He and Kyle developed a friendship and relationship that can only come from such a process. “I wanted to be on board to make sure that the project was done right-that I could do everything I could to make it as right as possible and to pay tribute to the legend,” said Dave Arnberger, one of the original builders of Chris Kyle’s personal McMillan TAC-338.Īs I spoke with Arnberger, his insistence on the appropriateness of this project was evident. Not only that, but two of the original gunsmiths who worked closely with Kyle to outfit the TAC-338 he deployed with are on the project. My nervousness was quelled when I learned that McMillan Firearms planned to build the gun as closely to the exact specs as the company did for Kyle in 2004, from the action, barrel, rail, trigger and stock to the screws and hardware-even if that meant stepping backward in technology to do so. There is a lot that can go right, yet so much that can go wrong-and those sentiments applied to my coverage of such a weapon. When I was told of the plans to build a clone of the rifle Kyle used, I was both excited and concerned. One of the sniper rifles used in the movie was a replica created by McMillan Firearms, and although there were no efforts to make such iconic firearms available to the public back then, the company is doing just that now with the TAC-338 bolt-action rifle. If you’re an avid shooter like me, you paid close attention to the authenticity of the weapons used throughout the film. One of the most recognized tributes to Kyle is the movie “American Sniper,” and if you’re reading this, it’s almost a guarantee you’ve seen it. His legacy is profound and further underscores how imperative it is to appropriately honor him. Instead, someone else provided those words and reinforced the impact Kyle had on so many Americans. Ironically, just minutes before that exchange, I was struggling with how to open this piece, worried that my words would not do Kyle justice. He continued to say how moved he was by the book, the efforts Kyle made and the man that Kyle was-so much so that he’d brought a veteran who was struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder to work at his business. He was simply a business owner traveling with his wife, with four boys at home. Special Report: Chris Kyle’s American Sniper SteelĪs I nodded, he said he’d recently read Chris Kyle’s book, “American Sniper,” and how impactful he thought it was.
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