Hunters, sportsmen, collectors, and firearms enthusiasts around the nation all need the services of experienced Gunsmiths to repair and customize their favorite firearms. Millions of dollars a year are spent on guns in the U.S. alone. What does this mean for you? It means there's a big demand for skilled professionals to keep weapons working well. Our comprehensive home study courses from gunsmithing schools should help prepare you to start working on the guns of your friends and neighbors. And could give you the skills needed to start building a business of your own and learn how to be a gunsmith.
Our gunsmith courses offer hands-on training on:
How to repair and customize.
How to fit and finish stocks and mount telescopic sights.
How to restore antique firearms.
How to design and install metallic rifle sights.
How to custom load ammunition.
And best of all you can learn it all from the comfort of your home or office. Soon, you could be preparing for the new career of your dreams. So get started today and request a free information kit on our gunsmithing home study courses.
Gunsmith Schools Now Offering Courses:
Penn Foster Career School
Ashworth College
Gunsmithing Career
A gunsmith is responsible for designing, manufacturing and repairing all types of firearms according to the requirements of the employer or client. Since new gun technology is introduced all the time, a career as a gunsmith requires ongoing education. You need a good mechanical aptitude and an interest in improving firearms to ensure public safety. Any successful career as a gunsmith begins with a solid education.
Gunsmith Education Begins in High School
Students who are interested in a career as a gunsmith can begin preparing for it as early as high school. Vocational counselors typically recommend that high school students complete courses in woodworking, technical drawing and metallurgy if possible. Strong reading, math and technical skills are also important. If you didn't obtain these skills in high school, it's not too late. Many technical colleges offer certificate and associate degree programs in gunsmithing. These programs are typically six months to two years in length.
Interview With A Gunsmith
Post-Secondary Educational Requirements to Become a Gunsmith
You must successfully pass a background check before you can be admitted to a certificate or degree program for gunsmithing. Colleges are prohibited from accepting convicted felons into a gunsmith educational program. Other things that may disqualify for you for admittance to a training program include having a restraining order against you, misdemeanors for domestic violence and previous commitment to a mental health facility.
Once you pass your background check, the next step is to complete the gunsmith educational program that you applied to. Some of the specific courses you may take include the following:
Tooling and mechanical skills
Soldering
Metallurgy
Reverse engineering
Ballistics
Chemistry
Upon graduation from an accredited gunsmith education program, you must apply for a Federal Firearms License (FFL). The United States government imposes strict criteria that must be met to obtain a FFL. Applicants must be at least 21 years old and meet the following conditions:
You are not an illegal alien and you have never renounced your United States citizenship.
You must reside in the state where you intend to work as a gunsmith or open a gunsmithing business.
You must pass a drug test.
No past convictions involving firearms, including illegal possession or transfer.
You have never served more than one year in jail for any type of crime.
You must have received an honorable discharge if you ever served in any branch of the military.
Gunsmith Salary Expectations and Career Options
According to the website PayScale, the median annual salary for gunsmiths is $36,024. This information was last updated on February 5, 2013. Gunsmiths can earn as low as $21,000 a year and as much as $55,000. As a gunsmith, you may work for the military, the federal government, a private gun shop or be self-employed. The career outlook appears to be promising, especially with an increased public awareness on gun safety.
