Want to be a gunsmith?
- Thread starter 7x61
- Start date
Oh well its ok I can deal with that 
I'd LOVE to get into gunsmithing when I finally sell my business off. I'm still young (mid 20s), but am completely sick of computers at this point. Been thinking more and more about using some of the cash from the sale of the business (in another 2 years or so) to start into it.
Who knows what time will tell though. I'm optimistic about firearms legislation, but you just never know where we could be in 2-3 years (much better, much worse or the same).
Who knows what time will tell though. I'm optimistic about firearms legislation, but you just never know where we could be in 2-3 years (much better, much worse or the same).
Al Flipo said:
Al Flipo,
Good question, of course
There are problems associated with running a "serious" business with what we have been discussing so far - a serious lack of people! There are problems with accessing some chemicals owing to more environmental rules than we had twenty years ago, but of course there are now many more options in refinishing firearms than there were then
Everything has a flip side - provide good products at a fair price and your phone is ringing, so if you want to get any work done, you need to limit the calls to certain times/days. Top gunsmiths in the US were forced into this a few years ago, and I thought that in Canada we were excempt from this. Not so! Now is this type of situation bad for you as a prospective gunsmith? Not at all! It will be a while before you are at the stage where a voicemail system fills up by noon, where the emails number between 50 and 100 per day...
When that happens, it sneaks up on you and you do need to devise ways of coping with it. One way is to say "on tuesdays and thursdays, I just plain won't answer the phone". There are other ways - hiring a front-end person is one of course. Might work for you, didn't for me
I freely admit, a large part is my own fault - I am a friendly guy and love to talk about guns! I am an enthusiast about the subject and before I know it a half hour is gone...not good if your gun is sitting unattended on my bench The bottom line is that a good gunsmith who specializes can be recognized enough before 5 years is up that he (or she) could work 20 hours a day! At a damn good hourly rate, too
Get as good as you can get (and never stop learning) on a particular type of gun, market your skills, don't be afraid to charge what you're worth, invest in good tools and machinery, and you can make more money than your buddy the plumber
AND likely enjoy it more as well!Gunnar
mooncoon said:
I expect that you're partially right, mooncoon
There are certainly fewer casual hunters/rifle/shotgun buyers out there now. I know there are a lot more recreational shooters of handguns and black rifles now than twenty years ago. If a small shop is sitting around waiting for the 30-30 and 270 buyers to break down the doors, break out the checkers! The market itself has changed, not just the way shopping is now done. Are there less shooters out there now? Less hunters, for sure, and that's a sad situation. Some facets of sports shooting have dropped off (ISU, Silhouette) some have increased - (IPSC, Cowboy Action, Long Range, Tactical Rifle and Shotgun).....Adapt or die...
Gunnar
Gunnar,
you make some good points about lack of new young blood in the gunsmithing trade, but I think the problem is epidemic in ALL trades. The sad fact of life here in good ol' Canuckistan, is that the parents of the young people today simply don't encourage their sons and daughters to go into ANY trade [ my little Johnny or Jenny working with his/her hands ... yechhh! ]. Unfortunately, most parents, and high school counsellors, are trying to brain wash ALL the kids to go to University.
And this is really stupid.
Back when I was a starving University sudent, I rented out rooms in one of my Dad's spare houses, to other starving University Students. Most of these University students had BIG student loans waiting to paid off after grad. I also rented to the occasional Technical College person. For me, the light came on when I realised that some of the Tech school students were not only debt free, but working on their second or third paid for houses. Unlike us starving University students, the Tech School guys and gals were getting paid while they learned!!!
So, I dropped out of University, and ended up making BIG bucks for 20 years or so as a Carpenter, working big commercial jobs. Then, in the early 90s, I decided to go back to school and become a computer geek. The hourly wage was no better than carpentry, but the future was calling, the benefits packages couldn't be beat ... and the chiropractors bills were a lot less.
In my Computer course, 128 people started. Most of these were young kids, twice as smart as me, who cut their teeth on computers. We also had five Chinese students, two of which spoke NO ENGLISH AT ALL at the start of the course. Two and a half years later, at the graduation class, there were SEVENTEEN people standing on the stage.
What was of interest, is that all five of the Chinese students were there, as well as several of the more "mature" students, such as my self. But there were very few of those supersmart young kids ... they simply didn't have the discipline or the work ethic to finish the course
So, if you want young new blood to train, I suggest you start advertising in the Chinese language papers or the Hindi language papers ... the immigrants are still hungry and willing to work hard, and willing to learn, while most of the current generation of spoiled and pampered Canucklehead kids simply are not.
Too bad, so sad, but that is the way the world turns. And that is why we should be teaching Mandarin at school ... in the near future, when the Canucklehead kids go looking for a job, their boss is likely to be Chinese.
[;{)
LAZ 1
you make some good points about lack of new young blood in the gunsmithing trade, but I think the problem is epidemic in ALL trades. The sad fact of life here in good ol' Canuckistan, is that the parents of the young people today simply don't encourage their sons and daughters to go into ANY trade [ my little Johnny or Jenny working with his/her hands ... yechhh! ]. Unfortunately, most parents, and high school counsellors, are trying to brain wash ALL the kids to go to University.
And this is really stupid.
Back when I was a starving University sudent, I rented out rooms in one of my Dad's spare houses, to other starving University Students. Most of these University students had BIG student loans waiting to paid off after grad. I also rented to the occasional Technical College person. For me, the light came on when I realised that some of the Tech school students were not only debt free, but working on their second or third paid for houses. Unlike us starving University students, the Tech School guys and gals were getting paid while they learned!!!
So, I dropped out of University, and ended up making BIG bucks for 20 years or so as a Carpenter, working big commercial jobs. Then, in the early 90s, I decided to go back to school and become a computer geek. The hourly wage was no better than carpentry, but the future was calling, the benefits packages couldn't be beat ... and the chiropractors bills were a lot less.
In my Computer course, 128 people started. Most of these were young kids, twice as smart as me, who cut their teeth on computers. We also had five Chinese students, two of which spoke NO ENGLISH AT ALL at the start of the course. Two and a half years later, at the graduation class, there were SEVENTEEN people standing on the stage.
What was of interest, is that all five of the Chinese students were there, as well as several of the more "mature" students, such as my self. But there were very few of those supersmart young kids ... they simply didn't have the discipline or the work ethic to finish the course
So, if you want young new blood to train, I suggest you start advertising in the Chinese language papers or the Hindi language papers ... the immigrants are still hungry and willing to work hard, and willing to learn, while most of the current generation of spoiled and pampered Canucklehead kids simply are not.
Too bad, so sad, but that is the way the world turns. And that is why we should be teaching Mandarin at school ... in the near future, when the Canucklehead kids go looking for a job, their boss is likely to be Chinese.
[;{)
LAZ 1
I can partially agree with that. More what I see however is that most parents and many parts of the school system are still stuck on the trades being "lower class lower wage" jobs. They still think in an era when jobs were lifelong and being a doctor or lawyer was the only way to be successful. As for me, my parents advocate both. My father has training in multiple trades, as well as a university education. One of my neighbors down the street is the son of two incredibly rich doctors, he has gone into plumbing. I myself am being rather hypocritical at the moment, going for a sole university career, but at the end of my first year I am seriously reconsidering my options and consulting not only career planners, but numerous skilled labourers about their own professions.
Trades were not and still arn't the easy way out.
In the trade the jello between your ears and your ability to do what work is required, so if you don't got the ability to think you wont get anywhere. So I think the trades died off for people to get into more easy lines of work like typing reports on the computer and taking orders etc you know office type jobs.
Dimitri
In the trade the jello between your ears and your ability to do what work is required, so if you don't got the ability to think you wont get anywhere. So I think the trades died off for people to get into more easy lines of work like typing reports on the computer and taking orders etc you know office type jobs.
Dimitri
If i had the money to start and to be secure for a number of years, i would absolutly love to pursue a career i gunsmithing. I know for a fact i'd be dam good at it and with my love for firearms, i would dedicate those 20 hour days with a smile on my face. Unfortunatly, unless i can get a break like winning some cash or something, i have to keep my current job as a technician to pay the mortgage, car loan, bills, etc.. etc.. . Im 29, just married, and would need alot to get started. Ive been trying to find someone in the winnipeg area that is a gunsmith to offer my help for free to get some experience, but i think Winnipeg is flat out of Gunsmiths. I know they HAD a gunsmith course at Red River College, but its no longer offered because the teacher who taught the class passed away.
If there is any Winnipeg based gunsmiths who would like some free help, please do pm me. I would be more then happy to share my time working and learning from you.
Cheerz
Rob
If there is any Winnipeg based gunsmiths who would like some free help, please do pm me. I would be more then happy to share my time working and learning from you.
Cheerz
Rob
- Location
- Edmonton, Alberta.
I'm Looking for a second career. I'd be willing to make that jump.
I know a guy in his early 30's that lives here in BC that really wants to become a gunsmith. If fact He has just looked into the online course. If anyone is seriously looking for someone to bring in as an aprentice or whatever please pm me so I can forward the information to him.
He did work in a sporting goods store for 7 years and he was an excellent bow mechanic (mostly PSE's)
He did work in a sporting goods store for 7 years and he was an excellent bow mechanic (mostly PSE's)
As has been stated many times before. I too would love to learn gunsmithing. I am in the GTA and have lots of free time to "donate" in return for knowledge. Worked my way from floor and toilet cleaner to boss, so I am not afraid of hard work or dirt. My wife wouldn't recognize without dirt under my nails.
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
What we also need (if someone didn't say it in the 7 pages I didn't read) is that we need people turning out the small parts too. Doesn't do us any good to have a raft of gunsmiths around if we don't have a supply of triggers, bottom metal, scope bases etc.
Al Flipo,
Good question, of course
There are problems associated with running a "serious" business with what we have been discussing so far - a serious lack of people! There are problems with accessing some chemicals owing to more environmental rules than we had twenty years ago, but of course there are now many more options in refinishing firearms than there were then
Now is this type of situation bad for you as a prospective gunsmith? Not at all! It will be a while before you are at the stage where a voicemail system fills up by noon, where the emails number between 50 and 100 per day...
When that happens, it sneaks up on you and you do need to devise ways of coping with it. One way is to say "on tuesdays and thursdays, I just plain won't answer the phone". There are other ways - hiring a front-end person is one of course. Might work for you, didn't for me
The bottom line is that a good gunsmith who specializes can be recognized enough before 5 years is up that he (or she) could work 20 hours a day! At a damn good hourly rate, too
Get as good as you can get (and never stop learning) on a particular type of gun, market your skills, don't be afraid to charge what you're worth, invest in good tools and machinery, and you can make more money than your buddy the plumber
Gunnar
So then I imagine someone who volunteers to answer your phone and emails and make a long term commitment might be just the person to get taken under your wing and taught a few things Sensei?
Anybody got an answer for this one, I am very curious how it works.
What if someone wanted to bring in a Steyr Aug for extraction problems and you would have to test functionality.??
I'd gunsmith for $10 or so /hr (thats minimum wage right?), beats the crap out of mcdonalds or something lol (ps. i am a student still, hope that doesn't alter your decision ). Would have to be "under the counter employment" sort of, as i'm not licensed.
I can operate a lathe pretty good, i'm more precise on a milling machine, and probably more qualified experience-wise than the average joe (which is kind of sad). Once this school year is finished, i could begin apprenticing (well in a machine shop, don't know of apprentice qualifications for gunsmith).
I'd work for free for the day if you let me borrow the 12ga chamber reaming tool for my own adventures!
A career that would Really interest me later on in life... But like stated, more $ is a little hard to resist later if you have a potential family + mortgage to take care of. Luckily i don't got that right now *cough cough* !
). Would have to be "under the counter employment" sort of, as i'm not licensed. I can operate a lathe pretty good, i'm more precise on a milling machine, and probably more qualified experience-wise than the average joe (which is kind of sad). Once this school year is finished, i could begin apprenticing (well in a machine shop, don't know of apprentice qualifications for gunsmith).
I'd work for free for the day if you let me borrow the 12ga chamber reaming tool for my own adventures
!A career that would Really interest me later on in life... But like stated, more $ is a little hard to resist later if you have a potential family + mortgage to take care of. Luckily i don't got that right now *cough cough* !
