Reloading A to Z is a labor of love, a collaborative effort between four guys who got to know each other over the Internet and who happen to share a passion for “all-things -gun,” especially the gentlemanly art of reloading ammo. Each has been “rolling his own” for a decade or more, some for more decades than they care to remember!
In alphabetical order, Jason is the sharpshooter in the group. When you can consistently shoot inside 0.25″ groups (yes, that is 1/4 of 1 inch!) from 400 hundred yards and beyond, the name applies! Jason probably knows more about accurate reloading than anyone on the planet. Better yet, it’s not just theoretical. He actually does it – consistently – as you will see from time to time in photos on the site. And best of all, he loves to share that knowledge! Feel free to use our “Ask The Expert” link to throw a question or three his way. And be sure to check out his article on “Loading for Ultra Accuracy” under the “Advanced Techniques” tab (under “Reloading Techniques.”)
Joel is the “old man” of the group, with many more years behind him than ahead. But it doesn’t slow his interest in reloading and shooting from .22 cal to .480 cal. and everything in between. Because he’s the oldest, he had an opportunity to begin his reloading earlier than the rest, in the 1960s, when no reloader even knew what a chronograph was and the gun world was an entirely different place!
Mark’s our resident expert on brass. He founded his brass business just a few short years ago and already moves tens of thousands of cases per year. If you have any questions about brass, its condition, care, and use, Mark’s the guy. If he doesn’t have it, he can get it! He has more connections than a Tijuana phone book!
And Travis is our resident expert on cast bullets. Travis has been casting lead for longer than many people have been reloading. And it shows! His company and website (www.tbbullets.com) produces and sells some of the finest lead bullets on the market and uses a proprietary lube that he makes up exclusively just for his own products because he simply wasn’t satisfied with what was available commercially. Best of all, his prices are terrific and every order ships with no shipping charges!
Jason Ray
“Born and raised in the Piney Woods of deep East Texas, I’ve been hunting and shooting all my life. Later on, I got interested in precision accuracy and learned that the only way to achieve that is with finely tuned ammunition. I began studying and learning anything I could on just what happens to the cartridge and rifle as a whole when the firing pin strikes the primer. I studied the harmonics and vibration and how to tune around them as well as decrease the violence with which the rifle jolts when a round is fired. It’s a fascinating subject to me and I’m very passionate about my guns and ammo. The one thing I enjoy almost as much as making super accurate ammo is teaching others how to do it so they can enjoy it as much as I do. I have an ‘open door policy’ in relation to this subject and will gladly answer any question anyone ever has, and if I don’t have an answer immediately, I’ll find the answer. I promote safety above all else because this is only fun until someone gets hurt. Every “accident’ in this field “could have” or “can be” avoided or prevented. This sport is perfectly safe when done correctly and within all the safety guidelines. Enjoy this site and use it for the wonderful resource that it is!”
Joel Guerin
Joel began reloading in the late 60s before completing a BA at Oberlin College and an MBA at Syracuse University, after which he launched a career in marketing in the health care industry culminating in 10 years as the executive vice president of Penox Technologies, Inc. and 10 years as the president of the medical division of Tempur-Pedic, Inc. After a hiatus of about 20 years to raise a family and travel more than 2 million miles conducting business, Joel returned to reloading. He completed the book, “Things They Don’t Tell You About Reloading!” in early 2016, recounting is life-long journey learning the art of reloading. His passions to this day are hunting, fishing, reloading, and web design and marketing. Joel is a certified NRA Metallic Cartridge Reloading Instructor (#19668351).
Mark Claessens
Mark Claessens is the founder and owner of Big Dog Brass based out of Minnesota. He has been an avid outdoorsman his entire life, and is passionate about hunting, especially with a bow, and spending time in the field with his two adult sons. Follow Mark on Facebook and you’ll see posts throughout the hunting season of the spectacular scenery he hunts in!
Mark graduated from Oral Roberts University and currently works for one of the leading real estate companies in the upper Midwest, Edina Realty, in addition to running Big Dog Brass. You’ll find a listing of Mark’s inventory in a link we will post HERE, making an extensive array of cases available to our readers.
Having been reloading for more than 40 years, Mark brings considerable expertise and experience to this site, in addition to being a great source of quality brass!
Travis Frick
“I have been shooting guns since I was 5 years old. Started reloading when I was around 10. I started using hard cast bullets for handgun around 18 years of age when my shooting volume increased because they were a whole lot cheaper way to load ammo, and shot just as good as jacketed bullets. I bought them from a local gun shop, and thought it was the norm for about 10% to be rejects. (Incomplete bases, large voids, etc.)
I finally decided that I could make bullets as good as these, and bought a cheap mold and pot, went to the tire shop and got a bucket of wheel weights, and started pouring my own. Started doing it for friends, and then my friends told their friends that they know a guy.
Before long, I had complete strangers calling me for bullets. I was kind of forced into the business, and could not keep up with my simple little tools. So I sold my first car (1985 Toyota 4×4 with a small block Ford 302 engine that I retrofitted in that tiny engine compartment, that’s a whole ‘nother story!), for seed money to buy some equipment.
That was about 20 years ago. I built this business from the ground up with no outside funding. Every penny of profit went right back in to upgrade and purchase more equipment and tools. That brings us to today. In addition to casting bullets, I also load ammo commercially with a Class 06 FFL license.”
