Becoming a gunsmith

backyard shop

I work out of my shop at home. I do this to keep my expenses as low as possible and I like to be able to walk out back to go to work. I have signs up that specifically say when I am open and closed. I have a big sign that reads closed and it means closed. My dog keeps bad guys out if they ever figure out who I am as well as the gate stays locked and the metal doors and no windows help prevent break-ins. I thought long and hard about this and like Mr. Keenan says, they will show up at all hours of the night or call and ask if they can come over. I never opened up after hours except one appointment was made to pick up a gun after hours by a guy I know that was leaving town and I had just called the guy to pick it up. I don't answer the phone after hours even though it rings in my house in case I am not in the shop. I never let the guys dictate to me when I am open, when the lights go off, the doors stay closed except that one time. It can be done if you stick to your guns and not give in. Do this once and the word gets out, the phone won't stop ringing and folks don't mind knocking on the door. I have a sign on the front door that says specifically no after hours business done. When they show up, I refuse to do business and ask for them to come back tomorrow. Some get PO'd, but most will be back the next day saying they were sorry for bothering me at home at that time of night. If you control things it can work out for you. I stay open most nights until around 6:30 anyway because some guys have other things to do when they get off work and will come in close to closing. They know from the signs that are up and me telling them that if they don't get here by 6:30, don't bother me until the next day. I tell them this when they bring me the gun as well as when I call them to come pick the gun up.
 
What was bad for me were people" Dropping In" to bat the breeze and burn up my time. I made it very clear to all and sundry that they had to make an apointment, but that did not always work. I finally just closed it down. My time is $75.00 an hour. Period. Now I waste it in great gobs Online, but I like to waste it on the Internet.

Isn't that what the Internet is for?
 
Another big enemy of the gunsmith is his own mouth. Most are friendly folks and don't mind chatting with customers. Good PR and all, but bad for business. Even when the chat involves what work is to be done, it takes time away from doing it. I see a lot of guys on here who think it is OK to keep after the gunsmith, dropping in every day to check on the progress of the work. I hope they realize that doing that delays not only the work for them but the work for everyone else.

That is one reason it is worthwhile for most smiths to hire a counter person, someone fairly knowledgeable on guns, to handle the BS up front and let the gunsmith work. Of course, it doesn't always work. I recall one guy who came in and demanded to speak to the gunsmith/owner. I told him the boss was tied up (he was doing a bluing run), but the guy insisted he needed to talk to the boss. So finally, I decided to interrupt the boss, and he came out as soon as he could. So what did the guy want to know? "What time do you close?", he asked. Anyone in the place could have told him that, or pointed at the rather large sign giving store hours.

Jim
 
LOL how true

I have a sign up in my shop that simply states this: " If you have a problem with your gun and want it fixed, fill out this form and it will be taken care of, if you have a problem and want it fixed, go see the shrink because I haven't got that expense availbale on the bill and it will be billed the the nominal fee of $200/hour." I wish I could afford to hire someone to help me with the general BS that goes on. It is hard to tell folks they aren't allowed behind the counter and in the shop when all they want to do is joke and kid around, but it has to be done now and then.
 
Forget the gun part, and learn how to cut metal...all guns are is metal parts, assembled to make a useful tool...Im a Diemaker, and gunwork is smokin easy compared to some of the work I do...

also, consider a specialty...this is where the $$ is..not embedding bubbas Rem 700 stock for 25 bux...I built alot of $3k race guns for guys, and alot of custom carry guns too...made good $$$ for the time I spent....
 
I think being an Armorer/Gun-Smith is a job that would suit me just fine! I have spent 15 years working Psych in Corrections, any idea how the vocation of “Gun-Smith” sounds to me? Nice and quiet! Plus, this whole shooting scene, is my scene. I think if done “right”, with a combination of classroom, hands on and a realistic apprenticeship, under the supervision of a “Master” of the craft, a few more awesome Smith’s would be available. One of the issues with Gun-Smithing is; it’s more then a vocation, like a mechanic, it’s an art also that takes years to master. BTW, anyone who wants to sponsor me through the SiG and Colt Armorer Schools, I would be eternally grateful and even re-name my kid after you! San Jose, CA seems to have only two (2) barely available “Smiths” considered reputable and millions of folks in the general vicinity. How can there not be money to be made there?

I’ve seen the “correspondence school” non-sense. “Be a Gun-Smith in two weeks”, yea right, let these grads work in landscaping! After they butcher a few prized items, they’ll need work something fierce!!!

Peace all …

JD :cool: :D
 
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