Gunsmith courses

[silentvoice71]

Ok Im wanting to take gun smithing courses .....not considering not thinking about WANTING.... My family has sold firearms for a number of years but, no one is a gunsmith SO....I was wondering where close to fort wayne there might be a school or a place where i can learn this wonderful craft. I am a very mechanical person. I am a extremely good welder and I can weld using the various type of macheins {mig,tig} etc etc......I am very anal when it comes to my welds. I was welding for a place in huntington we were welding spring housings for hummers for the military. Well i noticed certain peoples welds had LOTS not a 1/4' but im talkin full 3-4" welds full of perisoty.....Those people had high numbers and kept their job.......I had low numbers and perfect weld and lost my job.....Well it was good anyways i got a better one.......The fast is I am a very picky person when it comes to my work I would love to become a gunsmith.

 

[fireball168]

Here you go - see some country this summer.

I recommend Trinidad.

NRA Gunsmithing Schools

 

[silentvoice71]

close to fort wayne

 

[fireball168]

Best of luck with that.

 

[silentvoice71]

ya that seems to be a issue lol.unless i apprentice with a gunsmith.

 

[Amishman44]

Check with Dave Schwarze... on Crecent Avenue just north of E. State Street...H&H has his card/phone number. He's been doing our work for 30 years.

 

[silentvoice71]

ya i was thinkin about talkin to him is he a nice guy?

 

[Amishman44]

Yeah...I was considering the same thing as a 'part-time job' 2 years ago...he was friendly in discussing it...enough to help get me started, but like any wise business person, he's not going to help develop his competition. I think he'd be willing to help you get your feet on the ground though. I've been on a first-name basis with him for several years...so that may have greased the skids a bit for the discussion.

He's at 2527 Crecent Avenue...484-5783. He started his business on a part-time basis while working at Harvester plant (if I remember correctly) and it just grew from there.

I can remember, having just turned 16, and one of my first assignments from dad was to go a pick up his rifle from Dave. It was my first 'in the Fort' assignment from pop (we grew up in East Allen County.) If he can't buy/find a part, he'll make it from scratch. It's definitely a talent.

There's definitely a lot of people out there wanting help for their new toys that they purchased in the last year that many of them know nothing or little about. I would recommend attending a school somewhere though...what you can learn in 8 short weeks will go a mile compared to how long it would take you to learn it as an apprentice. School would 'jump start' your learning curve and your career.

Good Luck!!! Hope everything works out for you!

 

[x10]

Become a machinist First, Every skill needed to become a machinist is the mark of a good gunsmith

 

[silentvoice71]

I am also a very good machinist......Thats my second trade....just about all ive done my whole life is weld and machine...Good to know amishman.....I was wanting to do this part time develope my skills and then as i get older possibly open a store. In my eyes I would consider this a decent retirement job....I have a good passion for firearms...IMO like instruments some need just a little fine tuning to play the right tune. Finding a school near by is tough. My wife doesnt want to move and i cant exactly go cross country to take a class. So i will pick up as many good knowledgeable books i can find and go over them......Most of my skills have been self taught.

 

[IndyGunworks]

I was in your place a while ago... I now have 1 year as an apprentice, am a type 07 FFL.... I found a niche that wasnt being filled localy, and wasnt in competition w/ the guy teaching me, and slowly with the small profit i turn from the business buy more tooling and projects to practice on.... IMHO teaching yourself is the best way to learn... its expensive, but doing on YOUR own project will ensure that you pay the closest attention to the small details... only then can that carry over into a customers gun. w/ around 2 years total in the "gunsmithing" trade, the only thing i have learned w/ any degree of certainty is it will take upwards of 10 years before i am effecient on time, and knowledge to do most of the work.... a background in machining would be nice at this point, as i am to the point of purchasing a nice milling machine now, and will have to teach myself how to run it minus the easy stuff i already know how to do... Drilling and tapping, facing shotgun barrels and such. a lathe is next, and i will have to teach myself that as well.... but w/ no shortage of time or motivation, i am competant that 25 years from now when i retire from the fire department into full time gunsmithing, i will be one of the more highly recognized gunsmiths in indiana... thats the dream anyways... best of luck to you, this is a dying industry and 20 years from now, there will be NO shortage of work but now is the time to learn....
best of luck to ya whatever you decide.

 

[Amishman44]

Sometimes the best way to learn is by watching...or tinkering!!! That or just some good common sense...old school stuff still works best!

 

[silentvoice71]

Thanks guys and indy your a big help man. I am 24 and im hoping to retire and do what i love. Trust mills and lathes are butter......bot get into the CnC stuff.....ya whole other animal. recommend any good books guys?