Whether you want to become a professional gunsmith, hone your skills or pick it up as a hobby, the NRA has got you covered
You're a shooter. You're fascinated with guns and want to learn all there is to know. You want to be able to repair, modify, design and build firearms... and have them work when you pull the trigger. It sounds like you want to become a gunsmith. If you're concerned you don't have the time to learn the necessary skills, worry no longer. The NRA Short-Term Gunsmithing School can teach you the trade at affiliated colleges in the United States over the course of several days to a couple weeks.
The program is constructed to provide individuals with
the opportunity to take courses at a convenient pace
without attending school full-time. Generalized around
basic gunsmithing fundamentals, the classes are designed
to build an educational foundation to better understand
the trade. Though predominately adhering to the needs
of beginners, the school also encourages professional
gunsmithers to enroll in classes to improve existing skills
while learning new techniques.
In 1977, The NRA Short-Term Gunsmithing School commenced
its program at Trinidad State Junior College in
Colorado, offering a series of summer classes. In a concerted
effort to build a network of schools offering the
program, it soon expanded to Troy, N.C. in 1978 establishing
a second program at Montgomery Community College
(MCC).
MCC hired Gene Anderson, a graduate of Pennsylvania
Gunsmithing School as the program’s first instructor.
Taking his vast knowledge of the trade into consideration,
MCC tasked Anderson to develop the program and mold
it as he saw fit. Before he knew it, classrooms began to
fill up and by 1981 the program had 50 students enrolled,
along with two new instructors.
Today, MCC’s Gunsmithing School has made
significant progress, expanding its program and
offering over a dozen courses, with a wait list of
over 140 applicants. “We can only take 30 students
every two years,” shared Wayne Bernauer, Director
of the MCC Gunsmithing & NRA Programs. “I
would love to see us expand the facilities so we can
accommodate more students in the future.”
The gunsmithing program at MCC has gained
a reputable name in the industry and is nationally
renowned. Ranging from several days to several
weeks in length, students are able to participate in
courses and receive valuable one-on-one instruction
from top experts in the field. Offering an
assortment of courses such as metal finishing, stock
making and finishing, firearm repairs and servicing,
MCC also educates its students with an in-depth
understanding of the current laws and regulations.
Though the school is not a degree program, students
are given a certificate indicating completion
of each course.
The 5,400 square foot classroom accommodates
a maximum of 65 students and the school also
features a top-notch lab facility that includes a fiveposition,
100-yard, outdoor range for test firing and
reloads.
You can finish reading this story and learn about becoming a gunsmith with the NRA's help right here in Traditions Magazine.