Looking for gunsmithing school

**.45gunguy** · April 24th, 2012, 11:11 AM

I was just wondering if anyone knows anything about the the Penn foster gun smithing school? It is an online program. I am looking in to this school because i have know other real schools close to me and the price is great . I am only really looking to go for working on my own guns and Maybe tinker with freinds. I'm not looking to make a career out of it. Any feed back would be great.

**Urban_Redneck** · April 27th, 2012, 08:57 PM

The problem with online gunsmithing schools is there's no one looking over your shoulder to tell you that you are doing it all wrong!

There are some smiths that teach week long courses on the 1911 where you end up with finished pistol at the end.

Short of that, AGI offers some "Armorer's video courses that are pretty good.

Good Luck

**762xIan** · April 28th, 2012, 07:02 AM

Some of the best 'smiths I ever met started out as machinists. Then started fiddling around with guns and wound up building a business out of it.

You have to decide how far YOU want to take it. What is your current level of mechanical ability and know how, how much money do you have to spend for tooling, can you maybe specialize in one field?

Many smiths dedicate themselves to certain platforms like the 1911, revolvers, military stuff etc.

Then you have gunsmiths who specialize in custom hunting rifles, or refinishing like bluing and parkerizing.

Myself, my skills I have learned on OJT, with lots of manuals, quite a few flea market rifles and shotguns, I have also bought surplus parts kits to put together.

I have taught myself to recrown barrels, rebarrel rifles, parkerize, check headspace and general fiddling around. I have built FAL's, Garands, a 1919, AR's, and refinished a lot of stuff. I am also a member of the American Gunsmiths Assn. (though I don't consider myself even being close to one) and get the monthly magazine which is loaded with good stuff. The AGI videos are pretty good for working on specific weapons.

I would love to go to a "real" gunsmithing school one day, but I am pretty content with learning what I can right now as a hobby.