Mark developed an appreciation for firearms at a young age. He shot his father’s 22 rifle for the first time at the age of six and was forever surrounded by hunters and sportsmen where he grew up in Upstate New York.
Heritage also played a role in Mark's desire to create fine shotguns and rifles. His great uncle, Marion Shirley Risley, was a famous firearms innovator of the mid-twentieth century. Holmen Sweeney, the New York gun historian and amateur gunsmith, an uncle by marriage. Harris’ grandfather an extraordinary wing shot who bred and trained English setters. His father a respected artist, and brother a wildlife sculptor.
An avid outdoorsman, Mark majored in Conservation and Natural Resources in college and qualified for his collegiate rifle team. Except for emergency purchases of firearms and ammunition, Mark saved every penny he earned with the goal of attending gunsmith’s school. Mark received his A.A.S. degree in Gunsmithing from the well-regarded Trinidad State Junior College. Mark returned to Upstate New York to design and craft artisan shotguns and rifles.
Mark devoted his adult life to acquiring the expertise and equipment to finely sculpt metal and wood into firearms parts. His twenty-five years of owning and running a one man precision machine shop in addition to shooting and studying firearms, books, drawings, photographs and talking with experts in the field uniquely qualifies him to continue the evolutionary process of firearms design. His experience running a CNC machine shop gives him the ability to design and create complex parts with tolerances as tight as 50 millionths of an inch.
Every aspect of a Mark M. Harris firearm features impeccable quality , with metal and wood melded by precision machining, hand fitting and finishing, checkering and engraving. The Harris gun is designed and constructed to perform in the field or range, while offering aesthetic beauty for the discriminating firearm collector.
For thirty years, created demanding parts for a diverse customer base including R&D, repair, and production from one-offs to 1000s for aerospace, energy, medical and consumer products customers.
Led employees and subcontractors from concept to finished parts in materials ranging from steel and non-ferrous metals to plastic and wood.
Programmed and set up CNC mills, wire EDMs and lathes with extensive computer experience, including CAD/CAM, reverse engineering and macro programming for twenty years.
Consultant to firearms and manufacturing industries in U.S. and Europe, in areas ranging from reverse engineering and design to part production and machine design. Approved by New York State to train apprentice tool-makers and CNC machinists.
Participated in numerous trade shows
Owner of Harris CNC, Georgetown, NY October 1979 – present
CNC setup machinist for Bendix, Utica, NY October 1982 - May 1983
Mold repair-person for DieTooling, Wampsville, NY April 1980 - October 1982
Machinist for Marshall Tool, Deansboro, NY May 1979 - April 1980
Gunsmith for Frank LeFever, Lee Center, NY August 1978 - March 1980
Mohawk Valley Community College, 1981, Utica, NY
Coursework in computer science and engineering disciplines
Trinidad State Junior College, 1978, Trinidad, CO
A.A.S. Gunsmithing
SUNY Morrisville, 1976, Morrisville, NY
A.A.S. Natural Resource Conservation
Able to travel for business. In excellent health and non-smoker
Amateur tennis, chess and sporting clays competitor