To satisfy all your wants I'd locate a gunsmith that caters to military weapons. He'll be dealing with non-military weapons as well in order to stay in business, but you will learn a great deal about firearms history from such a smith. I'm sure you could work the counter for minimal pay and learn a great deal in the long run. The suggestion about getting into handloading is an excellent one and you could purchase your equipment from the gunsmith or shop owner on the barter system. I'm jealous of the time you'll soon have available.
In the meantime you should pick up some good books on firearms maintenance, military weapons of the world, and cartridges of the world. That would be a great starting point.