Gunplumber's Biography

(updated 09-11-07)

Mark Graham was born in Pennsylvania in 1969 and moved to California with his family in 1977. His teenage years were spent with an obsessive interest in entrepreneurial activities (he worked odd jobs from landscaping, to cleaning dog kennels, to working for Taco Bell's research and development store), fine-scale model building, academics and varsity wrestling and water polo, and the Boy Scouts, where he earned the rank of Eagle Scout. Mark dropped out of high-school shortly after his 16th birthday and began taking classes at the local junior college. He enlisted in the U.S Army on his 17th Birthday and served with the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger (Airborne) Infantry - Fort Benning Georgia. He is an Infantry School, Airborne School, Ranger School, Assault Climber School, and Special Forces Assessment and Selection graduate. He earned the Expert Infantryman Badge and some other shiney trinkets for correctly identifying which end the bullet comes out.

He finished his first active duty tour and then attended California State University, Fullerton, where he earned his Bachelor Degree in History, with an emphasis on Military History. He taught elementary school while concurrently serving as an Army Reservist with the 12th Special Forces Group (Airborne).

Mark attended graduate school at California State University, San Bernardino and completed his Master's Degree in Strategic Studies (National Security Studies) with an emphasis on Soviet Nuclear Strategy. He was recalled to active military service during the first Gulf War where he served in San Antonio, Texas at the JFK Special Warfare Medical School - Fort Sam Houston.

After the war, Mark moved to Phoenix, Arizona. He stayed in the Army Reserves, where he advanced in to Staff Sergeant as NBC NCO (Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Warfare) for counterintelligence, armor, and petroleum assets. As a civilian, he turned his gunsmithing hobby into a full-time job with a nationally known custom gunsmithing company. Being the ambitious and outspoken person he is, Mark soon tired of working for someone else and opened his own company "Practical Gunsmithing." That small venture quickly evolved to his present position as Owner of Arizona Response Systems. In 2000, Mark ended his 14 years of active and reserve service with an honorable discharge.

Mark is now 38 and shares his home with his 12 year old daughter, five dogs, three horses, two tortoises, and a number of other critters.

Small Arms Review 2007 Gunsmith of the Year Life Member, National Eagle Scout Association Life Member, US Army Ranger Association Life Member, National Rifle Association Life Member, Gun Owners of America Member, Single Action Shooter Society "Arizona Gunplumber" Contributer, Knox Hardcore