Most people that are involved with the firearms industry have heard of Volquartsen Firearms (VF) and its stellar reputation, but not many people have had a chance to get to know Scott Volquartsen, the president of the company. I thought it was a good time to talk to Scott and find out a little bit about him and the company he runs.
Cheyenne Dalton is sponsored by Volquartsen Firearms
Scott was born and raised in Carroll, Iowa, and other than his time in college, he’s lived there his entire life. He’s married, with 3 kids – whose ages range from 13 to 21.
Volquartsen Firearms started as a hobby for Scott’s dad in 1974; the business became full-time in 1986. Scott had a few odd jobs growing up, but he has primarily always worked in the family business. Back then, his main duties included sweeping the floors and cleaning machines. Scott graduated from tool & die school in 1995 and has been involved full-time ever since. Imagine that, from sweeping floors to being the boss!
Scott Volquartsen
Volquartsen is a family business and many family members are involved. Scott and his brother, Nic, run the day-to-day operations, but throughout earlier years, his mom also contributed as she and her husband strived to grow the business. Scott’s 2 sisters have also been involved off and on as well.
One thing I’ve noticed in watching the Volquartsen machine work is that they seem to focus on quality and not so much quantity. Scott says it’s the only way they know. He says his dad always insisted on quality and to this day it’s the way they operate. Putting the Volquartsen name on a product means they want to put out the very best they can. Many customers have told them that they’re going to pass their firearms down to one of their family members after they’re gone. This is a motivating factor to build something that will last a lifetime and is worthy of being passed down.
The Scorpion is the ultimate lightweight target pistol! Cheyenne’s flag pistol is for Open class and the black pistol is a Limited class gun. (Terry Dalton photo)
Scott says that the most rewarding part of the business is the people. The people involved in the shooting community are like a big extended family. If you’ve ever been to a trade show or match, you know what I mean.
On the flipside, Scott says the most frustrating part of the firearms industry is the way companies are treated. For example, in a lot of cases insurance rates are higher, credit card processing fees are higher, or they won’t do business with you at all, and there are many other examples as well. He says it’s frustrating to be restricted on what they can do based on nothing more than that they manufacture firearms.
Team Volquartsen at the Rimfire World Championship. Cheyenne Dalton, Kolby Pavlock, Tim Norris, Chase Orr, Ron Oliver and John and Wannitsa Gomez. (Terry Dalton photo)
When he’s not working, Scott enjoys time with his family. Vacationing is tops on the list. “We try and find a new spot each year. Over the past few years we have been to South Dakota, Virginia Beach, Disney along with a few others,” said Scott. “It is sometimes tough trying to find something all of the kids are interested in, but will try and mix it up from year to year.”
He has always been a big sports fan as well, and of course, his favorite teams wear the name “Hawkeye” on their jerseys. Scott likes to work out and stay active, because he feels like everything whether business or personal starts with taking care of yourself, so he makes that a priority: “As for workouts, they have evolved as I have gotten older and I have learned to listen to my body a little more. I try and hit the gym a minimum of 3 to 4 times per week and like to get outside and walk daily.”
Volquartsen teammates Kolby Pavlock and Cheyenne Dalton (Oleg Volk photo)
I asked Scott about getting involved in the firearms industry, and he told me to not be afraid to ask questions. He said finding a mentor would help you along your way, because most people in the industry are very helpful in general. He also said that being involved with the National Shooting Sports Foundation is a good way to network by attending conferences and trade shows. “Typically trade shows are a very hectic time,” said Scott, “so, my advice would be to try and make connections at trade shows but then follow up after the show when things aren’t as crazy.”
The Volquartsen shooting team has seen some new growth in the past couple of years. Scott says that they don’t have a set criteria to decide who makes the team, but how they carry themselves on the range, and interact with new or less skilled shooters is a good start. Also, being a good ambassador for the sport is a great characteristic as well. Being a skilled shooter is also a good thing, but not as high of a priority as the other attributes mentioned.
The Volquartsen Firearms company has big plans for expanding its line of products in the future, but nothing we can discuss here. (I tried to get him to divulge some juicy stuff here, but he wouldn’t budge.) Stay tuned, because the future looks bright.
If you’d like to know more about the Volquartsen Firearms line, please go check out www.volquartsen.com
Cheyenne Dalton is an up-and-coming junior competition in 3-gun, USPSA, and Rimfire challenge. She writes a column about her shooting experiences, sponsored by Voquartsen Firearms. She's been competing for 4 years and has won state titles, along with the Limited Ladies Rimfire World championship 2 times (2014 & 2016). When she's not at the range, she is traveling with her Bluegrass band, "That Dalton Gang," where she plays mandolin and violin, along with singing lead vocals. Her future plans include lots of shooting and continuing her education with a focus on being a pharmacist. She lives on a family farm in Missouri. View all posts by Cheyenne Dalton
