The photo shows Joseph “Skeet” Borden with a match rifle built by Jim Borden. We celebrate three pairs of fathers with their sons who have enjoyed competitive shooting together on this Father’s Day in 2024. This story shows how shooting together can build life-long relationships between fathers, sons and their children. Joseph Borden and Jim Borden
Jim Borden posted a Facebook post a while back that made us reflect on how shooting can help build relationships between father and son. Jim remembered how he used to go to Piedmont with his father for a shooting competition every year: “17 years ago, this weekend was the final time dad was able make the trek to North Carolina to attend the annual Groundhog Contest and the match in Piedmont. We had a great time together. Dad and I shot benchrest competitively from 1980 to June 2001. He passed away in August 2001.” Other shooters responded with fond memories of their fathers: “I would give a whole year’s salary to have my dad back for even an hour, never mind a day.” Spend as much time with them as you can while they are still here. Kerry S.: “I think some people are lucky to look back on their lives and have fond memories doing things with their parents they both enjoyed. I have missed my father for 44 years. I think of him whenever I hunt, fish or trap, or do a household task. Bill McC. Another poster described how he now goes to matches with his son. “The time that you spent with your dad meant as much, if not more, to him. You will always cherish those memories, I know it. Last year I spent over 400 hours going to rifle matches with my son, who was then 10 years old. This year, it will be the same. This photo was taken today of my son, who is 11 years old.” — John C. Here’s a message for all dads: Take some time to introduce the joys of shooting to your sons and daughters. Spend as much time as you can with your children. Time passes quickly, boys grow up into men. Enjoy the outdoors whenever you can. About Jim Borden and Borden Accuracy
Jim began shooting high-power silhouette and benchrest competitions in the mid-1970s, while working as an engineer for a Fortune 500 firm. In the early 80s, he started building rifles first for himself and later for others. Jim is a gunsmith, machinist and registered mechanical engineer. He has also worked as a project manager, a hunter and a benchrest competitor. He has won 11 National Championships and set 10 world records in benchrest competitions. This earned him an induction into the Benchrest Hall of Fame. Jim served six terms as the President of the International Benchrest Shooters. Jim runs Borden Rifles/Borden Accuracy along with his wife Joan and sons Jim Junior, John, Andrea Mecca, and son-in law John (Mike), Mecca. Jim is a talented photographer. Hunter Hall and Sam Hall are another father-son duo. Hunter Hall is an IBS mid-range record holder, as well as a multi-time 600-yard Shooter-of-the-Year. Sam Hall has held many IBS mid range records. When Sam is on his game, it’s hard to beat him. Hunter Hall, Sam’s son who is now in his late teens, has proven to be a worthy opponent. Hunter Hall won the North Carolina State 1000 yard Light Gun Group Title at age 12. Hunter Hall was interested in his father’s hobby of shooting from a young age. Hunter Hall has a God-given gift for hitting the target. There would be a new champion in the Hall clan. Hunter, 12 years old, won the NC 1000-Yard Group. Not bad for a kid who is not even in high school yet! Hunter was interested in shooting even at the age of six. Sam reported in 2012: “This weekend, we practiced shooting cans with his BB Gun. After that, I needed to zero my Light Gun before I could start shooting a few rounds at 100 yards. To my surprise, my 6-year-old son wanted to come with me. I was shocked when he asked to shoot my competition gun. I had just installed a new scope and barrel on it, and needed to zero the rifle. After two shots, he was able to hit a dot of.25 inches at 100 yards. I let him handle everything — loading, ejecting, and even operating my Farley joystick. It all began in the basement of a small town elementary school where they shot single-shot rimfire targets rifles, while establishing the fundamentals of sighting, breathing, trigger control and safety. Ken Klemm, who had competed in smallbore shooting at school and in the U.S. Navy before, coached his son Ian in an indoor winter shooting league. Ian was determined to be as good or better than his father and pursued that goal for 30 years. Ian continued to compete against his father by mailing “postal matches” targets back-and-forth for many years, even after his engineering career brought him to Washington DC for defense related work.
Father and son shooting together Her Ian spots his father Ken Klemm who is shooting. Ian has now reached the pinnacle in his F-TR discipline. Ian Klemm now has three National F-TR Championships under his belt in just four years. Ian won back-to-back titles at Lodi in WI in 2017 and Raton in NM in 2018, winning both in 2017. Ian finished second in the 2019 Nationals. Ian won the F-TR National title under very difficult conditions in 2020. Here is Ian with his proud parents Karen Klemm and Ken Klemm, after Ian won the Second straight F-TR National Championship. Father Ken also competed in the 2018 F-Class Nationals. He shot well both individually and as a team.
