Folks,

What's involved in becoming a fully certified, bonafide, genuine S&W armorer?

How would one pursue it -- and how long would it take? What might expected, associated costs be?

Please cut and paste any links you might have -- with any background information.

Frankly, I was appalled at how little the S&W customer service representative with whom I dealt eight years ago over a 4566 knew about 3rd Gens.

In fact, he made the statement that I probably knew more about the pistols than anyone else at S&W at the time.

I was simply stunned!

He couldn't answer any of my questions. The previous service network and "Lifetime Guarantee" S&W offered seemed to have been tossed out the window.

As a result of my disillusionment over not being able to get some simple gunsmithing issues resolved, I let a HEFTY collection of 3rd Gen 4500 and 1000 series -- sadly -- slip through my hands.

I still grieve over some of those today.

I'll be grateful for any help and direction you might offer. Thanks!

Might look to AGI Armorer’s Courses.

The AGI Armorer Course is great. If you are looking for a course that goes beyond that, I would recommend becoming a Gunsmith with the American Gunsmithing Institute. I have taken the armorer course and the gunsmithing level one course. They teach the method of Design, Function and Repair. The student advisers can guide you through the steps. They have been in business for 30 years and still going strong. Give them a call and they are very helpful in what you are looking for.

Nick D

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NRA Instructor\GCA Gunsmith

I heard S&W added a locksmithing section to the curriculum.

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213th FBINA

S&W no longer offers a factory revolver armorers school.The last one was December 2021. Shortly after that class S&W terminated the instructor.
I spoke with the S&W revolver manager at Glendale, AZ S&W meeting.I asked about the revolver armorers school and he advised an outside agency will provide the course.

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SWCA 1932 SWHF 135

S&W still have Courses for M&P/M2.0 pistol and M&P15 rifle. Those are 8 hour Courses.

In LE an Armorer took the 8 hour class sponsored by Glock, Sig and other companies and you only work on their products.

A Gunsmith Course usually includes an Apprenticeship and is usually two years but you know how to work on all firearms.

four colleges in the USA offer NRA summer classes in various subjects, including single action revolvers, S&W revolvers, 1911, ar-15. You may find one or more of interest.

I have always been a fan of S&W revolvers especially as a cop. But S&W autoloaders were always lacking IMHO. I carried a 659, 5906 and a 4506 on and off duty but better options were available then and now.

Today I still have my S&W revolvers but no S&W autoloaders. When I get nostalgic I take a S&W revolver out of the Safe.

SFAIK, the official S&W armorers courses were only available to LE and folks in related lines of work.

As noted, the S&W armorers school was 2 weeks long at the factory and only offered to LE. The waiting list was long but if your agency was preparing to make a large purchase order, they would make room for a few people. They kept the classes small to allow one on one attention when needed. We only had one day of auto instruction and it was basically identify the issue and remove and replace the affected part(s). We had to buy the tool kit and pay for lodging and meals.

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S&W factory revolver armorer

I attended the S&W armorer course in Springfield, MA in the 80's which was a 7-day hands-on training. Final test consisted of building 3 revolvers to factory spec.
The Gen 3 semi-auto armorer course was a 5-day course with a final test of building 10 semi-autos. Since they don't make gen 3 semiauto pistols anymore, training for this platform is a moot point.

It dawns upon me that the S&W Armorers Manuals are out there. Now, if some generous-or profit seeking-soul who has one or more would provide them to someone like Stackpole Books, they might find their way to the open market.

In the mean time, there's Kuhnhausen manuals. Although he has a hobby horse he occasionally gets on about the "proper" way to do things when there are more modern alternatives (ie: end shake shims).

I attended the 1 week revolver course at Kent State University.
The Dept. bought the tool kit for me, and lots of spare parts.
When i got back, I went over every S&W revolver we had, replacing parts as needed.

When the Dept. went to Sigs, I asked if i should turn in the tools and parts, and was told to keep them, which I did.

For S&W factory? That depends. Are you good at looking at utter basket cases and saying "looks within spec to me"? You can now work for S&W.

I'd go hang out with @armorer951....