Having grown up in his family’s gun shop and being a trained gunsmith, he was drawn to the numerous collections of fine British double rifles he found there. However, these fine works of art had fallen into disuse since Eley-Kynoch stopped manufacturing ammunition for them in the early 1960′s. After leaving the Peace Corps, Jim stopped in London on his trip home to inquire at Holland and Holland, a manufacturer of British double rifles, about the lack of ammunition. They showed great interest in acquiring a source of ammunition for their double-rifles, and Jim Bell’s idea for Brass Extrusion Labs Limited (B.E.L.L.) was born.