I was wondering exactly how one becomes a gun smith. I was wondering because I guess I would like to do some of that work in my life, probably just to make a little money on the side at something I enjoy. I'm really not concerned about making money right now, I'm a college student at the moment, and was just wondering what kind of training I would have to go through and how much money I would need to get through it. Thanks for any advice you guys can give me.

I am not business man. I am not a professional gunsmith. Take what follows as being worth what you paid for it. I could be all wet!

Graduate and get a paying job. Then, take a machine shop class at your local junior college. Take a welding class. Find a mentor. I have found that if you are polite and show promise an experienced smith or advanced hobiest will help you out. Do projects as time permits. As you get better and better you will find that people will seek you out. Try to aquire tools and set up a shop at home. If you are tallented you may find that you have more work than you can handle. Don't be temped to set up a dedicated business. The overhead and taxes will make a profit near impossible.

I used to make stocks. A local gunshop had a difficult time finding a stockmaker. Lots of guys wanted custom stocks made to order. I could fill that nich. There was much more work than I could handle. Stockmaking is good because you do not need to invest in expensive machine tools.

Here is the rub, unless you are one of a handfull of top notch craftsmen you can't charge enough to make a living at it. I was charging $600 for a semi inletted stock made into a fully fitted, finished, and checkered classic stock with all the trimmings. When I worked out that I was spending about 80- hours on a stock I got discouraged. That is $7.50 an hour. That is gross too. If you had to pay SSI and overhead on a shop you see the problem. I now do work on my own stuff and for friends but, only because I like it, not for the money. Sometimes I do a project on specualtion. These are things like restoring an O3 Springfield to original configuration but, only if I can get a great deal on the parts. The rifle then gets consigned. Maybe I make a couple of hundred for my trouble.

It seems to me one needs to establish a name and hire good people to do the work. The work needs to be jobs that can be done quickly and does not cost a lot in materials. For instance bead blast an blue in hot salts or parkerizing. Even so your ability to turn a profit will be very tenious.

If I were really serious about getting into the gunsmithing business I would learn enough to get hired by an outfit that is successfull. An established barrel maker or someone like Turnbull who has been able to make it work. Gunsmithing is like any other BUSINESS you need to work out the money end of it. Working for someone who has been successfull may be a good way to learn what to do.

Final philosophical thought. An observation about money and life. As you go through life aquire assest that pay you. Real estate rentals where you own the dirt, dividend paying stocks, business where others work for you and you pay the bank off with their sweat and end up owning tangable assets. The work a day existance that most of us live in does not get you anywhere. Money comes in and goes out as fast as you can make it. A rented shop space and gunsmithing jobs that just pay the bills will never get you there. Aquire assets until you have financial freedom to do what you want. At that point set up your shop and build your beautiful rifles. At this point the money part is no longer so important. It will give you the freedom to be an artist and be happy. You are still young, you can do it and still have time to enjoy gunsmithing.

all you need is some paint and some wood....paint the word gunsmith one the wood and hang it in your driveway.

If you choose to complete a course in the subject at Trinidad Colorado it might help......no matter what you'll not want to give up your "day job"

I have more gunsmithing tools than most gunsmiths, but I am just an amateur gunsmith.

I have a better guitar than most guitarists, but I just an amateur guitarist.

I have better home building tools than most carpenters, but I am just an amateur carpenter.

But this beat up old brief case and calculator seem to earn me a decent living as an engineer.

Sometimes you just have to play the cards dealt to you.