It all started back in 2010 after Derek, aka "Fitty%", lost his dominate right arm and retired from the Army after 12 years of service.  After retirement Derek felt like the loss of his arm and the nerve damage would prevent him from doing something he loved, shooting.  

     A few months after he was retired he had his friends over for a cookout.  One of his friends brought some "new guy" over with him that was going through the crew chief flight progression course with him.  That new guys name was Jonny, aka "Opr8rERROR", and through conversation found out that Derek was into guns like he was.

     Per usual, when gun guys get together, the guns were brought out and the friendship started.  As they were talking Derek was telling Jonny how he sold his first rifle because he thought the recoil from the 300winmag would be too much fro him now because of his injuries.  Jonny called BS and told Derek that they should go shooting that next weekend to see what he was still able to do and Derek agreed.

     That next weekend Jonny showed Derek that he was still able to shoot. Derek had also brought his little camera and shot some video of their time at the range.  After, Derek decided to make a compilation video of that range day and showed Jonny.  He liked what Derek came up with and told him he should do more and even upload it to YouTube.  He uploaded the video to YouTube and the views, other than friends started coming in.

     After that first video Derek saw the comedy that came out of Jonny's Southern comedic improv character and asked him if he would like to make that a recurring character on a YouTube channel and "Opr8rERROR" was born.  Then Derek came up with the channel name "Fitty%TACTICAL" which is the nickname he received in Afghanistan, "Fitty%", and using "tactical" in the end was a play on how overused that term was becoming.  

     After a few months of teaching himself how to shoot and edit videos better, Derek's wife suggested that he go to film school.  So he did and the evidence is the constant improvement in their video productions.  Along with the gun videos uploaded to YouTube, Derek has shot and edited four short films for the Nashville 48 Hour Film Festival and Jonny wrote and coproduced the short Noir film "Childs Play" with Derek for one of his final school projects.

     Recently they have started a podcast they call "Freedom 3.50" in addition to the "Fitty%" gun channel and will continue to make short films for the enjoyment of everyone that likes our content and style.