The American Custom Gunmakers Guild (ACGG) Foundation announced the introduction of its new "Doug Turnbull Firearms Restoration Arts Grant," which is an expansion on the foundation's mission to support gunsmithing education in the United States. The grant is named in honor of Doug Turnbull, the founder of Turnbull Restorations, a dedicated firearm-restoration company. The shop began as a one-man operation and has since expanded into a full team of experienced gunsmiths that provide a careful, tried-and-true approach to the restoration of classic arms.
The new grant will introduce gunsmithing students to the fundamental skills necessary to restore vintage firearms. Through actual hands-on work with genuine classic arms, students will learn the basics of filing and correct polishing, as well as the proper metal and wood finishes to use on classic and vintage arms.
Concurrent with the announcement of the new grant, the ACGG Foundation also announced that the Pennsylvania Gunsmith School located in Pittsburgh, Pa., has agreed to be the first participant and launching pad for the new program.
Founded in 1949, the Pennsylvania Gunsmith School's mission is to train students in both traditional and modern gunsmithing techniques through a hands-on approach and its "Think like a Gunsmith" motto. Its Master Gunsmithing Program takes 16 months to complete and introduces students to technical skills like welding, stock-making and the use of machinery.
For more details on this grant and other elements of the ACGG's mission, visit the ACGG Foundation page here.
