SteveM
Moderator
Firearms & Reloading Forum

I have been in love with firearms for as long as I can remember. Started when I was 6 yrs old using the Daisy Red Ryder my dad bought me for my birthday.  I was not too good at it but had lots of practice.  Got to do lots of hunting around the farm.  Worked and saved to buy my own first firearm when I was 16 (Rem. 1100 12 ga. still going) and have never looked back since!  When I got older, got to hunt big and small game all over the country with handguns and rifle.  My gun collection has grown a little bit since then too!! My shooting background spans nearly 40 years now and as I look back it is hard to believe I have been so lucky.

Late 70's began to get into competition shooting disiciplines of all kinds. This meant having to learn how to reload a new breed of calibers and firearms, unlike the hunting ones I knew so well for years, in order to feed  the appetitie of my new found hobbies!  Finally, settled on IPSC  as it was fast paced and you could shoot alot.  Along with handgun, 3-Gun matches were my favorites where the combination of shotgun, rifle, and handgun skills played together.  Here is where I was lucky enough to meet and  be taught by some of the best shooters in the world who's name's read like a who's who list in a dream! With their guidance was able to shoot on the Pro Circuit and attend several National and two World Shoots.  By then, moved into the law enforcement field where my skills were honed with a different breed of firearms, subguns and sniper rifles.  Here I got to work my way from .380 acp up to .50 cal. weapon systems used for SWAT operations and became a law enforcement sniper.

In my 30+ years of reloading experience, it would be a safe guess to say I have loaded/fired nearly 750,000 rounds of  just about everything and still going.  This is one of the most enjoyable things I have ever done.  Nothing like rolling your own!!

Since my 12 yr. old son has now become able to safely handle firearms, I have now shifted back into the varmint/predator hunting that I once loved but had little time for then!  Hunting is very different now as it appears to be a dying sport amoug our youth with video games and sports to keep them busy.  My son likes to hunt, with deer being his favorite, and hope predator hunting/callin will get him hooked shortly. However, he wants to try some competition shooting. Lucky me??

I strongly believe we all need to introduce as many young people as we can to shooting/hunting sports.  Remember, someday they will grow up to vote and you know how our government and anti's love firearms/hunting!!  We will need all the help we can get!!

I am truly glad to be a part of the Predator Masters site and crew!  The website, personnel, and members are some of the greatest bunch of folks I have ever met.  If you need to know something, the answers are just a click away and one can learn something new everyday!!  See you on the boards and glad to have you here!! 

Sincerely,
SteveM