What is your fantasy BBQ gun?

[Prosser]

BCRider:
Taste and Gary Reeder shouldn't really go in the same sentence. I was just posting those guns as an example of what can be done, not that it should be. Last gun is for a guy that is either a tax accountant, or an IRS guy. In either case, it's his lack of taste, since Reeder will probably do anything for money.

First one is for Paco Kelly, who has always been very nice to me, so I favor that one a bit, even though it's busy.
Doug Turnbull probably did the case hardening, not Reeder.

Frankly, I liked the last one since the stuff wasn't overly offensive, and, it looked like a very packable .475 Linebaugh, which is my idea of a BBQ caliber gun.

 

[CraigC]

That's Paco's 1 of 25 for Sixgunner.com. Don't think Turnbull did the case colors and I'm not sure if they're authentic or not. If they are, they look more like cyanide than bone charcoal.

 

[Prosser]

CraigC:
I bow to your expertise. Please explain?

cyanide, etc.? Not an expert on case hardening.

I'm at the point I'd like more ammo, and more shooting for the guns I've got then a new gun, though I'm ALWAYS tempted by new stuff, old stuff, etc.

 

[CraigC]

I remember hearing something different about the case colors on that gun but it's been ten or twelve years since they built those guns and my memory is foggy on it. I remember what I do because I missed out on the Reeder guns (back before he pee'd in my cornflakes) but got in on the guns we had Clements build for Sixgunner.com. I organized the group grip purchase from Lett's.

Cyanide is very high in carbon and has been used for case hardening steel and iron for years. Ever see an old H&R break-top shotgun? Those guns were color case hardened with a cyanide process. Tends to give a more wavy appearance. I think some of the Sharps replicas use this process as well. Bone charcoal and cyanide are the two primary processes for traditional color case hardening.

I still really like Reeder's bright black chromex Ultimate Bisley pictured on his site. Would like one in .500JRH but I'm not spending my money with him. I'll work with Clements, Bowen, Gallagher, Forkin, Horvath or Harton on that one.

 

[Prosser]

Thanks Craig. Reeder posted Paco's gun in the 'what's new' section, IIRC.
The thing about Reeder seems to be you have to be one of the guys, spending all your money with only him.

That said, I was never real good at handgun forums anyway.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

The engraving on the Reeder gun looks to me to be kind of rough; not clean like some really good engravers. Not sure if he uses the electro-engraving tools, but there is certainly better quality engraving out there. I do not know anything of his custom work personally, but I am able to pick a little on engraving. Here is some "clean", quality stuff.

[/IMG]

 

[Prosser]

Reeder uses a laser, IIRC, and combines that with other forms of gun art. I do kind of like the guns were he takes the drag line, makes a deeper cut, and fills it with something like gold..

 

[CraigC]

Oh, you definitely have to be one of the crowd. Which is why I didn't last long over there. Gary has a lot of knowledge and experience but I'm not kissing anybody's posterior to be part of a club. They say he's a lot better now than he used to be but life's too short and there are plenty of other, better gunsmiths out there to fool with him.

Yep, his engraving is laser-cut, hence the modest price tag. Last I heard, all Gary does himself anymore is the "engraving" and bluing.

 

[Prosser]

If you look at as a business, then it makes sense. Websites cost money, and, every bit of bandwidth that doesn't bring him income is something he doesn't want on his website.
The more money you spend, the more slack you are cut, and the better customer you are.

As for gunsmithing, Reeder's model has worked for him. In the surfboard business we used to say shine sells, since if you put polish on a pig, someone would buy it. I think
Reeder has that down for guns.

 

[wheelgunslinger]

Yeah, Reeder has a good business model.
It's offensive to some people who aren't used to that type of art, like above.
But, it's a free system of capitalism for everyone involved.

I've done custom archery work and fired a couple of customers because I just didn't like them and didn't want their money or them walking around with stuff I made. Art is not a McDonald's drive thru.

 

[336A]

Iggy where did you come by that sharp lookin' rig? What would something like that set a feller back ifn' you don't mind me askin'.

 

[RedAlert]

Deleted

 

[Iggy]

336A,

A feller by the name of David Keith built that for me. Each one he makes is custom made to your specs.

Here is a link to his web site.

http://redrivercustomleather.com/index.html

Tell him Iggy sent you.

 

[Gr8apmech]

Drool!!!!

This has to be my favorite thread this week!!!

Thanks guys and KEEP 'EM COMING!!!

 

[Iggy]

Durn double taps.

 

[CraigC]

Reeder's business obviously works and works well. He basically has a team of gunsmiths producing semi-custom production guns in relatively large numbers. He probably sells more guns than any other custom shop. He's able to afford toys and hunts around the world with like-minded people. His guns and his attitude work for quite a few satisfied customers. It just doesn't work for me and I ain't the only one that's been turned off by his customer service skills.....or lack thereof. As you well know. But this ain't really the place for that discussion.

 

[Prosser]

When you look at the prices some of the customsmiths get for guns I guess some
people want something that screams:
"I just spent 2000-3000 dollars on this custom Ruger. I want something that shows I did that, so everyone will know :banghead: what a knuckle head I am. I could have bought a Freedom Arms or BFR instead, and done a custom on that."

 

[CraigC]

Hamilton Bowen freely admits that he can't rebuild a Ruger as precisely as Freedom Arms guns are made from the start, nor do them as economically. FA's are wonderful and I appreciate everything they offer but they leave me a little cold. I prefer customs and will happily pay $2500 for a custom five-shot vs. $2000 for a soulless, sterile instrument that is a Freedom Arms.

I don't know about anybody else but when I have a custom Ruger built, it ain't for showin' off. It's for shootin', totin', huntin', shinin', lustin' and makin' memories.

Reeder offers this at a substantial savings and short lead times but we have to remember, we ain't gettin' the same thing from Reeder that we get from Linebaugh, Bowen, Clements, Harton, etc.

 

[Prosser]

Get a FA, field grade, and use that as the base for your custom. Or, if you want all things Ruger, buy a BFR, and use that as a starting point. Also the custom shop at BFR turned out some truly beautiful guns.

This is my custom .475 Linebaugh by Jack Huntington, with Jack's BFR made by the custom shop for him:

Another shot of the BFR, and, a custom Ruger, presentation blue, in .500JRH
by Ed Tilson:


At least with the FA's I don't have to have laser $$$ signs on the gun to show it's expensive, or custom.

All that said, there is something to be said for a beautiful custom ruger:
Though my pictures aren't real good, the bottom is a ruger with an octagon barrel, done by Jason, one of JRH's gunsmiths.

The next gun up is an FA field grade converted to .500JRH, my pillow gun,
and, another shot of my custom .475 Linebaugh FA, with Douglas barrel.


I wish I had a .454 Custom FA like this one:

 

[CraigC]

I've already got two stainless and one hard chrome custom Rugers. I need more custom blued and case colored sixguns in my life. The next several will look more like this one....



...and less like these three.

 

[Prosser]

Those are ALL nice. I do like blued guns, but, they require more oil. Plus it's really just controlled rust.

Still nothing like a presentation grade polish job on a blued gun.

 

[CraigC]

You live in California, have you ever even seen rust???

 

[788Ham]

Mine would be a 6" Python, with artwork like WellDressedMan has on his pistol, just enough to set it off, but not cover it. Nice piece WDM !

 

[hso]

BHP Renaissance

 

[Prosser]

I lived in Hawaii for 10 years. My seville barrel rusted enough to need rebluing.
Also lived in Santa Cruz and Capitola right on the cliffs over the water from 72 to 85.

Yes, I know rust. Pretty much destroyed a custom built mustang.

On the North Shore of oahu the big Lincoln disk brakes would wobble really bad if the car wasn't driven daily, from rust.