5 Reasons to consider gunsmithing as a hobby

5 Reasons to consider gunsmithing as a hobby

Professional gunsmiths, many of whom attend one of the excellent schools available in this country, practice their trade for a living on other people’s firearms.  The amateur, home, or hobbyist gunsmith practices on his own firearms.  Bear in mind, just because the gunsmith isn’t a professional, doesn’t mean professional results can’t be achieved.

If you’ve completed some basic armorers tasks (such as assembly an AR15 style rifle), have a interest in increasing your understanding of firearms, or have been considering exploring gunsmithing as a hobby, here are some reasons you may want to take the plunge and give it a try:

1. Develop an increased understanding and knowledge of firearms. Working on firearms, one can truly understand why they are designed, function and operate the way that they do.  Concepts such as head spacing a rifle, which may elude some shooters, become very clear when you actually chamber a rifle barrel for instance.  
2. You don’t have to drive to the range, sometimes its just a short walk to the garage or basement. For many shooters, the trip to the shooting range, requires a block of time, lots of gear, and a drive to the facility.  If you set up a shop in your garage or basement, you can work on firearms at your leisure.  This is especially valuable to those of us with limited schedules and time constraints.  I may not be able to head to the range every week, but I can always carve out a little time to head into the shop and tinker with firearms.
3. There is something for everyone.  Gunsmithing encompasses a wide range of firearms, disciplines, methods and techniques.  Maybe you own a milling machine and want to try to install sights on your 1911, or shorten the stock on a shotgun, or  maybe you like working with wood and want to try to refinish a stock on an old muzzle loader?  Even if things get a little more complicated then initially planned and you get stuck on a project, Brownells has a staff of gun techs on call to answer your questions and help as needed.

   

4. If you like tools, this is for you.  If you are one of those guys that loves tools, gunsmithing is for you.  The myriad of specialized tools available to accomplish different tasks is amazing.
5. Pride in accomplishment. Seeing the results of your work is perhaps the most rewarding aspect of being an amateur gunsmith.  Many projects can be properly tooled and completed for a similar cost to hiring a professional; however, if you choose to do it yourself, you now posses the knowledge of how to accomplish the task and any specialized tooling needed to complete the task again in the future.

To purchase gunsmithing tools visit Brownells.com.  Brownells has been a steadfast supporter of professional and amateur gunsmiths, as well as this website.

Interested in pursuing gunsmithing as a career, consider attending the Gunsmith Conference and Career Fair.