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Don Mainland

The father and son duo of Don and Jeff Mainland of Kolar Arms from Racine, WI, has crafted magnificent shotguns, and they have helped set the bar in shotgun manufacturing. Their success has permitted them to sponsor numerous shoots and events throughout the country. Their shotguns have created a steadfast community of supporters.

The late patriarch Don Mainland lived by the motto, “Finish whatever you start and do the best at whatever you do.” This simple phrase represents everything that Don set out to accomplish. Don embodied this mantra from a young age where he volunteered with Sterling Tool; he used this apprenticeship to learn all he could about tool and die making. He borrowed $500 from his mother to purchase Letsch Manufacturing and began crafting, among other things, bicycle frames. Don was an avid cyclist, riding his bike from San Diego to New York in just 14 days. In true Mainland fashion, Don parlayed his expertise in cycling, his knowledge of machine work, and his standards of excellence to braze some of the best bike frames at that time. Don’s bike frames were used by all of the United States Olympic cyclists in 1972.

In the 1970s Don entered the shotgunning community as he developed an interest in skeet shooting. In 1980, Don purchased an already established tube company from Larry Kolar and moved the manufacturing from New York to Wisconsin. From its new Wisconsin home, Kolar Arms machined their sub-gauge tubes. They also began a partnership with Remington where they machined reproduction parts for the Parker 20-gauge side-by-sides.

In 1975, Don’s son Jeff started working in his father’s Pioneer Products machine shop part-time. Like his father, Jeff took to the tool and die making industry. By 1977, Jeff was a full-time apprentice at Letsch Manufacturing. Soon, Jeff became quite proficient in CNC (computer numerical control) programing. Ultimately, recognizing the Mainland family’s dedication to expert machining, Remington turned to Kolar Arms to help design and manufacture all of the Remington 90-Ts.

It was Don’s vision to create an American-made competitive shotgun, under the Kolar brand name. Armed with Don’s vision and aided by Kolar’s vice president and chief engineer Keith Sprangers, 10 prototypes were manufactured, with Jeff personally doing the machining. Kolar went to market in 1996.

Their competitive line of trap, skeet and sporting shotguns soon made it into the hands of thousands of shooters, winning numerous tournament titles. Don had two of his creations make their way to the Olympics. In addition to the bicycle frames in 1972, the Kolar shotgun entered the Olympics with athletes Derrick Mein and Madelynn (Maddy) Bernau.

Jeff is passing down the Kolar legacy to the third generation, his son Sean Mainland the current President of Kolar Arms, and to Jeff’s daughter Brooke Schott, who is now working with Sean as a marketing assistant.

To both Don and Jeff, quality, fit and finish were always paramount in their products.

Don and Jeff Mainland have given a lifetime of commitment and left Kolar’s indelible mark on trapshooting’s legacy. Jeff said, “I’m so honored, and I know my father is also. The future of Kolar is secure in Sean’s hands. I thank everyone for this special honor.”