Gunsmith salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a gunsmith is $70,200 per annum, before tax, up $14,600 since 2018.
Pay depends heavily on where you work and how much of the work is your own. Gunsmiths employed in a retail gun shop or a repair workshop are usually covered by an award or enterprise agreement, while those who run their own workshop set their own prices and carry the cost of tooling, insurance and dealer fees. Government workshop roles often come with structured pay and conditions, and a gunsmith with a strong custom or restoration reputation can charge more for the time a job takes.
Roles that pay more than gunsmith
The largest typical pay rise is $65,300 a year, moving into Metal Machinist.
- Metal Machinist+$65,300/yr
- Engineering Patternmaker+$12,000/yr
- Saw Doctor+$5,200/yr
How to negotiate a higher gunsmith salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time gunsmith salary is $70,200; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Gunsmiths are on the national skills shortage list, so employers are more likely to move on price to keep or attract someone in a role they're struggling to fill.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Hand and power tool work and Craft and handmade production tend to command a premium over general gunsmith experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Metal Machinist pays a typical $65,300 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Gunsmith salary questions
How much do gunsmiths earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a gunsmith is $70,200 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is gunsmith pay rising or falling?
The median gunsmith salary is up $14,600 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than gunsmith?
Metal Machinist pays a typical $65,300 a year more and draws on similar skills to gunsmith.