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Rifles, Reloading, Optics, Equipment
Gunsmithing
Can I make a living as a gunsmith?
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<blockquote data-quote="shortgrass" data-source="post: 446663" data-attributes="member: 24284"><p>As a general gunsmith, most don't survive. After that, depends on how 'skilled' you are. I wouldn't expect to 'learn it all' by going to gs school. Seems most riflesmiths today have an extensive machining background. It fits what they do. I hear lots of 'dreaming', by some, who think that after they graduate they will automatically be the next riflesmith delux, probobly not, especially if the only machining experience you have came from gs school. They will teach you the basics, but, there's no substiute for years of experiance as a machinist and many if not most of the 'top' guys have been in the machining trade for years. Repair men, who actually make a good living, have a speciality like higher end SxS/OU shotguns or , maybe building/tuning 1911 style pistols. There are, already, dozens of 1911 guys out there with reputations established. So,there again, there has to be clientele for your services. Genuine stock makers are few and far between, so are the customers who appreciate and are willing to pay for their services. Stock making may not even be taught anymore, as synthetics have pushed wood aside. There is a huge demand for firearms re-finishing, bluing in particular. I'd guess 7 or 8 out of 10 bluing shops do just average to below average work. Only a few do 1st. class firearms re-finishing, it can be quit labor intensive, again, it would be building a reputation and clientele willing to pay for your sevices. 8 or 9 out of 10 of your customers don't know the difference between that 1st. class job and the average re-blue. And then, even if you have very high end skills, it takes 'business sense' to survive. Gunsmithing or any gunsmithing specialty is a very competitive business. Not trying to discourage you, just relaying what I know about the business.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="shortgrass, post: 446663, member: 24284"] As a general gunsmith, most don't survive. After that, depends on how 'skilled' you are. I wouldn't expect to 'learn it all' by going to gs school. Seems most riflesmiths today have an extensive machining background. It fits what they do. I hear lots of 'dreaming', by some, who think that after they graduate they will automatically be the next riflesmith delux, probobly not, especially if the only machining experience you have came from gs school. They will teach you the basics, but, there's no substiute for years of experiance as a machinist and many if not most of the 'top' guys have been in the machining trade for years. Repair men, who actually make a good living, have a speciality like higher end SxS/OU shotguns or , maybe building/tuning 1911 style pistols. There are, already, dozens of 1911 guys out there with reputations established. So,there again, there has to be clientele for your services. Genuine stock makers are few and far between, so are the customers who appreciate and are willing to pay for their services. Stock making may not even be taught anymore, as synthetics have pushed wood aside. There is a huge demand for firearms re-finishing, bluing in particular. I'd guess 7 or 8 out of 10 bluing shops do just average to below average work. Only a few do 1st. class firearms re-finishing, it can be quit labor intensive, again, it would be building a reputation and clientele willing to pay for your sevices. 8 or 9 out of 10 of your customers don't know the difference between that 1st. class job and the average re-blue. And then, even if you have very high end skills, it takes 'business sense' to survive. Gunsmithing or any gunsmithing specialty is a very competitive business. Not trying to discourage you, just relaying what I know about the business. [/QUOTE]
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Can I make a living as a gunsmith?
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