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Which school is the best for gunsmithing these days? My brother went to Trinidad State in the 70's and thought it was great. I'm sure the teachers have all changed. I have a son that is interested and thought I would ask. I tried a search and nothing turned up.

I sent my son to Colorado School of Trades Gunsmith Program in Lakewood, CO it is located on the outskirts of Denver. He said it was a great school. It is a two year program.

Another to consider is the Pennsylvania Gunsmithing School http://www.pagunsmith.edu/index.php in Pittsburgh.

What do you hope to accomplish if I can ask?
I'm asking only because I interviewed at some schools and took a different path after asking some pointed questions.
cwg

What I hope to accomplish is getting my son an education in a field that interests him. I think he is interested in general gunsmithing and then maybe picking an area to specialize in. I think he might be more interested in more modern firearms baised on the AR-15 format and M1A. He is the one going but I would like to see him get a strong background in machining and firearms theory.

He might be better off joining the military and working as an armorer.

Ah, thats the ticket then.
Any local shops he could get hired on to begin picking up experience?
I wanted to do this for a living, when I interviewed I asked some basic questions.
Namely what percentage of grads work in the field. When narrowed down very few step out of the schools and start a shop. I am not knocking the schools, I liked the one PA honestly above the others, gorgeous area too.
but 2 years, and not only the thousands for the school but living expenses etc, I got a job in a local shop, purchased the tooling, moved in with my mom (at 32..oh joy) to live for free while I undertook this. In 4 months I began to generate income. Expanding my network and contacts.
The cost of the duplicator, MMC checkering tooling, drilling jigs tons of other stuff worked out about the same as the schools.
I immediately hit the gunshows, all of them, and dug into it.
I did not learn any milling skills, lathe skills etc. So missed on that. Its tough now, but old gunsmiths are legendary, the skill is certainly needed. Guns aren't going the way side anytime soon!
btw, the trade mag I got a while ago said AR-15 (and clones) are the most prevalent firearm today, like 2.1 for every man woman and child.
And certainly DONT overlook the Military!!

There is not a real "gunsmith" around here. My brother would be the closest thing and he stopped doing it for a living years ago. There are a couple of guys that can do a few general things, but not one qualified to do any serious work. I would not let one touch a trigger, or try to get a stuck bore snake out. I have picked up a lot of machining skills working with my brother over the years and it is a hard way to get it. I would rather my son go to a good school and get the basics, than try to pick it up on his own or by working in one of the shops around here. The military might be a good option too.

If he got some machining skills first he might get more out of the gunsmithing school. Most general gunsmithing involves hand tools though. Maybe he could get a job with a big gunshop as an apprentice?

Getting hired on as an apprentice is tough, but if he is going to be a metalsmith, machine trade type school under his belt prior would be a huge help. 3 months at one of those would shave all that time learning lathes/mills/prints etc before setting foot at the gunsmith school.

Go to Trinidad. Speedy Gonzales is a great machine shop teacher. I shot with 2 of his students this past summer. One went to work for Jerry Stiller building rifles and learning the action building business. The other young man went to work at Shilen Rifles. He is chambering barrels and blueprinting receivers. I visited with them a fair amount and was impressed with them.
Butch

Butch,I was told Speedy was asked to leave Trinidad school.Things started coming up missing just like at the shop he had with Stick and the other guy in Flowermound.

I sure hope that is not true as he was getting a new start I thought. In spite of a lot of things, he was talented and was a great teacher.
Butch

Butch, I talked to one of the instructors this morning and he said that he didn't know anything about Speedy leaving. Speedy is moving into a new building and will have the advanced 3rd year students. This is where he should be for his knowledge to best be used.

The TSJC school is still the best place to go to learn gunsmithing. A person can get most information to become a fine craftsman if they apply themself. This school has the most machines of all the schools and probably as much as all the other schools put together.

As a former instructor at TSJC I highly recommend the school.

Les

Thanks Les,
That is good to hear.
Butch

I went to CO., good school , but that was 30 years. Don't know who the instructors are now, but I would think they would be very good and knowledgeble, they were then.
TRINADAD also has an excellent program.

I don't know where in Georgia you are, but there is now a gunsmithing school at Piedmont Technical College in Greenwood, SC. I would be happy to show your son around if he wants to take a look.

Bill Jacobs
Instructor
aka "Clemson"
clemsongunsmithhotmail.com

Les what you said about Speedy has been confirmed. He will be getting a larger budget and a lot of funds to really offer much more to the advanced students. It is too bad that rumours come out like that and cast a cloud over a person.
Butch

You have bad information and need to verify ---- as shown below it is false. There will be press releases in the coming months.

Thanks for the information guys. Right now it seems to be a toss up between the Pennsylvania Gunsmith School and Trinidad State. My brother who went to Trinidad in the 70's is pointing out some tings to look for and doing a real good job of not over selling Trinidad. I am trying my best to let him make up his on mind. Hard to watch your kids making decisions sometimes.