dfariswheel
Member
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2002
- Messages
- 6,663
To be clear, a "gunsmith certificate" value depends entirely on WHERE it comes from.
As example, a Master's degree in some field from Harvard has a high value.
A "Master's Degree" from an online correspondence school has just about ZERO value.
A gunsmiths certificate from a school like Colorado School of Trades or Trinidad Jr. College is a "gold standard" that's recognized throughout the industry and will usually get you hired.
A "certification" from an internet school will get your job application tossed in the trash while they continue looking for a "real" gunsmith.
Bottom line: If you want to do hobby work on YOUR OWN GUNS, an internet or correspondence school is better than nothing.
If you want to work on other peoples guns, if they trust you (and you're insured out the wazoo) a correspondence certification is again, better than nothing.
Want to go to work for someone else, forget the correspondence degrees, they're literally not worth the paper their printed on.
Again, a internet or correspondence certification in gunsmithing has no real value, and is largely meaningless.
As for getting an FFL, you need no certification. ANYONE can open up a shop and claim to be a gunsmith.
All the government cares about is that you can meet the requirements to get an FFL license. There is no official licensing test for gunsmiths as there is in some other trades.
As an example, I had to pass a test to get licensed as a watchmaker. I didn't have to pass any kind of test to be a gunsmith.
For this reason, its pot luck when using the services of a gunsmith. You might be getting a highly qualified Master of the trade, or some bozo who managed to take a cheap single shot .22 apart and now thinks he's a real gunsmith.
You really have no sure way to know since there is no "standard" certification or license requirement to open up shop.
As example, a Master's degree in some field from Harvard has a high value.
A "Master's Degree" from an online correspondence school has just about ZERO value.
A gunsmiths certificate from a school like Colorado School of Trades or Trinidad Jr. College is a "gold standard" that's recognized throughout the industry and will usually get you hired.
A "certification" from an internet school will get your job application tossed in the trash while they continue looking for a "real" gunsmith.
Bottom line: If you want to do hobby work on YOUR OWN GUNS, an internet or correspondence school is better than nothing.
If you want to work on other peoples guns, if they trust you (and you're insured out the wazoo) a correspondence certification is again, better than nothing.
Want to go to work for someone else, forget the correspondence degrees, they're literally not worth the paper their printed on.
Again, a internet or correspondence certification in gunsmithing has no real value, and is largely meaningless.
As for getting an FFL, you need no certification. ANYONE can open up a shop and claim to be a gunsmith.
All the government cares about is that you can meet the requirements to get an FFL license. There is no official licensing test for gunsmiths as there is in some other trades.
As an example, I had to pass a test to get licensed as a watchmaker. I didn't have to pass any kind of test to be a gunsmith.
For this reason, its pot luck when using the services of a gunsmith. You might be getting a highly qualified Master of the trade, or some bozo who managed to take a cheap single shot .22 apart and now thinks he's a real gunsmith.
You really have no sure way to know since there is no "standard" certification or license requirement to open up shop.
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