Learning to Reload 
I learned shotgun shell reloading through hands-on experience, advice from experienced reloaders, and expanding my equipment, which has helped me improve safety, efficiency, and understanding of components like powder, primers, and wads. Reloading has saved me money and taught me patience and attention to detail, and I now want to share that knowledge to help others reduce costs and waste.

Shooting Classes
I’ve been improving my handgun skills through classes with Tim Schreiber and range practice, focusing on fundamentals like grip, stance, breathing, and trigger control, which have improved my accuracy at shorter distances. While I’m confident at 10 yards, I know I still need more training at longer distances, so I plan to keep practicing with my Glock 19 to build consistency and improve.

Anti-Gun Event
I attended a virtual Brady “Enough” event to hear a gun-control perspective and learn how they organize student activism and advocate for stricter firearm policies. While I disagreed with many of their conclusions, the experience helped me better understand their arguments and mindset, which was valuable for forming a more informed view of the debate.

Research
The global arms trade plays a major role in shaping conflicts, politics, and economies, but weak enforcement, political interests, and a lack of transparency often allow weapons to be misused despite treaties like the Arms Trade Treaty. I learned that while legal frameworks exist to reduce harm, geopolitical power, profit, and alliances usually outweigh moral responsibility, making real accountability in the international arms trade extremely difficult.

Youtube Videos
As part of my personal application, I created six YouTube videos about firearms, covering reviews, history, disassembly, and shooting, while learning to film and edit with only the equipment I had. This part of the project taught me patience, creativity, and basic video production skills, and it turned out to be one of the most enjoyable parts of my work.

Touring a Gunsmith Shop
On January 29th, I toured Todd Homan’s shop at Tussy Mountain Precision, where I watched him work on a Browning Citori and learned about stock work, cleaning, and the precision required in gunsmithing. The visit helped me understand what it takes to run a gunsmith shop and confirmed my interest in continuing to learn and pursue this field.