Takin`the Gunsmithing Correspondence Course

"...Military avenues don't qualify..." Neither does the police route.
The problem with those course is that you need the firearms the lessons are about. For example, if you don't have a Smith & Wesson revolver to learn how to do a trigger job, you're SOL. Nobody is going to lend you one to learn on either.
 
b-wingpilot said:
+1. There are way too many people out there calling themselves "gunsmiths".
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not to many of those around here bud ... certified gunsmith in ottawa region and the outaouais their only 2 me and jason spencer for the rest of them i can care less if a custumer walks in a store and theirs no diploma for what he intend to do and the custumer leave is gun their thats his problems.

it's like buying stuff and try to get it fix by the comp rep not a god idea.:bsFlag:
 
here in ontario its really hard to find a REAL gunsmith.

talked to some friends that have taken guns to "gunsmiths" andhad them come back screwed up, or had the gunsmith say "this gun is unfixable. its to old hang it on the wall" for a shotgun that was maybe 40 years old. (just needed a new fireing pin)

im really hoping to get into gunsmithing. it seems to be a dieing art. people calling themselvs gunsmiths when they are hacks. and real gunsmiths retiring and no one taking their place.

im hopeing my machinists apprentice, and the fact ive been using and fixing guns for as long as i can remember helps me get in, and my absolute love of firearms big and small.
 
I think lots of gunsmiths know how to fix stuff, it is the diagnosis that causes some grief.......anyone can change all the parts, lube and make it work. Fewer yet can do custom work.

Thats been my experience.
 
Aries, what about Epps, up your way.

I think there are more of them in Ontario than one would think. I live on the east side of metro, and know of two or three out here. I learned of one from my pal who does a lot of estate sales and has been in the bus for 30-40 years originally in retail and wholesale. He introduced me to a guy who does his work, from eastern europe, I hadn't hear of. My friend sees a lot of fine old stuff so this guy must be good.

I think it would be really hard to start out as gunsmith to fix firingpins in shotguns. How do you pay for a limitless stock and tooling and education in canada that way? I think you need to specialize, and in that sense I am not sure how a long general gunsmithing course would help. I mean it would help... But whether it would be affordable is another mater. It may be required and then I guess we will see.
 
dan belisle said:
Nothing is required. There are NO official qualifications needed to be a gunsmith in Canada. Get a business licence (some places you don't even need that), hang out your shingle and go to town. - dan
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here in quebec you have to give a copy of a legit diploma to the SQ and then they verified after is the inspection of the business for security matter after that you will receive your business license and the nice register actully 2 of them one for sales and the other for repair...
 
Gunsmithing

The best guy to work on guns around Moncton is a former tool and die maker that trained to be gunsmith in Germany after the war. I think a machinest could be the way to obtain some of your training. But any training these days is a help. Where else are you going to learn the trade?

I know a guy that worked on guns years ago and had "The Master Gunsmith" as a business name. Everyone thought that was his level of training until they got their guns back a little F**ked up. He received Gov money to set up his shop with all kinds of big ideas and that's exactly what they were.

You will probably have to team up with an older gentleman that has been in the trade for years just to get some practical training.
 
I took the Thompson direct course 4 or 5 years ago and I enjoyed it. It was more for a hobby than to become a gunsmith. I did learn a lot of interesting things. I’m a qualified to be a gunsmith – no way. Do I know more about guns, yes.

My one recommendation is to ask for the information on the course, and then ignore them for a few months. I think they sent me additional information 2 or 3 times, each with a lower price. At one point it became so cheap that I just had to say yes. I took the financing option, so it was only a few dollars a month, and it’s tax deductible.

My one comment is that all of the testing is online, and do not evaluate the practical exercises. For example I read the chapter on stock making, but didn’t pickup a chisel or touch any wood. I still got 100% on the module. They probably don’t have the resources or the desire to grade practical work, but in my mind that would make this certificate worth something.

I’ve never been to any of them, but the NRA website has a number of links to training institutes. Many of these offer specialized one week training sessions. This is the sort of thing that I can see doing as a vacation. There is also a company in the US (who’s name escapes me right now) who produces video tapes on individual guns. It shows detailed assembly disassembly and some customizations.
 
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Gunsmith training

Recently, I read two detailed descriptions on how to become a competant gunsmith. The first is a post in CGN by Gunnar who owns Armco. Do a search and you should find it easily. The second is a bio by the owner of Fusion Firearms in NY. Google will find that one for you. The common thread of both is that you should apprentice as a machinist or a tool and die maker first. It is a long, interesting process.
 
I can do better than that. I've got one from North American Correspondence Schools. Weighs about 8 pounds, just pay the shipping.
 
I took a correspondence course from ICS about 15 years ago, for my own knowledge, and had a lot of fun with it. Not very comprehensive, but enjoyable. I don't fix other peoples guns, but am not afraid to pick up a beater and transform it. Don't get discouraged, as your interest level, and experience will go a long way. Good Luck.
 
correspodance

yeah i've done two correspond courses. i agree with what eveyones said.BUT try and work on a lot of things these days without a piece of paper hanging on the wall. where i'm from people always ask"are you qualified". the only real gunsmith qualification is to work on as many as you can and learn, it's an ongoing education. but i think ist's worth something just to be able to show a piece of paper. 12 magnum
 
found a complete mail order gunsmih course one time at a yard sale......glad i only paid 20$ fer it, because thats all its worth, if i had paid new price = about 600$ at that time a few yrs back.........
goodluck no idea were you find proper training in canada
 
one thing you need to do is pickup the full set of "ginsmith kinks" put out by brownells, they are up to the 5th edition now. lots of great info and they will help you more then any other.
 
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