If you’re a gun person that wants to take that tinkering and turn it into a money-making venture, or you just want to work on your guns, you’ve probably thought about gunsmithing schools or classes.
It turns out that there are quite a few gunsmithing classes and courses you can take online.
From the comfort of your own home, you can learn how to take hobby-level skills to something you can be truly proud of or even make money with eventually.
So, we’ve pulled together a list of classes that you can take to improve those gunsmithing skills.
In no particular order, here are some gunsmithing schools that don’t require a foot in a classroom.
Best Online Gunsmithing Schools & Courses
1. Sonoran Desert Institute
Founded in 2000, the Sonoran Desert Institute provides online learning opportunities to those interested in a wide range of gunsmithing and armorer topics.
Today, it is a nationally accredited online firearms school with several different courses.
They have two main programs of study. You can also take advantage of individual classes if you’re just looking to learn certain aspects of gunsmithing — like advanced armorer topics or how to accurize a rifle.
SDI is great for both hobby-level gunsmiths who want to do more in their home workshops and for professionals (or would-be pros that want to break into the industry).
Their instructors come highly recommended by many in the industry. And SDI grads seem to have an easier time finding a job than graduates of most other gunsmithing programs.
Cost is again dependent on what exactly you’re looking to learn. Take the classes you want if you’re not looking for a certification or degree.
Many of the tools you need for the program are included in the program’s cost. They ship out when you start each course.
These tools are a good way to start building out your workshop.
2. American Gunsmithing Institute
One of the nation’s most well-regarded online gunsmithing schools, American Gunsmithing Institute offers courses geared to various needs.
Whether you want a career as a gunsmith or just want to work on your guns safely and effectively, there’s an option for you.
They offer a professional certificate that you can earn in as little as 90 days.
However, you still get 108 hours of course instruction that covers the basic tasks and techniques of gunsmithing. You’ll also get extensive info on the design of firearms. That means you can take that knowledge to manufacturers for a job in the field.
Best of all, AGI’s online coursework is broken down into individual lessons, each taught by a recognized industry expert.
You can also pick and choose areas to specialize in. This makes the entire course fun and a better value for your money as you’ll be skipping the bits you don’t plan to specialize in.
Students can choose a complete gunsmith certification program or take individual courses.
The professional gunsmith certification will cost between $5,000 to $15,000 — if you’re looking for a full education, that is the way you get it!
But they also offer some specific Armorer’s level courses for $40 plus specialty courses and certified courses that range from $50 to $1,300.
3. Modern Gun School
Modern Gun School brings an extremely flexible course for those interested in gunsmithing, either as a hobby or a full-time career.
They have a perpetual open enrollment, so you can start at any time during the year and begin courses in either Basic or Advanced Gunsmithing.
Operating since 1946, they offer lessons covering several different aspects of gunsmithing, buying and selling firearms, and basic firearms information.
These courses come in the form of online classes that you take on your terms. And they’re even personalized by the staff and Master Gunsmith for individual students’ needs and areas of interest.
MGS is a standout among other similar programs. They focus primarily on hands-on training and class project — such as refinishing a stock or building a rifle lower, rather than simply reading up on a process or technique.
Their courses come in three different price tiers — $1,442 for full payment upfront, $1,542 with higher monthly payments, or $1,642 with lower monthly payments.
This makes tuition fairly affordable for the amount of instruction you get. So it offers a good option for hobbyists or beginners to gunsmithing and firearms in general.
4. Ashworth College
New to guns? Check out our online Beginner Handgun Course that teaches all the important stuff you need to know.
Ashworth College is located in my home state of Georgia, and its online program focuses on practical, real-world projects.
Projects are designed to emulate what an actual gunsmith works on daily.
They focus heavily on hands-on learning, and most of your coursework will revolve around demonstrating mastery of one skill or another through completing a finished piece.
These teach techniques for troubleshooting, disassembling, repairing, and reassembling a variety of firearms.
Ashworth courses don’t do a lot of machining or metalworking, but thdo offer a hefty value for what you get.
The entire program costs between $559 and $699 depending on how you want to pay, with some payment plans costing as little as $49 a month.
At the end of the program, you should have a good grasp of basic gunsmithing techniques and should be able to sit for any state or federal firearms or armorer’s test that doesn’t have its own required coursework.
5. Penn Foster Career School
Though they are located in Scranton, PA, Penn Foster Career School operates worldwide through online programs.
Penn Foster provides several degree programs in addition to their GED/high school programs.
They’ve been around for a few decades now, and in that time, they’ve become one of the leading schools for online gunsmithing courses.
The Penn Foster mobile site allows you to study coursework on the go.
They have a dedicated staff for all firearms-related courses, and you can get an associate degree or simply a certificate.
Additionally, they also have one of the lowest educational requirements for entry, with applicants only needing to pass an 8th-grade education equivalency exam at a minimum.
The gunsmithing programs at Penn Foster cover gun safety and firearm assembly/disassembly, antique firearm restoration, customizing gun, mounting scope, handloading ammunition, basic metalworking, metal finishing, and machine tool operation, as well as the history of rifles and handguns.
Lastly, they have numerous flexible payment options, including interest-free monthly payments, in addition to being eligible for veteran education credits and benefits.
6. Colorado School of Trade
The Colorado School of Trade offers a few degrees in machining-related fields, including an Associate of Occupational Studies degree in gunsmithing.
It’s been around since 1947 and is accredited through the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges. So, the instruction is sound and well-recognized.
Located just outside of Denver, the four primary classes you’ll take in the 14-month course are Basic Gunsmithing, Machine Shop, Stock Making, and Design & Function.
The first will get you comfortable with the basics of gunsmithing and firearms maintenance.
Then you’ll learn machine shop basics like how to use a lathe, a CNC, and other common tools like Dremels and grinders.
From there, you’ll build and bed a precision fiberglass rifle stock in the Stock Making course before going on to a more in-depth look at the manufacture and design of firearms. This will give you all the technical knowledge you need to work on most common firearm designs.
All in all, it’s a solid course; it can be completed in just 18 months.
7. Penn Foster College
Not to be confused with Penn Foster Career School, Penn Foster College has been around for over a hundred years.
It’s probably one of the most well-known distance learning colleges in the country (and certainly one of the oldest).
They’re fully accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission and regionally accredited by the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education.
The diploma program will teach you all the basics of gunsmithing, including safety, machining, maintenance, and design.
It’s just a 3-month program and, like many of the others on this list, is completed online.
Tuition is less than $1,000 too. So, this is a great one for hobbyists that want to up their game a little bit or even seasoned pros who just want some kind of certificate to open up some new job prospects.
The main courses cover gun safety, assembly and disassembly of common firearm models, customizing and fitting rifle stocks, and even some antique gun restoration.
(Note: there’s nothing in here about “sporterizing” historic rifles, so there will be no “Bubba-ing” here.)
You’ll also learn how to develop custom ammo loads for precision rifles, how to mount optics properly, and a good bit of firearms development history to boot.
Conclusion
Professional gunsmith instruction doesn’t have to be something that’s out of your reach because you don’t have the time or money to commit to a traditional institution.
These online colleges and courses are great for professionals and hobbyists alike.
Whether you want a job with Glock, Remington, or just your local gun store, there’s a professional program out there for you.
And if you just want to up your game in your home workshop, doing repairs and upgrades to your own firearms yourself, you can acquire those skills yourself.
Which one of these are you most curious about? Let me hear from you in the comments! If you like to get your learn on, be sure to check out our other articles on Best Wilderness Training Courses, Best Compact Pistol Courses, Best Tactical Courses.
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Appreciate the article but not sure the order is correct, especially based on some of the things I'm seeing and hearing lately about SDI.
I'm about one year into the AGI Level 2 Professional Gunsmith certification course, a total of 255 hrs of instruction. I paid just north of $6K for DVD based (online option now available) which also includes some prepaid in-class hours at the Napa, CA campus if I choose to go out there. I also took on two additional certified courses specifically oriented toward Glocks and AR-15s. There is a fundamentals of machining training video included that I will supplement with some basic machine shop training at my local community college for the hands-on. The Master level program includes even more technical instruction and also a good business success class that would greatly benefit first-time business owners.
These are not simplified armorer's courses and do not teach mere part swapping. The course presents principles of Design-Function-Repair of pistols & revolvers, rifles, shotguns as the basis of the certificated programs. You're taught how the firearm is designed, how its systems function so you know not only how to make a repair or upgrade, but also how not to inadvertently make it unsafe. I'm fortunate to own several firearms used in the training and I can borrow from friends anything I don't own so that I can follow along hands-on with the video. I don't feel disadvantaged by the video-based course. My program also includes training on bluing, stock finishing, building a custom Mauser-based rifle (pretty popular here in whitetail deer country), how to bed a rifle barrel, case hardening, heat treating, just to name a few. Check the website for details.
The amount and quality of material provided is impressive, the fees include some high quality starter tools like Grace ground tip gunsmithing screwdrivers, brass hammer, punches, etc. They are great at helping you develop a budget that focuses on what tools you need at first and what you can wait to buy later, how to set up a workbench, and how you can get going quickly with a minimum tool set and workspace to do smithing jobs within your skillset.
Tuition includes one year of access to Gunsmithing Club of America - a very interactive, structured blog open to students and professional gunsmith members that is a fountain of information and support for students going through the training and exams as well as anyone working on firearms as gunsmiths. They put a lot into the kit to get you started and the support framework keeps you going as long as you are willing to put in the work. There are also over-the-shoulder training videos done by master gunsmiths performing common operations on the most common firearms.
Each of the program-level kits (primarily taught by longtime master gunsmith Bob Dunlap who I believe pioneered the program at Lassen College in California) has a DVD with printed and bound class notes to match the course you are viewing - and of course you will (or should) also be taking voluminous notes yourself. Tests are online and feedback is immediate.
I'm aware there are some very good on-campus trade-school oriented programs out there and no disrespect to those at all, but attending one of those is not an option for me. As a degreed mechanical engineer and 5+ years as a professional classroom trainer for very high-end CAD systems, I recognize good educational and training material and programs when I see them and I highly recommend AGI if, like me, you aren't in a position to attend a reputable on-campus program like Colo School of Trades or Lassen College.
Hey I'm a high school student that wants to start off in gunsmithing and I'm not sure where to begin, any suggestions?
Hi. What schools or colleges are there where you can attend in person and get hands on with instructors. Thanks.
Colorado School of Trades is an in person 14 month program in Lakewood, CO.
Unfortunately, NO. They are not a college, but their courses are phenomenal. You get a certification instead of a diploma, but because they are not a college you cannot go through GI bill unless you borrow the money thru Gov. banks, and I don't know this for sure, but they may not loan you money for a non-diploma school.
Good luck and thank you for your service. Jeff
Does the GI Bill encompass the Advanced Master Class at AGI? It doesn’t seem to be a college course, so I was wondering if the GI Bill would pay for it.
I'd love to go to cst in Colorado, because I'd really love to learn how to make custom bolt action rifles. But they say your time is limited and really pushed on the lathes because they have so many students. I just don't want to be disappointed, I want to be good at what I do.
Good info, thanks...I am a 72yo semi-retiree, who has been around firearms all my life; the basics, safety, etc. Not looking for a career, but rather, as a hobbyist, how to tear down, reassemble different species, from revolvers, semi's, shotguns and AR's/AK's. With this in mind, which program would you recommend...??
Thanks...Steve
I have NO association with them but I have heard Yavapai College, located in Prescott, Arizona, which is a public community college offers a three-year Associate of Applied Science degree in gunsmithing. The program is affordable and has a strong reputation in the industry.
This is a pretty bad list of places and ways to learn gunsmithing. You completely missed some of the best schools; Trinidad State Junior College, Montgomery County Community College and Yavapai to name three in person schools. And you mentioned some of the worst at the very top, like SDI, which is a complete waste of money. I’ve been a gunsmith for almost 2 decades now and have seen some of the work and the tools that SDI and Modern Gun School turn out, these people have been robbed. They’ve learned little, in some cases they’ve learned things that had to be re-taught the right way, their work is generally low grade as the instruction was poor and all that I can offer them is minimum wage as an apprentice at best. Furthermore, they have no experience at all with machine tools or welding they can’t even pin a muzzle device to a barrel. Instead of spending $20k or wasting their GI benefits they could have gone to a local community college and learned machine shop practices. I’ve stopped even hiring people with online gunsmith degrees as I have to watch over them and reach them everything from scratch. I just don’t have the time to do this.
Could I contact you?
Hello, R. Patty. In your opinion where is the best place to start. I have no practical experience with guns but want to know where to get started. I don't want to waste my time or money. I know a lot about guns and the history of weapons through reading but not much hands on. I'm smart and I'm passionate about weapons. Would appreciate your thoughts.
Any of the in person gunsmith schools would be be number 1, unfortunately there aren’t many and for most people that involves moving and out of state tuition. Some other choices would be to find a gunsmith that would allow you to apprentice under him or her, but with that option make sure that they know what they’re doing, ask around at several gun shops about who does their work, most gun shops send gunsmith work out to be done. Another option would be to go to a local community college in their machinists class, you will need to know how to operate machine tools to do gunsmith work. You’ll need to learn a bit about welding as well, so see if you can take a welding course as well, but not the full year or whatever it is where you live, you just need TIG welding as well as how to operate an oxy-acetylene torch, but mainly for silver soldering.
Full Disclosure: Sonoran Desert Institute is an absolute joke. Do not waste your money or allow them to further swindle federal education funds in your name or from your service member education funding benefits. The courses lack actual instruction, the course material consists of 98% various Youtube links which are not made by or for SDI instruction/instructors. I withdrew from classes after my 2nd semester, and have since filed an official petition with the federal student loan board to have any/all federal moneys returned on the basis of the institution failing to provide the promised level of education/knowledge as well as the blatant misinformation SDI feeds potential victims (aka future students) regarding the validity of ones "credentials" upon completion of their "Associates of Applies Sciences Degree in Firearms Technology" which is not recognized by any reputable name in the industry (or anyone in the industry for that matter aside from being an overpriced, sad joke) nor is it offered anywhere else in the country because it is an entirely made-up degree. I am now currently entirely prevented from enrolling in courses elsewhere (need to complete a final semester to obtain my teaching cert. in high school Special Ed.) due to Sonoran Desert Institutes refusal to release my 2 semester transcript while I wait for the fed. dept. of ed. to get around to reviewing/granting a release of responsibility for the partial semester they claim I owe tuition for after withdrawing (despite having already been charged in full for said tuition). These people are absolute TRASH. Stay far, far away!
Thank You for Your input, very much appreciated
Ashworth doesn't do gunsmithing anymore. They redirect you to Penn Foster as their "sister school" for it
Thank you, for the Information a well written and thought out article. To be honest I am interested, researching SDI and AGI is what lead me to your article. I think Penn Foster both the College and Career Schools sound good as well as Ashworth College. Tuition cost is definitely a factor so I may go with the one that reasonable.
Thank you for the information this is very much on time for me as I seek more information on AR 10s and scopes. I'm looking for books to see if AR 10s are as versatile as AR 15. Being a Vietnam Veteran and trained with a M14, the AR 10s are of interest.
I can’t listen to anyone who recommends an online gun smithing school.
Unfortunately for some of us, online is really the only way to go.
Why would you want to do it online?
Because you live too far away
Because i have a full time job working 10 to 12 hrs a day 6 days a week. Online is my only option.
There is nothing wrong with online education. Sounds like you might have some prejudicial thinking.
Sometimes you have no choice. I pursed my Bachelors degree while in the deserts of Iraq. I’m very proud of this.
Please post other options.
Modern Gun School (warning)
If you are considering MSG for their cost effective tuition, just beware there is a reason. 99.9% of their instruction is in print. So it's just reading, the same instruction as if you were to just buy a ton of books and read them yourself. ALSO, there are too many errors in the tests that do NOT match the reading at all resulting in a ton of miscommunications. The WORST part is that 90% of the material appears to be severely outdated (by decades) and much of it is completely plagiarized from books no longer being printed, and were never cited...giving the indication that they created the material. They did not; and I'm pretty sure that would jeopardize their accreditation if they are caught . The techniques, advice, tools, calculation methods, are mostly outdated. I only used this school to get a quick diploma for an FFL and disregard most of their information while using other more contemporary sources...I will never consider using them as an actual source of information for any reason. The information the school provides was relevant up until 1990, but if you are looking to really do gunsmith work, then this place would be a horrible investment for you and you are definitely not getting much value for your $$$. I finished the Advanced course in about 6 months and that was mostly because I was so fed up with the uselessness of the information I stopped for about 2 months before I decided to finish up. The tuition is mostly for the cost of printing 2 large binders of all the unorganized lessons and reading materials that you are also able to save as a PDF from their website (which in 2022 is of course what people do), and a few tools that are severely cheap. Just remember, If you bought all the books they stole material from and bought all the tools they provide you, it would at least be more organized and would never come close to the tuition they charge you.
Serious gunsmiths, please stay away.
Pennsylvania Gunsmithing School
1. THIS IS GOOD. HOWEVER, WHICH SCHOOL(S) DO GUNSMITHS, ACTUALLY WORKING GUNSMITHS RECOMMEND?
2. WHICH SCHOOLS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FEDERAL FAFSA GRANTS? STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS?
THANK YOU
DAVID TOTH
SDI (Sonoran Desert Institute) is your best choice, I am getting ready to start my last semester with SDI the also work with FAFSA...great school
SDI is nearly 19k a year.
ITS ACTUALLY GONE UP, ITS NOW 11,100 FOR 8 MONTHS 8TH MONTH CERTIFICATE PROGRAM, OR 21,100 FOR ASSOCIATES DEGREE.
I was looking at AGI and I am worried about cost. I like what they offer and want to be an expert in everything but can not afford the cost.
I would love to find a local gunsmith expert that is willing to pass along their knowledge, skills and abilities to me via on the job training. But I would be willing to do online courses, for the time being. Attending a brick and mortar school is not really an option for me at this time.
I'm a Navy vet. and am curious about using my post 9/11 or Montgomery GI bill benefits anyone have any experience with this at any of these schools
I am currently enrolled in SDI and used my GI bill with no issues. I completed the cert course and am almost done with the degree program. Call the number they give you or email them they will walk you through the process it was really easy to get started.
Did the program help you get a job as a Gunsmith ? How much are Gunsmiths paid with no experience these days ?
Have you called the VA? They have programs and can also tell you if a school or course will be covered by your GI Bill...
The oldest and best: Trinidad State Junior College
+1 Wyatt,
I went there many moons ago, for another profession.
I have completed the Modern Gun SChool and in my finals two classes for SDI. Between the two SDI is a much better program and more like real college, also you get a real Associates Degree
Hi, I was looking into AGI but I am concerned about cost. I’m not looking to become an expert in everything, simply mastering Glocks and AR-15s and bolt actions would be enough for me. Can anyone recommend any resources for a hobbyist looking at more narrow gunsmith knowledge?
AGI has specific video's for only Glocks, AR's and bolt actions. Minimal investment for quite a bit of knowledge. I think the armorer video's are $39.95 per type firearm.
Ashworth no longer offers a gunsmithing program.
There are four NRA "approved affiliated" gunsmithing schools. Not sure what "approved affiliated" means. Accredited? Paid money to the NRA? All are in-residence programs. I cannot imagine that distance learning would work well for such a hands-on skill. The schools are: Montgomery Community College in Troy, North Carolina; Trinidad State Junior College in Trinidad, Colorado; Murray State College in Tishomingo, Oklahoma; and Lassen Community College in Susanville, California. Trinidad is perhaps the oldest, having been founded by P. O. Ackley himself in 1947. Absent convincing proof from some reliable source, I would suck it up, attend one of these schools, and obtain either an associate degree in gunsmithing or a gunsmithing certificate. All are veteran-friendly and a good place to spend your GI benefits.
Among other things, their program must be at least 3 years long. That's probably the main reason there's so few. Even the Pennsylvania gunsmith school, where you attend a brick a mortar 8 hours a day 5 days a week, is only a 16 month course.
Yavapai College in Prescott AZ is another brick and mortar gunsmithing school.
"NRA approved affiliated" is meaningless. The NRA isn't an accrediting organization. There's no real accreditation or certification when it comes to gunsmithing specifically. Some of the online schools on the list are regionally accredited by CHEA, which is a college accrediting organization that inspects academic quality. Same accreditation used for traditional universities and cc. The online program's curriculum aligns with brick and mortar programs. It really comes down to how you learn or your end objective. With a self-employed route, how your education is obtained is meaningless, so long as you can provide quality work. Corporate route, you probably need at least an AAS degree from a brick and mortar.
Pine Technical and Community College in MN is brick and mortar.
Lance Cordill. Stuck cylinder. Took mine to a gun store in San Antonio to have them send it to Taurus to fix it. Instead they store just fixed it right there in 5 minutes. 3 years ago, no problem since then.
I have several of the videos from AGI and would love to take their advanced course work but can not afford it. The jail does not pay enough to cover that cost. For being online or home course work their videos are very detailed and have helped me with work on several of my own guns to the point I am ready to apply for my ffl and start to work on other peoples weapons.
SDI sucks. If you’re serious about becoming a gunsmith either find an apprenticeship or go to a brick and mortar school that will give you a hands on experience. The 2 best schools at the moment are Colorado school of trades and Piedmont Technical College. There is no replacement for hands on learning with multiple instructors being able to guide you and help you. A lot of the time you will find that they are cheaper. Always keep in mind that a lot of these listicles are paid advertising.
Thank you for this. A friend of mine at my LGS recommended Colorado School of Trades when he found out I was looking into gunsmithing.
Founded in 1947 Colorado School of Trades is the best. My brother is a graduate from close on 40 years ago. If you are interested in learning all aspects of the trade you need look no further.
I think Ashworth is closed. Are there any online programs with regional accreditation? I think this would be most important?
Don't just say they suck, say why/how.. and please don't just "yOu CaNT leArN gUnSMiThInG OnLInE"
Thank You, my thoughts as well
I want to start AGI courses by ordering the Master class as it comes with tools needed. I'm on disability but not a veteran. Will Vocational Rehabilitation Services pay for me to do this? I was an electronic field service engineer for a long time. I have had 4 back surgeries & receive disability benefits but nowhere near enough to pay myself or it would've been done already. I see vets get assistance as they should but can non-veterans get assistance too?
Not a gunsmith nor been to school for it. Seems AGI gives you the tools you need to learn. Sort of interested in them. Going to contact for info. Most what I know came from taking stuff apart to see how it worked. I'm wondering though, even with tools, how can someone help you run a lathe properly? Some people need hands on guidance. A dvd or recording isn't going to give you that. I'd hate to be on the phone everyday with questions they didn't consider answering. Thanks for the info
Ashworth doesn't have Gunsmith at their website.
Thanks for article. Chanced upon THIS because I have a stuck cylinder on a S&W .32 CTG revolver with live rounds in it. as far as I can tell, there is NO info on the web how to get the cylinder out with the live rounds in cylinder. I figure if I had some gunsmithing knowledge under my belt, I would know how to solve this problem. Thumb release doesn't work. The cylinder MUST be removed in order to remove the bullets. FYI, I won't use a hammer to bash to cylinder...duh!
The cylinder should be removed as normal. Most have a rod under the barrel. You push it toward rear of gun. Then cylinder should rotate out. Others have a catch that let the barrel and cylinder fold down like dbl and sgl barrel shotguns. The only thing that may prevent it from opening is the hammer. Some can be half cocked. Others you would have to hold hammer open. For safety place something between hammer and gun to keep hammer from firing round. Some revolvers have a catch to release cylinder. Loaded or unloaded shouldn't matter. After firing rounds, you open cylinder and remove spent rounds to put in new. If you look in youtube there should be videos to load/unload revolvers. If you can't figure it out take to police department and tell them you don't want it before you shoot yourself.
One final thing some old revolvers like colt peacemakers have a part that folds open so you can remove one round at a time. Revolver cylinders are made to be opened wether live or spent doesn't matter.
Try wd-40 on catch. Also most revolvers have a removable plate to access workings. Open this carefully, paying attention to direction of firearm, Also you should block hammer so it can't fire, and spray wd-40 on workings. This may help. I'm not a gunsmith. Just a tinkerer. Don't force or strike catch unless you want a broken catch.
Of take togunsmith
There are also forums where you can get better info
I have a S&W 32 clone, the H&R 32. It has a swing arm the allows the cylinder to rotate out and down for reloading & cleaning. The arm has a standard slotted screw holding it in. The S&W has the same basic arrangement, but with a small |C-clip" holding the pivot arm in place.
I tried Ashworth's online course. It was dry as dirt, I received literally no interaction with any sort of "teacher", and the entirety of the content I made it to was just reading long, bland walls of text. The author of whatever material they have you read often talks about concepts or parts without explaining them to people who might not be familiar with them.
Absolute waste of $700 CAD and my time. I'm disgusted and disappointed.
Ashworth College is a conduit for Penn Foster meaning they are one and the same. It looks like you only have four gunsmithing schools on your list of five. You have also left out the NRA gunsmithing programs at four different colleges across the country (one in each time zone) in North Carolina, Oklahoma, Colorado, and California.
i have abut 10 years in a cnc shop running a cnc mill and other various machines would it be good to take one of these courses to learn about gunsmithing itself since i already have a leg up in the machining world
Unfortunately for some of us, brick and mortar locations for gunsmithing are few and far between. Since I have not been able to locate one within driving distance...online courses seem to be the best option to start a foundation
Pennsylvania gunsmith school in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania is a 16 month course where you earn a certification is a master gunsmith. There is no online comparison. You didn't even delve into the school it's better than any school you listed, hands down! Before you put up the five best you should probably research your subject!
Isvthis one brick school or on line because they are talking about ONLINE SCHOOLS not one you go to in person
I am sure you can do distance learning for gunsmithing, just not quite enough to do the job. I just think there are more effective ways, and hands on is the best IMHO.
Highly recommend you go to a brick and mortar school. You will learn more of what you need and not learn bad habits. You need to know how each type of firearm works in order to fix what doesn't. You also need to learn heat treating metals, welding, machining techniques and how to do all these in an efficient manner. This is because time is money in any business. And you need to have 6 billable hours a day. You will waste some time trying to find replacement parts because you can't have everything. And you will have to learn there are some jobs you will be better at than others, and I don't recommend specializing in rural areas.
I went to Lassen Community College in California. I would rank it as tied for #1 with Trinidad in Colorado. Yavapi is #2 to my knowledge. Lassen used to teach Design, Function and Repair courses by Robert Dunlap. Those are the same lessons taught on the American Gunsmithing Institute videos.
5 years bench experience as a gunsmith. Worked on all sorts of guns, many that I didn't want to work on. My weakest point was customer relations.
Recently Graduated Modern Gun School, I believe it gave me a good base to build on but a distance learning course can only teach so much. I recommend anyone serious about becoming a gunsmith to attend one of the brick and mortar schools where you can get hands on training.
I graduated from SDI in March, can't say enough good things about the staff and instructors. Really gave me a good structured baseline.
Did you go for hobby or to get a job? If for a job, did you find one?