Actual gunsmiths...?

[Mauser06]

Good stuff all! I appreciate it! Lots to consider!



I definitely understand that if I'd take general gunsmithing work, I'd have to balance it somehow to keep a good reputation but still have my freedom...I know in business like that, your name and reputation are huge.


Then you have the friends and family "do it quicker and do it cheaper"...


With the licensing, insuring, building, tooling, equipment, schooling, etc, it may not be a worthwhile endeavor. Unless I'd truly want to do it full time.

 

[matthias]

Absolutely, you summed it up very well. Communicationwith your customer is a skill and a necessity.

Like many craftsmen and/or people performing a service, gunsmiths can be their own worst enemy in this regard. When you tell a customer their project should be ready in 2 weeks and 2 months later they are still waiting, they have every right to loose their patience with you. Obviously, the smith put MANY projects in front of theirs, lied to them to start with or is a terrible judge of how long it takes to accomplish things - maybe all three or maybe they have the attitude "it will be done when it's done".

I know there are often extenuating circumstances (parts availability, broken tools, more wrong than initially thought...), but in those cases communication is the key, a phone call or email. Unfortunately, that seldom happens, the customer get pissed and the service provider think they are being unreasonable.

 

[shortgrass]

Build some rifles like william gusler with all your hand built tools and have fun. If you make em right youll sell every one you make before its done

Ya' ,, "you can sell every one you make before its done",,,,,, provided you're willing to work for less than minimum wage..........

 

[tobnpr]

When I turned my hobby into "for pay" with an 07, I mentored briefly with a lifelong smith. He had a tiny garage shop, packed with two big CNC BP's and a Hardinge. I "subbed" some work that demanded precision that I wasn't comfortable with in the beginning to him....

Guy's a real machinist- or so I thought. Decades doing work for Troy, Police dept.'s, you name it. Custom 1911's- absolute wizard.

Gave him a rifle that needed the muzzle threaded for a brake. Picked it up, and as I'm packing it up to send to the customer I can see the brake VISIBLY crooked on the muzzle. Scary. Took it back and showed him- all I got was an "oops". One of my first customers, and would've been a disaster- or worse- had I not caught it.

I learned then, that despite all that you hear about years of "experience"- sure as hell doesn't mean someone is competent. Could he do the work? I'm sure he could- but the fact that he was sloppy, and could've injured someone because of it, was an instant "never again".

Was it a fluke? Dunno. All I knew, is I decided that day that smithing isn't rocket science. It's about precision machining, having a sound understanding of the tasks needed and knowing how to execute them flawlessly. After that, I got over my "I don't want to risk effing up the customer's rifle" fear and dove in- slowly. I swear I sweated bullets worrying about everything I did for the first two years. Slowly, carefully, deliberately.

I made the decision to specialize in long guns. Even that- is a big, big arena. Bolt guns, semi's, levers, shotguns...
Vast majority of what I do is bolt guns- because I love 'em. Something about turning and chambering barrels to high precision brings a lot of satisfaction to me. I don't work on pistols or revolvers at all.

Being an "old school" smith is an enviable goal.
I think it ends up deciding whether you want to be a "specialist", or "jack of all trades".
In this age, I believe a "specialist" has a better chance of succeeding. In any case- buy a lathe and milling machine, plenty of "how to" videos online to get started. See if you have the aptitude for it, and more importantly, whether you really enjoy it. Standing in front of a lathe for hours on end can be tedious, which is what you do when you build custom rifles.

I work out of a converted 600 sf garage at my residence. If that's your plan you need to check your zoning- because BATFE will when they come out for inspection. Zoning restricts me from having walk-in customers, but I really don't care because all my work comes in via USPS or common carrier. I don't subscribe to the "tin hats" about BATFE storming and searching my home. I get calls from the local field office occasionally, about seminars or alerts (hurricanes, civil unrest)- the agents I've dealt with have all been professional and supportive.
I suspect they're more interested in compliance with retail gun stores than gunsmiths not involved in sales/transfers on a regular basis.

 

[msinc]

Here is one I have not seen mentioned and you might want to think about this a little.....plan on not getting rich.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

When I turned my hobby into "for pay" with an 07, I mentored briefly with a lifelong smith. He had a tiny garage shop, packed with two big CNC BP's and a Hardinge. I "subbed" some work that demanded precision that I wasn't comfortable with in the beginning to him....

Guy's a real machinist- or so I thought. Decades doing work for Troy, Police dept.'s, you name it. Custom 1911's- absolute wizard.

Gave him a rifle that needed the muzzle threaded for a brake. Picked it up, and as I'm packing it up to send to the customer I can see the brake VISIBLY crooked on the muzzle. Scary. Took it back and showed him- all I got was an "oops". One of my first customers, and would've been a disaster- or worse- had I not caught it.

I learned then, that despite all that you hear about years of "experience"- sure as hell doesn't mean someone is competent. Could he do the work? I'm sure he could- but the fact that he was sloppy, and could've injured someone because of it, was an instant "never again".

Was it a fluke? Dunno. All I knew, is I decided that day that smithing isn't rocket science. It's about precision machining, having a sound understanding of the tasks needed and knowing how to execute them flawlessly. After that, I got over my "I don't want to risk effing up the customer's rifle" fear and dove in- slowly. I swear I sweated bullets worrying about everything I did for the first two years. Slowly, carefully, deliberately.

I made the decision to specialize in long guns. Even that- is a big, big arena. Bolt guns, semi's, levers, shotguns...
Vast majority of what I do is bolt guns- because I love 'em. Something about turning and chambering barrels to high precision brings a lot of satisfaction to me. I don't work on pistols or revolvers at all.

Being an "old school" smith is an enviable goal.
I think it ends up deciding whether you want to be a "specialist", or "jack of all trades".
In this age, I believe a "specialist" has a better chance of succeeding. In any case- buy a lathe and milling machine, plenty of "how to" videos online to get started. See if you have the aptitude for it, and more importantly, whether you really enjoy it. Standing in front of a lathe for hours on end can be tedious, which is what you do when you build custom rifles.

I work out of a converted 600 sf garage at my residence. If that's your plan you need to check your zoning- because BATFE will when they come out for inspection. Zoning restricts me from having walk-in customers, but I really don't care because all my work comes in via USPS or common carrier. I don't subscribe to the "tin hats" about BATFE storming and searching my home. I get calls from the local field office occasionally, about seminars or alerts (hurricanes, civil unrest)- the agents I've dealt with have all been professional and supportive.
I suspect they're more interested in compliance with retail gun stores than gunsmiths not involved in sales/transfers on a regular basis.

If you want a very precise and perfect rifle its hard to take it to the guy with the taurus strewn out on the bench with the single barrel h&r next up in line. And its also not wise to get the local AR mechanic to build an heirloom 1911. Its a different type shop that produces championship worthy guns rather than mount a bsa scope on the walmart marlin right after bluing an old rusted shotgun

 

[epmn]

Take a look around your area and see what's missing. I started doing rifle work for myself around 15 years ago, but it was when I started shooting clays competitively that it became clear that that there really wasn't anyone local who knew how to do decent stock work and gun fitting. I got an FFL and officially turned the work into a side business six years ago. I am as busy as I want to be without advertising and my customer base is a lot of the top clays shooters around here. I still do rifle work for people (mostly people I do shotgun work for) but I have stayed away from the general gun plumbing stuff. As a side note, I am not giving up my day job. The gun work is nice and pays for itself but it won't pay the bills.

 

[Spotshooter]

One other note - Savage, and other quick change barrel actions are now changing how many people rebarrel rifles, not to mention most of the young guys want AR’s...

 

[Spotshooter]

also blueing is pricey so most guys moved away from it, cerakote was something guys could do but given it wears away it’s got more of a bum rap and not as popular, not folks want nitride... that isn’t something a local smith can do.

 

[jackieschmidt]

Like many craftsmen and/or people performing a service, gunsmiths can be their own worst enemy in this regard. When you tell a customer their project should be ready in 2 weeks and 2 months later they are still waiting, they have every right to loose their patience with you. Obviously, the smith put MANY projects in front of theirs, lied to them to start with or is a terrible judge of how long it takes to accomplish things - maybe all three or maybe they have the attitude "it will be done when it's done".

I know there are often extenuating circumstances (parts availability, broken tools, more wrong than initially thought...), but in those cases communication is the key, a phone call or email. Unfortunately, that seldom happens, the customer get pissed and the service provider think they are being unreasonable.

While I am not a Gunsmith, I do own and run a thriving Machine Shop.
If you are going to be a Gunsmith in order to supplement you income, you have to develop the skills in dealing with customers as well as honing your skills as a craftsman.
I jokingly say that I fully expect one of my customers to call one day and ask......”is that job we are sending over ready yet?”

in short, I know some highly skilled craftsmen, including Gunsmiths, who are deplorable at the business end of it.

 

[jackieschmidt]

If you have been around this game long enough, you certainly know of several VERY skilled Craftsmen who while being great shooters and great Gunsmiths where horrendous business people. A few have disappeared completely, but a few know when it’s “hyway time” and move on down the road to start anew, leaving quite a few disgruntled customers holding the bag.

I am not a Gunsmith but do own and operate a very successful Machine Shop.

Honing your business and people skills can be just as important in the overall scheme as the skills you offer as a Craftsman.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

If you have been around this game long enough, you certainly know of several VERY skilled Craftsmen who while being great shooters and great Gunsmiths where horrendous business people. A few have disappeared completely, but a few know when it’s “hyway time” and move on down the road to start anew, leaving quite a few disgruntled customers holding the bag.

I am not a Gunsmith but do own and operate a very successful Machine Shop.

Honing your business and people skills can be just as important in the overall scheme as the skills you offer as a Craftsman.

Some that are very good pop back up in other games and start over thinking nobody remembers since its a new crowd and all