Today We’re Asking for Your Help

To our readers,

Today we’re sending an email unlike any we’ve sent before.

Since launching The Ballistic Assistant, we’ve worked to build something different. Our goal has never been to chase clicks, fill our pages with intrusive advertising, or tell readers what they should buy. Instead, we’ve focused on providing practical, engineering-driven content that lets the data speak for itself. Whether we’re evaluating a new firearm, explaining the science behind handloading, or digging into industry news, our objective has always been to present the facts honestly and let you draw your own conclusions.

We’ve also made a commitment that The Ballistic Assistant will always remain free to read. We believe good information should be accessible to anyone who wants to learn. There are no paywalls, no memberships, and no premium articles. This website exists because readers choose to support what we do by sharing our work, visiting the site, and occasionally purchasing products through our affiliate partners.

For the first time since we launched The Ballistic Assistant, we’re asking for something different.

We’re asking for your help for one of our own.

Many of you know Marc Brown as the co-owner of The Ballistic Assistant. While you may not see his name on every article, you’ve benefited from the countless hours he’s invested behind the scenes helping build this website into the resource it has become today.

During the Good Friday weekend, Marc’s life changed forever.

A devastating house fire destroyed the home he and his family had built together. Thankfully, everyone escaped safely, along with their dog, and the vehicles parked outside were spared. Nearly everything else was lost. Family heirlooms, photographs, furniture, clothing, decades of memories, and the workshop Marc had spent years building disappeared in less than an hour.

Like many homeowners who experience a total loss, Marc quickly discovered that while insurance helps begin the recovery process, it cannot truly replace a lifetime of accumulated possessions. One of the greatest losses was his workshop. Years of carefully collected tools and equipment, assembled one piece at a time, were gone.

Anyone who has ever built a workshop knows it isn’t something that can simply be replaced with a trip to the hardware store. It’s years of saving, carefully selecting quality tools, receiving meaningful gifts from family and friends, and slowly building a space where ideas become projects and projects become accomplishments. It represents years of work, craftsmanship, and memories.

We’ve created a GoFundMe to help Marc begin rebuilding what he lost, with a particular focus on replacing the tools and equipment that insurance could not fully restore.

If you’re in a position to help, we would be incredibly grateful. No contribution is too small. If donating isn’t possible, sharing the fundraiser or simply keeping Marc and his family in your prayers is equally appreciated.

You can support Marc here:

One of the greatest privileges of building The Ballistic Assistant has been getting to know so many people who share our passion for learning, craftsmanship, and helping one another. Time and again we’ve seen this community step up when someone needed a hand.

Today, we’re simply asking if you’ll do that once more.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your kindness, your generosity, and for making The Ballistic Assistant what it is today.

Sincerely,

Jay Haehnel
Co-Owner
The Ballistic Assistant

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P.S. We’ll continue publishing the technical articles, product reviews, historical pieces, and engineering content you’ve come to expect. This email is an exception because sometimes the people behind the work need the same support they’ve spent years trying to give others.