Respectable gunsmithing education in canada

Rebelson

Rebelson

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The bush in Southern Bantario
I'm looking to take further steps to one day become a professional gunsmith and firearms engineer. But I'm running into the common problem that theres no gunsmithing schools in canada, and no shops are taking anyone on in my area. The local shops dont even have a lathe or mill? Just retail sales I'm guessing. What should my next step be? school for mech. Engineering? Machinists or tool and die apprenticeship? I've already made up my mind years ago that I will persue gunsmithing to the end and not give up on my career dreams. Is there any company's in canada doing firearms engineering and R&D I should contact? Is there any other ways to gain experience that I havent mentioned and may have overlooked? Sorry for all the questions but I seem to have hit a dead end in the search for a respectable education in the feild

Thank you in advance for any advice you have
 
Well unfortunately you couldn't have picked a worst time to get into the trade, everyone in the industry and owners seem to be holding their breath and waiting to see what the GOV will do next. That said, you could pursue a machining position in a small machine shop or apply for a position at places like Alberta Tactical Rifle (ATR) or Prairie Gun works (PGWDTI)?. There are schools in the US like Colorado School of Trade and with the ITAR rules changing/shifting it may be an option? Keep an eye out for Armourers positions, and contact small manufacturers, however either of those might require relocation? In my experience most gunsmithing requires lathe and mill work, and the fitting of parts. If your working in a small shop, doing smaller type jobs, you're probably getting the experience and skills that you need, after that it's will come down to "being in the right place at the right time". Good Luck
 
In 1966 I went to the US for a two year course in Gunsmithing at Trinidad, Colorado. Back then I bought and sold guns and went into and out of the US with no problems... I don't know how any gunsmithing courses would work today as an alien in the US... but if you want to learn the basics the US is the place to go. Look into that...
 
guntech said:
In 1966 I went to the US for a two year course in Gunsmithing at Trinidad, Colorado. Back then I bought and sold guns and went into and out of the US with no problems... I don't know how any gunsmithing courses would work today as an alien in the US... but if you want to learn the basics the US is the place to go. Look into that...
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There was someone on here maybe 5 years ago or so that had gone down, someone would have to look into it. For awhile they were swamped with USGI folks, and had no open seats.

Another option, but not cheap, would be to pick and choose. I posted NAITs courses here a while back, in the US I have seen specialty armorer courses that go indepth into a certain platform, as well as some community college ones. There were some in Kallispell etc in Montana that were a week long etc, which I had though would make great enter-trainment, but never went.
Otherwise its a mechanical degree, and maybe some machining courses. Or even looking to Europe.
I would start with calling the larger gunsmithing shops in Canada, even K&S Arms, who have designed their own actions etc.
 
A friend of mine checked into this and apparently the gunsmithing course at the Colorado School of Trades is booked solid for at least the next 5 years and are not accepting non-Americans at this time.
 
highlander said:
A friend of mine checked into this and apparently the gunsmithing course at the Colorado School of Trades is booked solid for at least the next 5 years and are not accepting non-Americans at this time.
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Something Canada should look into, instead of accepting half the world ahead of domestic students.

Candocad.
 
highlander said:
Unless things have changed since my time, while being a Weapons Tech will give you the basics and some skills, you will only be trained on what weapons the military uses.
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That. Weapons tech doesnt teach you much except minimal parts swapping. Plus, its not like you are working on guns all the time. you would be better off asking Colt Canada or the like for a job.
 
I like the idea of the Sonoran desert institute but as with any distance education everyone will still turn there nose up at your online diploma. I'm trying to contact Pennsylvania gunsmith school to see how long the wait time is for a bench there, it may be completely booked out for years in advance as others have noted.
 
call2arms said:
Or Dlask/ATRS
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I guess it depends on what people really want to do for gunsmithing as well. If you really want to be the next Leeper or Martini-Hagn then its a whole other thing than parts replacing, or machining.
I went through this 30 years ago, at the time the province I was in suggested Colorado, on my dime. Relatives in Europe suggested apprenticing there, again, on my own dime.
I had no access to a main shop, so ended up picking up bits and pieces here and there. Today I would probably call the kind of maker/builder I was interested in, and ask them what they suggested, or even if they could take on an apprentice. Emails and calls are cheap.
 
highlander said:
Unless things have changed since my time, while being a Weapons Tech will give you the basics and some skills, you will only be trained on what weapons the military uses.
Click to expand...

My understanding is that if you can use machine tools and have any applicable experience, you can get approved by the RCMP and being ex-military helps with their decision making. So it depends on whether you already know how to use the tools and what your goals are as a smith.
 
You need to get machining experience so a natural step there would be a machinist apprenticeship or even better a tool and die maker. But it seems you already knew that. Worse case scenario is that you come out of it with a trade and can keep the interest alive while plying a decent living. There are no fast paths to becoming a respected gunsmith.
 
Last place I have seen any 'respectable' courses running in Canada, was a College in Quebec that was running a Smithing course. Don't know if they do any in English.

I spent a year working in a Military Small Arms shop. Based on that, I'd say that anyone joining the CF as a weapons tech was likely to be really disappointed in what they actually get to do. The job positions that actually deal with anything more than inspect/swap/return through the Supply system, are few and far between.

Take some Small Business related course, bookkeeping and the like. Lots of guys have started out down the path with a head full of ideas, and not an actual clue where they are making money vs. spending it out of their pockets to keep playing at what they are doing.
 
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