AGI...
Does anyone use their Courses? Any AGI Inner Circle Members? Worth the kinkies or not? No gunsmithing schools within 200 miles of here. help... the more I learn the more I know I don't know jack...
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evidently nobody uses these products... I guess that speaks volumes in itself.
Thanks for looking anyway.0 -
I first bought the Ruger 22 auto pistol tape.I felt the instructer spent to much time cleaning the pistol and could have spent more time on how the pistol operated and what each part did.Next I bought the Building The Custom Mauser Rifle set.I liked that one.It was very well done.Next I bought a tape on Ruger Blackhawk revolvers.I felt that it was also well done.Overall I think they were a good value for the money.I may buy one on Smith & Wesson revolvers.
EvilD235
Two types of people drive old cars.Rich people because they want to and poor people because they have to.0 -
This is the same outfit that publishes the AGI Magazine. I subscribed for several years, perhaps a year or two after they started. Originally the magazines were fairly informative, and helped a new gunsmith to some extent. But, it seemed like after a few years they ran out of new topics, and I didn't renew my subscription. The main reason, I believe, was that the articles would pretty thoroughly cover assembly and disassembly of the firearm under discussion, but seldom cover how to fix what went wrong with them; especially what went wrong with the particular one I happened to be working on. Secondarily, they are rather expensive for what they are. Of course, like any magazine, they keep sending you renewal offers, so about three years ago I resubscribed for one year. If anything, they had gotten worse. In the entire year's worth of issues I found only two articles of any value to the ordinary gunsmith. 98% of the articles were about stuff that would be unlikely to ever come through your shop, rare and unusual, or not of mainstream interest, and the orignal observation about how to fix specific problems remained true.
I also indirectly came by a couple of their videos, and it was pretty much assembly/disassembly, with little in the way of repair. I can not say that their stuff has no value; but the value is mostly for an amateur aspiring gunsmith with no formal training. Kind of "better than nothing." If the best thing one might do would be to apprentice to a master gunsmith, the next to attend a school, the next to take a correspondence course, and the last to read Guns and Ammo Magazine, then I'd place the value of their merchandise just above reading the magazine. I think there are three or four fellows making a good living turning out this stuff, and it's kind of equvalent to the people that write books like "How To Make A Killing In Real Estate", or "How I Became A Billionaire In The Stock Market." Well, they are actually making their money by selling books. Now if you fellows down at AGI want to sue...well, here I am; with the back issues for Exhibit A.0 -
I'm a licensed Gunsmith 11 yrs and counting and I naively joined AGI immediately upon licensing...all they have done is nag me incessantly to reup my membership every other week and send mags that don't really apply to my restoration work. Their courses just get more expensive and really don't help. What started out as $650 is now over 2K and still not worth it. I'm sure there are better out there...good luck
Paul
Mountain Magic Gunsmithing0 -
Let me start with this...welcome to an obsession I am 5 years into now and thousands of hours and few hundreds of dollars. AGI is okay for a few products. The mag is only good for a year or two. Buy a "junk rifle" and go to town. Use the forums and print the advice for later use. Most important----know you're limits. I am a hack, but a well informed hack.
Paul
Ted Kennedy's car has killed more people than my gun.0 -
AGI - Who?
Der Gerbigsjager illustrated it just right. There are some good formal gunsmithing schools, notably in Colorado, and some other Universities around. The best training is "aprenticing with a good competent local gunsmith, or a Master Gunsmith if you can find one who will take you under his wing." Then, experience will do the rest, with keeping abreast of your "specialty".
Purchasing some reference books/videos on assembly/disassembly won't hurt either. Attending some "factory" seminars and armorers courses is also invaluable.
A correspondence school is just as good as any to start wasting your money, but at least they will give you a certificate good for "flaming". [:D][:D][:D][8D][8D]
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"If it ain't broke, fix it anyway... make it better!" (RadCat)0
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