[Chadwick]

I am concidering becoming a gunsmith, I am looking for schools where I can get this type of training and possibly a degree in it. A school in Wisconsin or at least close to Wisconsin would be good but not required. Also what are the merits of the online gunsmithing schools, are they worth while or not?? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again,

Chad

[lefty o]

i would not waste your time with an online or mail order course. take a look at Pine City Technical college here in pine city, MN. i know a couple of smiths that have graduated from their course, and their impression of the school was good.

[NRAJOE]

http://www.nrahq.org/education/gunsmithing.asp

[BattleRifleG3]

What I've wondered is if you have a mechanical engineering degree, how much of that would double up with gunsmith training, ie how much of it have we covered already?

[lefty o]

i really dont believe too much of a mechanical engineering degree would be usefull towards gunsmithing. now if you were to be a decent machinist, that would have many usefull skills for gunsmithing.

[G Hollingsworth]

Colorado school of trades is one of the best. But now days Its a tough trade. Most people buy a new one instead of fixing the old one. I have been a gunsmith for a long time but I made my living fixing Fords.
You must be a woodworker. metal worker. mechinist and and artist and almost all the tools are special to the trade. I lack the artist. If this is what you want than go for it cause its a dieing breed.

[Tipadoux]

Any one know a real good gun smith that will make me a custom rifle? I would like to mate my 7.7 sniper barrel to a Remington 700 action and chamber it for the full 30/06 case. :uzi:

[steel_warrior1]

Hey Chad, how old are you. I, myself, am a junior, and have thought about gunsmith as a career also.

[ScottD]

Tipadoux is that a misprint in your post about 7.7 barrel? .30-06 Springfield is actually 7.62.

[LordMalachi]

Hi guys, I've been wanting to get into gun design, is that really any different from gunsmithing? I'm guessing I'd still want to be certified but I'm not sure if I'd need any other courses.

As to the above list of things you need to be, I have artist and that's about it so far, but I have time and interest if that helps.

(Also, this is the first out of maybe 20 links I found on google that seems actually helpful. I do realize this thread is roughly 6 years old, but I did a quick search onsite and didn't find anything. sorry )

[nathangdad]

Trinidad, Colorado - get an associate's degree in gunsmithing and be on a job track to major police depts and so on with benefits and retirement.

[LordMalachi]

really, police departments? Hadn't thought of that lol

[nathangdad]

Yes, major police and sheriff depts do have their own firearms
specialists on staff to keep their weapons in good repair.

Even a city as small as Amarillo, Texas has an armorer as a police dept. employee.

[LordMalachi]

Ah. Then that is definatly something new for me to look into. Thanks! But how would being an armorer help me as a designer? Or would I really have to do that sorta in my free time still? Or somehow get a job with a major gun mfg company after I have some experiance? ... Did I just answer my own question?

[LongTimeSmith]

Quote:       Originally Posted by Chadwick

I am concidering becoming a gunsmith, I am looking for schools where I can get this type of training and possibly a degree in it. A school in Wisconsin or at least close to Wisconsin would be good but not required. Also what are the merits of the online gunsmithing schools, are they worth while or not?? Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again, Chad

Trinidad is probably the best school in the country right now. They are addding a 3rd year to the program for top students. Brownells is a big sponsor of the program and help the school to modernize the tools all the time.

Right behind Trinidad is Murray State College in OK. Another good school. Best of luck.

[k-80]

im in the same boat. i kinda know what i want to do but not what classes to take. but i want to be a weapons designer not gunsmith... i would think that a mechanical enginering degree would help with the credits.

[Shooter4]

Wow! I cant believe no one has brought up the Pennsylvania Gunsmith School. I am currently a student and it is a great school. I believe PGS is the only school in the country that has you bring your own guns to reblue, restock, repair, and custom. You'll learn to blue firearms, the first one must be preped totally by hand to a 600 finish. Once done with first semester you'll go on to stockmaking, third will be repairs, and finally the glorious fourth where you'll build two rifles from the ground up and have the opportunity to do a 1911 or another rifle for your final project. Its a 16 month course. Hope this helps.

Shooter4