I find myself looking into a job outside the military. My future in the service is looking very dim due to injuries. So im looking into jobs outside the military and Gunsmithing is one job I think I would be really good at. I still have my full Post 9-11 GI Bill so the cost of the school would be nothing for me. Problem is just finding a school.

My future residence will be in Goldsboro, NC. and as far as I can tell it looks like there are only 2 schools in NC, one in Troy and 1 in Roxboro.

there had been two "goto" schools..

but it appears that only trinidad is still as was, as *I* can not find gunsmithing at the school of the mines..

trinidadstate.edu

this might be the legacy program from school of the mines...
http://www.schooloftrades.com/courses.php

trinidad offers short courses, so you can find out what you are getting into, as well as a degree
http://www.nragunsmithing.com/trinidad.html

and here's some more nragunsmithing links
http://www.nragunsmithing.com/

3 advisories from me, a long-ago graduate of TSJC:

Attend a school that has a solid rep and a history of accomplished graduates; 2 of the top ones IMO are TSJC (of course, G) and CO School of Trades. It might pay you to inquire about specific subjects and their instructors for these subjects, if available. For instance if you want to study barrelmaking then you need an instructor who knows how and a school that has the equipment, ditto engraving & other subjects not commonly taught at all the schools. Also you WILL need a good business background and some of the schools have an extended program encompassing extra business courses.

Secondly, ask your instructors for extra info and help, a good instructor knows A LOT more than he can teach in the lesson plan and this info is priceless. Most instructors have a pet area of accomplishment and they'll be happy to expound upon it to you for hours. The young men and teenagers in the rest of the class will be busy having a good time in the evenings but the evenings will be a splendid time for you to spend with other more mature folks like your instructors and your fellow SERIOUS students.

Thirdly, make friends with some of the more serious and more skillful students & instructors, and keep in touch with them after graduation. The contacts you make there will serve you well all your professional life and you'll be sorry if you miss the chance.
Regards and good luck, Joe

I have looked at alot of websites and alot of courses offered by different schools. And 1 thing im noticing between schools is some of there course covers things like Welding and Ballistic Handloading.

Would it be a benefit to me to take classes on Welding before I try and get into a school like this?

Found exactly what I was looking for from www.midwayusa.com

http://www.midwayusa.com/stati...=nra_gunsmithing.htm

1 more question, say I do become a fully qualified Gunsmith with Degree. What kind of annual salary could one expect to get into? How big of a demand is the job?

My advice: Find a career you can make enough money to have a family and save enough for your retirement--gunsmithing aint it. Lots of previous threads here on this site you can read on this subject.

A lot of gunsmithing is machine work. Go to a machinst course or two to see if you like it! If you do, learn the skill completely, particularly CNC. Right now there is a demand for machinists and you can springboard into gunsmith work if you still want to do it.

there is an old joke --
what's the difference between a bucket of KFC chicken and a gunsmith?
the KFC can feed a family of 5 every night of the week

quote:

Originally posted by Dall85:
A lot of gunsmithing is machine work. Go to a machinst course or two to see if you like it! If you do, learn the skill completely, particularly CNC. Right now there is a demand for machinists and you can springboard into gunsmith work if you still want to do it.

I'll agree! I went to the CSoT and liked the machine work much better than polishing and bluing. I became a tool & Die maker and now am a farmer! Go figure! Gunsmithing is blacksmith work compared to tool making.

As someone who not too long ago graduated from Colorado School of Trades I think I can comment with some insight, albeit, not that of those who have graduated and worked for decades.

The jokes about a gunsmith not being able to feed his family are sadly all too true. Which is why before, during, and after, I had no intentions of ever being a gunsmith. The school should only serve as a basis for you to enter a field of your choice.

For me it is custom rifle building and I primarily focus on metalsmithing. After school I got a job at a Tool and Die shop where I have learned a great deal about working metal and continue to expand that knowledge.

Someone mentioned earlier, you have to ask alot of your instructors. When I was at the school I practically blew off the course work because it was so simplistic and easy that I knew I was not getting my moneys worth. So I pushed my instructors to teach me better, albeit sometimes more complex, ways. I never once shied away from a difficult project and tried to work to the extent possible. I would have liked to do more but I first ran out of money, then time.

You also have to remember, CST, TSC, Penn, etc, all teach the basics. The rest of your knowledge and skill will be developed over the course of your career.

Best of luck, if you have any questions about CST please feel free to email me.

Colorado school of trades, its been in business for over 50 years, I think its the oldest gunsmith school around. I am not saying its the best and will teach you everthing but it has what you need and it is what you make it. You can go their pay them and learn absolutely nothing or learn a lot either way you can graduate. It is definitely VA bennifits approved (I used my GI bill their) so it will cost you nothing, you have plenty of GI bill so go to as many schools as you can. I went through CST, welding school, and CNC machining school. Then after you are a gunsmith get a real job and make good money, then build your gunsmith shop and start gunsmithing then you might be able to eat, and not live in your shop under your lathe. (thats how i started, at least i have food, house and dont sleep under my lathe anymore.) Single life was less complicated though. Or graduate and go to work for Bass pro, gandermountain, or a custom gunmaker for about $15 hour.

Gunsmith its not the best choice for a career ONLY if you do it because you love doing it no matter what you get paid.

I'm not a gunsmith but I know a little about business in general, so take this for what it's worth. My advice would be to use your GI benefits to get training as a machinist (especially tool making or micro machining). This will give you options in life...you can either choose to go into gunsmithing or go into a profession that actually pays a decent wage.

As it has been pointed out, gunsmithing is a lifestyle decision not a business decision.

One of our local gunsmiths went to CST then became a Fireman. This allowed him to have enough time to start a gunsmithing bussines on the side, which eventually turned into a full service gun shop, after he retired from the Fire Dept.

Jeffe,

Are you referring to Colorado School of Mines? If so there was never a gunsmithing school there. Only the Colorado School of Trades (which is relatively close to CSM) and Trinidad State have programs in Colorado.

FWIW at a junior college like Trinidad State you can complete an associates degree program or only take the gunsmithing courses to get a certificate.

Do yourself a big favor and for go the Gunsmith trade for right now.
Get an education in machining or tool making. you'll make more money and be better at machining then a lot of smiths. Then use the GI bill to go to school and learn the gunsmith trade.

Thanks everybody, I think I have some choices to make here soon.

I have noticed that alot of these schools are only like a week long for the gunsmithing stuff. So it would be pretty easy for me to take these schools when the time gets freed up.

Then goto some local machineing schools at my next base so I can get me a good job after I get out of the service in 2012.

quote:

Originally posted by DavidReed:
Jeffe,

Are you referring to Colorado School of Mines? If so there was never a gunsmithing school there. Only the Colorado School of Trades (which is relatively close to CSM) and Trinidad State have programs in Colorado.

FWIW at a junior college like Trinidad State you can complete an associates degree program or only take the gunsmithing courses to get a certificate.

The Colorado School of Trades program (14 mo) is an accelerated Associates degree. Just... FYI.

One reason (of a great many) I went to CST over TSC is due to TSC's 4 year program. When I talked to their rep I would have been required to take English, math, etc, regardless of the fact I already had a Bachelors degree.

thanks for the correction, ..school of trades it is then

Years back I graduated from CST but never did more than use the knowledge for hobby gunsmithing.
It is important that you understand that a trade school is such that the more you put into it the more you will get out of it !
Get training as a machinist and get a good job .Then get some gunsmith training later is a good idea.

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
there is an old joke --
what's the difference between a bucket of KFC chicken and a gunsmith?
the KFC can feed a family of 5 every night of the week

BRANDO

You know any Electronic Warfare, ECM, EW guys over there, If not just look for the guys sitting around the break table never working Thats Them!

quote:

Originally posted by Fal Grunt:
One reason (of a great many) I went to CST over TSC is due to TSC's 4 year program. When I talked to their rep I would have been required to take English, math, etc, regardless of the fact I already had a Bachelors degree.

First I've heard about that! TSJC has long(since 1947) been known for offering a Certificate of Completion to folks who don't care to complete their Associate's Degree program. Also I've heard that they now offer an optional 3rd year to round out their original 2-yr Gunsmithing program, but certainly NOT 4 years!

Several years ago they combined with a 4-yr teacher's college over in Alamosa, so it's possible that you spoke with a not-knows over there.

Whoever you spoke with was wrong, wrong, wrong.

And most of the short 1- or 2-week courses are usually seminars designed for already-experienced folks for the most part.

TSJC and CST are the 2 oldest and most-respected of the schools in the US and IMO you can't go wrong with either one. Just make sure that you get the right info about it.
Regards, Joe

Is it that important to get the degree in gunsmithing? I mean from the sounds of it, it seems like having tha piece of paper is nothing more than a piece of paper saying you payed so much money to do all these different courses. When in reality one could have a ton more experience working with metal and machineing than a fresh gunsmith graduate.

ALSO, on a side note I just found a community college right close to my future residence. They offer a full CNC machinest course where I could get a great deal of training from basic to advanced. Also they offer a Welding course as well...All of which is covered by my GI Bill, and with the new GI Bill I could get out of the military early and go into the reserves. Collect $1000 per month for cost of living and still get all my schooling and books paid for. All I would need to buy is the materials needed for the classes.

quote:

Originally posted by Brando:
Is it that important to get the degree in gunsmithing? I mean from the sounds of it, it seems like having tha piece of paper is nothing more than a piece of paper saying you payed so much money to do all these different courses. When in reality one could have a ton more experience working with metal and machineing than a fresh gunsmith graduate.

ALSO, on a side note I just found a community college right close to my future residence. They offer a full CNC machinest course where I could get a great deal of training from basic to advanced. Also they offer a Welding course as well...All of which is covered by my GI Bill, and with the new GI Bill I could get out of the military early and go into the reserves. Collect $1000 per month for cost of living and still get all my schooling and books paid for. All I would need to buy is the materials needed for the classes.

Sounds like a good deal to me! However please let me recommend that you go ahead and get your Associate's degree. The degree is not necessarily any guarantee of expertise but nevertheless to a prospective employer it IS an indication that you probably have enough intelligence and ambition to make a good employee, and it opens the door to further development in the future.
Regards, Joe

quote:

Originally posted by J.D.Steele:

quote:

Originally posted by Brando:
Is it that important to get the degree in gunsmithing? I mean from the sounds of it, it seems like having tha piece of paper is nothing more than a piece of paper saying you payed so much money to do all these different courses. When in reality one could have a ton more experience working with metal and machineing than a fresh gunsmith graduate.

ALSO, on a side note I just found a community college right close to my future residence. They offer a full CNC machinest course where I could get a great deal of training from basic to advanced. Also they offer a Welding course as well...All of which is covered by my GI Bill, and with the new GI Bill I could get out of the military early and go into the reserves. Collect $1000 per month for cost of living and still get all my schooling and books paid for. All I would need to buy is the materials needed for the classes.

Sounds like a good deal to me! However please let me recommend that you go ahead and get your Associate's degree. The degree is not necessarily any guarantee of expertise but nevertheless to a prospective employer it IS an indication that you probably have enough intelligence and ambition to make a good employee, and it opens the door to further development in the future.
Regards, Joe

Very good advice..

Any under grad degree now a days is used as a screening tool. No degree no job no matter what the experience. But that doesn't apply to the gunsmith trade as much as the rest of the world.

Let the government pay for it. But i would still suggest a degree machine tech or engineering then Gunsmithing. It will carry you further in life. The Gunsmithing can be add later or during your pursuit of your degree. and since you would already have your GE done then it would only be core classes to get another degree in Gunsmithing.

If I had had the GI bill to pay for schooling I certianly would have attended a trade school for gunsmithing, machining or CNC, and welding. The gunsmithing school gives you an excellent basis for gunsmithing with an intro (mind you the very basics) of machining and welding.

I think the degree is pretty important. Having an associates degree will give you a leg up over competition, shows you have a basic knowledge, and can start and finish a large task.

Course, if I had been smart, I would have started my Tool and Die apprenticeship when I graduated highschool instead of getting a bachelors degree, an associates degree, and then learning the Tool and Die trade.

Im going to start to finish up my AA starting next month, classes here on base are starting up and im going to finish it up ASAP. Then once I get to my next base I will start getting into the programs I want. Then when April 2012 rolls around I will starting hitting it full time while collecting my benefits of the new Post 9-11 GI bill.

I graduated from CST in 76 and am now a railroad conductor. Don't think that you will make a great living. Some have and they post here but follow your dream and adjust if need be.
I could not raise a family in the south on what I could make on guns, so I adjusted, but it was a fun run!

My thoughts have been that to make a decent living in the Gun trade you need to get a name established for yourself and work on true high end custom stuff. the kind of work where the customer expects to pay a boat load of money for a project. That to me is the only way to make a decent living working on guns. But you need experience to get to that level and the only way to get experience is to work at it. Catch 22 if I ever heard one.

It ain't easy.

The other thing is I have a buddy where the post 9/11 GI bill is paying him more to go to school then a $22 an hour full time job would!! He's single so no family to support. He'll have a BS degree in engineering here in another two years

Trinidad has a very good program. As has been said prior, you will get out of it what you put into it.

The job market for graduates of any of the schools is slim pickings. The only firms actively hiring when I was at TSJC in '04 and '05 were Gander Mountain and the Browning Custom Shop.

However, an associates degree and good grades from TSJC could get you into the Army Marksmanship Unit's gunsmithing unit. Especially with your prior service. The AMU was recruiting hard at TSJC when I was there in '04 and '05.

I spent a year making contacts with possible employers BEFORE I enrolled at TSJC. This groundwork helped get me a job with a custom rifle builder before I even finished school.

There are opportunities out there. You will have to be very proactive to find them.

Good luck.

Brian

I'm sitting in a dorm room at Trinidad as I type this, attending the bedding class Speedy is teaching this week.

There are five different companies posting for applications on the bulletin board this week, CZ-USA, Gander Mountain, a manufacturer I haven't heard of (Diamondback?) and two independent shops.

I hadn't been out here for nearly ten years, the program seems to have changed significantly since I was here last - Speedy has brought a lot to the table.

They've got a seperate "shop" for the third year students, which is an operational gunsmithing business - nice new equipment and some fabulous work in progress items that I've been able to watch this week.

Your GI bill benefits can be worth millions.
Get a degree in another line you might enjoy that is related such as chemical or mechanical engineering. Hell even go to law school. You should be able to afford a small home shop and learn during your spare time.

I spent 7 years in machine shops working and going to school. I learned to run rings around most gunsmiths on mills and lathes because I did it all day long. Can I checker? Not really.
I finally quit and finished an engineering degree. I have been doing that for 35 years. I have been in some of the finest machine shops all over this planet. I never get tired of seeing new and interesting products made. Many make firearms manufacture seem like child's play.
In the mean time I can play with my own rifles at home. And when I retire I can spend even more time on it. I could never do that work for others. That would take the fun out of it.