SDI: How Does Online Gunsmithing Work?

Рет қаралды 35,854

Жыл бұрын

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Ever wonder how online gunsmithing classes work? Rick Casner from the Sonoran Desert Institute fills us in.
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Пікірлер: 83

@bradstanford2203 Жыл бұрын

I graduated from SDI with honors. It's ok, I'm sure there are better resources out there. I'm currently looking into AGI. I went with SDI because they are accredited and took my GI bill. If you do decide to go with SDI, download every book on a thumb drive. Once that class is over, it's lost. They are more interested in the grammar aspect of your papers. Just remember that when you have to write a 500+ word essay on that lesson.

@Jagtr0n Жыл бұрын

Most likely they are using an automated grading system which scans for grammar mistakes.

@unclebob540i3 Жыл бұрын

I have taken AGI courses also, they are very well laid out as well. My experience, they're not as responsive as SDI if you have questions. Nice thing is I have the videos, so I can go back and watch/ refresh as often as I want.

@bradstanford2203 Жыл бұрын

@UNCLEBOB 540i I got lucky when it came to the different systems, I already had all the systems in my safe. So I was able to grab one and take it apart and see what I was reading about. I'm more of a hands on learner. SDI did a bunch of KZfaq videos for their classes. I'm also a member of GCA (Gunsmithing Club of America) which is through AGI. They share a ton of information.

@unclebob540i3 Жыл бұрын

@@bradstanford2203 yes, both are great for those of us who have the base technical knowledge. Both are great at sharing information as well.

@BrotherInArms6 Жыл бұрын

I am currently halfway through SDI and I’m going to finish it just because MilTA is paying for it and I can’t swap my major again plus I’m going to get the gun in the end but once I am done I am also looking to start AGI. My mentor is a recent AGI master gunsmith graduate and the things he knows and can do when it comes to gun is mind blowing. It’s so much more in depth than SDI. Plus you don’t have to do those stupid discussion boards

@hooahextreme Жыл бұрын

I, like many other folks, do not have the availability of a local face to face gunsmith school. SDI provided me an outstanding opportunity. The degree program and outstanding instructors gave me the knowledge and confidence to open a small business. No, SDI will not make you a master gunsmith but neither will a face to face school. Only practice and experience will do that. There once was a time when many gunsmiths were self taught.

@mjohnstonflying Жыл бұрын

How much are you making a year with your sdi certificate ?

@hooahextreme Жыл бұрын

@mjohnstonflying I have the degree not certificate. Sorry, but I won't discuss my personal income on KZfaq.

@cl1379 Жыл бұрын

They charge you $11k and sent you mediocre tools at best, non-linear study, unbalanced academic expectations, and a cheap out-of-spec cast China AR15 Armorers wrench that had to be used for the AP bar barrel nut which they didn't explicitly give you direct instructions for. Would rather have saved up for AGI and gotten a full tool lineup and the digital library!

@RobinP556 Жыл бұрын

You nailed it. I learned gunsmithing first as a full time student at a 2 year school for gunsmithing and then as an apprentice. That’s not an option for everyone, but local community colleges offer machine shop and welding courses that will teach you something useful. I’ve seen the work turned out by a few of the students that took their classes and it was mediocre to extremely poor, yet they all had degrees. It’s not the student’s fault, you just can’t learn gunsmithing by way of SDI.

@TaylorFirearms-4x4 Жыл бұрын

Dude you must have taken the general education of firearms. There is no way you took the associates degree at SDI for firearms. Because you say it cost you $11,000 dollars for the school. That is Bullshit everyone pays $24,000 dollars for the associates degree, and everything they send us is decent stuff. Of course it’s not the best stuff but you are there to learn not think they will give you the best stuff possible when SDI sends you stuff. I am enrolled and taking classes right now at SDI

@TAR3N Жыл бұрын

Or just do a good ol fashioned apprenticeship!

@RobinP556 Жыл бұрын

@@Sievert31 Just ask local gunsmiths if you can Apple with them. Go to different hun shops and ask who does their gunsmith work as many do not do it in house.

@wyattb995 Жыл бұрын

@@Sievert31 find local gunsmiths and go knock on doors and ask. 9/10 times they aren’t going to list a position as an apprentice. Kind of gotta pitch it to them how it would be a benefit to them to take the extra time in their day teaching you what you need to know and get you going in the shop. Gonna get a lot of no’s as most gunsmiths aren’t gonna have the time or money available in their business model to take on an employee that isn’t already trained and with work history, and for a lot of them it’s gonna be an issue of how much to pay you. As an apprentice you aren’t gonna make much, you’ll have to suck it up making probably close to minimum wage and take the time to make it a career the old fashion way. That’s really the best way to go about it as far as I could ever tell.

@scruffyarms Жыл бұрын

It has been great to do this from home. Some classes are easy, but you get out of it what you put in. It doesn't claim to teach you to be a machinist but it does teach you about firearms and firearms theory. If you want to be a machinist go to that school.

@shawn-stuff 3 ай бұрын

I like to think i can hear anybody out, but when the cost, or logistics materials are never really covered i have trouble taking it serious.

@jojohnson215 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for this video guys, I’m disabled due to a stroke and I’ve been interested in SDI for a good while now. I will definitely check into the curriculum and all that entails here very soon. Thanks again guys. God bless.

@RobinP556 Жыл бұрын

You are much better off taking machine shop classes and welding classes at a local community college. SDI is a scam.

@KITDFOHS Жыл бұрын

@Joshua Johnson if you need something to do to keep busy go for it. But honestly it's not worth what they charge you.

@rmartuszewski Жыл бұрын

I looked into this, big scam! Want tons from my VA school money. Yet give about 25% of the tools needed to complete the task. Student has to go and buy 75% tools to complete the task. And the 25% they send you, bottom of barrel quality stuff.

@LancerXythensD0ntW4tchThi5 10 ай бұрын

Been researching SDI, heard about it through Brandon Herrera. Thank you for giving some breakdowns for us.

@josephjulian2503 Жыл бұрын

Gavin, a simple question…. Would you let a graduate of this “school” have a go at chambering a barrel with your lathe or turn him loose in your shop and your equipment without any hands on training? A correspondence “school”? Come on man!

$@frackyouasshat5531$

@frackyouasshat5531 Жыл бұрын

There is no God damn way you can teach me how to run a laith online

@williamlanphar630 Жыл бұрын

I tried to start with them. The contacts did not get back to me when they said they would. This occurred on more than one occasion. As a result I lost confidence in them and did not pursue that any further.

@kurtpietrzak9168 Жыл бұрын

I took a class from SDI and it give you enough info for you to a basic knowledge like every class you have ever takin. My curiosity got the best me so I wanted to learn more. I signed up for a class at AGI and turned into a 20 year business. I never wanted to only do certain weapons so I work on them all..

@Sievert31 Жыл бұрын

which package you signed up for in the begining?

@kurtpietrzak9168 Жыл бұрын

From AGI if memory serves think it was the pro

@Sievert31 Жыл бұрын

@@kurtpietrzak9168 thanks for answering

@bennywenny_ 5 ай бұрын

what is AGI, can’t seem to find it anywhere on the internet, if you could let me know what the acronym means i’d love that 😁

@kurtpietrzak9168 5 ай бұрын

It stands for American Gunsmithing Institute

@TaylorFirearms-4x4 Жыл бұрын

I am actually enrolled in SDI right now. I thought the same thing when I started SDI in September of 2022. I am not going to lie my first 2 classes was a little weird, because I haven’t been in school in 12 years. However anyone will love SDI. SDI gives you so much information and training. I have learned things I thought I never would. It’s just a process to get started learning online if you have never done it before

@TAR3N Жыл бұрын

Save your cash. Get an apprenticeship

@honeybadger4883 Жыл бұрын

@@TAR3N agreed

@batonrougerp7423 10 ай бұрын

@@TAR3Ndrop the guy your referring to lmao be realistic

@adrake1310 7 ай бұрын

As soon as i get work in order im coming to school

@MbalmR97TX Жыл бұрын

Very informative! gavintoobe what are the chances of setting up those reloading machines in the background again, or since you have a rack of armament behind you how about setting that up as your background. That paneling is really throwing me off, maybe you could do dimensional lumber (horizontally) or pallet wood or have someone print you a full size gun mat you can stick to that god awful paneling.

@monkmoto1887 Жыл бұрын

I like to take my guns apart but I have a problem swallowing the small and medium sized pieces

@generodgers1342 Жыл бұрын

Really surprised that you would put this “advertisement” on your channel. Must have paid you well.

@unclebob540i3 Жыл бұрын

Schools like SDI work well for those of us who have the base mechanical skills. I have taken a number of online armorer/ smithing courses, and they have been excellent. If you do not know which end of the hammer to hold, or have never used a screwdriver, chances are online trade classes are not going to work.

@bgiardi 9 ай бұрын

Can you test out early? lets say in AR's

@adamyasingh3713 8 ай бұрын

Is this legal in other countries?

@cbroz7492 Жыл бұрын

IMHO...unless you can use a lathe AND a milling machine you can't call yourself a gunsmith

@cjcullar 6 ай бұрын

I’ve built a few Ak platform rifles from parts kits and flats. plenty of glocks and 3d printing. Am I not a gunsmith bc I haven’t used a lathe

@johnkaraphillis754 Жыл бұрын

Are you able to take a class or two instead of enrolling for the entire program?

@RobinP556 Жыл бұрын

The best way to get something out of their classes is to look up what the class is, look at the tool list and buy it from a reputable dealer like Brownell’s, and then learn it using books and/or videos. SDI is a scam, they sell tool packages of mediocre quality tools and the instruction, judging from the work that I’ve seen them pass, is low quality at best. BTW, I do not work for Brownell’s nor do I have any incentive to sell you anything, but I am a gunsmith and have been one for almost 2 decades.

@RobinP556 Жыл бұрын

SDI is a scam. They are much less about teaching anything than they are about selling packages of mediocre tools and you cannot enroll in any of their courses without buying the complete set of tools, HUGE mistake! If you want to learn gunsmithing, and can do so, go to a full time 2 year school, if that’s not an option then try to take some week long NRA summer courses at a REAL school. Minus that, which involves travel, look at your local community college and take welding and machine shop classes. These are available all over the US. But don’t fall for SDI’s scam. What they offer and what you get are 2 different things. You’ll miss out on machine shop and welding, both major skills to have if you plan on being a gunsmith. If you come across a guns,it’s that lacks these tools and the knowledge to use the RUN and don’t go back. These people are parts replacers, not gunsmiths. I’m EXTREMELY disappointed in Gavin for presenting this kind of grift on his channel.

@TAR3N Жыл бұрын

I completely agree. He just lost any credibility though i think hes just a cuck

@RobinP556 Жыл бұрын

It’s extremely disappointing, but SDI is making their rounds on the guntuber channels. Even MrGunsNGear promoted them. At the SHOT show in 2022 Caleb from Brownell’s interviewed them and introduced them as “his alma matter”. It explains why he can’t weld and is more of an armored than a gunsmith. The comments were brutal! I tried to find the video but it’s apparently been taken down. The worst part is that you can use the GI bill or veterans benefits on it.

@aaronwilcox6417 Жыл бұрын

You simply cannot learn hands on skills and machining skills online. Getting an apprenticeship or going to an actual hands on school is the only way to truly learn.

@backwoodscliff317 Жыл бұрын

As and active duty member of the military strongly pursuing this as a future career in business I would like to know if this is accredited for active-duty members and if there is an option for lower tuition but for the member of the school to purchase their own tooling (like a student buying there own books, or a trade school student buying there own tools for "buy your own tools" business) to complete the course material. And does the course teach the basics of Machining and reading of calipers, mics, and so on. What does your certificate mean in the real world is it a certificate like, I know how to disassemble and download and resemble a AR-15 M4 M16 semi auto pistol, revolver, lever action so on so forth, or is it a competency certificate officiated too chamber and build firearms. I can get a certificate to build Tonka trucks from anyone, but that doesn't give me a certificate to work on caterpillar engines and involved tech.

@RobinP556 11 ай бұрын

With SDI you will be required to buy each class as a package deal, by which I mean that you if you take class X you’ll have to buy the whole package to include their tolls from them in the package. They are more of a sales deal than a real learning experience. You will not learn anything about welding or machining. I have not taken any of their classes, but I did look into it to upgrade my knowledge on some gaps that I have. I’m a gunsmith and have been in business for some time. In that time I’ve seen what passes for graduation projects with SDI and they were extremely basic. I tried to bring in a couple of their students who had graduated from their program as apprentices, one didn’t want to work with me unless he was paid far more than he was worth in my business, the other one was more trouble than he was worth, not because he was a bad person but because he had to first unlearn part of what he had learned with SDI. I did also get to take a look at the tools provided with their modules and they weren’t bad, but they weren’t that great either.

@doomaster4 10 ай бұрын

@RobinP556 which school has proven to teach better for you agi or sdi?

@RobinP556 10 ай бұрын

@@doomaster4 I don’t care for either of them. It’s not that the instructors don’t know what they’re doing, the problem is that you need to know how to use machine tools and weld to be a gunsmith and you can’t really learn that with a correspondence course. If I were going to do one or the other I’d go with AGI, they don’t force you to buy tons of tool packages, you buy your tools on your own, or at least that’s my understanding. But I would definitely mix in some machine shop classes and welding, both in person. You can usually work out a deal with the instructors at local community colleges where you apply and go full or part time (whichever is offered that works with your work or home schedule) but instead of taking the classes with the intent to graduate you take only what you’ll need and then move on. For example, in Tennessee the Tennessee College of Applied Technology has branches all over the state, and if you take welding you’ll need 3 trimesters, a full year, to graduate, but the first trimester is all stick welding and you won’t use that at all, the course of study is designed to get you to pass certification in welding and become a welder, which makes sense, but in gunsmithing all that you’ll use is TIG welding and some oxy acetylene, not to weld, but to heat treat parts and silver solder. You can cover that in a single trimester. Machine shop here is 4 trimesters and goes all the way through CNC which you won’t need unless you get into some really high end stuff, working in the shop at Barrett or something like that. Or you could skip the in person classes, take what you want or think that you’ll need from AGI and apprentice with a gunsmith. If you ask around many of them will be happy to have an apprentice, but as an apprentice you’ll mostly do really basic stuff at first and for little to no pay.

@tyronejefferson8720 4 ай бұрын

I want to learn gun smithing, my father use to take me fishing, and hunting all the time, I want to take sanoriane desert Institute I need an Instructor

@MtnBadger Жыл бұрын

"We're transitioning from proprietary texts to 'books that are out there...' " Translation, "We're cheapening out." It takes money to produce a bunch of new texts that cover the boon of new tech., I get it. (And yes, it's "boon," not "boom").

@platypus1287 Жыл бұрын

“Gunsmith”

@JwRainmaker 9 ай бұрын

I think the industry will not accept SDI as creditable. Going to an actual college will help gain entry into the industry. Lassen Community College is the oldest in the country. Hands on learning is necessary in this industry.

@JwRainmaker 4 ай бұрын

@@AFullNelson That's no excuse. SDI and AGI are still sub-par. You are doing better with AGI because it came out my college. To grasp this field correctly you need in person instruction.

@stephenlopez2364 11 ай бұрын

Shit sounds like a scam

@garypiont6114 7 ай бұрын

Gun techs yes, gunsmiths no way

@robertdurbin85 Жыл бұрын

Sounds like your doing KZfaq videos and putting a degree behind it or certificate.

@phillippearce9680 Жыл бұрын

👍

@_Epictetus_ Жыл бұрын

Skip SDI, it's an over priced KZfaq lesson

@taemeister9302 7 ай бұрын

Online Gunsmith school? This is like training someone how to build a home online...ridiculous 😂 Go get some hands-on training at a real gunsmithing trade school. You'll be lucky to work part time at a local gunshop if you get swindled into doing an online gunsmith schook 😂😂😂

@zachstrassburg3729 Жыл бұрын

Seems like a waste, what good does theory do if you don't work on anything, maybe that's what the kits are? guy could hardly make it seem interesting or really explain anything. Feel like a KZfaq degree would be just as good. I wouldn't consider someone a gunsmith if they can't do what Gavin does. Go get a machining degree then work for an actual gunsmith.