‘I still have 10 fingers’: St. George woman builds ammo jewelry business using hand-cut bullet casings

ST. GEORGE —When a 13-year-old girl started a business making jewelry out of recycled bullet casings, she had no idea it would become her career and fund her dreams.

Taylor Meserve, owner of Country Strong Ammo Jewelry smiles for a photo at her home in St. George, Utah, April 12, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Taylor Meserve, owner of Country Strong Ammo Jewelry smiles for a photo at her home in St. George, Utah, April 12, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

“It has been nuts,” Taylor Meserve, owner of Country Strong Ammo Jewelry, said. “It’s crazy. It’s stressful. It is rewarding. It’s sad. It’s happy – that’s a good grouping of words. More than anything, it’s like, ‘Wow, I’ve done it.’ I’ve done it for 10 years. I think that is the craziest thing – that 13-year-old Taylor –  if she could look at me now.”

Handmade items from Country Strong Ammo Jewelry include five different styles of bracelets, earrings, rings, wine stoppers, bottle openers, resin coasters, valve stem covers, money clips, golf ball markers, divot tools and more.

Each item is made from recycled ammo, and Meserve said she picks up casings from outdoor target practice areas, customers give them to her and she shoots her own. The stones seen in the items are Savaorski crystals. She focuses on offering the best quality product while making it affordable for the public.

“And I hand cut individually, every single casing off the walls,” she said. “It’s very time-consuming, but after 10 years of doing this, I’ve got it down to a pretty good science.

Rings by Country Strong Ammo Jewelry feature recycled bullet casings and Swarovski crystals, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Taylor Meserve, St. George News
Rings by Country Strong Ammo Jewelry feature recycled bullet casings and Swarovski crystals, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Taylor Meserve, St. George News

But how does a 23-year-old have a business that’s 10 years old?

Originally from Washington State, Meserve said the business all started when she wanted to make a unique gift for a friend who was graduating high school. She asked her friend’s father to send some of her friend’s bullet casings, which she used to make earrings. 

“My dad was like, ‘You can do this, but don’t cut your fingers off,’” Meserve said. “Well, 10 years later, I still have 10 fingers, so I must be doing something right.”

After she made herself a pair of earrings and people began asking about them, she decided to go bigger. Not old enough to drive, she asked her mom to take her to a local market so she could offer her products to the public. Her first booth was at a 4th of July event and consisted of a small card table, a necklace rack and a pair of earrings. The business quickly took off.

A necklace by Country Strong Ammo Jewelry features a recycled bullet casing and a Swarovski crystal with a skull, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Taylor Meserve, St. George News
A necklace by Country Strong Ammo Jewelry features a recycled bullet casing and a Swarovski crystal with a skull, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Taylor Meserve, St. George News

In choir throughout school, she had the opportunity to go to Europe and sing in the all-state choir. Using the money she made from her business, she was able to send herself on the trip, which included 30 different countries.

Continuing to work hard and achieve her goals, Meserve was able to buy her first car on her own. Around the age of 18, she obtained a contract with the National Rifle Association, which included 1,300 of her handmade bracelets featured at banquets in all 50 states. When it came time for college, she was able to put herself through school on her own.

“And now I’m here, and I was fortunate enough to buy myself a house,” she said about her recent move to St. George. “Throughout these 10 years, a lot of hard work built up to this home. A lot of planning. This is my first-ever big-girl move ever in my life.”

Meserve said the best part is being able to include her parents. Country Strong Ammo Jewelry travels all over the U.S. for events such as rodeos, festivals and fairs, with an average of 10 states per year. Her parents travel with her, and the family runs the event booths together.

A divot tool by Country Strong Ammo Jewelry features a recycled bullet casing and a Swarovski crystal, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Taylor Meserve, St. George News
A divot tool by Country Strong Ammo Jewelry features a recycled bullet casing and a Swarovski crystal, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Taylor Meserve, St. George News

“I get to make a mini-vacation everywhere I go,” she said. “I want to go to all these fun rodeos and street festivals, and I want to actually meet the people who are buying my product. And we always have a good time.”

With all her hard work and success, Meserve said giving back is something she takes pride in. She’s been heavily involved in the NRA and donated to many outdoor causes such as Behind the Badge and youth hunting organizations. 

“I’ve just been so grateful this has all happened the way that it has,” she said. “I have a hard time remembering that I’m still 23. I feel like I’m a lot older than I am and have set such high expectations for myself that I feel like I should be doing more, but technically I’m still a baby.”

For more information on Country Strong Ammo Jewelry, including where to find their booth, visit them on Instagram and Facebook. Products can be purchased online via their Etsy shop here

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

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