Thanks everyone for the words of encouragement .

vapodog, thats some impressive work! I don't know what I'll specialize in but I only need like 1 or 2 classes to finish my generals, so that will leave me a lot of time to take all the different classes that they offer. One question that I have is, if I live in the dorms will they allow me to keep guns in my room and my reloading equipment?

I will also most likely go to the one week courses that they offer during the summer. Their classes are full for spring semester so I'm going to enroll for next fall.

Thanks and Happy Hunting,
slygunner

A started at TSJC in Sept. 1975 and I could write a book about what it takes to be a succesfull custom gunmaker. Since then I've been fulltime self employed in the trade and have published two books about custom gunmaking. In August 2000 I returned to Trinidad to teach a NRA seminar on single shot stockmaking.
I'll tell you this, what I learned in three years at Tdad was just a preamble to what I had to learn to be succesful. A good one but it took fifteen years of double time investment to get to where I wanted to be. The first day in class I looked around the room of twenty wannabees, knowing there were sixty students starting the same day and I said to my self, "Not everyone is going to be a custom gunmaker." To my knowledge there are three of us that finished the three years that are still in the trade. One worked as a pattern maker for 15 years and got back into gunsmithing (Erik Meitsner in Wisc), one has worked for Browning all these years (Robert Semonis) and myself.
If I had to do it again I would spend the school time then apprentice with an accompished gunmaker for at least a year. We each keep reinventing the wheeel and with a good basic understanding one could learn a lot from someone who knew the business and the tricks of the trade. Don Klein takes in apprentices.
The only key to true success is devoting yourself to a lifes work in the trade. There are plenty of part-timers and pensioned retirees who work at it but the really great gunmakers have given their lives to the work. Most of them started in gunsmithing school.
Good luck!

Yep - I had the chance 3 years ago to enroll - didn't and kick myself EVERY DAY.

I will not make that mistake next time.

I'm thinking of attending Trinidad to get a gunsmithing degree. Can you guys give me any info on your opinions of this school. I live in Utah and I'm married so I will either move or live in a dorm and come home on the weekends. Is it worth it? If I were to graduate and open my own business, am I going to make enough money to make a living, or am I better off to work for some gun company or a master gunsmith? This is a life long dream and I will do whatever it takes to be successful. Is there anyone here that has attend Trinidad and what are your opinions and experiences.
Thanks and Happy Hunting,
slygunner

Personally I'd suggest that the art and skills of being a good gunsmith will pay you far more as a tool and die maker. The number of folks (customers) that are willing to spend the kind of money it takes to make a decent living as a gunsmith are few and far between. There's only room for a very few with known credentials, extensive skills and artistic license to make a good living at it.

Best of luck to you.

I attended TJC in the 50's. Went on to school and got a BS.
Funny thing is I never earned my living from either one. I cannot describe how much enjoyment and personal satisfaction
the gunsmithing training has afforded me over the years. I went back for a 50+ reunion of the gunsmithing dept a few years back and was VERY impressed with the equipment and course of study. I have no idea what the job market is like but would imagine it is tough. The only well to do gunsmith's I know or read about have very solid reputations that they did not acheive overnite.

From what I am hearing - Gander Mtn is hiring almost every smith that comes outta there. If its what you want to really do - do it. Do something you love and never work a day. I drove out there 3 years ago with my wife, decided to join the Navy instead - I kick myself EVERY DAY for not going. I will be going as soon as I am done tho.

Slygunner

I have attended some NRA summer courses at Trinidad. I was very impressed with the amount of first rate equipment available. Their machine shop is a gunsmith's heaven. I like the dorms and the cafeteria food is very good for a school.

They have been going through a turn over in instructors lately so I dont know what they have to offer in that category now.

I suggest you contact the school and arrange for a visit to check out the facilities and meet the instructors. Some people dont like the small town it is located in but I thought it was just fine during my short visits. It is just over the mountain from Whittington Center and Riudoso NM. One really great part of going to these schools for me is I always make friends with some of the nicest guys you will ever meet. Most of them are very talented, you will learn plenty from them too. And later on networking with them is invaluable.

I have been gunsmithing part time for 25 years and full time for 7 years. You might consider getting a degree from Trinidad and making a good full time living as a machinist or tool and die maker and gunsmithing part time. That way you can "test the waters" to see if you can do well not only as a gunsmith but also as a business man. If things look promising then you can ease into the business bit by bit, making a smooth transition to full time.

A lot of gunsmithing concerns use part time help. Also you can test your abilities by doing work for gunstores and pawn shops, they are always begging for good work.

Since I have been working full time I have learned that you better be prepared to put in some very long hours. Going back out to the shop after supper to put in another 3 or 4 hours after you just completed 10 hours already is tough beleive me. And your friends going hunting or to a rifle match or to gun show on Saturday or Sunday and having to say no I cant go I've got commitments gets old real quick. Yes I do some very gratifying work but there is a little bit of sweat and drudgery mixed in there too.

If you go, regardless if you make a full time gunsmith or not, I dont think you would regret it.

Good Luck !

Years ago you could start a business as a gunsmith out of your home without much trouble. Now a lot depends on where you live the city won't allow me to do so in my location. If you live in the country, not a problem. You can make a much better living as a machinist or tool and die maker, but the training from TJC would be invaluable.

I visited Trinidad in about 1970 or so....and was fortunate enough to meet Mr. P O Ackley who was the program director. Among my prize posessions are letters from him personally.

I looked at what his advanced students was doing and went home and built a double contour octagon barrel with the front half round and a vent rib the entire length ...all integral.....all from a 1 1/4" barrel blank that I got from Herters in Waseca Mn.

I decided to become a Tool and Die maker and a gunsmith as a hobby.....and it's worked for me. Here's my latest creation.....but I don't make a dime at this game.....I just wind up with a cabinet full of nice rifles.

You know - I really like the idea of T&D. The Navy will pay for it while I am in and then I can use GI Bill after in Trinidad. If you don't mind - what kind of check would a T&D guy make?

I have also noticed (in my situation anyway) that the people who are full time gunsmiths have been nothing but supportive and encouraging in teh pursuit, yet my family like my Dad (wants me to be a lawyer) says its a bad idea. Weird.

For what its worth my Dad said the same thing when I told him I wanted to go to Trinidad. Like a fool I listened. 20 Years later he admits he made a mistake.