A 10 Year Retrospective on Primer Peak

For those of you who have been around long enough, or have looked at our logo, you might notice that Primer Peak was established back in 2014. Those with too much time on their hands may know that our first article was published in 2015. Back then we were known as The Firearm Rack, with the name change occurring in 2020. A lot has happened over the past decade. I’ve been here for more than half of it, and I think it’s time to reflect on things.

Ten Years of Primer Peak

Primer Peak, originally known as The Firearm Rack was started in 2014 by Patrick Roberts. Having written for Recoil, The Firearm Blog, Gun Digest, and others, many of the site’s first articles were republished work of Patrick’s from other sites. This continued for a few years until late 2017 when other guest writers started appearing on the scene. 2018 is really when The Firearm Rack hit its stride, with a sudden explosion of new writers joining the team. Some of these include folks like myself, Dan Zimmerman, Paul Whaley, and other industry personalities.

Getting My Start

The Firearm Rack is where I got my start as a writer back in early 2018. After a year or two of long-winded Facebook posts and an unsuccessful attempt at making my own page, it was time to see if anyone wanted to hear what I had to say. I’d read sites like The Truth About Guns, RevolverGuy, and Lucky Gunner for years, but wasn’t quite sure where to start. Then a new (to me) site popped up, The Firearm Rack, and I thought “Maybe these guys could use some material to help bolster things. Worst they can say is no.”

A quick Facebook message to site owner Patrick Roberts, and next thing I knew, I had a handful of articles on the schedule. I closed out my first year with The Firearm Rack with just over 30 articles published. Subjects ranged from product reviews, to news, training after action reports, and an opinion piece.

The following year kicked off with my inaugural trip to SHOT Show on behalf of the site, where I first met Patrick and Paul in person. The three of us formed the core of The Firearm Rack for the first few years. This was a whirlwind of a week, and I still remember it well, despite the long hours and few hours of sleep. By year’s end I had moved into the Editor role here, a position I’ve held ever since. 2019 Was a challenging year for everyone on the team due to various events in all of our personal lives, but we made it through.

Growth and Development

Over the next few years things really fell into place with the team. Paul and I have stayed strong as the backbone writers of Primer Peak. In late 2019 I moved to become the primary editor for the site, which I still hold today. We’ve also had a solid list of other contributors providing anywhere between one and fifty articles during this time. Each person brings new perspectives and ideas to the team, helping to diversify the site and our content. Some of these people are our friends and family, while others are peers from elsewhere in the industry, with a few readers crossing the aisle as well.

I’d like to give credit to just a few of our contributors here who I think especially stand out.

Stand-Out Staff

First is Sean B. He’s been a part of the team for almost as long as Paul and I, making his debut in early 2019. Over the years Sean has always been good for a few articles per year, and is a staple of the Discord server. His work is always excellent, plus he’s a solid shooter and deep thinker to boot. From AARs of classes with Weems, Pressburg, and the Rogers Range, to our first look at CoolFire, and more, Sean’s writing is a pleasure to read.

Next is Graham Haley, one of our newer writers. I first became aware of Graham through Instagram, seeing posts about the old days of Gunsite, along with original narratives of his. I reached out one day asking if he’d be interested in sharing some of his work here, and the rest is history. What really stands out to me about Graham is his writing style. Unfortunately, the era of internet writing has significantly changed the way people communicate, leading to shorter, more direct styles. Graham is not one to follow that trend. His writing is like taking a step back in time to the days of Ayoob, Cooper, and O’Connor. He makes me feel bad about how I’ve changed as a writer, and that’s a good thing. If you want style and substance, Graham is your guy.

Finally we have Ally Corless. She’s come a long way over the last half decade, as evidenced by her piece “No Way to 2A”, and you can see part of that journey in her writing. While she has some gear reviews, those are not what make her stand out. Rather its her editorial work, bringing unique perspectives to the team that are where she really shines. From her series on arming teachers, to the ongoing work regarding conceal carry for new and expecting parents, there’s a lot we have to learn from Ally.

Closing Thoughts on a 10 Year Retrospective on Primer Peak

It’s been an amazing ride over the past decade, and I’m excited to see what the future brings. From meeting new friends, to trying new products, and really evaluating my thoughts, the opportunities that have been provided by Primer Peak likely would never have happened without it. I certainly never could have expected things to go the way they have.

This site is a passion project for us, ensuring that our work makes it to you unmolested. I’ve contributed elsewhere over the years, but Primer Peak always stays close to my heart. Paul and others have also stayed here for years, with knowledge that their writing will be uncensored, regardless of its content. Places like this are increasingly harder to find, with AI and profit-driven agendas slowly sinking their teeth in across the internet. Despite changing times, we remain, bringing you unfiltered opinions and facts week after week.

To the readers, thank you for supporting Primer Peak all of these years. I hope that we continue to bring you the kind of work that you love, and maybe something you never expected to see. If you’re someone who thinks they might have something to add, reach out! All of us got here either through invitation, or a leap of faith. Who knows, maybe you’ll be the next big writer on the block!

Support Our Work

If you made it this far, thanks for reading! Writing isn’t our full-time profession, and nearly everything we do comes out of our own pockets. Between ammunition, tuition, range fees and more, expenses add up fast. If you like what we have to offer, consider making a donation through Patreon.

Ally Corless on Patreon

Dan Reedy on Patreon

Paul Whaley on Patreon

Every bit helps bring more work like this to you, and contributes to shortened timelines or more in-depth work on my part. You’ll also have more direct access to me, offering suggestions for future projects, looking behind the scenes, and getting early access to some content. You can find my Patreon >>HERE<<