I have been working on natural gas pipeline for the past 10 years, and it started taking its toll on my marriage with me being gone most of the year. I was gona finish up my engineer degree, but after talking it over with my wife I think I have found a new direction. Now I may get an accounting or business management degree then go to gunsmithing school. The local smith is getting old and don't do much anymore and the is always some one asking me where they should send there stuff to get worked on. I do small jobs now that I have the tools and know how for people around here, so if I was trained and set up a little shop I think I could stay busy. I'm not expecting to be rich or famous, just make a good living and do what I enjoy. It would be a plus tho if I started get business off of the hide and such. Thanks for any input from the fellow hiders.
My new career choice?
- Thread starter jdulaney
- Start date
Around here, Stan Jackson was the smith to go to and he made a living, the best tuned 700 trigger I every used or felt..not that I have many but nothing came close. He mostly cut and crowned barrels, installed brakes, tuned triggers, sights, general smith work but he did some very accurate barrel action work that I would not have guessed coming from a grungy sourdough in Alaska. As a few more popped up, they went a different direction offering more, sold over the counter boxed firearms, ammo, reloading, etc and eventuality smithing their version of over the counter firearms to pay the bills. I do not include the idiots seen on TV...Wild West. There was another popular smith who once did a ton of work but his attitude, always over deadline, odd hours and such he folded up.
I almost went this route when I was in high school, I had smith school set up but got a full ride scholarship in a different field so I had to run with that. When I enlisted, I wanted to get armors MOS but recruiter did not want that, I believe he got paid more as a bonus for what he wanted so I walked out and went down the hall. I always said I would go back and do it some day but the interest was not there and when I went back, again a totally different direction....outdoors field.
My only input is what ever you do, always always think taxes. They do not stop even when bizz is soft. Some FFL zoning may require additional taxes too, get you nuggets in line but I think its a great idea and good luck but something you love turns into work very quickly....
I almost went this route when I was in high school, I had smith school set up but got a full ride scholarship in a different field so I had to run with that. When I enlisted, I wanted to get armors MOS but recruiter did not want that, I believe he got paid more as a bonus for what he wanted so I walked out and went down the hall. I always said I would go back and do it some day but the interest was not there and when I went back, again a totally different direction....outdoors field.
My only input is what ever you do, always always think taxes. They do not stop even when bizz is soft. Some FFL zoning may require additional taxes too, get you nuggets in line but I think its a great idea and good luck but something you love turns into work very quickly....
Stan Jackson built several rifles for me while I lived in Alaska. Great guy. Still have the .280 I hunt with, that he made!
Good gunsmiths are a great thing.
Good gunsmiths are a great thing.
Not to highjack but when and what?
Have any work done by Steve Unitet? Andy Hawk? Either before or after, I hear the quality went south and complaints went up after they left.
Word of mouth advertising is golden, money cannot buy that type of advertising!
