Bolt-Action to Machine Guns: Firearms of World War I The major players all entered World War I expecting a quick, mobile conflict in the tradition of the Franco-Prussian conflict. Small arms with which they began the war were still dominant four years later, despite a handful of innovations implemented during the fighting. While artillery accounted for 60%…
Inside Trench Warfare: Why Trench Guns Changed Combat This month, I want to talk about modern tactical shotguns and where they got their start. It all started with the Winchester Model 1897. The Model 1897 was designed by John Browning and over a million were produced from 1897-1957. The military saw the advantage of using…
The Symbolism behind RED Friday On Fridays, many Americans choose to wear something red—a shirt, a hat, a ribbon, or a scarf. This quiet tradition, known as RED Friday, carries a deep and heartfelt purpose. The letters R.E.D. stand for Remember Everyone Deployed. It’s a low-key but powerful reminder that, while peaceful life continues at home, thousands of American…
How Veterans Turn a Passion for Firearms into a Paycheck This month, let’s talk about Vets and the firearms industry. What better fit is there than veteran service members and firearms? So how can you turn this relationship with firearms into a career that is rewarding and pays the bills? Let’s break it down. Gunsmithing Today military vets can feed their passion…
5 Ways to Support Veteran Gunsmiths You don’t have to be a veteran to be a great gunsmith, but it definitely helps. Veterans have a proven track record of hard work and dedication, and they have an oftentimes unrivaled professional familiarity and expertise with firearms that is not commonly found in civilian professions. If you’ve spent any amount of time with gunsmiths at shows,…
5 Ways to Support Military Families in Your Community Some of the bravest American citizens to ever grace America are the personnel with our military forces, including the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. At present, there are over 1 million military children under the age of 18 living with active-duty parents. Military families face a lot of difficulties…
Top 5 Workbench Tools You Need to be a Successful Gunsmith Gunsmithing is a fulfilling hobby or business that provides both a social aspect and personal pride. You can create custom firearms from scratch, customize certain aspects, or repair different guns, depending on your interests and skills. But like everything, having the correct workbench tools will…
From Classroom to Workbench: Real-World Gunsmith Training This month, I want to talk about MGS and their Advanced Gunsmithing II program. When I first heard about MGS, I was a little skeptical. How can gunsmithing be taught online? How can students really get the training they need to start a successful career in the firearm industry without…
Why Patience and Precision Start at the Workbench Firearms are only as precise as they’re engineered and maintained to be. When your customers talk about precision, they’re typically more concerned with results than they are with the small nuances of the maintenance process. But gunsmiths are the artisans of precision, and your love of the pastime has instilled you with a fastidious eye for…
Common Workbench Mistakes New Gunsmiths Make A new gunsmith setting up a workspace has a bewildering number of options, both in what tools to use and how to set them up. However, certain general principles should be kept in mind to avoid common workbench setup mistakes. Lighting Ergonomics are key to long-term work comfort, so…