How do you become a gunsmith?

C

chevy_boy

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Victoria BC
i am extremely interested in becomeing a gunsmith, there is only one gunsmith for the large area that i live in.

How does one legally become a gunsmith? and how does one set up a legal operation once completed.

cheers,
 
Legally? Get a business licence from your CFO. Call and ask.
Practically? You will need to develop all the skills necessary.
 
I would say to use the search tool as this has been discussed so many times...
but the search tool on this forum is as useless as t i ts on a boar.

Be prepared to spend a lot of money going to the US for a couple of years and taking training there. That will get you started on the right foot.

Legally only requires you pay a $100 fee, fill out an application and receive your business license.
 
I think you'll find you'll need to meet certain storage requirements, alarms etc in order for the CFO to license you.

First step would be to phone the CFO and talk to them about it.
 
You will need a business licence from your municipality, if one is required, and a shingle out front proclaiming your new profession. From there, skills and business accumen (and the ability to survive on very little food) will be the tell as to whether you make it.

There are, as far as I have ever found out, no certifying requirements, although Ontario apparently requires that you have passed a recognized course, without actually defining by who or how it should be recognized.

Talk to the CFC about their requirements.

A couple sizes of hammers, some cold chisels, a bench grinder, you should be good to go! :D Maybe a welder of some sort.

Seriously, though. Some machining skills would be really useful. Welding. Skills with hand tools. Business skills. Woodworking. It really is a trade that requires a broad spectrum of skills that may or may nt be called upon in a given day.

Books. Gunsmithing, by Dunlap. Modern Gunsmith by Howe. Two standards. The business environment has changed a bit, the tools and parts available, and especially the reference material available, has changed hugely since the times these books were written, but the skillsets are pretty much the same, if one is not looking at modern military style firearms.

Decide what you want to do. Storefront. Custom builder. Benchrest. Hunting. Shotguns for Olympic shooters. Tactical. Bunch of different ways you could go. Gotta choose a path. Stckmaker. Checkering specialist. Engraver. And on and on and on.

"Gunsmith" is like "Cook". It covers too much ground to really be able to claim you are good at everything.

Cheers
Trev
 
There are many facets of gunsmithing. Some rare ones can do it all and be good at it. Most specialize in an area. Target rifle, pistols, hunting guns, stockmaking, etc. Find what you do well and go with it. Don't worry too much about gunsmith licenses in Canada. What are those? Yep, check with the CFO first for legality and insurance and all that.

We need a sticky on this! This gets asked every week.
 
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