Who I Am

Hello,

I would like to introduce myself to you as I feel it is important that we get to know each other. I like to get acquainted with my customers and potential customers so I can better serve them.

My father was a wood worker, and I have, in one capacity or another, been involved in woodworking since about 10 years old. I began the journey into the love of gun wood back in 1980 when I got my only copy of Reinhart/Fajen custom rifle stock catalog! I fell in love with a stock design they had that used a triangle shaped cheek piece. Being of modest means, I could not afford one so I set out to build one for my Ruger 77 in 22-250 with a varmint weight barrel. I made it from local cherry that was beautifully quarter sawn which produces a delicate lace type figure or grain in the wood. I happen to show the rifle to a local firearms dealer one day. He had to have it more than I, so the deal was done and I was off to the next project.

In 1981 I moved my family to Lawton Oklahoma to work in our church’s denomination’s mission work there. While there, I became acquainted with a benchrest gunsmith in Bethany, OK by the name of Jack Dever! Not only was Jack a top level gunsmith, but he was also a top level stock maker and he mentored me for the short time I knew him. Jack also took me to my first ever real benchrest match and provided everything I needed to compete! I was hooked.

Fast forward to 1990 and due to my wife having kidney disease, we made the decision to move back home to Arkansas. It was at that time I went full time into rifle stocks and pistol grips as a business. In 1994 my wife had complete kidney failure and subsequent transplant. Because I took my marriage vows very seriously, from that time forward I dedicated most of my time, business income and effort into taking care of her as the need arose. Finally in April of 2008, she was diagnosed with the most aggressive kind of breast cancer. I shut my business down to care for her full time and I was with her 24/7 until her death in Feb of 2011. I took the following year off to heal and honestly just relax. I started the rebuilding of the business in March of 2012 and am finally beginning to get new product and designs out the door.

This website is one of the first steps toward the goal. I want to thank Garin Hatch, a customer who has become a close friend for building this site for me. I want to thank all those new customers who have been patient with me and allowed me the time to design and build slowly.

Hopefully now you know me a little better, and know a little of why I am, what and who I am!

Mike
mike@benchreststocks.com
turmite

DragonBlood1_zps96882427

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