I wish I lived in America. Here in the U.K its a dying art and is almost unheard of. Guns are my passion and my life, but I have no where where I can learn professional gunsmithing. I am part way through my mechanical engineering apprenticeship so my machining skills will be fine, its just joining the two parts together. Maybe one day I will have the opportunity? Maybe one day I will just move to the States...
Well, unless you work for someone else under their FFL there are certain gunparts that people like Brownell's won't sell to you unless you have your own FFL.
As a person who recently started his own business, I echo everything you said. The amount of people who tried to discourage the effort was unbelievable. Thankfully, I had it in my heart and didn’t listen to them. I love your videos sir. Please keep them coming.
Gunsmithing covers so many aspects. And every gunsmith I know may do a standard array of services but they have a specialty. Maybe they specialize in the stock building and checkering etc. Or maybe they specialize in restorations (Good $$$). But all of us have certain talents that lead us in the direction of least resistance...
Agreed. And you're right about the restoration business. It takes a lot of knowledge and talent to do that. I have a deep appreciation for those people who can checker or engrave freehand!!! Thanks for watching!
Thank You for this video! After 32 years as a truck driver I am having to go back to school to learn a new trade. This video has been infomative and motovational. Thanks again
Fake it, til you make it. I got my gunsmithing certificate from Penn Foster online about 8 years ago just for fun. I enjoyed it. It helped me in my personal collection. I would encourage a new smith to get a single action colt style army and take it down and polish the parts and put it back together. If it moves like butter and shoots you pass the test. Plus you learn the basics of a simple but complex movement.
Working for yourself will make it next to impossible to ever work for a crappy boss again. I will eat out of garbage cans before I work in an abusive workspace again. Some bosses treat you like family, and some like a slave. Love being self employed. That said I've seen too many small outfits fail. Too many. The modern economy kills small businesses. People will lose small fortunes through no fault of their own. An old fashioned idea is to NOT build it on credit but on capital. If your business is worthy cash will be available to grow it. It is really easy to get overwhelmed in a small business. Slow and steady works. This modern credit friendly world will soon crash again. Remember it was the optimistic who crashed the system in 2008 and they will do it again. Be a realist!
Thanks for this video! I am very interested in gun-smithing and this video definitely helped! Dont ever lose your passion for gun-smithing you are awesome!!
very motivational, thank you very much for sharing your knowledge with us, im looking into running my own business, and i know i got a good ways to go till i get there but with inspiring people like you ill get there in no time, thank you
Great video. I’m looking at retirement when I got laid off due to Covid. I’m probably not going to get recalled so I thought about doing something else until it’s time to enjoy my golden years. I’ve always been an outdoor guy (hunting, fishing) and so I’m considering becoming a gunsmith. You motivated me to start making a few phone calls.
Not looking to be a gunsmith myself. Too old and crap manual dexterity. I can do a good job cleaning my small arsenal but that's as far as I want to go. But you did a great job putting the information out there for those interested. I tip my cap to all the gunsmiths out there keeping us shooting.
I had someone ask me a very specific question about a specific part on a specific gun trying to sway me away and I told them I'm not a gunsmith yet that is why I'm learning to become one
You just got a new subscriber. And I wish I had you as a professor in school! Your passion for this is amazing and inspiring sir! Watched this during my 6 am workout! Your words are uplifting and strong. Going to look into welding and I love firearms and the industry. Please keep inspiring with your work and words
Thank you friend, I've been into the simple mosin/ak tuning so polymer stippling for a while and I want to branch out and make my own 1911s. you gave me the idea to make my own ak accessories, being it's a very slow progression in that side of the house and all.
I didn't hear that. I heard, go to Community college (not expensive), learn machining and maybe welding, do an apprenticeship at a gun shop or similar (granted, doesn't pay but it could be done evenings/weekends maybe? I don't know), and most of all, WANT it badly enough to do whatever it takes to make it happen.
I got started as a young boy in the late 70s early 80s I'm related to the original owners of DIXIE GUN worksi was 8 we I got a black powder rifle and pistol kit for my birthday wasn't allowed to shoot them but I did get to put them together and finish the wood I was instantly hooked and started working on our farm for money to buy guns and at 13 my grandfather made me start running heavy equipment and guns got put on hold but at 19 I got back into buying old broken guns and knives and building roads I'm 45 now made a living running equipment and gun smithing now I'm retired from road building and opened my own shop I specialize in lever actions and single action revolvers and long range shot guns for deer hunting anyone wanting to get into building guns like this man said have a specialty these days tactical stuff is huge and in all honesty kinda really basic and simple gun smithing work but the most important thing is to be happy and enjoy what you are doing,
GUNSMITHS are like doctor's some are better than others and it's not something you learn over a period of six months and certainly not on line I was an Apprentice under a licensed gunsmith for seven years before I was able to have my own bench and then I was doing very minor work
I love working on my own firearms and for the most part do a good job doing so. However I want and I need advanced education in Gunsmithing. I am approaching 70 and don't have the money to pay for schooling and necessary tools & equipment. I've asked a few Gunsmiths in my area and found no one who will let me hang around their shop observing and doing odd jobs for free. I love working with my hands and my brain and I love firearms plus I have a MS in Civil/Mechanical Engineering. I think I would make a good Gunsmith.
That's a shame that you haven't been able to find a shop to "hang around" in, and do odd jobs. There has to be somebody, somewhere that would welcome the help and company. Keep looking, keep asking. If you have local ranges in your area, ask around. You could also put notes on bulletin boards offering to help. Thanks for watching!
I appreciate the information presented in your video and we seem to have very similar opinions on the subject of becoming a gunsmith, except for one small thing... As to whether gunsmithing school is worth the price of admission, that is for the student, or perspective student to decide. A gunsmithing school may not be for everyone, but over the years we have had a good success rate at placing students within the industry. This includes gunsmithing jobs with Wild West Guns, the Army Marksmanship Unit, the Department of Energy and many, many others. Our students are highly sought after by many of the big names in the custom gunmaking world and we maintain a strong relationship with those businesses. Tuition isn't cheap and as a former educator, you know that not every student will be successful, but we do create the opportunity for success. It would be dishonest for me to say that a brick and mortar gunsmithing school is the "best" way to get into gunsmithing (there is no "best" way), but I can honestly say that our students get a solid education that will give them a leg up in having a successful gunsmithing career. I would like to invite you or anyone else interested in gunsmithing to swing by Murray State College and visit our program. We are located in rural southern Oklahoma, not too far off of I-35. For those not interested in a 2-year program, we offer short term, one week long NRA affiliated classes taught during the summer in a variety of subjects. Several of these classes will be taught by renowned guest instructors such as Bob Chavez, Thomas "Speedy" Gonzalez (of the Bench rest hall of fame), Mike Watkins from Brownells (American Pistolsmith's Guild), Frank Zeglin, Dewey Vicknair, and many others. Our Summer catalog- www.mscok.edu/academics/departments/gunsmithing_technology/nra_summer_program.aspx For those that may be interested is a two-year program- facebook.com/Murray-State-College-Gunsmithing-Program-347974078627726/?fref=ts www.mscok.edu/academics/departments/gunsmithing_technology/gunsmithing_program_information.aspx
You forgot to get in to how to become a gunsmith. you went to some other direction.but I m glad you got it out of your system. I could see the joy on you face towards the end. anyway, there are kitchen, hobbyist and professionals gunsmiths.I think you said you need to licensed if you are a professional. what about the other 2 kind? and ya, you know thanks for all of that by the way.
Thanks for the video. I'm approaching an early retirement & have been exploring gunsmithing for my after life. Still a few years away but want to start down that path while l I'm still working. I should be able to get my current company to pay for some schooling. Would like to go to a 2 year gunsmithing school but would like to take some machining & welding classes before. Good advice! Thanks again!
THE WAY TO GET STARTED IS TO WORK ON *"OTHER"* PEOPLE'S GUNS - BUT BY "OTHER" PEOPLE I MEAN FOLKS WHO ARE A LOT SMALLER THAN YOU, AND THOSE WHO DO NOT GET MAD TOO QUICKLY - NOW, GO AND HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PS - *GOOD VIDEO* - BRAVO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have lived in 5 different states in both the north and the south and there are no machining courses available in any school in any of those five states except for vocational high schools. If you are interested in becoming a machinist and have already graduated high school it's too late in many states. You will have to be willing to relocate to another part of the country if you live in any of those and several other states where manufacturing is virtually nonexistent.
Damn. Wish I could do this. But I live in eastern Europe. The only place where you could learn something like this is the army. And I ain't really a fan of that. If I could choose a niche for what I'd like to work on the most it would be revolvers and lever action. It seems like a timeless kinda firearm.
Thanks for all your good advise .I have a son who loves guns and Im pretty sure he would love working as a gunsmith. He tried going to College for 2 years and he dropout he felt like he was just repeting High School all over again he tried looking for work all he get is flipping burgers .I wish there was a school of gunsmithing in Chicago so he can learn this trade. I heard that there is an Online School for gunsmithing SDI if anyone ever heard of this school and taken any of the courses can you please let me know how did it work out for you any info I would really apreaciated or if anyone knows a gunsmith that would take in an apprentice let me know please. Thanks
I am a dairy farmer, mechanic and welder. I'm going to teach myself gunsmithing because I would rather do that than work on junk for people who don't care about me
You answered so many questions for me thank you so much now I do have a question I haven't taken any classes or honestly know anything about gun smithing I just love guns and being around them so want to make a career out of it anyway should I just call a local gunsmith explain that I have no background and ask to start an apprenticeship for free or should I take an online class so I learn a little before trying to call and become an apprentice
Good smith worth his salt = fine woodworker, welder, machinist, and mechanic. All those skills should add up to a good paying career, unfortunately this is hardly the case at all. My local guy who has almost 9yrs behind him makes about $15.hr averaged over a 40 hr week. What a joke, when just one journeyman good at one of those trades I mentioned above makes more than that. Gunsmithing is just like a good maintenance tech with a multifaceted skill set, your expected to be a plumber, electrician, carpenter, mechanic, and a/c guy all for 15 to 20 hr. I'm a pretty talented armchair gunsmith myself that has built a 1911, understands the workings and repaired and broken down the action of my fine 12ga doubles, along with trouble shooting, repairing various makes models other handguns, and rifles. Thought I'd love to make a career change to smithing. No way in hell is that viable for making just small wages. No wonder some trades are dying off, or at best have hacks working in the field. Gone are the guys like Vic Timmons, and Larry Poterfields. A guy starting out in the second half of his life can't pay dues for 10-20 years to make a name for himself to build up a client base for himself to be successful. They say do what you love and the money will follow. Not in the case of being a gunsmith unless you are a teenage boy and gonna dedicate your first half of your life to it. To bad because I've come to realize that I really enjoy working on, and building firearms.
I was in machining and gunsmithing over 40 years. Some people will never be either, but you are right about spreading out your skills. If you do not understand machining and heat treating, you will be nothing more than a "Bolt on gunsmith". There are many gunsmiths out there that do not understand either. I hate the word "Bubba" because most of the people that use it are worthless, know nothing assholes. But, I suspect the word came about because of poor workmanship by gunsmiths in name only. There are plenty of them out there.
Very impressive video! I am right in the middle of several aspects you outlined and you couldn't have possibly described any better the various things a beginning gunsmith will encounter. You provided a great outline to follow for anyone looking to get into this business. Thank you. I am blessed with VERY good mechanical abilities and it has helped me troubleshoot when I was faced with mechanisms that I had no experience with and to solve problems that required creative solutions. I've been fortunate that in the last two years I've been able to work for someone else and do in-house restorations and I have some background in fabrication. I've been accumulating equipment for more capabilities but it's taking a capital investment. I'm also in the process of working an opportunity to specialize with an almost instant return on that specialization and I plan to use that opportunity as a springboard to facilitate more of what I want to do. Lastly, I'm 57 years old and this is probably the last chance that I will have to realize a dream I've always had of being a real craftsman and working with my heart and my hands, together. I loved that you closed with the emotional aspects of doing this for a living
+Dennis Kindig I'm 57 as well, and if you don't go for it, you'll never know what could have been. Thanks for watching, and I hope you're successful in that venture!
You will need to check with your local government. You may need a home occupation license. This is a business license that allows you to operate a business from your home. Each jurisdiction has different rules. Just get hold of your city or county clerk and they can steer you in the right direction.
