Will be getting out of the Army in about three years and looking at becoming a gunsmith. What would be the best route for me. I went through the Unit Armor Class and know just enought to get me in to trouble.
Gunsmithing Wanting to be come a Gunsmith
- Thread starter stone7romeo
- Start date
Re: Wanting to be come a Gunsmith
Where are you stationed at?
Where are you stationed at?
Re: Wanting to be come a Gunsmith
I am stationed at Fort Hood, TX.
I am stationed at Fort Hood, TX.
Re: Wanting to be come a Gunsmith
see if any of the local colleges or community colleges offer a GS course. If they do, see if you can get the Army to pay for it.
see if any of the local colleges or community colleges offer a GS course. If they do, see if you can get the Army to pay for it.
Re: Wanting to be come a Gunsmith
there's a few GOOD gunsmithing schools in the country: Lassen Community College, Trinidad Community College, Yavapai Community College, Montgomery County Community College, Murray State College. All these have "hands on" instruction. U can slo go with someone like AGI (American Gunsmithing Institute) which has DVD courses on all aspects of gunsmithing. I personally have about 35 of their armorer's courses. I think I would steer clear of the correspondence/online courses. I have taken 3 different courses like this and you really need the "hands on" (machioning,welding,etc.) to get a complete understanding of what is entailed in gunsmithing. At any rate...good luck!!!
there's a few GOOD gunsmithing schools in the country: Lassen Community College, Trinidad Community College, Yavapai Community College, Montgomery County Community College, Murray State College. All these have "hands on" instruction. U can slo go with someone like AGI (American Gunsmithing Institute) which has DVD courses on all aspects of gunsmithing. I personally have about 35 of their armorer's courses. I think I would steer clear of the correspondence/online courses. I have taken 3 different courses like this and you really need the "hands on" (machioning,welding,etc.) to get a complete understanding of what is entailed in gunsmithing. At any rate...good luck!!!
Re: Wanting to be come a Gunsmith
If a school near you does not offer a gunsmith course, an adult education course in machine shop will help you out tremendesly when you do get to a good gunsmith school. A lot of vocational schools offer one. Get all the machine experience you can, you will need it.
If a school near you does not offer a gunsmith course, an adult education course in machine shop will help you out tremendesly when you do get to a good gunsmith school. A lot of vocational schools offer one. Get all the machine experience you can, you will need it.
Re: Wanting to be come a Gunsmith
I wanted to be a rock star, but I lacked the talent and drive. With money from my day job I bought guitars, amplifiers, and recording equipment and kept my amateur status.
I wanted to be a gynecologist, but lacked the talent, grades, or drive to get into med school. With money from my day job I bought latex gloves and kept my amateur status.
I wanted to be a gunsmith, but lacked the talent, skill, and drive. With money from my day job I bought lathes, welders, a mill, barrel blanks, reamers, rifle actions, stocks, scopes, etc.
Now I don't even have the drive for a day job, and I am still playing gunsmith, and still have my amateur status.
I wanted to be a rock star, but I lacked the talent and drive. With money from my day job I bought guitars, amplifiers, and recording equipment and kept my amateur status.
I wanted to be a gynecologist, but lacked the talent, grades, or drive to get into med school. With money from my day job I bought latex gloves and kept my amateur status.
I wanted to be a gunsmith, but lacked the talent, skill, and drive. With money from my day job I bought lathes, welders, a mill, barrel blanks, reamers, rifle actions, stocks, scopes, etc.
Now I don't even have the drive for a day job, and I am still playing gunsmith, and still have my amateur status.
Re: Wanting to be come a Gunsmith
PM me if interested, but plan on lots of enjoyable work but low pay
PM me if interested, but plan on lots of enjoyable work but low pay
Re: Wanting to be come a Gunsmith
Between now and the time you get out, learn as much as you can about operating a lathe and milling machine.
Between now and the time you get out, learn as much as you can about operating a lathe and milling machine.
Re: Wanting to be come a Gunsmith
Look into the short NRA sponsored summer gunsmithing courses at Murray College in Tishamingo, OK. They are usually one week at a time and you might be able to schedule your leave for one that interests you. I do believe they offer a machining course for gunsmiths and the week following is rifle rebarreling. Other than that I would agree with looking for the local tech school and take a few machine shop courses to learn the use of the lathe and mill (among other things).
Look into the short NRA sponsored summer gunsmithing courses at Murray College in Tishamingo, OK. They are usually one week at a time and you might be able to schedule your leave for one that interests you. I do believe they offer a machining course for gunsmiths and the week following is rifle rebarreling. Other than that I would agree with looking for the local tech school and take a few machine shop courses to learn the use of the lathe and mill (among other things).
Re: Wanting to be come a Gunsmith
thats somnething that you have to have a nack for, and if ya dont it wont pan out, I knew a guy who retired from the air force, went through one of the top rated gun smithing schools and then spent a butt load of money on a new building, equipment and tooling, long story short after a year he sold everything and got out of the gun smithing busines, he was screwing up almost as much as he was fixin, so just because you have the wont to ya have to have the base skill to do what it takes.................
thats somnething that you have to have a nack for, and if ya dont it wont pan out, I knew a guy who retired from the air force, went through one of the top rated gun smithing schools and then spent a butt load of money on a new building, equipment and tooling, long story short after a year he sold everything and got out of the gun smithing busines, he was screwing up almost as much as he was fixin, so just because you have the wont to ya have to have the base skill to do what it takes.................
Re: Wanting to be come a Gunsmith
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: metalmole</div><div class="ubbcode-body">thats somnething that you have to have a nack for, and if ya dont it wont pan out, I knew a guy who retired from the air force, went through one of the top rated gun smithing schools and then spent a butt load of money on a new building, equipment and tooling, long story short after a year he sold everything and got out of the gun smithing busines, he was screwing up almost as much as he was fixin, so just because you have the wont to ya have to have the base skill to do what it takes................. </div></div>
I know a guy that hawked his parent's house to buy equipment for his rock band. The band had 5 members and 2 roadies. Years went by of constantly touring the tavern circuit in the NW 4 states. In the end, he walked away with little left.
I saw a group of people hawk their homes to build a driving school with roads and little cars. They lost it all.
I know a guy who got good grades in his economics major at university. He has never been able to find a job with his degree in 35 years.
I know a guy who is a gunsmith and pays taxes on $30k/year.
He is so smart and hardworking, if he were an engineer, he would make over $100k/year. And you don't need a degree to be an engineer. You just have to be smart. The best ones learned it all on their own.
What does it all mean?
a) It is more than a fool and his money that soon part, the fool soon parts with his money, time, enthusiasm, and his not-a-fool-status.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: metalmole</div><div class="ubbcode-body">thats somnething that you have to have a nack for, and if ya dont it wont pan out, I knew a guy who retired from the air force, went through one of the top rated gun smithing schools and then spent a butt load of money on a new building, equipment and tooling, long story short after a year he sold everything and got out of the gun smithing busines, he was screwing up almost as much as he was fixin, so just because you have the wont to ya have to have the base skill to do what it takes................. </div></div>
I know a guy that hawked his parent's house to buy equipment for his rock band. The band had 5 members and 2 roadies. Years went by of constantly touring the tavern circuit in the NW 4 states. In the end, he walked away with little left.
I saw a group of people hawk their homes to build a driving school with roads and little cars. They lost it all.
I know a guy who got good grades in his economics major at university. He has never been able to find a job with his degree in 35 years.
I know a guy who is a gunsmith and pays taxes on $30k/year.
He is so smart and hardworking, if he were an engineer, he would make over $100k/year. And you don't need a degree to be an engineer. You just have to be smart. The best ones learned it all on their own.
What does it all mean?
a) It is more than a fool and his money that soon part, the fool soon parts with his money, time, enthusiasm, and his not-a-fool-status.
Re: Wanting to be come a Gunsmith
I think either hooking up with a local gunsmith such as I did, or a trade school wish I could do if I had the time. I've tinkered with gun all my life with my dad and became friends with a local gunsmith and learned a lot of stuff... Mill and Lathe work is kinda where I left off and wish I had spent more time with. Thats when my wife and I had started our family and time was limited up at the gun shop.
I would take the advice and see about looking into a trade school. I wasnt looking to do it for a living, mainly myself and some side work. That is why I didnt persure the trade school route. I wish you lots of luck and thank you for your service brother!
I think either hooking up with a local gunsmith such as I did, or a trade school wish I could do if I had the time. I've tinkered with gun all my life with my dad and became friends with a local gunsmith and learned a lot of stuff... Mill and Lathe work is kinda where I left off and wish I had spent more time with. Thats when my wife and I had started our family and time was limited up at the gun shop.
I would take the advice and see about looking into a trade school. I wasnt looking to do it for a living, mainly myself and some side work. That is why I didnt persure the trade school route. I wish you lots of luck and thank you for your service brother!
Re: Wanting to be come a Gunsmith
I want to thank everyone for the advice and support. I will be going to a local gunsmith and then go to school, if I like it, when I get out of the Army.
I want to thank everyone for the advice and support. I will be going to a local gunsmith and then go to school, if I like it, when I get out of the Army.
Re: Wanting to be come a Gunsmith
I graduated from Murray College in Tishamingo, OK with a 2 year degree in 'Gun Technology'. At the time it was top 3 school in the country. A lot of the guys I graduated with ended up working in machine shops. We got tons of machine time. The shop was open to the students except when class was in session. If you are motivated, in that two years you can build lots of guns. The professors helped me get a job in Alaska over the summer between school years. They run a good program. Of course that was 7 years ago........
To boot it is a hunting and fishing paradise around school...tons of public hunting and fishing
I graduated from Murray College in Tishamingo, OK with a 2 year degree in 'Gun Technology'. At the time it was top 3 school in the country. A lot of the guys I graduated with ended up working in machine shops. We got tons of machine time. The shop was open to the students except when class was in session. If you are motivated, in that two years you can build lots of guns. The professors helped me get a job in Alaska over the summer between school years. They run a good program. Of course that was 7 years ago........
To boot it is a hunting and fishing paradise around school...tons of public hunting and fishing
