Give Me Five: Collegiate Rifle Coach Newt Engle

Marling “Newt” Engle, one of the nation’s most respected rifle coaches, has been coaching the University of Akron’s rifle team for more than 45 years.

1. We want to know more about you. Please give us a glimpse into your journey with firearms.

As the only one out of five kids in my family interested in hunting, as soon as I was taller than the weeds in the field, my dad gave me a shotgun, and the story began. I did some hunting and trap shooting with my dad and then discovered collegiate rifle at The University of Akron in 1974. (Wow, 50 years ago!)  I was a member of the team till 1977, when I was appointed head coach, which I still do today. But the job that paid the bills was being a police officer and firearms instructor from 1979 till I retired from police work in 2011. That job allowed me to teach college kids and police officers how to shoot for the last half a decade.

2. What two pieces of advice would you give someone interested in learning how to shoot or purchase their first firearm? 

Find a local sportsman’s club and introduce yourself. There are plenty of clubs out there; with some digging, you can find out who they are and their location. No matter what type of shooting you are interested in, or if you just have questions about what to purchase, most clubs will adopt you like a long-lost child and help you on your chosen path.

3. What is your favorite piece of firearm-related equipment that you own? Why do you like it?

One would think it would be my favorite competition rifle or my go-to trap gun, but the truth is my favorite piece of equipment is my collection of pull through bore cleaners. I am somewhat embarrassed to say it, but the reason I like them is because I am a just a little lazy. Almost everyone agrees that using a firearm and putting it away dirty is a really bad idea.  However, it takes extraordinary will power to build time in the schedule to clean the guns before throwing them in the safe. Thus, my compromise is to throw a little cleaner/lube on the pull through, give a couple of tugs on the rope and call it good till time permits a proper cleaning. At least the acids will not be etching the bore till who knows when.

4. What was something someone told you (or that you read) that significantly influenced your life?

I remember it like it was yesterday. I was about 12 years old, working in the garage with my grandfather—a gentle giant of a man who I loved and respected. I managed to pinch my finger and let fly with a swear word like GD it! Grandpa stopped what he was doing, grabbed me by the collar and pulled me nose to nose as he said, “The only reason a man swears is because he is too stupid to think something else to say, and you are not stupid!” To this day, if I slip and let an expletive go, I feel grandpa pulling on my collar.

5. What do you wish you knew about getting involved with firearms right from the beginning of your journey? 

In short, I wish I had known which firearms to keep and which ones to sell from the beginning. I am not a collector. I am a user. With few exceptions, if I am not using the gun, it will probably get sold. But for some reason, within a few years of me selling something, it becomes “collectible,” with the price doubling (or more).  I am sure we would all like a crystal ball that would tell us to “Know when to hold them.” Instead, I have a few go-to friends who track resale trends a lot more than I do.