Airgunsmith courses

[Dave E]

Does anyone know of any basic airgunsmith courses? I've searched the internet but can't find anything.

I don't want to make airguns, just have a better understanding so I can strip them down without springs pinging off and do basic repairs. There are so few airgunsmiths about. It would save sending them off in the post (having suffer a damaged gun in the past and not being able to get compensation).

[Whistler]

My thinking on this,probably wrong... unless some of the established Air Rifle tuners take you under thair wing...so to speak,and train you up over time,or by your own airgun enthusiasm and tinkering over the years on your own guns,you teach yourself.....can be an expensive lesson
If thair is courses out thair....ignore the above

[Dave E]

I think you're probably right. Airgun manufacturers like to keep their products close to their chest !

I do 'dabble' a bit with basic stuff but it would be nice to be competent rather than hoping for the best when something is taken apart.

[Gwylan]

There are lots of strip down guides here, and on other forums, both for springers and PCPs. HW owners club, AA, etc. You can spend £30 on a cheap SMK, go to the Chinese owners form, and learn how to strip and tune it. You can try CO2 as well. It may help your confidence to use a spring compressor for springers, I use an old sash cramp screwed to a plank of wood. Make sure you dry fire a PCP to empty before working on it. Triggers can be difficult, take photos as you strip it, so you can put it back together! Do a "thump test" after you make any adjustments. The main problem is that no two makes or models of rifles are the same, every one has it's own tricks, and idiosyncrasies, this can only come with experience, and mistakes can be expensive. (Don't ask...!)

Gus

[angrybear]

I would suspect that the manufacturers train their own staff.
they probably send out for the basic machineing etc to a local tech collage, but hands on gun work I would expect to be in house training

[Dave E]

Thanks Gus,

I've suffered the trigger 'explosion' before ! collecting the bits and trying to get them back together had been a challenge.

Digital photography is better than my sketches.

Angrybear, Perhaps there's an opportunity for someone to start courses.

[royalscotsgrays]

hi if you have never had a airgun apart have a look at a book air rifle and air pistol maintenance and repair by q.cobham it will give you a good start .i have been servicing and tuning guns for about 25 years and i would recommend it as a good starting point if you cant get some oneto show you.atb mark

[Woodcock]

All you need is to join an airgun club within months you will find the local DIY tuner in the club and make him your best mate.

I have been employed by a gunmaker and they seem to teach you little apart from their own product, if you want a recognised course you would need a full ten year apprenticeship to get anything worth its weight in a CV.

But if you want to learn as you go these websites are the best library for airgun work ever.

[Gunman61]

We all have to start some place , i would just buy an old air gun and do a strip down on it, its not brain surgery.This way you will learn quicker .Then if you hit a problem members will allways help you with information.

[wonky donky]

If your in the trade often manufacturers will invite some retailers or wholesalers to work alongside there own people to learn their particular products.

[Hsing-ee]

Plenty of good advice above... and on this forum. The advent of digital photography and the interweb means that most problems can be sorted with a little help from kind strangers as I have often found when working on airguns and my old heap of a car.

My 'two pennorth' is get some decent tools. A good quality T-handle screwdriver with lots of parallel-sided bits, some decent Allen keys, and some parallel punches are essential - you may need a set of small good quality spanners as well. I know the horny-handed swamp-dwellers and mountain-men will scorn this idea, but the first thing you should do is build a good sturdy spring compressor. A sash-cramp can 'do' at a pinch but they are not as stable as a proper spring-compressor and I prefer the wooden construction as it isn't going to damage the rifle's finish if there is a slip. Even if the rifle has a spring that can be pushed in with body weight, the compressor gives some much more control that it will save you a slot of time and it is very much safer.

If you buy an old BSA Meteor or SMK, try my ye olde tuning guide... cheap and surprisingly effective, this is what bigtoe01 and other technical wizards call a 'spit and polish' tune - but it will still transform the rifle...

http://www.airgunbbs.com/showthread....ing-Gun-Tuning

[airtech]

Does anyone know of any basic airgunsmith courses? I've searched the internet but can't find anything.

I don't want to make airguns, just have a better understanding so I can strip them down without springs pinging off and do basic repairs. There are so few airgunsmiths about. It would save sending them off in the post (having suffer a damaged gun in the past and not being able to get compensation).

to be able to work on airguns for the public you first need to get a rfd

[dave73]

has Dave E Stated he wants to work on other peoples guns

[Hsing-ee]

has Dave E Stated he wants to work on other peoples guns

I don't believe he has!

Current evidence (his original post) suggests he wants to work on his own guns.

[matt 1966]

Could anyone tell me how I can get hold Uk Neil please? Can't locate him on here!