De-activation

[The Gun Pimp]

A 'qualified gunsmith' I wonder how one becomes qualified? What exams must be sat and passed? Which college offers gunsmithing courses? Who pronounces that you are 'qualified'?

[lapua338]

A 'qualified gunsmith' I wonder how one becomes qualified? What exams must be sat and passed? Which college offers gunsmithing courses? Who pronounces that you are 'qualified'?

Exactly!

From my understanding there no such qualification nor accreditation body that exists in the UK.

[Chapuis]

A 'qualified gunsmith' I wonder how one becomes qualified? What exams must be sat and passed? Which college offers gunsmithing courses? Who pronounces that you are 'qualified'?

How about time served apprenticeship with indentures or city and guilds? Several prestigious gunmakers in London and Birmingham currently have apprentices.
I know that in several countries there is certain criteria that you must satisfy before you can call yourself a gunsmith or you must be licenced. Germany, France and Belgium come immediately to mind. Gun shops in France and Belgium often advertise that their gunsmiths are graduates of the school of gunsmithing in Liège.

[saddler]

A 'qualified gunsmith' I wonder how one becomes qualified? What exams must be sat and passed? Which college offers gunsmithing courses? Who pronounces that you are 'qualified'?

Exactly!

From my understanding there no such qualification nor accreditation body that exists in the UK...outside of the military/West End Gun Trade

FIFY

[Chapuis]

A 'qualified gunsmith' I wonder how one becomes qualified? What exams must be sat and passed? Which college offers gunsmithing courses? Who pronounces that you are 'qualified'?

Exactly!

From my understanding there no such qualification nor accreditation body that exists in the UK...outside of the military/West End Gun Trade

FIFY

Boxall and Edmiston of Shrewsbury are not in the West end and the military neither train or employ gunsmiths, they have armourers in the military not gunsmiths which is an entirely different set of skills. An armourer is often referred to as a gun plumber, a trade that I started to train for many moons ago.

[Chapuis]

With regard to deactivation, I know that the Proof House Birmingham used to produce information leaflets on the new required standard some years ago. I'm fairly sure that anyone can deactivate a gun but in order for it to receive the certificate issued by the proof house it must be done in accordance with their standards. I think that West Midlands police have just got a little carried away with their wording. After all if anyone can make a gun (provided they have the right legal authority to do so) then anyone can break a gun.

[saddler]

...and there's more than one proof house...

[Chapuis]

...and there's more than one proof house...

Yes but haven't they been linked commercially for some years now?
I think the standard of deactivation was the same for both when they operated totally independently. Just come across this when looking for the link between the two proof houses. http://www.dwsuk.co.uk/New_site/General/deac.htm

I was also looking for qualifications for a gunsmith and that is best explained by the Worshipful Company of Gunsmiths. http://www.gunmakers.org.uk/

[andy h]

Here are the specifications to deactivate any class of firearm ,You can do it yourself and the only cost's are the proofhouse charges.
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j ... WU&cad=rja

[huntervixen]

Unless you have a workshop and a good understanding of how to use the kit, plus you follow the home office deactivation guide for the firearm class to the letter.....don't even think about it!

These days the proof house carefully check the work before issuing a cert, especially if its a one off brought in from a non regular.

Best to go to a good RFD, cost is between £100-£150 including cert. It will probably end up going to Terry Abrams, he seems to a good chunk of the UK deac work for RFD's