Marc started his formal gunsmithing training at Lassen College in Susanville, California under the tutelage of Master Gunsmith Bob Dunlap. While in school, Marc designed and built a 9mm semi-auto carbine. After graduating with a Professional Gunsmithing Degree, Marc began the process of starting his own gunsmithing business in 1985. Marc estimates that he worked on over 11,000 firearms of various types in his 7+ years as general gunsmith.
In 1991 Marc shifted to IPSC-style competition, and the highly customized and tuned pistols and revolvers it required. It was during this time that Marc developed his “snakeskin” pattern checkering (copied by other gunsmiths and major manufacturers such as Smith & Wesson), and was accepted into the American Pistolsmiths Guild. In 1998 Marc was named one of the Top 10 pistolsmiths in the US by American Handgunner Magazine.
In September of 2000, Marc returned to his area of original interest – military small arms. After a long period of study & research regarding the designs of Michael Kalashnikov, Marc made the decision to produce his own AK-pattern rifle. Originally basing it on Saiga rifles (which are, essentially, AK100 series rifles which have been “sporterized” for import into the US), Marc later expanded his “base” to include other AK-pattern rifles.
Since then Marc Krebs and Krebs Custom have maintained a reputation for producing various custom models of top-quality AK-pattern rifles, as well as innovative accessories and parts that bring the Kalashnikov rifle into the 21st century, and that enhance the usefulness of AK to both US military and law-enforcement personnel, and civilian owners.