Want to be a gunsmith?

You & I have one, soon to be two, things in common.
One, we both have a love for guns & two, I'm with you on not having enough gunsmiths around. I'm from the Ottawa region & will be taking a one year gunsmithing course starting in August.
I'm only forty-two & can't wait to put up my sign on the front of my garage...
My wife has a great medical/dental package too...
 
nstrapper540 said:
Would it be of any good idea to take a gun smithing course through ics or another online college
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I just finished the course from ICS 2 weeks ago

if you start from zero with it, there is no way it will make you a gunsmith

but if you already have knowledge in mechanic and machining and dont have to be tied to a teacher all day to be able to learn something, then it worths it

this course will give you the basic théory you need to be able to take experience by yourself
 
my personal experience with gunsmiths

I'm a tool and die maker / machinist and most of the gunsmiths in the greater vancouver area I've met have been real shady and dishonest...and one in particular is a complete butcher!! I cannot ##### and complain about him enough. I can recognize his work anywhere

most of his work involves a dremel and JB weld. his machining work is horrid. I don't think he owns or knows how to use a dial indicator. I think he just eyeballs everything

it's like a woman going to a shady car repair shop.....if they asume you know nothing then they'll lie and cheat you blind.

I've been told all kinds of crap by so called gunsmiths. a few that I still remember is that the over travel screw on a 1911 trigger adjusts the trigger pull weight.

the same guy offered to change a recoil spring for $100 labour. I just looked at him like WTF?? what idiot can't change a recoil spring? and why would I pay you $100 to do a one minute job?

I've been told gun frames have to be hardened to file hardness otherwise they will warp after 100 rounds because of the heat. obviously he never heard of aluminum frames or glocks and knows nothing about heat treating

a 1911 thumb safety is NOT a drop in part, and having the hammer drop to half #### when taking the safety off is NOT normal and downright dangerous!!!

I think a lot of people can call themselves a gunsmith and no one will question thier training or ability and just hand thier expensive brand new gun to these untrained and unskilled people to butcher thier guns.

ever wonder why so many guns turn into jamomatics after being worked on by a hack gunsmith? I say if it's not broken, don't take it to someone to practice with

all that being said, I did meet one honest gunsmith that does great work. I don't go to anyone else
 
so how bout a distance apprenticeship??

I'm a locksmith by day, and as I sit in my livingroom tonight putting the action of my old 311 back together, and getting rather frustrated with it, I realize that locks and guns are actually pretty similar mechanically- something holds something back until the right part goes in the right place.

I'm willing to learn if someone's willing to teach- full compliment of tools, and I weld.
 
I'm a machine operator in the GTA - this only translates to my having SOME mechanical apptitude, but like everyone else here, I love guns, own 13 so far and am only in my early thirties. I'm the sole provider for my family, so I can't quit working but would love to have someone take me under their wing part time. I live in the Waterloo region but, like I said, work in the GTA, so if there's anyone within 100 km, I'd come to you whenever you liked!
 
First post is an excellent read and reassuring all the same. I've been shooting competitively since my early teens and thinking of turning this past time into a full time profession. Taking my love of guns and everything mechanical, I'd love to take an official gunsmith course. Also, being from a very small area with a ton of people who also shoot, either out of hobby or hunting, the guns to smiths ratio is, well, probably 4 for my entire province ;)
 
danieldelamont said:
I want to end up as a gunsmith and possibly have my own little gun sales counter somewhere. I'm located in Calgary I'm looking into courses at sait to enable me to one day open my own shop or team up with a good crew to build and service quality firearms usefull specifically for Canadian gun laws. I want to be the guy making the most wanted Canadian guns.

Any advice, guidance or warnings would be appreciated please PM me if you'd be willing to give me your 2 cents.
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Then maybe you should look at the ad for help we have posted in our forum?
Or maybe come by some morning and see me?
Rick
 
7x61 said:
In view of some controversial posts in "Off-Topic" recently, it is becoming very apparent to me that we sorely need more new gunsmiths in this country. I have trained promising apprentices only to lose them partway through to large machine shops with great benefit packages. It is disheartening, but for a young man with plans of starting a family, for instance, that is a hard option to resist, no matter how much you love guns :)

What to do? Try to encourage talented, enthusiastic people to have a go at gunsmithing (especially pistolsmithing, which is totally what I do). Is it satisfying to make something work? To watch a customer's face when he handles his new custom gun? To get the "Wow! I can't believe it!" email? Of course it is! Can you make a good living at it? Yes - maybe not for the first year, but after that, you're either going to do well at it, or realize possibly you should be selling vacuum cleaners :) Long-term, if you get into it in your twenties, the sky's the limit. If you're recently retired at 50 or so, have the machining and mechanical aptitude, and love guns, why not give it a try? You'd have, after all, probably 20 years....

What is needed? First, you gotta really be into guns, otherwise...
Second, you do need some machining and mechanical background AND aptitude. I find it easy to train someone to do good work if he (or she:) can recognize good work as opposed to mediocre stuff. If they can't really tell the difference, go sell vacuum cleaners! Third, you need either someone to take you on and train you, or a good place to do the gunsmithing and train yourself. Start with your own stuff, or your buddy's :) Nothing wrong with a good heated garage as long as you can get a business licence from your town or city as a home based business (that's needed in order to get the Fireams Licence you need to have other peoples' guns there). Fourth, you need tools and machinery. Good heavy duty USED lathes and milling machines beat the hell out of light, inappropriate new ones, especially the do-it-all 3-in-one etc. units. Yes, you can do decent work on almost anything, but a good sturdy unit is much less frustrating, especially if you're basically learning as you go.

A drill press and bench grinder need not break the bank. Upgrade as you get more money :)

For hand tools there are a few basic hammers, punches, good screwdriver sets with a LOT of bits you can grind to size and shape as needed, and then all the drill bits, a good number drill set, reamers (buy them as you need them - they're darn pricy), a good tap and die set, plus a few of the specialized taps etc. from brownells such as 6-40, 6-48, that you can't get locally.

$20,000 is a darn good start, $10,000 is doable if you scrimp a little.

What can you expect to make about a year down the road? $50 an hour for good work, I currently charge $60 and going to $70 March 1st ,but bear in mind you may in some instances work for three hours the first time you are inside a Luger, in order to make that hour's wage :)

Benefit package, RSP's, etc. ? Nope! Having a spouse with medical/dental etc. sure does help!
I'll be back at this subject, but I'll close with a piece of advice: Specialize!! Whether it's 1911's like me, or Lugers, Mauser rifles, Browning High Powers....hey, AR's are hot! work on guns you REALLY like, get to know them better than anyone else, and the world will beat a path to your door :)


Gunnar

www.armco-guns.com
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Sound to me like this person want some one to sign on for Apprentiship at the same time want more money for work! Doesn't matter what trade you in, starting doesn't pay that much, if I does, tent to end up as a dead end jobs, stay with some on whom sign you on as an Apprentish is Is of the best thing that could happen.
Any looking to be come a gunsmith, go and find a closed technical college that offer machinist courst, learn how to use the machine and equipment is a good start, the rest will take addition trainning, but the machinist course will provide the foundation.
 
Gunsmithing are fun to do for yourself, but doing that Full time is Miserable, You can try to do that for part time, but I wouldn't quit my jobs for it.
 
I have my own metal lathe, with tooling, and a tonne of AGI videos and manuals. I do a bit of work for close friends and all my own work. I was forced to, as reputable 'smiths are hard to find in rural NS. I am by no means a gunsmith. I'm currently hounding my best friends son to go somewhere to become a bonified gunsmith, so i can get him to do all my work for free! LoL
 
Not a gunsmith here, but I muck about and get non-functioning guns working. If you don't have the mechanical aptitude; a mail order course or on-line one won't save you.
If the mystery of mechanical problems grabs you then go for it.
 
Gunsmithing

I agree with this gentleman on this subject, adding that in my part of the country there are no commercial Gunsmithing schools. There are options for a begginner is do it online through Thompson Education Direct or Ashworth College both offer these types of programs, which will give you the theory part of the job and explain the fundamentals to you. Nothing can beat hands on experience though, if you are lucky enough to have a Gunsmith near you, become a sponge and absorb everything you can from their knowledge and experience, learn everything possible ( a lifelong quest ) they are willing to teach you. He is right in that we need more 'Smiths out there. It is an awesome job.
 
Maniwaki quebec is the only gunsmithing school in canada. You would be better off to go to one of the us schools though.

I am just wrapping up my time in the scholl in qc and it was fun and i learned alot but there is alot left to be desired from it.

McLean
 
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