I was fascinated by guns and how they worked as a kid, and it never went away. Right out of high school, I went to a local 'smith and asked about being his next apprentice. He told me that his next apprentice would know something about machining, as it had so much to do with it. I went and took some machining classes at a local college and came back. He said he was retiring soon and wouldn't be taking any more apprentices. Fast forward 21 years. I've been machining ever since, didn't see the need in wasting mom and dads money, and studying gunsmithing on my own. I was doing it for myself and friends. I did take a correspondance course to round out some things I hadn't been able to pick up on my own. For almost a year and a half now I've been working at a local shop part time as the official "gunsmith" there. I hope to build a customer base that will allow me to retire from the machine shop. This will be furthered by my wife's graduating college with an RN degree and going to work. She and I will be following our dreams. Depending on what exactly you plan on doing, it can be fairly easy or very difficult. I have also completed Glocks Armorers course, and anybody who can change their plug wires can fix a Glock. Fitting hammers and triggers or sears is another story. The potential for destruction is high. I do gun welding, which also can get problematic. Making parts can be much more than it appears, as some parts require hardness and strength that others don't. I'm not trying to talk you out of it, there's room for all, but the water's deeper than it appears.