Small businesses cater to local firearms enthusiasts

WASILLA — Two gun lovers have put their own assets on the line trying to use their passion to keep more cash flow in-state.

In addition to selling cars at rival dealerships, best friends Kyle Cahill and Sterling Cook opened up shop in a strip mall on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway. The one storefront houses two businesses, Mat-Su Tactical and Arctic Ammo and Reloading Supplies.

Cahill, who spent four years as a gunner in the Navy, owns Mat-Su Tactical. The company specializes in guns, equipment and clothing for hunters and military and law enforcement personnel.

The store and its inventory is small, but Cahill said that keeps prices down and he has more than 60,000 products he can order.

“We wanted to start a company based on people’s needs rather than stocking what nobody wants,” Cahill said. “Our customers will come in with a wish list, and we will bid it to be competitive. The majority of the time we find ourselves lower.”

Cahill said he can pretty much get the individual customer any gun currently in production and many antiques. He is also going after government contracts for agencies inside and outside of Alaska.

“When a police department in Utah needs 12 holsters, we want to bid on that offer,” Cahill said. “There is a massive amount of money purchasing guns and equipment stateside. We are trying to get that money to Alaska.”

Sterling owns the other half of the equation, Arctic Ammo and Reloading Supplies. Sterling makes custom ammunition for shooters and sells equipment for the home reloader. Money is the reason most people start reloading. Depending on the round, making your own can save 15 to 200 percent over the store-bought stuff.

“A box of Weatherbys can cost $100, but you can reload the brass yourself for about $30,” Sterling said. “But 9mm is pretty cheap, so the savings aren’t too much there.”

There’s also the accuracy factor, Sterling said. Shooters can build a bullet and cartridge for their specific rifle and to their specifications.

The entire set up for reloading costs about $250 brand new, he said. But he also sells used equipment to get people started for about $100. Sterling said he holds free reloading classes periodically and is always happy to help people one-on-one.

The duo opened up shop on July 1. The guns and equipment sales are starting to pick up, they said, but the ammo has been flying off the shelves.

“One of our best customers is Obama,” Sterling said, as shooters are stocking up in fear of tightening firearm restrictions.

But getting to this point has been an uphill battle for the firearms companies. Besides spending four months jumping through FBI and ATF hoops, capital has been a problem from Day One.

“Banks are not funding small businesses,” Cahill said. “It forces us to get more of a guerrilla attitude. We have to stretch as much out of each dollar as we can.”

This attitude gives them the extra drive they said is necessary for their success. They hope to expand to a larger store and produce high quantities of ammunition. But, like any good battle plan, their business plan calls for caution to be weighed against risk.

“Because it’s our own money we can’t make any mistakes,” Cahill said.

Contact Todd L. Disher at todd.disher@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.