Tom "tbonesmith" Smith (in his own words)
I was born in Melbourne in 1979, went to Scots College, Sydney, where I was involved in the School Rifle Club shooting small bore and full bore on Anzac Rifle Range Malabar, through my high school years. Plus some service rifle shooting, clay pigeons, metallic silhouette, and plinking. I thoroughly enjoyed all my time spent on rifle ranges, and I still do.
I completed my apprenticeship in Shipwrighting and Boatbuilding 2004, and took up Service Rifle Shooting as a sport shortly after, and it has filled most Saturdays since.
My Dad bought me my first No4 when I was 16, and it has been a favourite, and has certainly directed my interest. I love No4's and the Lee Enfield family. Mine is not a large collection, but I enjoy the rifles I have and they are mostly .303's. My collection rolls over and I hope that while it doesn't necessarily grow, it improves each year.
I have a deep interest in the technical aspects of firearms, and I seek to develop my knowledge, and evolve and improve my capabilities. This costs me in specialized tools, books, equipment and time and in return provides me with great satisfaction, when I look at the end result of some blocks of labour.
Military rifle shooting and collecting, is an interest that has very positively influenced me, and I have been very lucky to find a great community of fellow enthusiasts on this web site, and on my local rifle range to share it with, I see it as a big part of my future.