The Legacy of a Toilet Paper Engineer: How Jim Borden Built World-Record Precision

In the precision rifle world, where opinions are as plentiful as projectiles, few names spark instant respect like Borden. But it wasn’t always that way.

Before his actions were setting world records and dominating leaderboards from benchrest to F-Class, Jim Borden was getting plenty of flak from the old guard of the shooting world. His unforgivable offense? He was an engineer at Procter & Gamble. That’s right—he came from the land of diapers, toothpaste, shampoo, and yes... toilet paper. Not exactly the résumé that screams “rifle-building legend” to the steel-and-solvent crowd. To them, he was a suit from the consumer goods world, not a guy who should be anywhere near custom actions. So they gave him a nickname: “the toilet paper engineer.” It was a dig—meant to discredit the idea that someone who worked in the land of Charmin could ever build something worthy of a world record. Real clever.  But while others were busy laughing, Jim was busy learning—refining systems, solving problems, and developing a mindset that would eventually put him lightyears ahead of most rifle action builders. The irony? The guy who supposedly “didn’t understand rifles” is now the reason a whole lot of people are punching tighter groups at a thousand yards.

Procter & Gamble

Jim spent over two decades at Procter & Gamble, working first as an engineer and eventually as an engineering manager. This wasn’t theoretical desk work—it was high-stakes, real-world problem-solving where deadlines were fixed and tolerances weren’t suggestions. You didn’t get handed a blueprint. You got a vague set of objectives, a problem, and a clock ticking down. One of his first major assignments? Design a heat exchanger—essential to one of their massive production lines—from little more than a slide deck and a verbal briefing. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was foundational. That kind of engineering forces you to think in systems, not just parts. It taught him to anticipate failure points, optimize performance, and design things that worked—not just looked good on paper.

Paper engineering—especially at the scale P&G operates—demands a deep understanding of material behavior, fluid dynamics, stress response, and high-speed systems. That’s a goldmine of experience for someone transitioning into precision rifle design, even if it’s not immediately obvious to outsiders. The machinery involved in high-speed paper production is incredibly sensitive to vibration, heat, and load changes—factors that just so happen to show up every time you touch off a round downrange. Jim learned to design for that kind of stress early, and he carried that knowledge directly into his work with rifles.

Unlike many early custom action builders, Jim didn’t just know how to machine steel—he understood what was happening inside that steel when a round was fired. He knew how pressure traveled, how forces loaded and unloaded, and where tolerances mattered most. His background gave him a set of insights most action makers simply didn’t have. He’d seen big companies make costly mistakes by ignoring pressure dynamics and stress flow. He wasn’t about to repeat them. When he started building actions, he did it with that same systems-first approach, and it didn’t take long before the difference showed up on target.

Jim the Rifle Builder

Jim started building rifles on the side in the late ’80s—not to launch a business, but because he couldn’t ignore the mechanical flaws hiding inside even the most respected actions. He began by truing rifle actions—a process that involves precision machining to bring critical surfaces like the receiver face, lug abutments, and barrel threads into perfect alignment. The goal is simple: eliminate any deviation that could affect lockup, stress distribution, or ultimately, accuracy. In short, it’s about making the action do what it was supposed to do in the first place.

What started as a way to clean up existing rifles quickly evolved into a deeper exploration of the flaws baked into some action designs. Jim wasn’t just smoothing out imperfections—he was diagnosing systemic issues and thinking two or three steps ahead. That mindset eventually led him to work with a few action makers, helping them improve their designs and tighten up their tolerances. It was a productive chapter, filled with valuable lessons and collaborative success. But, as happens often in the world of precision shooting, philosophy eventually collided with practicality. Jim wasn’t willing to compromise on tolerances, materials, or process—and not everyone shared that conviction. When those differences became more of a distraction than a discussion, he made a decision: he’d build his own actions, his own way.

By 2001, everything came in-house. No more outsourcing. No more watching someone else’s shortcuts wear his name. If it was going to say Borden on the side, it had to meet his standard from start to finish. That moment marked the true launch of Borden Accuracy—not as a concept, but as a company with a mission: build actions that didn’t need fixing, because the problems had been engineered out from the start. And it didn’t take long before his actions started showing up where it mattered: on the guns of shooters winning at the national and world level. Benchrest, F-Class, ELR—if you pay attention to the names behind the groups, you’ll see “Borden” popping up more than most.

But it wasn’t just about winning matches—it was about solving problems no one else had even tried to fix. One of Jim’s biggest challenges to conventional wisdom came from the assumption that high-performance actions couldn’t also be field-reliable. The idea was that if you wanted something to run in dirt and dust, you had to open up the tolerances and deal with the slop. Jim didn’t buy it.

Instead, he engineered a system that stayed tight but didn’t bind, even when grit and grime found their way inside. He tells the story of throwing debris into one of his own actions and watching it run smoothly, while a competitor’s action locked up after a few cycles. It’s not magic—it’s just smarter design. This all circled around one of Jim’s core principles: “Good enough” is not good enough. He’s not interested in hitting the X. He wants every bullet to land in the same hole—again and again, regardless of conditions. That standard of repeatability has become the driving force behind the way Borden Accuracy builds.

Jim’s also one of the few people in the industry who still preaches the gospel of precision over hype. While others get caught up in bullets, BCs, and ballistic software, he’s looking at the action as the backbone of the entire rifle system. Without precise bolt timing, consistent ignition, and a properly tuned firing pin system, all that other gear is just noise.

He obsesses over things like spring weight, cock-on-close timing, and firing pin mass. Not because it’s trendy—because it works. His Black Knight actions are a showcase of decades of refinement, built to dominate everything from 100-yard group shooting to 1000-yard F-Class competition. They’re purpose-built machines, but they also feel like they’ve got a little soul in them—especially if you’ve ever run one side-by-side with a lesser design.

Conclusion

Jim Borden didn’t set out to prove anyone wrong. He just refused to build anything he couldn’t stand behind. And in doing that, he ended up building a reputation that now carries more weight than any nickname ever could. So yeah, maybe he started out as a “toilet paper engineer.” But these days? He’s the reason your favorite shooter’s bolt feels like it’s running on glass—and the groups are so tight you wonder if the target got punched twice by the same bullet.

Are borden actions the best actions in the game? Well you will have to decide for yourself but we can say that they cetianly should be at the top of your list of companies you should be considering. The proof is in the target after all.

WEBSITE: https://bordenrifles.com

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Support Black Plague Precision

If you’d like to support us, you can:

• Follow, like, and comment on our socials: Instagram, YouTube, and Rumble.

• Become a Sponsor  by reaching out to us via email at blackplagueprecision.com.

  
  

Lastly, A big thank you to all the supporters of Black Plague Precision: SUPPORTERS . Your support helps us continue to bring the best content in long-range precision shooting, reloading, and lifestyle.

Thank you for being a part of the Black Plague Precision community!

-----------------------------------------

Black Plague Precision Disclaimer

By accessing this website, reading articles, or viewing video content, you acknowledge and accept the following terms:

The content provided on this website (including but not limited to videos, articles, reloading data, technical guides, and other information) is intended for informational and demonstration purposes only. Do not attempt any of the processes, procedures, or techniques shown or described without proper training, experience, and appropriate safety measures.

All gunsmithing, ammunition reloading, and firearm modifications should be conducted by qualified and licensed professionals. Black Plague Precision is not responsible for any harm, injury, property damage, or other consequences resulting from individuals attempting any activities or procedures based on the information provided on this website.

By engaging with this content, you agree that you are solely responsible for your own safety, actions, and property. Black Plague Precision disclaims all liability for any direct, indirect, or consequential damages resulting from the use or misuse of the information provided herein.

Stay safe, use caution, and consult professionals when in doubt.