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Offline Heavyhaul

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Learning Smithing
« on: January 21, 2006, 07:52:46 PM »
Please don't crucify me, but is there such a thing as a good corrispondance gunsmith course?  I get obsessive/compulsive about my hobbies.  I want to learn to do triggers and actoins mostly.  I'm not sure if I want to invest in being a real 'smith.  I have a more that full-time job and a family so I can't go away.  I just want to know my tuning is safe and I take pride in saying that the sweet action on my pistol is my own word.  I don't expect to become a master smith.  Thanks for the help.
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Offline gunnut69

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Learning Smithing
« Reply #1 on: January 22, 2006, 06:54:13 PM »
Sorry I can't help.  I've no experience.. Perhaps one of the visitors here can be of some help.  I learned by reading voratiously and doing things progressively more difficult. There were some failures but tread cautiously and be conservative. Test your work relentlessly and treat failures as the payment for the knowledge.. and don't be afraid to ask questions of others.. I had a local smith, since retired, who taught me some of the basics. The first step is a library.. As a smith you need all the knowledge you can find.. Sometimes there will be differences in opinion between the experts..Jack always said, 'that's when caution really gets important'.  You must also as DirtyHarry said, know your limitations. That silky smooth action on your handgun will reaquire you to be patient and skilled. A really good job is not something anybody can do. If they could they would.. You can learn how but it's not easy and that's why everuone is not suited.. I guess a lot boils down to will power...or hardheadedness(my wifes words). Good luck and welcome back anytime!! We'll help if we can.
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Offline Gun Runner

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Learning Smithing
« Reply #2 on: January 22, 2006, 08:09:33 PM »
I tried the gunsmith by mail from an outfit in AZ. Was basicly an open book test, that dint tell you a lot. I had been out of the service for a couple yrs so used part of my G.I. Bill to pay for it. I dont know about the other mail courses but in my opinion I think I already knew more than what the course offered.
As gunnut said. get yourself a lot of books on the subj. and study. Thats what I wound up doing. I learned a lot of things by trial and error, but I had a bunch of junk guns I had picked up to pratice on. I am not a gunsmith, nor claim to be one, but I like to tinker with my own guns, rather than have to pay to have it done. Something major and it goes to my gunsmith.

Gun Runner
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Offline cntryboy1289

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some help for you
« Reply #3 on: January 22, 2006, 08:43:57 PM »
Although I completely agree with the other posters, I can recommend the AGI videos.  They have one specifically on doing trigger jobs that covers every kind of trigger system used today.  Bob Dunlap teaches it and he is a very good instructor.  Check them out at:

 http://www.americangunsmith.com/index.php?id=1

I would call and ask if you can still get the trigger course, they didn't have it listed under the trigger topic like they used to.

I have a library that gets bigger by the year or month or week at times.  If there is a subject I want to learn, I find someone that will either teach me or has written a book on the subject.  Here's another link that you might find full of books on the subject.  You can also find most of these books at MidwayUSA as well as Brownells.

http://www.gunshowbooks.com/cgi-bin/webc.exe/st_main.html?
catid=26&sid=7@1lAHpN

You are only limited by yourself when it comes to learning.  Good luck with it.
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Offline Heavyhaul

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Learning Smithing
« Reply #4 on: January 23, 2006, 10:34:32 AM »
Thanks for all the input.  I was thinking of a course mostly to be able to get a library started at a resonable price.  I bought a GP-100 this summer and had it apart, a little farther each time, till I got the trigger to a point that I liked it but it is still safe.  I dry fired and bumped the gun all around with the hammer back to check the safety of the work.  All of this was done seat of the pants w/o any knowledge other than common sense.  This caused my to run things thru my mind.  "There are people with alot more knowledge than you that screw things up, be safe".  Since I can't help but tinker with things, I better get a basic knowledge and have reference materials for those,"whoops, where did that come from" times.  Most of the limited books in my area are generic smithing books, a good portion of time is spent on checkering and cleaning.  I'm not interested in checkering, yet, and I only need so many books on cleaning product advertisements.  Thanks again guys. :D
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Offline silenttracker

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Learning Smithing
« Reply #5 on: February 02, 2006, 04:52:57 PM »
I'll second AGI Videos or DVD's.  Very well made with camera close-ups that are very clear and consise. If you decide to take their full course as I'm thinking of doing it looks to be very well presented including their Milling/Lathe course.  I am also very busy with work and family.  Also there is always colleges that have on-line courses.
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