Biography
I grew up on the family ranch in Eastern Oregon, so had the opportunity to begin shooting at an early age. My father gave me a single shot Remington 22 bolt-action rifle when I turned six and taught me safe gun handling, shooting, cleaning and maintenance. At age 10, my first gunsmithing job was to fix that same rifle after I fell out of the back of the jeep while we were ground squirrel hunting. The rifle had landed on the muzzle resulting in a difficult to close bolt. In that model, the headspace was adjusted by loosening the threaded stock mounting bushing screwed through the bottom of the receiver. I put a fired case in the chamber, closed the bolt, then pushed the barrel firmly into the receiver and tightened the bushing. At age 12, I learned to reload centerfire ammunition after my father gave me a Ruger M77 Rifle in 243 Winchester. After that, as long as I reloaded the ammo, I could fire my father's numerous firearms. When I turned eighteen, my personal firearm collection began to grow.
I graduated from OSU with a BS in Agricultural Engineering, then in 1988 was hired as a civil engineer for the City of Bend. During the twenty years I'd worked there, I acquired my Professional Civil Engineer's License and worked on water, sewer, street, traffic, and airport projects. After I was laid off when the housing bubble burst in 2008, I become a stay at home dad to care for my special needs son.
After he passed away, I decided to enroll in the online Master Gunsmithing and Certified Firearms Appraiser courses offered by The America Gunsmithing Institute. I received my Professional Gunsmithing, Master, Certificate on January 31, 2020, and my Certified Firearms Appraiser Certificate on March 17, 2020.
AGI Certifications
Introduction to Gunsmithing
Pistolsmithing
Shotguns
.22 Rimfire
Rifles
Certified Cowboy Action
Certified Glocksmith
Certified 1911 Pistolsmith
Certified AR-15/M4 Riflesmith
Certified Reloading
Certified Master Professional Gunsmith
Certified Firearms Appraiser AT237169