With a multigenerational history of firearms experience, teaching, and a deep understanding of all the intricacies of shotguns, Matt Haught and his father, Rob, are true experts in their craft. Rob has been training law enforcement officers and members of the military for more than 30 years, specializing in the tactical and defensive applications of shotguns. He even helped develope the shotgun curriculum for the FBI’s special operations teams. Following in his dad’s footsteps, Matt has cultivated skills with a variety of firearms. He enjoys shooting multi-gun competitions as well as specialty matches such as the BUG (Back-Up Gun) match held in Tucson, Arizona. Additionally, Matt has a wealth of historical knowledge involving firearms, including noteworthy incidents, and has written several articles for our sister publication RECOIL magazine.
Combined, the Haughts teach under Symtac Consulting, LLC, offering instruction to the civilian market throughout the United States. We’ve trained with Matt and Rob firsthand on many occasions. Recently, they helped run the Thunderstick Summit outside Las Vegas with well-known custom shop Vang Comp Systems and a handful of the country’s foremost shotgun instructors. Read on as we interview Matt and take a deep dive into the “gospel of the gauge.”
RECOIL OFFGRID: Let’s start by discussing your history with firearms and your personal history. Tell us about how you’ve taken on the family business known as Symtac Consulting.
I grew up in rural West Virginia. Hunting is a way of life there. Every kid grows up getting a .22 and a .410, then going after small game, then going out after deer. I was no different. Dad was more into guns than most people, like to the point where even people in West Virginia thought he was a little odd. Because remember back there, a pump shotgun and a lever gun or a bolt gun — that’s par for the course. When you saw dudes carrying pistols back in the ’80s in West Virginia, people were like, hmm.
I shot my first pistol when I was 3. Dad held a little snubby and let me pull the trigger. I shot my first machine gun when I was 8. Dad had the great fortune, which also passed on to me, of being mentored by Ken Hackathorn.
