Family owned and still made in USA
One of four boys, George “Curt” Lackey hunting experience dates back to the 1940s in a small Southern Illinois town. Little did he realize that the hunting techniques his father taught him and his brothers would one day lead to innovative new products for the shooting industry worldwide.
“Dad would get us started shooting when we were in the 5th grade. As we learned the fundamentals, we earned his trust and the freedom to hunt more often. Central to becoming good hunters were gun safety, respect for the land, proper shooting techniques and above all accuracy,” Curt recalled.
By the time the four boys were in high school, they were conducting weekly hunting contests to see who could make the most kills with the fewest shots. The brothers tell stories of how Curt won family competitions by killing two squirrels with one 12-gauge round and how he killed three rabbits with just two shots.
-more-
As he matured, Curt became increasingly annoyed by hunter’s poor shooting techniques. It seemed to him that the skills traditionally handed down from one generation to the next no longer existed. Particularly troubling was how few deer were clean kills and the number of turkeys, rabbits and squirrels that were flat out missed altogether. Equally astonishing was the amount of ammo that was being sprayed across the countryside and the dollars wasted due to lack of accuracy.
“Seemed like everyone was getting too excited and jumpy when they had a big turkey or buck in their sights. It both saddened and frustrated me to see hunters invest thousands of dollars on rifles, ammo, sights and camouflage only to make poor shots. You would see these folks chasing wounded animals for ¾ of a mile or so only to lose the deer. There were several times I thought the hunters were going to have heart attacks and I would have to drag them out of the woods and to the hospital,” Curt declared.
In the 1990s, he started looking for teaching aids and gun rests to demonstrate the importance of relaxation, accuracy and being less wasteful. He searched for simple ideas and techniques to help fellow hunters learn how to conserve energy, ammunition and how to hit their target. Curt experimented with numerous designs and concepts.
“Through trial and error, he learned the commercial rests on the market were not very handy and cost too much. Generally, they lacked the mobility and versatility that most folks want before including a gun rest as part of their hunting routine. Clearly, the technology of shooting sticks and bi-pods was not meeting the desires of everyday hunters,” Curt explained.
-more-
By 2002, Curt and his son David began developing a different type of gun rest. They built and field tested dozens of variations using the principles of portability, ease of use and size. They continually reworking the designs to comply solely upon what the market said it wanted, not just what was easy to manufacture. The target MSRP was set at $20 or less.
Market research showed that only a small percentage of hunters were willing to carry traditional bi pods and outdated shooting sticks all the time. Roughly 9 out of 10 hunters rejected the use of these traditional gun rests for three basic reasons.
- Hunters under 50 years of age said having to carry a walking stick or tri-pod was clumsy, they preferred to keep their hands free.
- Gun rests were not needed for all shots therefore traditional sticks just got in the way because they could not be easily stored in a pack or pocket.
- Old-style gun rests were expensive ranging up to $150 or more.
By 2005, the company started manufacturing products in the Midwest, displaying at national shows, talking with retailers, working with sales representatives and distributors. Before long, Little Sure Shot Gun Rests became known as the “#1 Selling Compact Gun Rests Worldwide and the line included twelve options.
Today, the Little Sure Shot Gun Rests are carried by hunters, law enforcement professionals and military members. The products weight 5 ounces, have three parts and are no bigger than a man’s hand. They hook around fallen limbs, branches, fence posts, virtually anything. After making the shot, the support is abandoned and the Little Sure Shot Gun Rest is stored in the pack until it is needed again.
-more-
Again in 2013, the company was challenged to bring to market an “on-board” gun rest system for use by hunters, military and police. To develop a gun rest system that can be easily utilized with shotguns, hunting rifles and AR-style rifles. A product line that is lightweight yet rugged enough to withstand tough environments.
In 2014 the company introduced Sidekick Gun Rests, a line of hunting and tactical stabilizers that affix to rifle’s hand guard or swivel mount. With Sidekicks, virtually any vertical structure available becomes the shooting base. The Sidekick’s claw flips open in a tenth of a second and can be mounted for left or right deployments. The claw retracts underneath the stud when not in use.
The Sidekick Gun Rest product line eliminates the need to carry clumsy supports or bi pods. With the Sidekick, any vertical structure becomes the stabilizer the moment it is needed. To deploy, flip the steel-claw open and lean the claw’s point into a post, tree or building. The steel-claw can be installed to open on either side of the barrel. When not needed, the claw retracts out of the way.
All products are made in the United States and shipped worldwide. Added information is available at www.SidekickGunRests.com and LittleSureShotGunRests.com.
“Looking forward, Thunderbolt Customs plans to continue to seek evolutionary product designs that enhance shooters abilities,” according to Lackey. In addition to his responsibilities as president of Thunderbolt Customs, he practices law in Centralia, Illinois.