About Us

Ashley Emerson

Consultant

With 20+ years in the industry, Ashley is recognized for his no-nonsense, function-drives-form designs, and he has created or refined many popular sights and scope mounts. He worked at B-Square in the early '90s and then was head designer and co-owner at Miniature Machine Corp (MMC), where he designed the MMC Adjustable Combat Sight for pistols and shotguns.

He is well known for adapting and popularizing express sights for defensive handguns and for long-gun sights utilizing a ghost-ring rear and white-stripe front, both commercialized through Ashley Outdoors (now XS Sight Systems).  Since then, he has remained active in the industry, providing ideas for many popular products as a friend, customer, or consultant.  Ashley possesses extensive knowledge and real-world experience gained from time in the classroom, in the field, and on the range.

Since 2012, Ashley has owned and operated Garrett Cartridges of Texas, continuing Randy Garrett's line of exceptional .44 Magnum and .45-70 hunting ammunition and expanding the line with additional .45-70 loads and new .45 Colt and .454 Casull offerings.

Prior to his industry involvement, Ashley earned a bachelor degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Industrial Technology.  He served as a Deputy in the early '80s in the Texas counties of Comanche and Somervell, and he later worked at machine shops providing parts for a variety of customers, including the Superconducting Super Collider project.

 

Michael Alford

Owner and Manager

Mike and Ashley have been friends since 1985, when Mike was a 15-year-old firearms enthusiast and fellow fan of Chrysler muscle cars.  He has practiced patent law since 2000 and represented several industry clients, including Jim Cirillo and ESEE Knives.  Mike is a partner at the intellectual-property firm Lightfoot & Alford PLLC.

In his younger days, Mike was certified as an EMT and graduated from a junior-college police academy.  In addition to his Law degree, he earned an associate degree in Criminal Justice and bachelor degrees in Government and Mechanical Engineering.

 

Larissa Alford

Owner and Manager

Stolen from the cradle by Mike, Larissa has known Ashley since she was 14 years old.  She earned an Accounting degree and has been a CPA since 1999.  Larissa has worked for companies in various industries and ranging in size from small and family-owned to the Fortune 50.