My biggest influence was my dad's good old hired man Melvin.
As a kid(12-14 yrs old?) I was fascinated by ballistics and cartridges.
Melvin was the first guy I knew who reloaded.
He shot meat deer with a 22-250 and Breaks cow elk with a 243.
(my first big game rifle was a 22-250 but I do love the 270)
Read a lot of magazines as well.
