How's gunsmithing as a career choice?

[CyborgAnarchist]

I have a few questions that I want answered, before I even consider this as a job.

1. We live in a very ignorant country that believes gun control makes society safer. I'm probally going to cross many of these people so is it safe to say this is a lonely job?(how do people generally react to this, and how are the other gunsmiths that I might work with?)

2. Hows the nature, earnings, and job demand?(anything else?)

3. I want to only help arm your average jane & joe, will there be any incentive to do business with state workers, like the military and police?

Give me anything else a gunsmith in training should know.

thanks...

[Hartski]

Gunsmithing would be a great job, but it takes a long, long time to learn. There really isn't a lot of money in it. It's gotta be something you love doing.

[CyborgAnarchist]

Gunsmithing would be a great job, but it takes a long, long time to learn. There really isn't a lot of money in it. It's gotta be something you love doing.
Thats weird, I heard the good ones can make like 50/hr. I figured that, because people generally are afraid of guns.

[W8isGR8]

My father was a gunsmith(3rd generation) for 13 years, before he was forced to get a "real job" to actually make money. If you can get a contract with the government(police department, for example) it's fine. Either that or move to an area high in gun ownership.

[Hartski]

Thats weird, I heard the good ones can make like 50/hr. I figured that, because people generally are afraid of guns.

Maybe the best 4 or 5 gunsmiths in the country make that, but they've been doing it for 50 years.

The best bet would be to work for a manufacturer like Smith & Wesson or Springfield Armory in their custom shops.

[Wendel_Clark_17]

I know gunsmiths that make tons of money. They mostly deal with shady people though and I don't think they're making the world safer with their guns.

[Hartski]

I know gunsmiths that make tons of money. They mostly deal with shady people though and I don't think they're making the world safer with their guns.

Let me guess, they specialize in converting guns to full-auto?

[Geno]

I know gunsmiths that make tons of money. They mostly deal with shady people though and I don't think they're making the world safer with their guns.


Bull****.

[Wendel_Clark_17]

Bull****.

Believe what you like. I'm Canadian so getting your hands on quality guns isn't that easy.

[AnimalOnly]

I have a few questions that I want answered, before I even consider this as a job.

1. We live in a very ignorant country that believes gun control makes society safer. I'm probally going to cross many of these people so is it safe to say this is a lonely job?(how do people generally react to this, and how are the other gunsmiths that I might work with?)

2. Hows the nature, earnings, and job demand?(anything else?)

3. I want to only help arm your average jane & joe, will there be any incentive to do business with state workers, like the military and police?

Give me anything else a gunsmith in training should know.

thanks...

I strongly recommend that you buy and watch the AGI (American gunsmithing Institute) tapes. You can learn alot from them.

[CyborgAnarchist]

Maybe the best 4 or 5 gunsmiths in the country make that, but they've been doing it for 50 years.

The best bet would be to work for a manufacturer like Smith & Wesson or Springfield Armory in their custom shops.
On the course training website, it says gunsmiths on average, with the proper training make an average of 30/hr. Are they exxagerating that to get more people to take there online course? I just feel like I'll be a more confident person if I had a job as powerful as handling guns, but don't want to get into something I'm going to regret.

[Chipman]

On the course training website, it says gunsmiths on average, with the proper training make an average of 30/hr. Are they exxagerating that to get more people to take there online course? I just feel like I'll be a more confident person if I had a job as powerful as handling guns, but don't want to get into something I'm going to regret.

I am going to take Harski's side on this I think the amount of money you might make could be inflated.

Here is what I would do if I were you, go to some of the gun shops in your area and explain yourself and your aspirations and then ask them what they are paying their smiths. Bottom line this is the kind of business where you build a following and it can take years for you to make lots of money.

The other thing I would do is go to this site http://smith-wessonforum.com/eve
and register. Then I would go the the forum called the lounge and ask those old geniuses about the business because many of them are or were in the business..I am sure you will get some insights that you never even thought about...Be respectful

[GREENFEATHER]

If gunsmithing is what you're really interested in, learn how to work with metals first. I'm a master tool and die maker by trade and I do some gunsmithing on the side for friends. Become a machinist, make your money and do smithing on the side for extra money. Once you make a name for yourself in the trade, gunshops wil beat down your door giving you business. There is only 1 gunsmith here in The People's Republic that I would trust with any of my weaponry.

A hell of a lot of what you'll do as a gunsmith will be tedious assed work, drilling and tapping recievers for scopes, blueing and parkerizing and trigger jobs are the mainstay of what I get and of all of them, I hate damned trigger jobs the most! They can never be smooth enough and I really hate doing them. I do get $100 for them because of all of the complaining I have to deal with.

[Hartski]

On the course training website, it says gunsmiths on average, with the proper training make an average of 30/hr. Are they exxagerating that to get more people to take there online course? I just feel like I'll be a more confident person if I had a job as powerful as handling guns, but don't want to get into something I'm going to regret.

I'm not disputing that they can make that much per hour, but most places, you won't put very many hours in. Your bread and butter will be drilling and tapping for scope mounts, mounting and boresighting scopes, and putting custom pieces onto pistols. None of these are very labor-intensive jobs.

The real money will come from making a name for yourself by doing totally custom guns like Lou Horton, Les Bear, ect.

[GREENFEATHER]

For what it's worth, I wouldn't let Les Baer touch anything I owned!! I had one of his .45's that was the sorriest, jamminest piece of **** I've ever owned!! The stupid part is, I sold at after the hi-cap mag ban went into effect and made $200 on the damned thing, WTF?

I've got a Magnaported Glock 21 that's shoots rings around that pistol and all for about $300 less too.

[BobbyZeus]

I'm not disputing that they can make that much per hour, but most places, you won't put very many hours in. Your bread and butter will be drilling and tapping for scope mounts, mounting and boresighting scopes, and putting custom pieces onto pistols. None of these are very labor-intensive jobs.

The real money will come from making a name for yourself by doing totally custom guns like Lou Horton, Les Bear, etc.

The best answer I seen here so far. You won't make much money doing gunsmithing. Be happy if you make enough to live off. You are better off getting hired by one of the large firearms stores. They will pay you a salary and you don't have to worry about getting clients,running your own place, so on. If you want to have your own business, working off home could be a possibility.

Most of the jobs u will come across with will be replacing extractors,firing pins, firing pin springs, hammer/trigger jobs, etc. You will not make much money doing these sort of jobs. ( making semis reliable )

Ask gunsmiths if they are in it for the money. They will tell you NO..... These guys have a passion for what they do. If money is an issue, you got to ask yourself, is this what I want?

Looking at your post ( original poster ) this is not the type of job for you. You will not get rich off doing this. It looks like this might interest you as a hobby, but that's about.

The guys who do this are really good. If you could get a job through one of the government agencies or one of the big gun makers, you could make a good living. Other than that u have to be one hell of a gunsmith to make the big bucks.

[Hartski]

For what it's worth, I wouldn't let Les Baer touch anything I owned!! I had one of his .45's that was the sorriest, jamminest piece of **** I've ever owned!! The stupid part is, I sold at after the hi-cap mag ban went into effect and made $200 on the damned thing, WTF?

I've got a Magnaported Glock 21 that's shoots rings around that pistol and all for about $300 less too.



Les Bear was just an example that I could think of at the moment. I've not shot any of his weapons. I have, however, shot a Springfield Armory 1911 customized by Lou Horton, and it was friggen amazing. The look, the feel, the accurracy, it was perfect.

[GREENFEATHER]

Les Bear was just an example that I could think of at the moment. I've not shot any of his weapons. I have, however, shot a Springfield Armory 1911 customized by Lou Horton, and it was friggen amazing. The look, the feel, the accurracy, it was perfect.


I own 3 Lou Horton customs, Les Baer shouldn't be used in the same sentence. I just didn't bond with that jam-a-matic!! Lou Horton's are the cats ass!!