Interview with Marco Cabahug

Tell us a little about who you are

Hey guys I’m Marco Cabahug, a professional shooter in the firearm industry.

Started in sales at a Mom and Pop shop when I was 21, got into shooting matches not long after and was fortunate enough to be successful at it over the years which has gotten me sponsors like SuperVel, Holosun, Taran Tactical, Mean Arms, and many other like Unrivaled Technologies.

I’ve worked in just about every aspect of the industry over the years from sales, management, professional shooter, consultant, instructor, and even running CNC machines to produce firearms and parts.

Why is celebrating our APA Heritage important to you?

It’s important to me because it always brings me back to remember where my family lineage came from in Cebu, Philippines. Not only did we own many lumber mills that are still up till this day, but we also fought against the Japanese during World War II, and even supplied the Philippines military with firearms from one of my great grandfather’s companies.

What’s your ethnic background and what do you appreciate about your APA heritage?

My family is from Cebu Philippines. I still try to make it back every year or so, and still enjoy my time there. As a Filipino, shooting is big in our culture hence why you see so many Filipinos, so natural at the shooting sports, dominating the sport.

What is one of your favorite firearms and why?

Till this day the Colt M16a1 is still my number one since it was really the first real gun my Uncle let me shoot when I was a child at our family’s gun factory. Nothing like going full auto as a kid.

What’s a top firearms safety tip you can share?

Always treat guns as if they are loaded and never ever point them at anything you don’t intend to destroy. Safety is big since we shoot so many matches a year.

What’s one of the hardest things you’ve ever accomplished?

Making Grand Master in one year in PCC division by a match bump and not classifiers. I didn’t want to class up doing classifiers because I really wanted to fight for it against the best, I got my opportunity in 2019 at Magnus Cup in St. George where I finished behind Max Leongrandis, the legend himself, beating out a lot of other big names.

What’s an exciting firearms-related project or initiative you’re working on?

Working with my sponsors like Holosun, SuperVel, and Unrivaled Technologies to see how we can improve everything from optic systems to ammunition and firearm upgrades to really push the systems to their cutting edge limit. Some of the things we can do to these guns now literally turns them into laser guns with no recoil.

Where do you go for firearms news and culture?

I like to watch a lot of YouTube on my down time, but I will say I still just like to get out and talk to people at events or matches and even companies to see what they’re cooking up next.

I really enjoy interacting with people in real time, not so much on social media, which I hate to say. I’m horrible at posting stuff but call me old school.

I like being in the field with boys. Ain’t nothing like really being out there and just enjoying the time not having to work with cameras or videos, it’s the real interactions which I really care about, it just feels more personal.

What’s one thing you wish would change about the APA community?

I’d say just continue to invite people out to try matches. Match culture is an excellent way to really push and race the systems while hanging out with cool people. I really pride myself in trying to get people to at least try it once. It brings me great pride when people see me a few years later and thank me for introducing them to it, saying it changed their lives.

What advice would you give to both new and experienced shooters?

I hope if you just got into shooting guns whether it be for self defense, fun, or sport, I urge you to try a match sometime. You never know where it will take you.