Questions & Answers

The Powder Keg is celebrating 40 years of business in hunting supplies; was this an influencing factor in your decision to buy the business?

Not the 40 years specifically; I would say more the legacy of LJP who in many respects was a pioneer in the firearms industry. I have known of the Powder Keg since my childhood passion in guns and hunting. Having Paul Luff, a professional hunter and someone who works well with customers running the business was an important factor.
I see 40 years of The Powder Keg as tradition and excellence of a timeless pioneer.

I understand that you live in Slovenia, how is it that you got involved in The Powder Keg?

My career was 23 years in a division of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. which was later sold to Carlyle Private Equity. When Carlyle sold the business I decided it was time to start my own business in an area of my passion.
In a discussion with Neal Seady (now living and working in Abu Dhabi) I asked if he wanted to sell his dealers licence. Neil referred me to Paul Luff who at the time was managing The Powder Keg on behalf of the executors of LJP. Neil’s exact words were … Paul is a no bullshit type of a guy.
Paul and I never knew each other but we shared the same circle of friends – that was enough.

Are you planning to move back to South Africa and be active in the management of the business?

For now – no. The value I bring to the business is derived from living in Europe i.e. building relationships with suppliers of products that fit the strategy and profile of The Powder Keg. I love South Africa, but the business needs me in Europe. Paul Luff and I talk daily on Skype. I will go where I can add the most value.

Why did you invest in the gun industry in South Africa?

Probably because my emotions are moved quicker than my intelligence. I “love” fine guns and the outdoors; it is this love affair and passion that will get me over hurdles and make us successful. Each of my private rifles are worth more than the vehicle I drive. Also, I believed that I could make meaningful contributions to the industry. I was told that there was a broad distrust in the values and ethics of the gun trade. I have successfully changed company cultures all over the world, I wanted to grow a business that was standout from the herd. Making your passion your business is a privilege.

What are these values that you want to bring?

Fundamental in everything I do are – trust, one for another (i.e. team work), a passion to win and freedom to act. I teamed up with Paul Luff because we share these common values. Our customers first – always, they must trust us and we will earn their respect. I prefer to be respected than liked; customers and my team might not always like what I do or say but they will respect the logic that I share behind every decision.

Did you consider the competitive landscape in your decisions to invest?

Yes. I like what Safari and Outdoor brought to the industry – they lifted the bar on professionalism in the industry. We can never be what Safari and Outdoor are AND we don’t want to be. We have good strategy, meaning our strategies are differentiated. Competition is healthy and critical to the industry. I don’t over-indulge in what our competitors are doing, I rather focus on doing well that which we have chosen to do.

Can you share with us your strategies?

The detail – not just yet. What I can share is that we will uphold the highest level of ethics in everything that we do at The Powder Keg. We will work with the police to solve problems – I don’t like only criticism, we must be part of the solution. We will deliver value to our customers. We will work closely with our suppliers because they are fundamental to our success. We will differentiate ourselves from our competitors. We have a lot to change and that’s the value I see in the business.

What is your vision for The Powder Keg?

I ran a successful $400M business responsible for all countries outside of the Americas. I mention this to illustrate that I would get bored with a shop only. I did not buy a gun shop. We will grow through innovative approaches to market with partners who share our values and principles of win win. LJP left a 40 year legacy, we will contribute to the transformation of this legacy.

Do you hunt in Slovenia?

I was the first foreigner to be accepted to a hunting family in Slovenia. This process required 2 years before I qualified. There are no agricultural fences in the country so it is the duty of the hunting families to manage the game. Hunters in Slovenia do a lot for wildlife – I am required to work 30 hours a year in the family, feeding game in winter and cleaning the hunting territory.

Do you speak Slovene?

I am ashamed to admit that despite having lived in Slovenia for 10 years and being married to a Slovene I don’t speak Slovene. There has not been a need, however I miss the comradery in hunting because the older generation don’t speak much English. But all Slovenes appreciate the 20 words that I do know even though (to me) they are not as descriptive as they are in Afrikaans.

What animals have you hunted in Slovenia?

I have shot Chamois (GAMS) at 1600m elevations; deer and wild boar on the flats. I have hunted in snow and in the heat. I have participated in driven hunts and shooting from a hide. I am yet to shoot Red Deer and decided not to shoot a brown bear. I will have a blog on our website where I will share my hunting experiences; my plan for 2017 is to host family hunting safaris in Slovenia. I want families to enjoy a wide range of activities including hunting.

How would you compare the licencing process in South Africa to Slovenia?

What I like most in Slovenia is the emphasis on licensing the person vs. the firearm. The process to own your first firearm is involved, stuff like medical and psychological tests, exams on local animal species and the local gun laws, one year practical in a hunting family with a mentor etc. but now it takes a maximum of 5 working days to get a licence. I see no purpose in the time and resources spent licensing individual firearms, the focus should be on the assessment of individuals, their character and sanity for example.

You said you love guns and the outdoor, what firearms do you own in Slovenia?

I came to Slovenia with tunnel vision of what I grew up with in the Eastern Cape. American calibres, high velocity, heavy barrels and serial guns. In my quest to own one true custom gun I met a great friend in Slovenia – Ales Spendal, one of the finest gun makers from Ferlach Austria. I sold most of my serial and high velocity calibres and have a collection of European calibres made by Ales – his guns are art, he takes up to 3 years to complete each piece.

What is your favourite custom and serial rifle?

Double in 9.3 x 74R made by Ales Spendal. I had him make me the finest 500 NE, for what I was not sure at the time, but this gun will become the icon of The Powder Keg, it is displayed in all our stationery and adverts. In serial I only own Blaser because they are accurate out of the box and because they are shorter (important for limited space in hides). Others will add quick loading but I love double guns and only use double guns for pig hunts in Slovenia.

Do you reload your own ammunition?

I have been reloading for the past 30 years and still learning. This is my passion and GO TO when I need a break at home. Regulating double guns by reloading is fulfilling. Mostly my doubles were regulated with heavier slower bullets but I have had successes regulating lighter bullets at higher velocities. I do not load for anyone else, I simply don’t want that responsibility.

What reloading components do you use?

I spend a lot of time and effort on my loads so I use only premium components. It is expensive to shoot animals in Europe and besides it is only fair to animals to have a clean kill – if I make a mistake it is not because I saved on component costs. The Powder Keg will carry premium components. It is important to practice (for me anyway because I am not a natural) so I would use cheaper components for practicing.

What reloading equipment do you use and will The Powder Keg also be selling it?

I have continually upgraded my reloading equipment at a heft cost, I don’t want our customers to pay the same school fees that I have paid. I still own a Forster press that I bought from Kassie Kasselman at QPS some 15 years ago. The Powder Keg will sell carefully selected equipment in the different reloading processes and our team will be trained in the benefits and features of the products we sell. I don’t believe that there is any manufacturer who has the best components across every reloading process.

Have you had any successes at The Powder Keg since ownership?

We took ownership of the business in Jan 2016. We are building the platform for 2017 around carefully chosen strategies. In 2016 we only had time for opportunistic local purchases, but in only 5 months we have secured exclusive representation of Kahles and Delta optics, Chevalier clothing, Huglu shotguns and custom guns from Grulla and Ales Spendal. We have secured other non-exclusive supply relationships that fit our strategy.

You talk a lot about The Powder Keg strategies, so I want to ask you again about these?

Let’s just say for now, if you don’t know where you are going then any road will take you there. We know what will be the golden thread at The Powder Keg and we will focus on good implementation. We have refreshed our logo and in the next few weeks our new image will be portrayed on our website. We want The Powder Keg to become a relaxing and convenient haven for hunters, sports shooters and their families. We want to serve and satisfy. We want The Powder Keg to become the destination of choice.

You mentioned Chevalier clothing, can you give some more insights into the clothing lines that you will sell?

Clothing was a big learning curve and paradigm shift for me. On one occasion I was sent home before the start of a hunt because I arrived in camo; on another, an alpine hunt, I was first taken to buy suitable clothing; these were lessons learnt apart from cold weather conditions. It gets very hot in summer so clothing in Europe is designed for all conditions. I discarded all clothing I bought during my numerous business trips to the USA, there is just no comparison to European clothing designers. For the past 8 years I have only owned 1 piece of Chevalier clothing for every season so I am pleased to bring this product to The Powder Keg.

Do women hunt in Europe?

I am told that in 2015 in Austria more women hunters enrolled than men. I have not validated this but directionally this is true. More and more clothing and firearms are being developed specifically for women. The Powder Keg will carry a range of quality designer Chevalier clothing.
In Slovenia not many women are members of hunting families but this is changing. In the past it seems that men used the hunting excuse to escape their wives, more than shooting anything.

What do you miss most and least about South Africa?

I miss my daughter the most … living apart from my daughter (Demi) has been tough. I miss my family and friends and the outdoors. Hunting in SA is a privilege and partnering with conservation must continue to grow. What do I like least? There is corruption globally, no purpose to comment on this, but I dislike the violence that accompanies crime. Slovenia is probably the safest country in Europe, girls of 6 years and older ride unaccompanied on public transport. Children can still be children.

How does hunting compare in Slovenia to South Africa?

Let me start with the non-hunters joking definition of a Slovene hunter – a drunkard walking through the forest looking for the shortest cut to the nearest pub. What they call communal hunting are days that hunting families invite other hunting families to their hunting area. This typically involves traditional formalities and lots of drinking with very few animals shot.

There is no comparison because of the differences in habitat, space and regulations; however what is common is hunters’ respect of wild life. Slovene hunters are active in their communities, maybe something that originates from the positive aspects of socialism. If only we could all learn from each other with open and enquiring minds then hunters would all be in a better space.

Have you brought any Slovenes to hunt in South Africa?

On at least 5 different occasions. They loved their experiences and all will return when they can afford to. All valued the companionship of the hunt – shooting trophy animals was not what defined for them success in the hunt. They were often overawed by the sheer size of the animals. They loved the South African people irrespective of background.

What are your favourite hunting calibres?

I prefer heavier calibres to light calibres in every instance other than shooting vermin. Every hunter will have a bad shot, with heavier calibres there is a much better chance to track and find quicker. For light deer in Slovenia I like my 7x57R only because I reload with quality bullets at higher velocities than factory ammunition. For bigger deer or pigs I use 9.3mm calibres. In South Africa I opt for 375H&H most of the time. In Europe everyone shoots for the meat yield, there are limited animal quotas so meat damage is a big factor in choice of calibre and bullet (bigger and slower).

You spoke about the 500 NE that is becoming the icon showpiece for The Powder Keg – how do you manage the recoil?

I only shot this rifle in the regulation process. I bought this double for investment, but what I did learn is that recoil is more an imaginary issue to deal with than a real issue. After shooting the 500NE (not much recoil) I am more comfortable shooting every other calibre (psychological). I taught (maybe convinced) myself to love recoil and now I thrive on bigger calibres although I weigh only 80 kilograms. My bad habits are the same irrespective of calibre (imaginary noise and recoil anticipation) hence I always opt for bigger calibres. You are not done with your rifle collection until you own a double in a big calibre, you load for it and your enjoy shooting it.