how the hell do you get into this profession?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - how the hell do you get into this profession?

Posted: 12/13/2005 6:13:40 PM EDT

They say a good gunsmith is a great machinist. Well I have already done some schooling in manufacturing technology but that is not exactly what I really want to do for the rest of my life...if it was strictly manufacturing tech as a career, so I stopped going to school so could work FT instead.. I am not really interested anymore in furthering my education at college because none of the areas of study appeal that much to me as a career for FT schooling instead of working right now.

But.......I would kill to be a gunsmith, but I have no idea where one goes to school for this? Ive seen the learn at home stuff....fuck that I want classroom instruction, lectures...etc. How do you get educated for a career in that field? It is seriously the only thing I would ever want to go school for, most spare moments of my day are spent pondering about the mechanics of guns, ballistics, etc, it truely interests me unlike anything else

Posted: 12/13/2005 6:14:38 PM EDT

[#1]

tag

Posted: 12/13/2005 6:15:53 PM EDT

[#2]

www.nragunsmithing.com/

Posted: 12/13/2005 6:16:10 PM EDT

[#3]

there's a huge school in colorado i was looking into a while back. lemme hop on google and see if i can't remember the name...

ETA:

www.schooloftrades.com/GUNSMITHING/ABOUT/course.cfm

Posted: 12/13/2005 6:16:37 PM EDT

[#4]

www.pagunsmith.com/

google is your friend

Posted: 12/13/2005 6:19:46 PM EDT

[#5]

Colorado School of Trades is supposed to have good gunsmith training.

Posted: 12/13/2005 6:30:03 PM EDT

[#6]

hmmm, these schools are all out of state, I have no idea how I could do this If I wanted to

I live in Oregon

Posted: 12/13/2005 6:31:53 PM EDT

[#7]

Maybe be an apprentice at your local gunshop.

Posted: 12/13/2005 6:32:27 PM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
hmmm, these schools are all out of state, I have no idea how I could do this If I wanted to
I live in Oregon

There aren't that many. You would have to relocate for school. Lots do for college though.

Posted: 12/13/2005 6:33:07 PM EDT

[#9]

I would bet the best gunsmiths were apprentices.

Posted: 12/13/2005 6:37:24 PM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
I would bet the best gunsmiths were apprentices.

+1

Get basic smithing skills at a school and then learn the business as an apprentice.

Posted: 12/13/2005 6:44:56 PM EDT

[#11]

There are several good gunsmithing schools. After 22 years of service as a Marine armorer I decided to go to gunsmithing school so I would be qualified to call myself a gunsmith. The good schools are:

Yavapai College - Prescott, AZ
Trinidad Community College - Trinidad, CO
Lassiter Community College - Susanville, CA
Murray State College - in NC I believe ??

These are all 2 year programs that result in the award of a 2 year A.A.S. college degree. Colorado School of Trades is more a commercial diploma mill operation although they turn out some good 'smiths on occasion. There is also another good school in OK that P.O. Ackley taught at but I cannot remember the name at this time.

Good gunsmiths are hard to find. There are MANY gunHACKS however. E-mail direct if any questions. Charles the Gunsmith.

Posted: 12/13/2005 7:24:37 PM EDT

[#12]

You can start by looking into local machinist programs. Anything you learn there will eventually apply to gunsmithing.

-Troy

Posted: 12/13/2005 7:32:29 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
hmmm, these schools are all out of state, I have no idea how I could do this If I wanted to
I live in Oregon

Well Guess what there was a course of study at Rogue Comunity College Grants Pass, Or. But was shut down...

There is always Suzanville Ca, Its got a pretty good course there.

Posted: 12/13/2005 7:38:11 PM EDT

[#14]

IM sent.

Posted: 12/13/2005 7:50:46 PM EDT

[#15]

Posted: 12/13/2005 7:57:00 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
They say a good gunsmith is a great machinist. Well I have already done some schooling in manufacturing technology but that is not exactly what I really want to do for the rest of my life...if it was strictly manufacturing tech as a career, so I stopped going to school so could work FT instead.. I am not really interested anymore in furthering my education at college because none of the areas of study appeal that much to me as a career for FT schooling instead of working right now.

But.......I would kill to be a gunsmith, but I have no idea where one goes to school for this? Ive seen the learn at home stuff....fuck that I want classroom instruction, lectures...etc. How do you get educated for a career in that field? It is seriously the only thing I would ever want to go school for, most spare moments of my day are spent pondering about the mechanics of guns, ballistics, etc, it truely interests me unlike anything else

There is a gunsmith/machinist program at a Caifornia community college that the owner of Krebs went to, let me find it. The school is in a small town near the NV/CA border.

cant find it. Email him, Marc krebs @ krebscustom.com

Lassiter Community College - Susanville, CA

That's it

Posted: 12/14/2005 3:30:34 AM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
You can start by looking into local machinist programs. Anything you learn there will eventually apply to gunsmithing.

-Troy

+1, and you can pay your bills while looking for that dream job as a gunsmith. Whole lot mo' machinist openings out there than there are gunsmith jobs.

Get into tool and die-you'll learn a lot more there that pertains to 'smithing than simple mill, drill and lathe work.

Dave

Posted: 12/14/2005 3:35:41 AM EDT

[#18]

Would big name manufacturers accept you after attending a gunsmithing school?

What would it take to be a firearms designer? I'm thinking that it would take a lot more than attending a gunsmithing school.

Posted: 12/14/2005 3:36:33 AM EDT

[#19]

don't forget welding and heat treating, +1 on lassiter

Posted: 12/14/2005 4:14:30 AM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
Maybe be an apprentice at your local gunshop.

And become a good machinist at the local Junior College!

Posted: 12/14/2005 4:15:15 AM EDT

[#21]

What would it take to be a firearms designer? I'm thinking that it would take a lot more than attending a gunsmithing school.

Yep.......like a BS in Mechanical Engineering!

Posted: 12/20/2005 6:23:40 AM EDT

[#22]

I'd say a good start was learning how to properly use firearms, then you can be an effective designer.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - how the hell do you get into this profession?

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