July 2020 • Nebraskaland 25
Stephen Reynolds is a master-class skeet shooter with 40
years of gunsmithing experience. Stephen modifi es and
builds custom gunstocks out of his shop, Midwest Gunstocks,
near Herman. Contact Midwest Gunstocks at 402-208-8080.
Greg Preston is a master-class sporting clay shooter and
head coach of Blair's high school trap team. He is a level
one National Sporting Clay Association instructor, an NRA
shotgun certifi ed instructor and an Orvis-endorsed wing
shooting instructor. Greg is also a hunting guide at Pheasant
Bonanza.
I asked Stephen and Greg to provide insight on why practice
and fi t is so important in wing shooting.
Gunsmith: Stephen Reynolds
What motivated you to become a gunsmith?
SR: I got into shooting because I had an interest. Then I
started realizing that you can't give a 10-year-old grandpa's
gun. Grandpa probably weighs 260 pounds and is 6 foot 2
inches – you can't give his gun to an 80-pound wet kid, and
then laugh and take it away because the gun threw him on
his butt. I think that's abuse. If you're going to get people to
go out and shoot, you need to make sure that their tools are
Left: Gunsmith Stephen Reynolds working in his shop,
Midwest Gunstocks near Herman.
Below: Pictured is a gunstock that Reynolds made for a left-
eye dominant client to shoot right-handed.
