Nothing makes me happier than seeing fellow veterans returning from service and finding success in the defense industry. Applying lessons learned, and years of combat experience, in order to improve the capability and lethality of our men in women in uniform. Triarc Systems and the man behind the curtain, Chris Reeves, is no exception.

Triarc Systems was founded in September of 2013 by Army veteran Chris Reeves. A former paratrooper with the 1/505PIR in the 82^nd Airborne Division, and a few other units, Chris’ 14 years of military service, and two one-year combat tours to Iraq taught him undeniable lessons. One of those lessons is always having the right equipment. A Platoon Sergeant on the battlefield, Chris knew leadership and problem-solving. After being wounded overseas and receiving the Purple Heart, Chris retired from active duty and returned to Texas. It was then Triarc Systems was born.

Over the past few years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with Chris and use several weapons from his facility in Texas. One of the coolest aspects of their company is the engagement with some great instructors, and standing up their own training program, Triarc Training Program (TTP). TTP has classes for both MIL/LE and civilian, and is predominantly taught by Jonas Polson, Triarc Systems Lead Instructor. Jonas has over 13 years of military service with both the 75^th Ranger Regiment and the 10^th Special Forces Group (A).

We sat down with Chris to learn a bit more about Triarc Systems, what makes them different, and what the future holds.

RECOIL: How, and why, was Triarc Systems Founded?
Chris Reeves: At the end of my second tour overseas, I was wounded. I was MEDEVAC back home and then began the process of recovery. Having served 14 years, my plan was to do the full 20, but because of the nature of the injury, I exited the military. I returned home to Texas and kind of fell into the firearms industry, just having a passion and interest in weapons and understanding how important professionals rely on their weapon system kept my interest. I then began working for some other companies, and as time went on I decided I wanted to do things my own way. You get to a point where you want to put your own stamp on things, and control your own destiny, and then Triarc Systems was born.

R: What makes Triarc Systems different than other weapon manufacturers?
CR: It’s the people behind it and our mentality. Being a small business and having people 100% committed to each gun that goes out the door is key. Our customer is a professional end-user. We take our weapons very seriously, and most people who are affiliated with the company have served in a professional role at one point in their lives. They have that background to know what a good rifle should be. Our people have that foundation where they have relied on their weapon to protect themselves or others.

We take an analytical approach to the weapon system, looking at every single part, the balance, and how to optimize. For instance, if someone ever has a weapon system go down in the field it’s an opportunity for a learning process. When we build our guns, we are always taking consideration of what can go wrong. Firearms, in terms of the way they operate, haven’t evolved significantly this past century, it’s all operated by the cartridge. So, whether you’re using direct impingement or gas piston, it’s all been done before. Take the AR platform, you have 8 cycles of operation, so you think: what can I do to ensure each cycle of operation is running as efficiently as possible. So that’s what we do. Whether it’s using high-end springs, PPD coatings, or methods to eliminate friction.

We look at ways we can optimize every single part. We don’t just crank out products for the masses, we look at how people treat their gear, moving in and out of vehicles, demanding more ruggedness with the weapon. We look at making the most efficient product for on duty, or even competition. You must stand behind your product and your product needs to show up. No matter what you do your product needs to be top-notch.

R: What does the future hold for Triarc Systems?
CR: A big endeavor for us right now is our series Pushing Forward. Our motto at Triarc Systems is ‘Pushing Forward.’ The name was derived from Sun Tzu The Art of War, where essentially if troops are put on deadly ground they will continue to push forward and continue to fight. That’s really been my mindset with this company. This company is all I have, and I am going to push forward, continue how I can, and overcome any obstacle.

We are now in our second season of the series. The series is a way we can highlight trainers, and/or veterans, who are associated with Triarc Systems. We have some excellent people associated with the company such as Darren Houston, Brittany Mae, Brandon Bridge, Will Petty, and more. We really want people to have an opportunity to learn from some of these amazing folks and show what great things they are doing for the men and women in uniform.

Visit https://triarcsystems.com/

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