Gunsmiths Job Description: Tasks, Required Skills, Education, Career Outlook and Salary
Submitted by: Cheska Davenport
Job Overview: Gunsmiths are persons who specialize in using machines and hand tools to make, repair and modify various types of firearms. They usually follow directions based on blueprint orders and customer preferences. Some may also work by cleaning firearms and keep them in working condition.
Education, Knowledge and Training Required: There is no educational requirement needed in order to become a gunsmith, however, there are recommended options for aspiring individuals who wish to pursue a career in this field. Some may begin as apprentices in a gunsmith shop or in a firearms company. There they will encounter extensive hands on training about the different ways and procedures of making, building, repairing and cleaning firearms and ammunition. Apprenticeships take as much as 6,000 hours of work, and once this timeframe is completed they can proceed to becoming skilled gunsmiths. Meanwhile, there are community colleges and technical schools which offer courses in gunsmith technology and studies, and these include classroom and hands-on training.
Skills and Abilities: To become a successful gunsmith, one should have the mechanical aptitude, the passion for building guns, as well as the interest in fine craftsmanship. Persons who wish to pursue a career in this industry should be patient, have the eye for detail, and ability to perform precision work. They should also have manual dexterity, calmness and good-problem solving skills especially when it comes to testing the firearms made.
Tasks: The work of a gunsmith begins by receiving customer orders and specifications, and this includes studying blueprints and design sketches given to them. They soon assemble the three elements of a firearm, which are the barrel, stock and the action mechanism.
They usually order parts and materials from suppliers, but there are those who make their own custom parts, particularly those which work by restoring antique guns. They later align the parts so that the other attachments can be placed properly, and that firing would be precise and in accordance to the mechanism processes. These attachments include optical sights for aiming, pistol grips, decorative pieces and recoil pads to cushion the blast on the shooter’s end. They also do the finishing touches of guns, such as polishing them with oils, resins or lacquers. Gunsmiths are also in charge of the treatment and protection of the gun parts, and they do this in a process they call “bluing.” The metal parts are treated to resist rust, which would make the gun brittle and broken. They also re-bore the barrels to enlarge the caliber of the bore, while others work by modifying the capacities of the firearms as per client request and preference.
Earnings and Job Outlook: Gunsmiths are usually paid by the hour, and in average they earn yearly salaries ranging between $20,800 and $41,600. Earnings vary on their employer, as well as the nature of their trade. Gunsmiths who manage their own shops earn bigger, but they too have other business expenses to spend on, such as tools and equipment, documentation, machines, parts and laborers, if ever they have any.
Cheska Davenport is a career search strategist who focuses on creating power resumes and providing job search advice that aim to help individuals achieve their target goals in the job market.
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