Armorer / Gunsmith Training Question

[Babarock]

Hope this is the right forum, if not ...

SWMBO posed the question to me over the weekend of "If I wanted to get certified as a armorer or learn how to be a gunsmith, what training would I need to take and where could I take it?"

I said I knew Glock offered an Armorer course and I suspect other gun makers do also but I know little about the former and nothing about the latter. I knew nothing about what is involved with becoming a gunsmith. I said I would reach out to the experts here and see what they could tell us or point us the right information.

So what's the scoop?

 

[blackdog]

Hope this is the right forum, if not ...

SWMBO posed the question to me over the weekend of "If I wanted to get certified as a armorer or learn how to be a gunsmith, what training would I need to take and where could I take it?"

I said I knew Glock offered an Armorer course and I suspect other gun makers do also but I know little about the former and nothing about the latter. I knew nothing about what is involved with becoming a gunsmith. I said I would reach out to the experts here and see what they could tell us or point us the right information.

So what's the scoop?

Yes penn foster is a great one. All u got to do is just google it and there will be hundreds of them pop up. Online and actual trade school colleges. So maybe in your local area. Side note I had a gunsmith buddy I called him an armor once and he got pissed off said he wasn't an armor. But a gunsmith. I don't know what's up with that but what ever I don't know if all of them r like that.

 

[Arc Angel]

Personally, I'm convinced that Glock, Inc. is using their, 'Armorer's Course' largely as an advertising tool. Any monkey can be trained to disassemble and reassemble a Glock. What is more, in my opinion, spending 3 to 5 days in a factory course does NOT turn MOST people into competent armorers and, certainly not, into competent gunsmiths.

In recent years I have become amazed at the large number of people who have taken the Glock course, and are, now, calling themselves, 'Glock Armorers'. I run into some of these guys every now and then; and, quite honestly, with only very few exceptions I wouldn't let any of them so much as touch one of my Glocks.

If a person doesn't know, at least, the rudiments of how to be a competent gunsmith then it's a pretty safe bet that he's not going to be a genuinely competent armorer, either. Like I said: Any monkey can be trained to disassemble and reassemble a Glock, or to read a parts catalog.

(Yes, I'm aware there are competent Glock Armorers out there. My point is that these people represent a significant minority of all those who are presently, so loosely, using the title.)

 

[ta2guy73]

I took a home study course back in the early 90's. I really wish there would have been some kind of trade school available in my area at the time. I learned a lot from the course but there is no substitute for hands on training. After completion I contacted all the area gun shops, pawn shops, etc. and a few of them hired me on an as needed basis to clean and service the used firearms that they took in. I learned so much more by actually having the firearm in my hands than I did in months of study text books and tech manuals.

 

[damgoodwood]

Just wondering if anyone has heard of Phoenix State University Gunsmith Course. It appears that they may be a lot of hot air, but you never know.

 

[titon]

the money they charge for such classes is far better spent having your local smith teach you. Pay him $10 an hour just to sit, watch, listen, snap pics and take notes, for about a solid week, during hunting season. then use the rest of the money for some basic tools and a bunch of cheap, used guns to practice upon. you can practice a lot of the work on just hunks of wood and steel, like blueing and checkering.

 

[jcreek]

Hope this is the right forum, if not ...

SWMBO posed the question to me over the weekend of "If I wanted to get certified as a armorer or learn how to be a gunsmith, what training would I need to take and where could I take it?"

I said I knew Glock offered an Armorer course and I suspect other gun makers do also but I know little about the former and nothing about the latter. I knew nothing about what is involved with becoming a gunsmith. I said I would reach out to the experts here and see what they could tell us or point us the right information.

So what's the scoop?

Yes penn foster is a great one. All u got to do is just google it and there will be hundreds of them pop up. Online and actual trade school colleges. So maybe in your local area. Side note I had a gunsmith buddy I called him an armor once and he got pissed off said he wasn't an armor. But a gunsmith. I don't know what's up with that but what ever I don't know if all of them r like that.

Armorers are usually only qualified to do maintenance and replace broken parts and usually only on specific weapons systems. Licensed gunsmiths are legally qualified (not necessarily practically qualified or experienced enough though) to repair and modify any firearm. I don't know if they're all defensive like that but I assume its like calling a Marine a soldier. We take pride in our title and feel we've earned what we've worked for. If we wanted to be soldiers we would've joined the Army.