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…
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…
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…
Why Consistent Practice Improves Firearm Performance So, you have picked gunsmithing as a hobby or even better as a full-time career, what are the next steps you need to refine your skills and increase your knowledge? Like everything you do within this life, consistent practice is one of the keys to success. Naturally, with a lot of…
Common Firearm Diagnosis Gunsmiths See After Winter Storage This month, I would like to talk about how to store your firearms during the winter months. In my years of being a gunsmith, I see more problems with firearms that have been put away in safes and gun cabinets during the holidays than at any other time. Why…
How Shooting Experience Builds Better Gunsmiths Imagine a chef specializing in a particular cuisine but never partaking of his own dishes. How good can he be at his art? Posit a violin maker who has never played a tune. Now consider a gunsmith or a firearm designer who doesn’t shoot. Gunsmithing Tailor Gunsmithing is like tailoring: in fact, quality…
6 Ways to Build Confidence at the Range Range regulars have the benefits of routine and muscle memory to help them not only make the most of their time, but look and feel confident while they practice their marksmanship. They’ve put in the time, and they’ve gotten a clear return on their investment. However, if you find that you don’t take advantage of your range membership…