Coastal Carolina Community College to offer gunsmithing course

Coastal Carolina in Jacksonville will soon be one of two community colleges here in the east where gunsmithing is offered as a course.

While leadership at Coastal Carolina says details on their program are still being worked out, over at Lenoir Community College, they say teaching with guns has never been more safe or secure.

LCC says they've offered gunsmithing courses for as long as anyone can remember.

Jason Houchins, a Navy Veteran, says, "It's easier to go and buy a brand new gun, than to say, hey I need this fixed, because it belonged to my grandfather."

Houchins and his peers in this shop say they want to help change that by learning the trade of gunsmithing.

Houchins says, "It requires a skilled hand to do it. you have to go to school to do that."

After recent headlines, some students want to know about course safety.

Hailey Ashley, CCCC student says, "I'm okay with guns on campus, but I want somebody who knows what they're doing."

That's why LCC says they have strict rules.

Tim Whealton, LCC Gunsmith Program Director says, "The students are not allowed to have any ammunition in the classroom."

And one way they know the gun has been safely unloaded is through an empty chamber indicator, which can be something as simple as a piece of coated wire.

Whealton says, "That lets us look at that gun immediately and tell that it is unloaded and incapable of firing."

Houchins says, "It's a safe environment to be in and community colleges should offer these courses along with other general trades."

At LCC to take their gunsmithing courses you must have a valid gun permit.

At Coastal Carolina they say they can't answer many details on what will be required for their course but they say their curriculum will not involve "hands on use" with "student owned weapons."

LCC says they their gunsmith courses can be taken for an associate's degree or a certificate.