future gunsmithing student...

[spencerk]

Hello Everyone! Im new to the forums but not new to firearms. I am completely obsessed with all types of guns, but especially the old skool military rifles. My father just purchased me my first firearm, a .308 spanish m48 mauser (somebody correct me if thats wrong) that i can sporterize, because i have had multiple surgeries, chronic knee and ankle pain, and back problems that have kept me from getting a job and being able to save enough for a rifle. I have shot many firearms before, everything from a good old ruger 10/22 to a .50 bmg in alaska. I have been a crack shot with every gun i have ever shot and consistantly outshoot people with the same amount of practice as i am old (20 years... yes young and my body is giving out on me). Im not going into gunsmithing completely blind, i used to custom make airsoft and pellet guns that would sell over $200 on the low end, and one pellet gun taking $950. I can do quality work, i just dont have access to the tools i used to have anymore and i recently figured out that i dont do well in a normal school setting and i work well with my hands.

now im just waiting to go to gunsmithing school and all i want to do is get my mauser... btw its not stamped metal, its machined, is that common? i know people think customizing a stock mauser the way im going to is an uber sin, but i love the look of the stock and how the barrel isnt completely exposed so im planning on painting it od green and making a pistol grip for it as it does not have a curved grip. ill be installing a buttpad and picitanny rail for a bipod. ill put the rest of the specs in the centerfire rifle section as i dont want to ramble and bore everybody.

well im excited to see what the forum brings. ill be a new regular and yall might see me on here a little too much lol.

have a great night calguns forum and members!

[h0use]

Welcome!

[gatdammit]

Is there a school around here!? I'm down to take some classes! -East Bay... oh and welcome aboard!

[INJUNTOM]

Welcome aboard

[pete451]

Gunsmithing School

Is there a school around here!? I'm down to take some classes! -East Bay... oh and welcome aboard!

First, good luck as to the mauser project. Many have been "Sporterized".
As regards a school near the Bay Area, I dont believe there is one. The closest is Lassen Community College in Susanville, Ca. The gunsmithing program is one of the best in the country. The complete course is listed as 2yrs, but plan on 3+. Info is avail online. It was listed as #1 school for a while back when Bob Dunlap was running the program. His last year there teaching was my first year as a student. If I had it to do over again, I'd just start taking the NRA classes offered there during the summer. They are just a few weeks long at most, and you wont have to go thru the hassel of moving there. There's no real/steady work in that area other than the prison, BLM or Forest Svc, and the winters are REALLY bad. The added plus with taking the NRA summer classes is that you can take just the classes you want vs doing the whole program. Easy access campus, esp to the shop areas.

[Bert Gamble]

Welcome

[SoCal Bob]

Welcome to Calguns.

[JRJCP]

Welcome

[R-H]

WELCOME!

[bsg]

welcome to the forum.

[BlackTydeTactical]

Welcome aboard!

[MOONDAWG]

Welcome aboard from Florida the "GunShine" state.

[biloutkast]

Welcome aboard~!

[zod]

Welcome aboard.

[spencerk]

First, good luck as to the mauser project. Many have been "Sporterized".
As regards a school near the Bay Area, I dont believe there is one. The closest is Lassen Community College in Susanville, Ca. The gunsmithing program is one of the best in the country. The complete course is listed as 2yrs, but plan on 3+. Info is avail online. It was listed as #1 school for a while back when Bob Dunlap was running the program. His last year there teaching was my first year as a student. If I had it to do over again, I'd just start taking the NRA classes offered there during the summer. They are just a few weeks long at most, and you wont have to go thru the hassel of moving there. There's no real/steady work in that area other than the prison, BLM or Forest Svc, and the winters are REALLY bad. The added plus with taking the NRA summer classes is that you can take just the classes you want vs doing the whole program. Easy access campus, esp to the shop areas.

Mt lassen is where im attending in 2012 for the start of the fall semester. they only take 20 new students a year and the registration for 2012 was last month. their way of accepting students is first come first serve, and i was the first person to register, but i damn well deserved it for being there 48 hours in advance to camp out til registration... i was only the first person in line by about as long as it took me to finish 3 cigs in the freezing cold.... there were 14 people there so the school actually opened up a building for us the second night so we could get outta the cold and have some coffe and actually get some shut eye (i passed out for an hour on the floor looking for my phone... lol). at 8 am, there was over 20 people in line, and im pretty sure the wait list was filled that day.

im absolutely determined to be a gunsmith, i have already have designed multiple different firearms that i plan on making prototypes of while im at school. For some reason, im not a fan of magazine fed firearms (just dead weight in my opinion) so i designed a few Pistols that have a fixed internal magazine in the grip and can be loaded with or with out a stripper clip. another is a rifle that i just noticed resembles some vietnam era rifle that has a fixed rotary drum mag, accept mine you dont need to wind and you can field strip and replace the barrel very quickly without modification to the magazine.

and im pretty sure i saw that itt tech has gunsmithing in concord or some BS like that. idk if its true so just go to their website and see. i didnt wanna screw with it and went where all the gunsmiths ive met have told me to go.

btw im also from the east bay.