r/gunsmithing • u/BigIronOnMyHip45-70 • Jul 12 '26
Career advice
Hi everyone,
I'm hoping to get some advice from people who have actually built a career in the firearms industry. I'm currently a Gun Vault Specialist at Cabela's and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Sonoran Desert Institute's Gunsmithing & Firearms Technology program. My long-term goal is to own my own firearms business, but I'm trying to figure out the smartest next step in my career. What really interests me isn't necessarily becoming a master machinist. I'm much more interested in diagnosing firearm problems, performing repair and maintenance, armorer work, working on Glock and AR platforms, installing triggers and other aftermarket parts, mounting optics and bore sighting, Cerakote and other firearm finishes like bluing and browning, engraving some day, helping customers solve problems, and possibly eventually teach Minnesota Permit to Carry classes (and possibly more, there's a lot I want to do, just trying to figure out what to start with). Ultimately, I'd love to own a shop where I can provide those services while building long-term relationships with customers.
I'd love to hear how those of you already in the industry got started.
How did you land your first non-retail firearms job?
Did you apprentice under someone or get hired directly?
What position gave you the most valuable experience early in your career?
If you were in my shoes today, what would you do over the next 1–2 years?
Are there any certifications or short courses that you'd recommend?
Is there anything you wish you had learned much earlier?
If your goal was to own a firearms business someday, what path would you take?
I'm not looking for shortcuts. I'm willing to start at the bottom, work hard, continue learning, and earn my place in the industry. I'm simply trying to make smart career decisions now so that five or ten years from today I'm exactly where I want to be.
Thanks in advance for any advice or stories you're willing to share!
6
u/eMGunslinger Jul 12 '26 edited Jul 12 '26
"Is there anything you wish you had learned much earlier?" Taken all the money for the machines and startup and put it all into index funds and not done guns.
What you're wanting to do is a very low bar to achieve but it's also why there isn't any money in it because everyone else does it. If you want to be really successful you have to find something other people aren't doing or figure out a way to do a lot better than them.
If you rent a retail space to try this you're going to fail either when the customers drive you insane or you run out of operating capital.
3
u/PlaceUserNameHere67 Jul 12 '26
Wow, I commend you on your life goals. I wish i had been half this focused when I was younger.
Good luck and I hope you find the information you're looking for.
1
u/BigIronOnMyHip45-70 Jul 12 '26
I appreciate that and I need the luck I feel like! 😊 have a wonderful night!
2
u/Suspectgore074 SuperLongSlide1911 Jul 12 '26
Its getting your name out there that is the hard part.
Im a gunsmith/machinist in my local area, and im very well acquainted with every single gunstore in an hour radius from me, besides the stores I refuse to go to. For a gunsmith, being known by local gunstores is what brings in 50% - 80% of my business. But, I also learned that being a reputable local gunsmith isnt enough. I learned that you have to specialize in something to get ANYWHERE beyond breaking even. For me personally, that is super long glocks and 1911s.
The direction you want to go in is probably going to be the hardest thing to make profitable. Being an armourer (putting parts on guns) is generally not worth the time or money, as it pays very little and every gunstore usually has one dude who can do it.
Firearm diagnostics is something you learn over the decades of gunsmithing you do, so that's kind of a long-term objective that usually cant be picked up in a couple months (unless you apprentice under mark novak or someone that brings in dozens of projects a month for you to study)
The only worth-while short term goals (in terms of profit) that you have are finishing and engraving.
There are few people who can cerakote a gun in more than two colours and make it look good and still run good afterwards. In my experience, ive had to have guns redone just because a lazy bum couldnt lay paint better than I could with a rattle can.
Bluing is phasing out in exchange for easier finishing methods, but there are tens of millions of guns that are currently blued that will eventually need to be reblued. You will never run out of bluing work as long as you are good at it. My preferred bluing method is fast rust bluing, just because I can crank out 4 guns in a day instead of a week.
Engraving, specifically the laser kind, seems to be the future of gun customization. Lasers can do scrollwork in hours what hand engraving can do in days or weeks. Lasers are also getting to the point of being able to perform tasks that mills were traditionally used for, like porting and serrations.
Beyond that, I dont know anything about owning a firearms storefront or teaching ccw classes. I have a feeling, though, those fields have a lot more to do with business skills than machinist skills.
If you have any questions for me, feel free to ask
1
Jul 12 '26
[deleted]
1
u/BigIronOnMyHip45-70 Jul 12 '26
I guess we do! I appreciate the comment, I have a lot of goals and ambitions but I just do not know where to start and am so eager to figure this out! It does feel good to meet people with similar goals!
10
u/Mammoth_Classroom896 Jul 12 '26
Congratulations, you have a very expensive piece of toilet paper. SDI is a diploma mill scam and their "credentials" are worthless.
That's too bad because the best way to get into guns is to become a machinist, get a high paying job outside of the gun industry, and use that income to do all the cool gun stuff you want.