I've idly thought once or twice about what it would be like to be a gunsmith. Today I actually looked around online to see what it would entail. For once, I'm actually encouraged.

There's a gunsmithing trade school in Colorado, even in the same area where I have both friends and relatives. The school's claim that their program can be completed in 14 months is probably unrealistic, but it's not going to be a life-sapping span of time.

Because of the training I'd receive on shop equipment, the skills carry over into plenty of other (quite employable) fields. If I end up getting serious about making movie props, the training would plug right into that.

It's a field that lets me work with my hands, offers room for creativity, rewards attention to detail and craftsmanship, and work will never dry up in my lifetime.

Paired with my English degree, it would also qualify me (I would assume) to write/edit books and manuals.

I'm not seeing many cons to this, to be honest. Well, other than helping perpetuate objects designed solely to kill. Part of the problem, not the solution and all that.

Thoughts?