Closures, Cutbacks and Answered Questions

May 22, 2012
Colorado's Trinidad State Junior College is widely regarded as the powerhouse school in the trade and craft of gunsmithing. Over the weekend, word that the powerhouse is cutting back - significantly- their gunsmith program.

Trinidad State has suspended the third year of their gunsmithing program and dismissed the program's director, "Speedy" Gonzales. Trinidad State officials say the reason behind the decision was simple: not enough students in the program. Currently there are, or more-correctly were, only a dozen enrolled for third year classes.

TSJC President Felix Lopez told local reporters the program wasn't being killed, but taken to an inactive status for a curriculum revamp. In fact, VP of Academic Affairs Paula Davis says the program will be back in a minimal amount of time, possibly as soon as January of 2013.

Key to the program's revival is the participation of "industry partners" to make the chances of employment in the industry better for graduates. Industry partner Brownells was instrumental in creation of the third year of the program and has been a staunch supporter of TJSC's gunsmithing program.

In January, 2010, the Brownells-Trinidad American Firearms Technology Institute opened the American Gunsmithing Technologies Institute, the apex of TSJC's third year program. A full-service, high-tech retail location, the Brownells-Trinidad Gunshop is a storefront introduction to gunsmithing as a business. TSJC two-year program grads, along with graduates from any gunsmithing school around the country could work on the latest equipment to learn everything from vintage custom rust-bluing to metalworking skills using state-of-the-art digital lathes and mills.

That facility, despite reports that might indicate otherwise, remains open according to Pete Brownell, third-generation president of the world's largest firearms parts, gunsmithing tools and accessories supplier, although current work is being performed by longtime professional gunsmiths who have been involved with the program.

"We're still committed to Trinidad," Brownell told me, "they're doing things they think are necessary to keep the program viable and relevant, but they're also working to get Trinidad State where it needs to be overall."

"That means adjustments are being made throughout the school," he told me, "But we're solidly behind them and our support and others' support will continue."


And a sign on the Smith & Wesson Shooting Center located near the company's headquarters in Springfield, Massachusetts has caused more questions than it's answered over the past few days.

The sign says, simply: "Smith & Wesson Shooting Sports Center will remain closed until further notice."

Say what? After all, the S&W Shooting Center is one of the longest-established shooting facilities in the northeast. Today, the facility is currently closed to the public,although it will apparently still be used by the company and in authorized instructional roles.

Consumers, on the other hand, may permanently be without a place to shoot. The closure decision was a corporate one made after it was learned that four convicted felons had apparently used the S&W Center for their own "training".

Granted, the felons had lied on requisite forms that stated their their being able to legally possess firearms. But they apparently rented S&W firearms at the range and then did some "practical shooting" of their own later. One of the four, 22-year old Manuel Lora allegedly shot and killed 25-year-old Jonathon Tallaj in Springfield, using a gun "similar" to the one he'd rented from the Shooting Sports Center.

Smith & Wesson Holding Company has been particularly closed-mouthed about the decision. But late last week, Smith & Wesson Holding Company (NYSE: SWHC) spokesperson Elizabeth Sharp released a statement to Springfield's WSHM TV that described the closure as "temporary" and as part of a "recently made the business decision...while we make changes to better align its purpose with our key business objectives as a firearm manufacturer."

Sharp's statement further described the closure as a decision made "internally and on our own accord" for a "number of business-related reasons" including the "many complexities of operating a public range".

The statement also pointed out that the Shooting Center had followed the required procedures, but the four felons had lied about their being able to legally possess firearms.

If you're familiar with shooting ranges, you're already familiar that problem.

You must comply with the law, but the criminals don't.

And there are others whose mental state make the already challenging business of safely operating a range even tougher. That group isn't just limited to lying felons or blowhard know-it-alls (every range has them) who have very little regard for any rule they don't endorse- including firearms safety. The group also includes the depressed, despondent or desperate who choose to visit a range, rent a firearm, then shoot themselves - intentionally- on that range.

It might sound crazy, but I know at least three ranges where that exact scenario has happened. At least two gun shops I've visited had customers buy a gun and ammo, then go to their vehicles and commit suicide. One of those shops never recovered, despite its having been a long-standing and respected member of the business community.

One range I've visited in Alabama had that happen on their range two years ago. Since then, they have instituted a policy of not renting a gun to someone who visits the range without a gun of their own.

The reasoning? If you already have a gun, you're probably not going to go the range and rent one for committing suicide. On the surface it might sound strange, but it does make it considerably more difficult for someone to use that range and it's firearms to commit suicide.

And -finally- a bit of good news...with help and encouragement from Knife Rights(www.kniferights.org) the Missouri legislature has passed SB489, repealing the ban on the possession, sale, and manufacture of switchblade knives in Missouri as long as it's not "in violation of federal law". Practically speaking (according to Knife Rights), that means you cannot do so in interstate commerce or on Indian reservations or elsewhere that federal regulations may prevent such activity.

Now, SB489 is headed for the desk of Governor Jay Nixon. And Knife Rights is encouraging Missouri residents and knife-rights supporters to contact Governor Nixon and encourage him to sign SB489. Since it's very close to the end of Missouri's legislative session, the suggestion is that a "less is more" approach might be best to encourage that signature. If you're interested, the link for sending a simple "please sign SB489" is:http://governor.mo.gov/contact/.

We'll keep you posted.

--Jim Shepherd