Early Exposure to Shooting and Hunting

I learned to shoot at a very young age. Both my father and grandfather were hunters. I’d get to go with them to sight in, and sit in the stand with them during deer season. At the young age of 6, my grandfather gave me his old Remington 742 chambered in .243 Winchester. We hunted farmland, mostly soybean fields, where making long shots was essential. I’d watch and learn as they practiced at 300 or 400 yards, eager to shoot like them.

Advancing Skills and Reloading Passion

As I improved, I was given the chance to hunt from stands with longer shot opportunities. At 12, I convinced my dad to get me a Remington 700 chambered in .30-06. My father, who reloaded his own ammunition, taught me the craft, and I spent hours in the shop learning. That year, I received reloading dies as a Christmas gift, deepening my passion for shooting, hunting, and reloading. Over time, I honed my skills and could consistently hit 6” targets at 440 yards.

Gunsmithing and Machining Journey

At 19, I received a Browning A-bolt chambered in 7mm Remington Magnum for Christmas, allowing me to extend my range even further. My father taught me how to fine-tune the trigger pull, bed the stock, and install the scope, sparking my interest in gunsmithing. I read every book and article I could find. By 1997, I was learning machining at a factory job, refining my skills by working on high-performance engine parts. Eventually, I bought a lathe and mill for my home shop, experimenting on my own guns.

Professional Gunsmithing and Custom Rifles

I machined my own muzzle brake and threaded the barrel on my A-Bolt 7mm. As people noticed my work, they began asking for help, leading me to get my FFL license and start gunsmithing in my spare time. Soon, I built my first custom rifle on a Remington 700 action with a Shilen barrel, Timney trigger, and a bedded factory stock. Around the same time, Savage introduced the Model 10ML, a smokeless muzzleloader, which fascinated me. It was more accurate and required less maintenance than traditional muzzleloaders, fueling my new passion.

Mastery and Modern Innovations

Over the years, tools and technology have significantly improved, and my experience has deepened my understanding of rifle accuracy. Long-range shooting has evolved far beyond the quarter-mile distances that once seemed immense. Now, I push my smokeless muzzleloader past 1,000 yards, achieving accuracy that rivals top-tier centerfire rifles. Despite decades of learning, I continue to refine my skills and explore the limits of long-range accuracy in both centerfire and smokeless muzzleloaders.