Mark built this business on his abilities as a gunmaker and his love of people. He cut his teeth in the gun business crafting fine walnut stocks for his custom rifles. This developed his deep knowledge of stock fitment and functionality. Inspired by the classic gunmakers and confident in his own abilities he knew that a tool could, and maybe should, be a work of art. While these walnut art-works were fulfilling as a craftsman, it didn’t quite suit all his customers’ needs. He felt he wasn’t reaching enough clients as he spent so much time on

each stock. In his own words: “I was tired of eating corn flakes.”

He’s been a hunter and a shooter all his life and to this day finds a deep connection with our clients and their needs on the range and in the field. Drawing on those conversations and his own experiences as a maker and a hunter, he identified a need for a lightweight, reliable, hunting machine that cut no corners. It had to perform and it had to look the part. The customer needed something without the weight but with durability and style. Mark needed a way to reach more hunters and provide them with the Ultimate Rifle.

He decided to buy a composite rifle stock company. He saw that if the barrel is the heart of a good rifle then the stock is the soul. Under his leadership and craftsman’s eye Mark and his team created the gun stocks that are the platforms for what would become the quintessential “Sheep Rifle” and class-leading synthetic stocked Safari and Dangerous Game Rifles. This combination of precision gunwork and world class stocks continue to meet both his clients’ needs and his own high bar of expectations. Mark ultimately created his brand when he combined his wood-stock-born attention to detail, style and craftsmanship with his demand for the utmost in performance that only composite materials, curiosity and hard work could fulfill.

Ben wears many hats at Bansner & Co. His favorite one is the Research and Development hat. Creating new stock designs, improving our manufacturing processes, putting out fires (figuratively …mostly) and designing parts and tooling are just a few of the things he puts his mind to around here.

Ben grew up in rural Pennsylvania and was rarely seen outdoors (or indoors) without a stick or branch in his hands that had been fashioned into some sort of spear or rifle. After graduating (more or less) high school he joined the Marine Corps as an 0311 (Infantry) then deployed to Iraq three times throughout 2004-07. Following this busy and… interesting experience he eventually made the mental leap connecting his love of making things with his lifelong interest in firearms and went off to Pittsburgh to attend the Pennsylvania Gunsmith School. After excelling in school then wandering the woods for a few months he went whole-hog into the firearms manufacturing industry where, under the skilled eye of Mark Bansner, he learned custom gun making and composite rifle stock production.

He’s still here, just a lot louder and more opinionated than he was when he started. But we think he’s a swell guy.

…as long as he finally finishes that Howa stock design.