Becoming a gunsmith?

[Theriverjustknows]

Trinidad State just revamped the application process for the gunsmithing program. It was first come first served acceptance. You now need to submit a letter, test scores, 3 letters of recommendation, an interview, then they pick the top 15. Next openings are for Spring 2013.

I'd try one of 1 week NRA sponsored summer courses before jumping into a full time program and spending thousands on tools, tuition, room & board, etc.

[kcstott]

Last time I checked it was about $15K for the full course and $30K for the AA degree program Add in all the Gen Ed stuff.
That was back in 1995 and I have no idea if either school is offering a AS/AA course anymore in Gunsmithing.

[Tacit Blue]

Ok guys I just recently jumped back into this thread here. Alot more activity than last time I looked at it. I've taken into consideration to what CSA has said. I have a passion for firearms and mechanics, Infact I find myself happier working with my hands as opposed to a office job. 15-20$ I'd be happy for awhile to be honest.


It seems most of the armorer overseas jobs(80-100k) or law enforcement, require that you've done this before trying to break into the civilian market. That being said working at a shop or working on individuals guns for extra cash might be my starting point.

[spencerk]

Lassen community college. im lucky #1 out of 20 First year gunsmithing students for fall of 2012. took dedication to get in there. showed up 56 hours early to set up camp. i was only the first one there by 20 minutes... and that guy came all the way from new hampshire. Lassen gunsmithing school is in Susanville, aka: Prizontown USA (60 minutes special). again it brings up my point. gunsmithing is more about dedication and willingness to learn than it is what you already know. Lassen is renown as one of the best according to most of the gunsmiths i have met. i also heard ITT tech has a gunsmithing program, but dont bet on it being a very good one...

Lassen is hard as hell to get into. so is every other gunsmithing school. they all require dedication. if you really want to be a gunsmith, do it. i havnt even gotten to school and ive been having the time of my life emersing myself in the world of firearms and gunsmithing. I have NEVER heard that lassen is a bad gunsmithing school.

kcstott, have you personally attended that school? Have you ever even been there yourself? Ive met gunsmiths that have attended that school and seen their work. It was anything but half assed. same goes for the school. Its better looking that most community colleges i have ever seen. maybe not as good of general ed, but everything i ever hear about lassen is good.

[rckjeep]

I have also been trying to get into becoming an LEO but so far unsuccessfully, though I'm still waiting to hear back from one agency. Gunsmithing has become yet another one of my hobbies. I thought about getting into it as well but living in the liberal state of CA I doubt there are too many open positions for new gunsmiths. Ask your local shops if they have excess smith work?

[GUNFREAK]

I am positive that a decent gunsmith can make a slightly above poverty income after establishing him/herself and getting enough clients to actually make money. After years of earning a good reputation, one might be able to make a bit less than a gardener. I'm just being realistic here. I don't want the OP to fool himself into thinking that he can just go to school and then find a decent paying job as a gunsmith. Chances are that he will need a real income for years while he makes a name for himself as a smith.

This is the truth. I learned that getting a job I can tolerate that earns me enough money and time to screw around buying/tinkering with guns is better.

[Lead Waster]

Depends on the smithing that you do. Are you just going to fix guns? Enhance guns? MAKE guns?

If you start out smithing and get good at it, then branch out into making specialized guns, etc, etc, you can make decent money. Look at a limcat http://www.limcat.com/about/
I believe it started when Johnny Lim decided to get out of the restaurant trade and get into gun smithing. Now their guns are run by the top competitors.

I always said that my dentist would make a good gunsmith and vice versa!

[Kruzr]

Two very common sayings among gunsmiths.
1. If you want to have $1MM by being a gunsmith, start with $2MM.

2. The difference between a gunsmith and a pizza is a pizza can feed a family of four.

[kcstott]

Or how do you make a small fortune in Gunsmithing?? Start with a large fortune!!!