Student Spotlight

Creating the next generation of gunsmiths since 1946.

Student of the Month

April 2025

Student Spotlight

Ryan VanAken

I took the course for a couple reasons. I want to learn as much as I can about firearms and felt MGS was the perfect place to start educating myself. I also really got into the mechanics and operation of firearms as I had become interested with taking apart and putting back together different guns. At one point I was called by my local gunshop to work there but, since I didn’t have any formal education at that time, I couldn’t be hired. But now I can. Since graduating, I was able to take my company to SHOT Show. We had a booth and the rifle I invented was displayed in the new products booth! The MGS online student center is great very helpful when needed. My overall experience was fantastic! I learned more than I thought I was going to learn. MGS really went beyond just working on a firearm; it showed me many things I never knew I could become obsessed with doing. For example, I’ve been a tattooer for 36 years, and when I learned about checkering, it was similar to tattooing a firearm! My experience was beyond great. In fact, it has become a key factor in these life changing events happening in my career as a gunsmith and gunmaker.

-Ryan VanAken