd be ecstatic.Fucking do it! The industry has grown over 75% in the last like 3 years. We have a job board that has probably 50 different offerings! Hell half of Turnbull Restorations are PGS grads. Vince from sons of guns is a grad, and he came to do a AK build class with us. Very very high end shops come to us all the time looking for talent. It's like having a NFL talent scout coming to cherry pick. The industry needs talented people, and guys with actual school room hands on experience will beat out a guy who is learning on the fly in his garage. If you want in, now is the time to do it.
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Link Posted: 1/17/2017 1:09:03 AM EDT
[#28]
Slick, no shit, you will be shown these by Rob in 1st. The army did a damn fine job with these vids imo. I'm kind of a bit of a tard, and these were really awesome to watch and helped explain how shit worked.



Link Posted: 3/15/2017 6:34:16 PM EDT
[#29]
Good Thread! Graduated from there in Oct. 2010, Gary, Jim, and John were my teachers.
Link Posted: 3/23/2017 9:29:01 PM EDT
[#30]
How's your post grad prospects looking? 
Link Posted: 3/26/2017 10:37:20 AM EDT
[#31]
Link Posted: 3/26/2017 8:35:28 PM EDT
[#32]
Thanks for posting some of the info in this thread, folks. Never heard about Jack First, looks like a good source for some stuff.
Link Posted: 4/1/2017 11:16:47 PM EDT
[#33]
I cant wait to go here at the beginning of next year.  I toured the school last year and everything looks good and I'm excited about it.  Good to see there is a thread about it and some good things to hear.
Link Posted: 4/4/2017 11:07:15 PM EDT
[#34]
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"Certified" is misleading.  A certificate of completion of the course, or for an associate's degree is not "certification" in the sense that the person is ready to hit the bricks as a competent gunsmith.  Nor is an FFL to work as a gunsmith.  The closest we have to gunsmith certification in the US is acceptance into the FEGA or ACGG.

The real, practical, certification comes from paying customers based on the gunsmith's reputation, experience, and demonstrated ability.


Judging from the examples of projects from the first semester at Pennsylvania Gunsmithing School, I would tell prospects to look elsewhere.  That work is valuable, but not to the exclusion of more important work.

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_1_5/1783789_-ARCHIVED-THREAD----PA-Gunsmith-School---25-Nov-update--perfect-grade-on-the-CZ82.html&page=1

The PGS web site dodges the question about the specific course work or a syllabus; a red flag.  Harsh?  Nope, just realistic.
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The website hasnt been updated in years and is horribly lacking. The current owner relies more on word of mouth than the internet.

But you're missing the entire point of the school. The idea is to give average joe off the street a stepping stone. It's an introduction to the art of becoming a gunsmith. They cover bluing (including hot rust, nitre, and parkerization), heat treatment, one and two piece stock making, checkering, loads of lathe and mill work revolving around tool making, reloading, sight mounting, and then in the end it's applied to making several custom firearms in the end.

I'm not going to lie, my work was so-so. There is no way that it'd be considered guild material. But I know and understand the processes, and learning them in an environment that is controled by guys who have been gunsmiths for 20 or more years (one of whos father is a guild member for his stock work and metal finishing) is far better than learning in someones garage via trial and error.

Plus the fact the fact that places like Turnbull, Colt Custom, Caesar-Guerini, Shaw, and dozens of other shops hire straight out of the school. HellBeretta recommends ONE custom shop to do work on their pistols, and the owner of that shop is also an instructor at the school, and I'm fortunate enough to be apprenticing under him.

Stop being so dismissive.
Link Posted: 4/6/2017 1:33:33 PM EDT
[#35]
Link Posted: 4/7/2017 11:27:19 AM EDT
[#36]
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The comment is not about the quality of your work, it's about the curriculum and your claim of certification.

I sent a request for a copy of the curriculum and syllabus so I can see first hand what is currently offered.  The web site is insufficient to make that determination.
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My apologies for snapping at you aero. I misunderstood. Certification is an incorrect word I suppose. I received a diploma stating that I completed the master gunsmithing program at the school. The title itself is misleading, as what makes it master program, is that they touch on the major areas revolving around gunsmithing, with the exceptions of vapor bluing, CNC, and case color hardening. I touched on the major topics previously. It does NOT make you a master gunsmith, and I don't claim to be one. But "Received diploma for completeing master gunsmith program" looks better on a resume than "figured it out in uncle jimbobs basement using brute force and ignorance" .

The idea of the school is based in its history. It was founded just after WW2 and was aimed at giving the soldiers who fought in the war a place to learn a vocational skill. In other words, taking a random Joe off the street, and teaching him the basics of being a gunsmith so he doesn't fuck shit up like so many garage gunsmiths do (ie bag of gun). Observe, analize, act is the creed, and applying that to the cycle of operations (feeding, chambering, cocking, locking, firing, extracting, ejecting), and all the physics related stuff (ie why a 1911 isn't considered fully locked until the round is fired, and how blow back operated pistols work in general) can help determine 99% of the "my gun doesnt work" problems encountered. I'm sure you know what I mean.

A vast majority of the things they teach now, are the things they taught 70 years ago. I do have my books, but unfortunately, I can't post pictures as the images are copyrighted.
Link Posted: 4/7/2017 12:08:14 PM EDT
[#37]
Link Posted: 4/7/2017 10:13:02 PM EDT
[#38]
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Quoted:

Shoot, I have a thick skin.

The school responded with an electronic brochure with the details that are missing from the web site.  I'll go over it in detail later, but I am impressed by the quick response.

It's important that prospects understand that there is no certification of gunsmiths in the US.  That is one of the reasons there are so much abysmal work by people that have no right to make the claim.  On the other hand, there is some very fine work done by self taught workers, and nowadays the internet allows virtual coaching that makes that more efficient and improves the work of those that want to improve.  I know a person that completed the correspondence course that is advertised in the back of shooting magazines.  He's also a mechanic and has machine shop training which he used as a maintenance mechanic.  Also has two mills and two lathes in his gun shop.  I wouldn't let him touch one of my guns.  His work is functional, and that is about where it ends.
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Very excellent and valid points to make. "Certified" is a word thrown around the school quite a bit, so thats where I get it from. I imagine it was either Robin or Maria that responded to you. They're sweethearts. The brochure still wont tell you all the shit we did though. There was a lot of "you fucked this up, now go figure out how to fix it and dont fuck up the finish" type stuff. All I can say is thank god for youtube!

Oh I should add that the instructors go out of their way to help you out if you're a fuck up, but they have no problems sending you out the door if you're beyond help. Had one guy take a levergun receiver flat (ejection port side) to a buffing wheel once. Dished out the whole thing. It was BAD. Then he lost a screw, and gouged the other side of the receiver, blued over existing bluing, and felt it was passing work. He didn't make it. Then there was a guy who decided to checker his 1911 front strap with a dremel, and then file it off when it didnt look right. Gun was a RCH away from being destroyed, but one of the instructors managed to save it with a giant build up weld. It was seriously impressive.
Link Posted: 4/9/2017 12:46:11 PM EDT
[#39]
Just remember.  The easiest way to make a million as a gunsmith is to start off with $2 million.
Link Posted: 4/9/2017 10:50:49 PM EDT
[#40]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:


Very excellent and valid points to make. "Certified" is a word thrown around the school quite a bit, so thats where I get it from. I imagine it was either Robin or Maria that responded to you. They're sweethearts. The brochure still wont tell you all the shit we did though. There was a lot of "you fucked this up, now go figure out how to fix it and dont fuck up the finish" type stuff. All I can say is thank god for youtube!

Oh I should add that the instructors go out of their way to help you out if you're a fuck up, but they have no problems sending you out the door if you're beyond help. Had one guy take a levergun receiver flat (ejection port side) to a buffing wheel once. Dished out the whole thing. It was BAD. Then he lost a screw, and gouged the other side of the receiver, blued over existing bluing, and felt it was passing work. He didn't make it. Then there was a guy who decided to checker his 1911 front strap with a dremel, and then file it off when it didnt look right. Gun was a RCH away from being destroyed, but one of the instructors managed to save it with a giant build up weld. It was seriously impressive.
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Wait, your paying for an education and yet thank God for youtube????



Listen to AeroE- he has forgotten more than most of us will ever know.
Link Posted: 4/12/2017 7:19:28 AM EDT
[#41]
I am glad to see younger people getting in to the field as a trade.
I think you will enjoy it. Remember, the only person holding you
back from getting better at the trade will be yourself.

I am a master moldmaker & diemaker & machinist by trade,
with over 34 years experience. If it involves any type of
machine work, from CNC to manual to EDM or CAD, I can handle
it. But, my weak spot is working with wood. I could not consider
myself a gunsmith at all, or even equal to one. I may tinker some
& learn when I retire :)

Good luck in the future !
Link Posted: 4/17/2017 1:59:52 PM EDT
[#42]
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