If you’re a resident of Texas and you’d like to know what your options are, this article is for you. We’re going to take a look at the available gunsmithing schools in Texas and do a brief overview of each so you can make an informed decision about your gunsmithing education.
Gunsmiths are artisans who work to design, build, repair, and customize a wide variety of firearms: handguns, rifles, and shotguns of all makes and models. They are able to quickly diagnose and troubleshoot problems, as well as innovate creative solutions and designs. Sounds great, right? You can take your love of and passion for guns and turn it into a profitable job or business. So, how to become a gunsmith? You might want to check out our free book, but the simplest way to answer the question is this: be around expert gunsmiths and don’t stop tinkering until you understand.
How do you get to be around expert gunsmiths in Texas? There are three basic ways.
Apprenticeships
Gunsmithing schools in Texas are a great way to learn to be a gunsmith, but you’ll be limited to online and distance learning courses. The best option is to become an apprentice to a practicing gunsmith in Texas. This will provide you with an even more concentrated education than a school ever would, as all of your experience would be completely practical and real-world. You wouldn’t only get a taste of the technical side of being a gunsmith, but also the business and financial sides.
If you’re looking for gunsmithing schools in Texas, but you prefer a traditional, hands-on experience, apprenticeships are your best options.
Here’s what you do. Find a local phonebook or do a Google search for gunsmithing businesses in your area. These can be independent gunsmiths, sporting goods stores, or gun shops. The point is to get in touch personally with an expert Texas gunsmith. Give them a call or, better yet, visit their place of business and inquire about their profession.
There are also apprenticeships available if you join the military. You’ll be able to specialize in small arms (or a military branch’s particular equivalent), which will take you a long way in your gunsmithing education.
Traditional Gunsmithing Schools in Texas
Traditional gunsmithing schools in Texas are, well, non-existent as far as I can tell. I’ve searched far and wide for a Texas-based gunsmithing school, but I haven’t found one. (If you know of one, email me via the contact page so I can update this article.) But that doesn’t mean you can’t get a traditional gunsmithing education in Texas, you just have to aim for a broader course of study.
A gunsmith is a highly specialized machinist, so instead of looking for gunsmithing programs in Texas, you should be looking for machining programs. You’ll find them in many technical and vocational schools all over. What a machining program will teach you is how to operate machine tools, both manually and Computer Numerical Controlled. This is a huge part of gunsmithing and having a more in-depth knowledge of the subject can even help you be more successful than those who only do gunsmithing, since you can take on a wider variety of work. Taking a machining course won’t teach you about safety, gun history, ballistics, or the specifics of working with particular makes and models of guns, so you’ll have to supplement your education with an online or distance course.
Online/Distance Gunsmithing Schools in Texas
Since online and distance gunsmithing schools aren’t dependent on location, you can do them anywhere. Some even provide the hands-on training you need to truly understand gunsmithing. They will send you tools and supplies for lots of gunsmithing projects.
Here are a few of my favorite online and distance gunsmithing schools:
Click on their names and you’ll be taken to my in-depth review of each. No matter which one you choose, I guarantee you won’t be disappointed. They are definitely the top three in my opinion. And unlike traditional college, they are very affordable, costing between $800 and $2000 depending on what you choose.
Good luck on your gunsmithing journey!
