Top Skills Every Aspiring Female Gunsmith Should Learn
This month, let’s talk about women in the firearms industry. Last year, I wrote about women starting a career in the firearms industry and how to clear the hurdles they may face. This time in particular, let’s go deeper and talk about the skills necessary to be a successful gunsmith.
Female Gunsmith Soul Searching
Before you start going down the path to be a gunsmith, let us dig deeper into why you want to be a Gunsmith in the first place. For example, I wanted to be a Gunsmith because my father was one, but that is not the only reason. I can remember my father’s clients picking up their restored firearms and staring at them in disbelief that their father’s rifle looked brand new. My dad’s gunsmithing business focused on restoring firearms. I wanted to be able to do the same thing. I wanted to bring a family heirloom back to life so it can be passed down to the next generation. Seeing their reactions was priceless to me and very fulfilling. So, I determined from the beginning that I wanted to specialize in restoration. Restoring firearms requires you to have a mechanical aptitude to take a firearm apart and reassemble when you have finished.
It is important for any gender to do some soul searching to decide if you are willing to learn all the necessary aspects to be a gunsmith. Smithing requires extreme attention to detail. For example, when restoring, you need to take the firearm completely apart. Every pin, screw and spring needs to be removed. Learning how to prepare the metal to be restored requires many hours behind a buffing machine if you plan on bluing guns. The bluing of steel in the tank is the easy part. Prepping the steel prior to being blued is where your skills are needed. If you plan on doing complete restorations, then you also need skills on refinishing wood. You have to learn how to fix dents and cracks in wood stocks. Achieving the right finish on the stock to meet the customers’ expectations can be a challenge. I have sampled many different oils, sealers, stains, and even sandpaper to fine tune my stock refinishing. I think I finally achieved the perfect formula, and it only took me 14 years. Women need to be physically strong, guns are heavy, and require vices, and specific tools to tackle jammed parts.
If you have an artistic flair, you may enjoy trying your hand at Cerakote. However, if you want to specialize in Cerakote finishes, you still need to know how to disassemble and reassemble the firearm you are working on. Thankfully, the sand blasting steps and degreasing steps are easy to do. Learning how to do patterns and fine tuning your spraying technique is where you will make a name for yourself. I have seen some bad Cerakote jobs in the past, and strict attention to detail is paramount if you want to establish your business in the industry. Cerakote and DuraCoat have really taken off. Some manufacturers are offering special finishes from the factory. This is a great business to get into, but you need to understand that not everyone wants this type of coating so you may want to add something additional to your business to keep the money flowing. Many women shooters enjoy getting their guns coated in colors, sparkles, and designs.
Other Gunsmithing Skills to Learn
If you are not interested in woodworking or refinishing gun finishes, there are still gunsmithing options. There are many gunsmiths out there that do not want to mess with refinishing stocks and polishing metal. Some gunsmiths just want to fix firearms. Understanding how each firearm works is imperative if you plan on fixing them. Fixing the timing on a Smith & Wesson Model 10 can be a nightmare if you do not understand how all the parts work together to make it function properly. If you don’t know what I am talking about, you may want to do a little research. Understanding every firearm and how it works is impossible. There are too many manufacturers and models to list. However, you will learn to rely on your library of reference material as well as other gunsmiths. I have been building my reference material library for 14 years. Finding reference material online, eBay and yard sales can only help you. Everything is not found online or in a YouTube video. I have asked many questions to other gunsmiths when I have been stumped by a firearm. Most Smiths I have spoken to are more than willing to help. Building relationships with another gunsmith can be the key to building your career. It would be a good idea to form relationships with other female gunsmiths as well and allow them to mentor you as you grow in your career.
Mechanical Ability
The last area I want to touch on is custom firearm building. Your mechanical abilities as well as your technical aptitude will need to be at its highest level. If this is the area you want to dive into, you can be taught the skills necessary. Using online resources available as well as searching out the right mentor, will be invaluable. Also, taking machinist courses at your local technical schools or community colleges is one of the best ways to learn. They will teach you the basics, and some may offer more advanced courses to further expand your skills. Building custom rifles and pistols is truly rewarding. You will likely pull all the parts and pieces from various places, and manufacturers and make them all fit together. That is another place where relationships are key. Other gunsmiths will give you lesser-known repositories for specific gun parts. Asking for guidance or suggestions is not a sign of weakness; it is a sign of a confident gunsmith. This is where a mentor’s guidance can be key.
In addition, this is where thousandths of an inch can make the difference between a target hitting one thousand yards or not. You will spend hours sanding and shaping parts that fit so close to each other you cannot see any gaps. Nothing is more rewarding than seeing your customers’ photos of their three-shot group of the rifle you just built for them. The smile on their faces when you hand them their custom-built 1911 is something you will never forget. That customer will not forget either, and will tell everyone they know about you.
I wish you luck in your Gunsmithing career. Gaining the trust of clients takes a lot of time. Honing your skills takes a lifetime. Female gunsmiths are welcome in the gun industry. I am excited to see the industry grow more inclusive.
Semper Fi!
Written by: David Johnson, Leatherneck Gunsmithing
