Like everyone who has read any of the NRA’s magazines, watched American Rifleman, or even seen some shows on The Outdoor Channel or The History Channel, I’ve seen Mark Keefe for years. While setting up the show with Doug Hamlin (RSWC #213), I saw that Mark was on the email list. I had to ask if he would be available and interested and he was. I was pleasantly surprised when Mark came out before I interviewed Doug to check and make sure everything was good to go.
Mark has been shooting since he was young. His grandfather used to drink beef from a can. When the beer got old, they used to shoot the beer cans with the beer in them while using a BB gun. That’s quite a reactive target, for sure! As a young teenager, the family elders decided he was “old enough for the Thompson.” But it was only semi-auto until he was older. He also did some shooting in the Boy Scouts.
In 1988, Mark wanted to be a Shooting Sports Director for the Boy Scouts so he could teach rifle, shotgun, and archery. To do this, he had to become an NRA Certified Instructor. In this process, he reconnected with Phil Schreier (RSWC #182). His interest in collecting historical firearms really took off. Mark told me the story about Phil getting a job volunteering at the NRA Museum and telling him that you never know where it will lead and you have to grow up sometime. The following year, Phil ended up offering Mark the weekend work at the Museum, saying… you never know where it will lead and you have to grow up sometime. Mark has been there for 34 years, and Phil has been there for 35 years.
After being at the Museum for a few years, he started as the assistant technical editor for some of the magazines. He worked through the ranks as associate technical editor, managing editor, and finally editor and he ran American Rifleman for 21 years. In the early 2000s, he was encouraged to start a column so the readers could learn more about the NRA contributors. That was the beginning of The Keefe Report. He still kept reviewing guns, the current issues, and his regular duties.
In the late 1990s/early 2000s, the NRA started having the staff and writers get out and gain experience with the firearms they were reviewing. That’s when Mark had the chance to travel the world and do some training and hunting. Learning to shoot a rifle at moving game is different from hunting in the United States. These hunting trips and experiences allowed them to experience the usefulness and dependability of the firearms they were using. While using firearms in the field, he began to see why some of the designs of rifles or cocking methods or stocks were built the way they were. It made more sense once they were put to use in real situations.
In the early 2000s, Mark was on a hunt with people from The Outdoor Channel. They told Mark there really needed to be an American Rifleman TV show. But he didn’t have much video experience. He, his staff, and Phil devised a plan to get the show going and what the content would be. He told me a great story about someone who went back to Europe and was able to find brass from rounds fired by Alvin York! It’s an amazing story!
Mark’s most recent title is the Managing Director of Editorial & Public Affairs. He’s got his hands in many things NRA and media-related, from The Keefe Report to American Rifleman, but also keeping up with the new trends in social media. Mark is NRA to the core. And a firearm guy through and through. He told me after we were done filming that we didn’t even get to any of the hunting stores. I can’t wait for those.
Favorite quotes:
- “I think he’s probably old enough for the Thompson.”
- “You can’t really slap a rifle trigger, but you can pull it quickly.”
- “We wanted to take people places they couldn’t go.”
- “We blend the story of the people who used these guns.”
- “We’re involved in things that we just don’t get credit for.”
About Riding Shotgun With Charlie
Riding Shotgun With Charlie isn’t about firearms. It is about having an intimate conversation with 2 people talking. You’re the fly on the rearview mirror. Many of the passengers are involved in the firearm community.
This is a more intimate conversation than a phone, radio, or Skype interview. You get to see the passengers. And you’ll see where the road and the conversation take you!
www.ridingshotgunwithcharlie.com.
