The Three Amigos in New Mexico (L to R): Kelly McMillan, Paul Phillips, Derek Rodgers.
Three years ago nearly to the day, Kelly McMillan, Derek Rogers, and Paul Phillips enjoyed the fellowship and satisfaction of a successful New Mexico Antelope hunt. But sadly, Kelly passed away on June 1, 2021 from rapid, unexpected medical issues. Yesterday, October 7th, 2021, Paul Phillips posted: “Three years ago today. This hunt with Kelly McMillan and Derek Rodgers was a great memory. I miss Kelly.” Yes Paul, scores of us who counted Kelly as a friend and colleague miss him, and think of him often.
This isn’t your typical hunting story, because these weren’t your typical hunters. Derek Rodgers is the reigning F-TR World Champion, and past King of 2 Miles. Paul Phillips is the 2019 King of 2 Miles and a member of the Silver Medal-winning F-TR Team McMillan at the 2018 Nationals. The third hunter, Kelly McMillan, needs no introduction. The past owner of McMillan Fiberglass Stocks, Kelly was a leading figure in the gun industry for decades. He also supported many top rifle shooting teams. This story helps us remember Kelly and all he did for the shooting sports.
In October 2018, these three friends got together for a very successful hunt in New Mexico, Derek’s home turf. All three bagged an impressive Antelope, with Paul Phillips dropping the biggest buck of all. Derek made the longest shot, hitting his buck at an impressive 510 yards, verified by laser rangefinder.
Paul Phillips posted: “Our New Mexico Antelope hunt with Kelly McMillan and Derek Rodgers was a success. To hunt with these two icons was definitely on my bucket list. I shot my buck at 389 yards in an 18-mph wind through a barbed wire fence.” It was a big trophy buck, measuring 84 3/8 inches.
Derek nailed his Antelope at 510 yards with a .308 Win fitted with a suppressor. As dusk approached, despite blustery wind and rain, Kelly dropped the third Antelope with a great 230-yard shot from a broken tree crotch. Paul noted: “All three bucks had their own challenges and funny story. All three hunts required team work with stalking, communication.” The three hunting buddies all had top-quality rifles built with McMillan stocks of course.
For long-range hunting you need to have your drops absolutely “spot-on”. Paul posted: “When you do a 30-45 minute stalk… you need to have all your ballistics perfect or they get away. We were glad that we had a practice day before the hunt to confirm our zeros and verify our ballistics.”
Kelly noted: “Paul Phillips scored this nice 80″+ buck in New Mexico. It was Paul’s first antelope.” The .338 LM rifle featured a Stiller TAC338 action, Bartlein 20″ barrel, McMillan A5 Stock, and Nightforce ATACR scope. In the Facebook video, Paul talks about making the shot, directly into the wind.
Both of Kelly’s Amigos — his hunting partners — were profoundly saddened by his passing. They miss him, as do all of us who knew Kelly.
Derek Rodgers wrote of his friend and hunting partner: “It is difficult to tell you how deeply saddened I feel about the loss of Kelly. What started as a shooting relationship quickly became a close friendship so many years ago. It was a privilege to know Kelly on a personal level and I will never forget his generous, caring nature and the never-ending kindness he had for others. He will forever be missed.”
Paul Phillips posted: “I have no words to express how saddened I am … we lost an icon in the shooting industry. Kelly McMillan was not only a great friend but the most generous and giving man I knew in the industry. There is not enough space to write about everything he did for competitive shooters, military snipers, hunters, and shooting enthusiasts. You were one-of-a-kind Kelly and I will forever remember your friendship and how big an advocate you were for shooting sports. R.I.P. my friend.”
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The NRA F-Class Team Championship was held July 29, 2021. Congrats to the winning squads, Team Indiana (F-Open) and Team USA Blue (F-TR). Conditions were fairly difficult with plenty of rapid wind switches to challenge the wind callers. It was great to see a large number of teams on the firing line, both in F-TR and F-Open.
Second place was very close in both divisions. F-TR was decided on X-count. In F-0pen, Team Kelly McMillan finished second by just one point, but with a huge edge in X-count. Team Kelly McMillan had 83 Xs compared to 66 Xs for Team Indiana. Tim Vaught and Norm Harrold both drilled 23 Xs while Doug Skogman had 20 Xs. Kelly, who sadly passed away recently, would have been proud of this team. His team’s outstanding performance honored his memory.
In F-TR division, Team USA Blue’s Luke Ramsey shot brilliantly to score 396-21X to lead his team. Ian Klemm, currently in first place in the individual F-TR competition, also shot great to tally 392-16X.
Ray Gross joined six good friends to squad up as Team Creedmoor, which finished a very close second in the F-TR division. The top two squads had the same 1559 Aggregate point total with Team USA Blue earning Gold with 57Xs vs. 44Xs for Team Creedmoor.
Ray was proud of his team’s performance: “After a 3-year hiatus, we got the band back together to finish Silver (by Xs) at the U.S. F-Class Long Range Nationals. It was a fairly tough day, living off the flags, with a lot of quick switches. I’ll coach you guys anytime!”
Team Creedmoor team-mates (L to R): Daniel Pohlabel, Paul Phillips, Ray Gross, Brad Sauve, John Droelle, and Jeff Rorer.
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In Memoriam: Kelly McMillan, 1954-2021
Kelly McMillan has left the range. He passed away on June 1, 2021 from rapid, unexpected medical issues. This is a great loss for the shooting community. Kelly was a major figure in the shooting sports world, one of the greatest supporters of competitive shooting and rifle Team USA. Kelly was the son of Gale McMillan, founder of McMillan Fiberglass Stocks. Kelly was the driving force behind McMillan Stocks for decades, but had sold the company earlier this year.
Kelly’s successors at McMillan Fiberglass Stocks posted: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Kelly McMillan. Kelly spent most of his life putting his unique mark on the firearms industry. His influence and efforts expanded beyond the famed McMillan Stocks…. We are forever grateful to Kelly for what he built. We are grateful that he poured his heart into his many interests. We will celebrate his legacy and see that his lifelong pursuits will continue to grow. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time.”
Anyone who ever interacted with Kelly knew him as a strong, forthright, ethical, and generous man. He gave so much back to the shooting community — through sponsorships, by providing stocks to shooters, and by helping shooting teams.
This Editor can also say that AccurateShooter.com owes a debt of gratitude to Kelly. His company was one of the very first sponsors of this site when we started as 6mmBR.com 17 years ago. As he supported us, he also helped many notable shooters such as Derek Rodgers (F-Class World Champion, 2017 K02M Champion), and Paul Phillips, the 2019 K02M Champion. On learning of Kelly’s death, Paul Phillips posted:
“I have no words to express how saddened I am today. We lost an icon in the shooting industry. Kelly McMillan was not only a great friend but the most generous and giving man I knew in the industry. There is not enough space to write about everything he did for competitive shooters, military snipers, hunters, and shooting enthusiasts.
You were one-of-a-kind Kelly and I will forever remember your friendship and how big an advocate you were for shooting sports. RIP my friend. Prayers go out to Kelly’s family for this tragic loss.”
Kelly’s Wall of Honor in Phoenix proudly displayed McMillan-stocked rifles used by U.S. Military marksmen.
Kelly was also an avid hunter. Here he is with Derek Rodgers (left) and Paul Phillips (center).
Derek Rodgers wrote of his friend and hunting partner: “It is difficult to tell you how deeply saddened I feel about the loss of Kelly. What started as a shooting relationship quickly became a close friendship so many years ago. It was a privilege to know Kelly on a personal level and I will never forget his generous, caring nature and the never-ending kindness he had for others. My heart goes out to his family and he will forever be missed.”
Members of the Shooting Sports Industry Remember Kelly
“We mourn the passing of an icon in the precision rifle community. Rest in Peace Kelly.” — G.A. Precision
“Every man’s heart one day beats its final beat…. The shooting industry lost a legend today. You were a critical piece to the Marine Corps Sniper Program and the shooting community. Kelly McMillan, you will be greatly missed and your legacy will continue.” — Bravo Delta
“Kelly did a lot of things in the sport that were not profit driven. He was a real force in where we are today. He will be missed.” — Wheeler Accuracy
“Dad, Grandpa, Husband, Businessman. Pioneer in the firearms industry for over 30 years. Advancing and pushing the limits of composite rifle stocks. Avid supporter of the NRA, NSSF, and Youth Shooting Sports. The industry has lost a Titan. You will be missed.” — Grayboe
“We lost a great man in the shooting industry. Thank you Kelly McMillan for imparting your leadership, friendship and knowledge to the shooting community.” — Sheila Miles
Kelly (left) with 2016 K02M Winner Mitchell Fitzpatrick, and team-mates Paul Phillips and Bryan Litz
Kelly (far left) with F-Class Team USA.
Remembering Kelly McMillan — How He Helped Shooters by David Joe, Texas
Kelly McMillan often proudly referred to his father Gale McMillan’s early pioneering work in fiberglass stock production. He assumed that family mantle and moved it forward, for very much of his life, with an energy and dedication few sons match. Kelly was part of a real American family business success story…
He was especially proud of the military’s adoption and deployment of several McMillan stock models. He described to me once how he, himself, was the one who mixed the green camo colors for those early military stocks. I could tell that Kelly really loved stock building for competitions. I think those were his proving grounds for new ideas, but more importantly, his people — the competitors he supported.
Kelly with F-TR World and past USA Champion Derek Rodgers and Nightforce’s Sean Murphy.
Kelly enthusiastically and generously helped a large number of F-Class teams, ELR teams, and individuals. I recall dinner in 2018 in Raton with Kelly and some 40 grateful members of teams, including the team my young daughter was on. Kelly was the honoree, but he picked up dinner and then defrayed costs for the teams — what a gentleman. Kelly treated people really well, and that leaves such a lasting impression.
Kelly was an original sponsor of the first All-Women F-class Team, X-It Strategy. That was just one example of the many teams he sponsored.
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McMillan Fiberglass Stocks (“McMillan FS”) has been sold. This notable company, the number 1 name in fiberglass stocks for decades, was started by Gale McMillan and then run by his able son Kelly McMillan. Under Kelly’s leadership, the company expanded its product line, producing outstanding stocks for benchrest shooters, F-Class competitors, sling shooters, hunters, and military marksmen. McMillan also has a modern Mc3 (“McCubed”) division which produces outstanding molded stocks using a state-of-the-art polymer called Zenolite.
McMillan Sold to Bob Beck Group
McMillan Fiberglass Stocks has been sold to Bob Beck of Extreme Outer Limits, MOA Rifles, and Rugged Ridge Outdoor Gear. Beck is a longtime customer and friend of Kelly McMillan. Bob’s plan is to continue the success of the legendary brand Kelly and the McMillan family built. He is committing resources to reduce delivery times and maintain McMillan’s dominance as the premium brand for fiberglass and synthetic rifle stocks on the market.
The new owner promises to maintain the advanced designs and top quality of McMillan stocks: “With former President of Berger Bullets Eric Stecker as General Manager, and McMillan’s highly experienced staff staying with the company, [we] will carry on the McMillan brand legacy well into the future. We have many exciting plans and new products coming that will appeal to all long gun enthusiasts.”
Over the years McMillan Fiberglass Stocks supported competitive shooting in a major way — providing sponsorship for individual competitors as well as teams. McMillan was a major sponsor of F-Class Team USA. We want to thank Kelly McMillan and his company for being such a strong supporter of the shooting sports. The success of F-Class Team USA in international competition was aided immensely by the support of Kelly and his company.
Kelly McMillan at the 2018 Berger SW Nationals.
About McMillan Fiberglass Stocks
Gale McMillan, founder of the McMillan companies, began producing stocks in 1973 for himself for the demanding benchrest matches in which he competed. Fellow competitors, always in search of the next competitive edge, asked the inventor to produce some stocks for their rifles. From these roots, the McMillan family of companies has grown into one of the most well-known and respected brands in the firearms industry.
McMillan Fiberglass Stocks manufactures custom rifle stocks and accessories. Product areas include Tactical, Competition, Benchrest, Hunting & Sport, and Ultralight. Customers include shooters, military, law enforcement, government agencies, custom gunsmiths, and OEM rifle manufacturers.
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What’s it feel like to hit a 2158-yard target (from cold bore), and set a world record in the process? Well watch the video below to find out. Last week we reported that shooter Randy Wise set a new ELR Central world record, going three-for-three (from cold bore) at 2158 yards. The feat took place at the recent NRA ELR Championship at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. And he did that with a factory Savage action and barrel!
We first reported on Randy’s ELR record last week in the Bulletin. Now we have more photos, and most importantly, a video. You can now watch Randy Wise make his three hits in a row, starting with Cold Bore shot, at 2158 yards. The video was captured by Clay Rhoden of TargetVision/Longshot Target Cameras.
Watch Randy Wise Make ELR World-Record Three Straight Hits at 2158 Yards:
Watch the full sequence above (sorry there is no sound). Note that there were previously some hit marks on the 36″ x 36″ steel target. Ignore those. Steve’s first hit is at the bottom right — barely above the edge of the plate. At 0:42 you see the bright light flash indicating a hit. The second shot impacts in the top right — see the light flash at 1:09. The third and final hit impacts about 6″ up from the bottom, at 1:24. When the flashing light confirms Hit #3, Randy shows his emotion, pumping his fists with excitement.
Remarkably, Randy set the new ELR record using a stock Savage action and Savage factory barrel chambered for the .338 Lapua Magnum cartridge. The Savage barreled action was mounted in an Accurate Rifles Systems chassis with Rempel bipod. Randy’s rifle had a factory stock 26″ 1:9″-twist barrel chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum. His load featured Lapua .338 LM brass, Berger 300gr Hybrid bullets, Federal 215M primers, and a stout charge of Hodgdon Retumbo powder. Ballistics solution by Applied Ballistics LLC. For optics, Randy used a Vortex 15-60x52mm Golden Eagle.
ELR World Record Standards
One video viewer asked why this was a world record, when longer shots have been made in K02M competition. Here’s the answer from Applied Ballistics: “To be an ELR World Record it has to be done cold bore, and three for three. No sighters, no practice, no walking the shots on, no accuracy by volume. Also neither the shooter or rifle can have been fired in the past 24 hours, to ensure it’s truly cold bore. It’s a test of skill and knowledge of your system.” Skill indeed. 2158 Yards is 1.226 MILES. At that distance, Randy shot a group measuring roughly 1.3 MOA vertical and half-minute horizontal.
For his efforts, Randy received glory, and a nice $1000-dollar check from McMillan Fiberglass stocks. Here Randy poses with his check, flanked by Bryan Litz (left) and Kelly McMillan (right). The match was officiated by Clay Rhoden. Doc Beech of Applied Ballistics was the certifying official.
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The shooting world is lucky to have McMillan Fiberglass Stocks and MC3. Some companies talk about supporting competitive shooting. Maybe they bankroll a couple “rock stars” at pistol matches. But REAL commitment involves a LOT more. The kind of support that McMillan USA has shown to top shooters and top teams is truly exceptional. You won’t find a company that is more committed to supporting serious rifle competition than McMillan. The bossman, Kelly McMillan, loves the sport and is a capable marksman and hunter himself. McMillan has been a strong ally of AccurateShooter.com for many years. But more importantly, McMillan supports shooters and teams in many disciplines and McMillan donates prizes (and cash) in dozens of competitions.
Shown are some of the 2018 National Record holders who shoot McMillan equipment.
McMillan is a company that really supports both individual shooters and talented teams of competitors. Here is the story behind McMillan’s commitment to our sport and our Champion shooters (and rising stars).
Why We Support Competitive Shooting — McMillan’s Commitment
by Kelly McMillan
Anyone who knows the history of McMillan Fiberglass Stocks, knows that our roots are firmly planted in competitive shooting, and specifically short-range benchrest. We were in business several years before we made a stock other than a competition stock. It is where we made our reputation for high quality stocks and first rate customer service. For several years while I was running McMillan Firearms Manufacturing, I let the focus of the stock company drift a bit. I wasn’t donating to as many matches or events and was not sponsoring any shooters. When I sold the rifle company it was made clear to me almost immediately that there were competitors of mine that were taking advantage of my loss of focus, and making huge inroads into the field that used to be dominated by McMillan.
Kelly and the Talented Xit Strategy Ladies Team:
It has always been obvious to us that if we want this business to prosper for generations to come, we need to do everything we can to get young shooters and women shooters involved in the shooting sports. I personally have been sponsoring youth shooting sports, e.g. The Scholastic Clay Targets program, Boy Scouts, NRA U-25 USA team and many individual shooters. I also sponsor a Texas junior girls F-Class team as well as many individual youth and female shooters. Team Xit Strategy is an F-TR team comprised of both adult and junior female shooters. It is the only exclusively female team in the National F-Class circuit. The team includes Laura Perry 2017 (World Champion 8-person Team member), Jen Bondurant, a top level F-TR competitor, as well as Claudette Joe, one of the top juniors in F-Class currently.
Dollars and Sense — How McMillan Supports the Shooting Sports
Below is a list of the matches, teams, and shooters that McMillan has supported over the last year. Kelly notes that McMillan Fiberglass Stocks has donated $63,000 while McCubed (Mc3) has donated $6700 in gift certificates and products to various matches and conservation efforts. Kelly adds: “We have also contributed over $15,000 cash to various events. In addition, we have contributed $30,000 in cash to Team Sponsorships as well as 60 stocks of assorted types for team members.” Take note those numbers are for just ONE YEAR — yes, all that support in product and cash for just one year’s worth of sponsorship.
Match Sponsorships
All NRL matches
All Guardian matches
Arizona Elk Society
Sportsman’s Challenge
Lone Survivor Foundation
Berger SW Nationals
Boy Scouts Troops
Various PRS matches
NRA ELR Nationals
GAP Grind
Rocky Mountain Big Horn Society
AZ Mule Deer
Hillsdale College
FClass Championships
Cactus Classic
King of 2 Mile
King of 2 Mile Television Show
JC Steel Challenge Matches
France’s PRS Match
World’s Long Shot Challenge
Bushnell Elite Tactical Sniper Challenge
WTRC/Wyoming Tactical Rifle Championship and
WYSHOT
Team Sponsorships
Team Michigan
Team USA U-25 (2021 Open)
Team Xit
US Rifle Team
US Navy Marksman Team
Team Xit Strategy
Team Savage
Shooter Sponsorships
Regina Milkovich
Tim Milkovich
Andy Puzsman
Randy Galvan
Texas Youth Girls F-Class
Cody Hartsock
Derek Rodgers
Paul Phillips
Daniel J. Pohlabel
Jeff Rorer
Mark V. Lonsdale
David Mann
Rick Jensen
Stan Pate
Mike Miller
Warren Dean
Monte Milanuk
Dan Lentz
Austin Elbert
McMillan Also Sponsors Team Savage
Grow the Sport By Helping Shooters Improve Their Performance
Kelly explains McMillan’s mission in supporting the shooting sports: “In competitive shooting it is fairly simple. If people who use your product win matches, and more importantly, improve their own personal scores, it shows potential customers that they can expect the same type of improvement. It sounds more simple than it is. Getting some of the best shooters in the world to shoot your stock requires more than just giving it to them. Remember these guys (and ladies) are at the top of their game so when you offer them something they have to be shown that it will actually improve their scores and if it doesn’t, no way they are changing to your product. Finally, I am sure I have forgotten some shooters and if so I apologize to each individual.”
Kelly McMillan is also an avid hunter. Here’s Kelly with Derek Rodgers (front) and Paul Phillips (top), two of his sponsored competitors. Derek is the reigning F-TR World Champion and previous King of Two Miles.
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The Three Amigos in New Mexico (L to R): Kelly McMillan, Paul Phillips, Derek Rodgers.
This isn’t your typical hunting story, because these aren’t your typical hunters. Derek Rodgers is the current F-TR World Champion, and past King of Two Miles. Paul Phillips was a member of the Silver Medal-winning F-TR Team McMillan at the 2018 Nationals. Paul also shoots with Team Applied Ballistics in ELR competition. The third hunter, Kelly McMillan, needs no introduction. The respected owner of McMillan Fiberglass Stocks, Kelly has been a leading figure in the gun industry for years. He also supports many top rifle shooting teams.
This talented trio recently got together for a very successful hunt in New Mexico, Derek’s home turf. All three men bagged an impressive Antelope, with Paul Phillips dropping the biggest buck of all. Derek made the longest shot, hitting his buck at an impressive 510 yards, verified by laser rangefinder.
Paul Phillips posted: “Our New Mexico Antelope hunt with Kelly McMillan and Derek Rodgers was a success. To hunt with these two icons was definitely on my bucket list. I shot my buck at 389 yards in an 18-mph wind through a barbed wire fence. It may be a possible Boone and Crockett trophy buck, measuring 84 3/8 inches.”
Derek nailed his Antelope at 510 yards with a .308 Win fitted with a GSL Technology suppressor. As dusk approached, despite blustery wind and rain, Kelly dropped the third Antelope with a great 230-yard shot from a broken tree crotch. Paul noted: “All three bucks had their own challenges and funny story. All three hunts required team work with stalking, communication. For all three shots we used Applied Ballistics LLC solutions with our Kestrels for data.” The three men used all top-quality products including McMillan stocks, Bartlein barrels, Stiller actions, Berger bullets, and Nightforce scopes.
For long-range hunting you need to have your drops absolutely “spot-on”. Paul posted: “When you do a 30-45 minute stalk… you need to have all your ballistics perfect or they get away. We were glad that we had a practice day before the hunt to confirm our zeros and verify our ballistics.”
Kelly notes: “Paul Phillips scored this nice 80+” buck in New Mexico. It was Paul’s first antelope.” The .338 LM rifle featured a Stiller TAC338 action, Bartlein 20″ barrel, McMillan A5 Stock, and Nightforce ATACR scope. In the Facebook video, Paul talks about making the shot, directly into the wind.
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200-22X — That’s a stunning score, at any distance, but to do that at 1000 yards, at the most important match of the year, in a notoriously tricky venue, is a remarkable achievement. This 200-22X, a pending new F-Class Open Division National Record, was shot by Norm Harrold of Team McMillan at the 2018 F-Class Nationals, running this week at the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, NM. Norm’s brilliant 200-22X beat the existing F-Open record by five Xs.
Gun and Load: Norm’s F-Open rig features a McMillan stock and Bartlein barrel chambered for the .284 Shehane. Norm loaded Berger 184gr 7mm bullets in Lapua brass. Erik Cortina joked — “the minute this video goes live, the 184s will be hard to find”. Norm says “Stock up guys — they shoot good!”
Keep Shooting — Don’t Stop!
How can you have more than twenty Xs in a 20-shot string? Here’s how it works — when you shoot all Xs for the entire string of fire, you are allowed to keep shooting. After his 20th shot, Norm recalled, “I said ‘I’m done, give me my target’, but … my shooting partner said ‘No! Keep shooting!'” So Norm did, drilling two more Xs to set the new National Record.
A 200-17X was shot (twice) by David Gosnell in 2015 to set the previous F-0pen 1000-yard record, which was later tied in 2017, first by Keith Glasscock, and then by Pat Scully. But right now Norm Harrold’s 200-22X is the best ever. To beat the previous record by five Xs, and to do that at Raton, during the Nationals, is a great achievement. And to top it off, this new record was shot in the rain!
200-16X New F-TR 1000-Yard National Record
Ray Gross and Mike Plunkett Both Shoot 200-16X to Share New Record
In the F-TR class, two men, Ray Gross (Team McMillan) and Mike Plunkett, both set a new pending 1000-yard record with a 200-16X score. That’s a perfect 10 points for all twenty (20) shots, with 16 of them in the smaller X-Ring. This F-TR division is limited to two cartridge types, .223 Remington (5.56×45) and .308 Win (7.62×51), and F-TR rifles must be shot with a bipod (no front rest). F-TR Weight limit, including bipod, is 8.25 kgs (approximately 18.18 pounds).
Ray, along with the vast majority of other F-TR competitors, was shooting a .308 Win. His load included Berger 220X bullets, in Lapua brass, with Vihtavuori N140 powder and CCI 450 bullet. Ray’s rifle features a 28″ Bartlein Heavy Palma barrel, mated to a Kelbly Panda action in McMillan stock. Up front was a Phoenix bipod with lowering bracket. The scope was a Nightforce NXS 8-32x56mm.
Ray Gross Scorecard — 200-16X is mighty impressive, given Raton’s notorious conditions.
The previous F-TR 1000-yard record was 200-14X shot by Derek Rodgers of Team McMillan. That record by Derek was also recorded at Raton, back in September, 2016.
OK, admit it — you’ve always wondered how they get those color swirls and camo patterns in McMillan stocks. (You’ll be surprised at the answer). And how does McMillan manage to inlet stocks so precisely for so many different action types?
McMillan Stocks is one of the leading fiberglass stock producers, cranking out 8,000-10,000 stocks every year for hunters, target shooters, and members of the military. McMillan employs state-of-the-art, high-tech machinery. At the same time, many processes are still done by hand — such as applying colors to the stocks.
In the videos below, Kelly McMillan hosts Bob Beck of Extreme Outer Limits TV in a tour of the McMillan stock-making facility. We think all avid “gun guys” will be fascinated by these high-quality videos.
McMillan Custom Stock Production
The first video shows the stock-building operation from start to finish — You’ll see the lay-up, color application, molding, and “stuffing”. Watch carefully at 0:16 to see colors being applied.
Thursday was Team Day at the Berger SWN. The rules called for four shooters. But one Aussie Team had a special mascot shooter to add team spirit.
Today, Friday, marks the third day of competition at the Berger Southwest Nationals (SWN), with individual matches on the schedule. Today’s match will have a Palma format, with shooters competing individually at three yardages: 800, 900, and 1000. This is when it really gets tough — no wind coaches. Each shooter is on his or her own. Yesterday, Thursday, was a Team Day at Ben Avery, with four-person teams shooting at 800, 900, and 1000. We saw some familiar squads on the firing line, such as Team Berger Bullets, The X-Men, and Da Bulls, as well as new squads.
Individual Long-Range Competition starts today, Friday, at the Berger Southwest Nationals. The firing line is full — this match “sold out” early. Photo by Sherri Jo Gallagher.
Click Image to see full-screen Panorama of 1000-yard firing line at Ben Avery.
Thursday’s conditions were much calmer than the Wednesday (when winds were howling in the afternoon). It was very calm in the early morning but then the wind increased gradually during the day, becoming switchy. Many shooters told us the mirage was difficult to read. The sling division was tightly fought, with Scottish HPS Team and U.S. National Mrnak Team tied on points at 1779 at day’s end. The Scots finished first by X-count, 92 to 85. Finishing third was U.S.A. National Hayes Team, 1776-114X.
In F-Open, the “Old Gentlemen” of Team Berger lead the way on Thursday, with a score of 1784-92X, followed by Team Lapua/Brux/Borden in second with 1782-101X. Tied on points in third place, but with fewer Xs, was Team Defiance at 1782-82X. This was a bit of a family affair as Scott Harris coached wife Christine and son Adrian, along with shooters John Moreali and Ben Steinsholdt. Larry Bartholome had top individual score, not dropping a point to finish “clean” at 450-21X. Next best was AccurateShooter’s own Jay Christopherson, with 449-31X.
In F-TR, Team “Da Bulls” topped the field with 1762-66X, barely edging second-place Team McMillan which scored 1762-64X. The McMillan team was a powerhouse including current F-TR World Champion Derek Rodgers, and, as coach, former USA F-TR Team Captain Ray Gross.
The powerhouse Team McMillan F-TR squads featured serious talent. Left to right here, in their red jerseys, are Captain Paul Phillips, Derek Rodgers, and Coach Ray Gross.
One team featured a Father-Daughter Duo, with father Scott coaching Morgan, his talented daughter. Morgan tells us that competitive shooting has unlocked a new world for her. She has traveled to South Africa with her father to shoot in international matches. Shooting at the SWN is a highlight of her year: “I love the warm weather here — It’s snowing back home in New York”.
SWN VIDEO: Father coaches daughter in Thursday’s Team Match:
View from the pits at the Mid Tompkins Range at Ben Avery. Photo by Sherri Jo Gallagher.
Kelly McMillan showed us a new F-Open competition stock, the Kestros with “Z-Rail”. This features a box-section aluminum extension on the fore-end. This allows a longer “wheelbase” on the stock, as well as a lower center of gravity. Kelly says his company is working may adapting this extension to include an bipod attachment rail. That way you could shoot the same stock in both F-TR and F-Open divisions.
SWN VIDEO: Kelly McMillan talks about new McMillan and MCubed (M3) stocks in this video. Kelly plans to host his Taking Stock Radio Show on Friday, February 9, live from the Berger SWN. CLICK HERE for Kelly McMillan’s SWN Radio Show.
Rekindle Old Friendships and Meet New Friends
Some shooters come to to the SW Nationals for the swag (the prize table is amazing). Others come for the sunshine (think warm 80-85° weather). And even more folks come to try out their shiny new toys and to test their skills against the nation’s best shooters.
But we’d say the number one reason most folks make the pilgrimage to Ben Avery every year is the camaraderie — the chance to connect with friends, rekindling connections that may go back decades. Fundamentally, then, the Berger SWN is about the people. For many of us, this is the only time of the year when we get a chance to meet fellow shooters from distant corners of the USA (and other nations).
Old Guys Rule — Team Berger topped the F-Open field in Thursday Team competition. NOTE: this photo shows 2017 team members.
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Ret. Army Lt. Col. Lones W. Wigger, Olympic shooter and international champion, passed away on the evening of December 14, 2017 at his home in Colorado Springs, Colorado of complications from pancreatic cancer. He was 80 years old. By many measures, Wigger could be called the best iron sights, position shooter in history. During his shooting career, Wigger won 111 medals and set or tied 29 world records in international competition, more than any other shooter in the world. He was on the USA Olympic Shooting Team in 1964, 1968, 1972, and 1980.
Kelly McMillan mourns Wigger: “My heart is broken. Sometimes something happens that though you may have been expecting it, when it happens the effect that it has on you is a complete surprise. I feel honored to have attended his [80th] Birthday Celebration in August and was extremely fortunate to have him on my radio show a little over a month ago. I am honored to have known him and to call him my friend… I miss him already.”
A Lifetime of Shooting Excellence
Originally from Fort Benton, Montana, Wigger won three Olympic medals in his career including Golds in 1964 and 1972. His resume also includes 24 World Championship Gold Medals and 29 World Records. The retired Lt. Col. also served his country in the U.S. Army with tours of duty in Vietnam in 1967 and 1971. Wigger was primed for Olympic success in 1980 but never got the chance due to the U.S. boycott.
Wigger is often regarded as the greatest competitive rifle shooter ever to have taken aim for the United States. He won more medals in international shooting competition (111) than any other shooting athlete in the world and is the only athlete to win medals in all three Olympic rifle shooting disciplines. Wigger is the only USA Shooting Team member ever elected to the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Hall of Fame.
Wigger was a USA Olympic shooting team member in 1964, 1968, 1972, and 1980. The 1964 effort resulted in a Gold Medal. He won the gold for the 3-position small-bore rifle. In 1972, Wigger won the Gold Medal for 3-position Free Rifle. Wigger also competed on five Pan American Games teams, where he won five Silver and 13 Gold medals. A retired Army Lt. Colonel, Wigger was a Vietnam Veteran who spent 25 years on active duty, retiring with the rank of Lt. Colonel. While in the Army, Wiggers also competed with the USAMU.
Wisdom from Wigger — The Psychology of Winning
by Lones Wigger, Olympic Medalist
It’s pretty complicated — this subject of dealing with pressure. I’m a precision shooter and have learned to excel in that discipline. You’ve got to learn to shoot the desired scores at home and in training. And once you’re capable of shooting the scores, you may not shoot the same way in the match because of the match pressure. As a result, it takes 3-4 years to learn how to shoot, and another 3-4 years to learn how to win — to deal with the match pressure. It takes several more years to learn how to do it when it counts.
To win, there are several things you have to learn how to do. You have to do it from within. You have to learn how to train just as if you were in a big competition. You work on every shot. You have got to learn to treat it just like a match — to get the maximum value out of every shot.
You have got to use the same technique in practice and in training. A lot of shooters have a problem because they change their technique from practice to the match. In competition, you work your ass off for every shot. You have to approach the training the same way.
A second way to combat pressure is to shoot in every competition you can get into so that you become accustomed to it.
Do Everything Possible to Prepare
The third technique is preparation. Before you are going to shoot in a big competition, train hard to do everything you can to raise your scores. So when you’re in the match, you know that you have done everything humanly possible to get ready for the competition. If you have self-doubt, you will not shoot well. You have to have the will to prepare to win.
When Gary Anderson was a kid, he couldn’t afford a gun or ammunition. He had read about the great Soviet shooters. With his single shot rifle, he would get into position, point that gun and dry fire for hours at a time in the three different positions. He had tremendous desire. He wanted to win and he did whatever he could to get there. When he finally got into competition, he shot fantastic scores from the beginning.
Visualize Winning to Train the Subconscious Mind
A little bit of psychology: You picture in your mind what you want to do. You have to say, OK, I’m going to the Olympics and perform well. Picture yourself shooting a great score and how good it feels. You are training your subconscious mind. Once you get it trained, it takes over. A coach taught me to visualize the outcome, and it worked. Eventually you train your subconscious and it believes you can win. At first I didn’t know about teaching the subconscious to take over, but now I do it all the time. And it certainly worked for me at the 1972 Olympics. What it really takes is training and doing the same thing in training as at a match. If you are “just shooting,” you are wasting your time.
This above text comes from an interview with Lones Wigger by Jock Elliot, part of a three-part series, The Fine Art of Not Cracking Under Pressure. CLICK HERE to READ FULL ARTICLE featuring other interviews with Brian Zins, Bruce Piatt, Carl Bernosky and Ernie Vande Zande.
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You should tune in to Kelly McMillan’s Taking Stock Internet Radio Show today, Friday, December 15, 2017. Two very smart and talented guys are featured on the show. Kelly’s first guest, Erik Cortina, is Captain of Team Lapua-Brux-Borden and one of American’s Top F-Class competitors. The second guest, Dan Dowling, is a respected name in the field of bolt-action rifle work, with his main focus being benchrest rifles and similar high-accuracy rifles. Today’s live show, and recorded archives, are hosted on the VoiceAmerica Sports Channel.
We have followed Erik’s career as he has risen to be one of the best F-Class and long-range shooters in the world. Texas State LR Champion (3 years in a row), Erik has placed Top 10 in the Berger SW Nationals, won a Bronze medal in World Championship with Rutland team (Team USA Red), placed 3rd in F-Class Nationals. Erik also has produced very informative shooting/reloading videos on his YouTube Channel. Erik tells us: “I am honored to be on Taking Stock with Kelly McMillan. As you all know, I enjoy passing on what I know so that other shooters can benefit from my experience. I received a lot of help from others, epecially Mike Downey and Mark Pharr, starting out, so I’m paying it forward. I also believe it’s a good way to grow the shooting sports.”
On today’s radio show, Erik added: “We will also discuss the importance of using quality equipment as it is the most reliable and gives me the best chance at winning. Another topic we will discuss is learning to win. I believe learning how to shoot is fairly easy, especially with all the info out there these days, but learning how to win, is the difference between a great shooter and a Champion.”
Erik Cortina shows one of his handsome F-Open Rifles at Berger SW Nationals.
You can also access previous episodes. Recent guests have included F-TR World Champion and King of 2 Miles Derek Rodgers, Multi-Time National High Power Champion Carl Bernosky, USA F-TR Team Captain Ray Gross, and GA Precision’s George Gardner.
About McMillan Fiberglass Stocks
Kelly McMillan is the president of McMillan Fiberglass Stocks (MFS). This company began in 1973 when Gale McMillan starting crafting benchrest stocks at home in his carport/garage. In 1975 MFS hired its first employee, Kelly McMillan. By 1979 Kelly was made a partner, and by 1984 Kelly was in charge of running the stock shop. Since that time MFS has continued to grow with innovation and design. Today McMillan Fiberglass Stocks has a 15,000 sq/ft facility and 65 employees.
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The NRA F-Class Team Championship was held July 29, 2021. Congrats to the winning squads, Team Indiana (F-Open) and Team USA Blue (F-TR). Conditions were fairly difficult with plenty of rapid wind switches to challenge the wind callers. It was great to see a large number of teams on the firing line, both in F-TR and F-Open.
McMillan Sold to Bob Beck Group
OK, admit it — you’ve always wondered how they get those color swirls and camo patterns in McMillan stocks. (You’ll be surprised at the answer). And how does McMillan manage to inlet stocks so precisely for so many different action types?
It’s pretty complicated — this subject of dealing with pressure. I’m a precision shooter and have learned to excel in that discipline. You’ve got to learn to shoot the desired scores at home and in training. And once you’re capable of shooting the scores, you may not shoot the same way in the match because of the match pressure. As a result, it takes 3-4 years to learn how to shoot, and another 3-4 years to learn how to win — to deal with the match pressure. It takes several more years to learn how to do it when it counts.
