Anyone catch "American Guns" last night?

[Dino.]

I loved the American flag paintjob on that Ruger .22 on last nights show.
I've seen the painter's (Mike Learn) work before on guitars, and he's amazing.
I'm wondering what type of paint was used and how it will hold up over time, and specifically being exposed to solvents.

I searched the web for pics, but couldn't find any.

[shooter-42]

I picked this up off of Facebook - he used self etching primer, 4080 Spies and auto urethane.

[lamarw]

It looked as though the artist did a great job on the pistol.

Kind of a personal thing to me, but I would not want a pistol of mine looking like a flag. Of course, I do not want a shirt or anything elsie other than the American Flag looking like the American Flag.

I am probably old fashion and very much in the minority on such things.

It seems the show itself has improved over the last few weeks. In the beginning the Owner treated his employees rather disrespectfully. It seems this has changed dramatically for the good. I do find the buying trips from collectors very contribed.

[Dino.]

I actually liked the American flag paint job and thought it was tastefully done.

On the other hand, the 1911 that was "bling'd out" for the owners Anniversary was probably the ugliest gun I've ever seen. Though I did like the idea of using diamonds for the sights.

[Catchabullet]

+1 Lamar, i'll put a sticker on my jeep of the american flag, i'll fly the colors in front of my house but i don't see the need to wear them or have items with the flag on it.

[Dino.]

+1 Lamar, i'll put a sticker on my jeep of the american flag, i'll fly the colors in front of my house but i don't see the need to wear them or have items with the flag on it.

Dude was supposedly training for the US Olympic team, so I thought it was rather appropriate.

[kraigwy]

On the other hand, the 1911 that was "bling'd out" for the owners Anniversary was probably the ugliest gun I've ever seen

I have to agree with that. Also I wonder what your hand would look like after firing a few rounds with those diamond studded grips.

[wcar]

I only watched thirty minute of it last night. The personality of the owner grates on my nerve but I've been ignoring it. Last night the customer walking in, wanting something that goes 'boom,' then paying $6000 cash for a black-powder bowling ball cannon made from an oxygen bottle mounted on a two wheeled carriage was a far reach for me. And all the yee-hawing and back-slapping by the staff every time they fire a weapon at a target is getting a little much for me. I also thought that when the lady brought the .22 in in the case, he should have cleared it immediately when he picked it up. He didn't do that. On camera, at least. Like others have commented, it's show biz! I suspect it's some producers idea of what the gun world is. Or what he wants the general public to think the gun world is. Or simply what will sell advertising. Personally, I'm done with it.

[Dino.]

I also thought that when the lady brought the .22 in in the case, he should have cleared it immediately when he picked it up. He didn't do that. On camera, at least.

Good catch.
And even if the gun was in fact cleared off camera, they really should always make it a point to clear a gun ON camera as good general practice to reinerate gun safety to thier viewers.

[shooter-42]

The personality of the owner grates on my nerve

Same here. There's just something about that that does not sit right with me. He just seems like he's a DB at heart and works real hard to cover it up.

[Jeff OTMG]

Yep, I think I made it to episode 3 and that was all I could handle.

[Sport45]

On the other hand, the 1911 that was "bling'd out" for the owners Anniversary was probably the ugliest gun I've ever seen. Though I did like the idea of using diamonds for the sights.

Expensive, ugly and unreliable. I couldn't help but notice the last empty case didn't clear the chamber when they were zoomed in on it firing. They just cut to another scene before showing it jam.

[Hal]

Dude was supposedly training for the US Olympic team, so I thought it was rather appropriate.

I didn't see the episode....but...

If he's using a Ruger to train for the Olympics, he's not going to get very far.

Ruger makes a fine gun - I have 5 or 6 of them.
They just don't have the trigger for an Olympic gun though.
A 100 gram trigger pull is considered on the "heavy" side.
I don't believe it's enen possible to get a Ruger trigger near there safely.

[stickhauler]

He was just getting into shooting, with aspirations of someday being on the Olympic shooting team. Myself, I thought that was the most gaudy looking gun I'd seen, by that's just me I guess.

[Hoggrydr11]

The owners laughter everytime they blow something up is just too close to the sound of a braying jacka$$. The show is in the least bit entertaining!

[RickB]

There's so much weirdness on that show.
Unless they made two, the pink 1911 that they built a few episodes back for a customer is hanging on the wall in Rich's office.
The pistol that was made for Mrs. Wyatt, which was supposedly CNC machined from forgings they got from Smith & Wesson, was clearly a Colt. The 7mm Mag that was converted to .458 had to be assembled with a new barrel "today", to be delivered "tomorrow", yet the entire gun had been plated before delivery; how did they get the replacement barrel cut, chambered, and plated in a day? Does it really cost $4000 to rebarrel and restock a rifle?
I saw the "Howard Hughes Luger" on a few websites, and no indication that Gunsmoke was involved in its purchase, auction, etc. It was sort of depressing that even the older guys thought of Howard Hughes as a rich, weird guy with 4" fingernails and kleenex boxes on his feet. It wouldn't surprised me if the kid knew only that about Hughes.
The pitted Garand with the good story but no provenance? Would it be worth even what a rack grade CMP rifle costs ($600)? Rich was offering thousands for it?
I'll keep watching.

[Patriot86]

The owner grates on me too and I will say this how dumb do you have to be to put Diamonds on a 1911? One is going to fly off and there goes $1000.00....I think it was a stunt for the show and the wife would probably have rather had a necklace.

Also, I was bugged by the fact they made that woman a pink .45 as her first handgun. Start small with a 9mm or .380 or something with a little less kick. "Gunsmoke" seems to pretty much push old style revolvers, 1911's and high end rifles. That seems to be their gig.

Also...how does this guy make a profit flying everywhere in a Helicopter? those things are not cheap and gotta eat up the profit real fast even on those "big" gun deals.


Look at it this way though, Sons of Guns is coming back soon!

[Young.Gun.612]

Could just be my ignorance, but how can they charge $15K for a single action army?

[Glenn E. Meyer]

There's a sucker born ....

Whether Barnum said it - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There's...n_every_minute ?

But that's it or a chance to posture as a tough guy gun owner dressed in a funny suit on TV.

The show is like wrestling or Pawn Stars or the repo shows. Scripted silliness.

Plenty of good gun shows on the tube.

The other day Mythbusters had a fun piece on trying different grip styles to shoot 1911s. There's a 1911 show on tonight. We watch Dr. Pol - a vet and after looking up a cow's whatever, he went home to the family to shoot 22s, a carbine and a snubby.

[Merad]

Also...how does this guy make a profit flying everywhere in a Helicopter? those things are not cheap and gotta eat up the profit real fast even on those "big" gun deals.

I have no doubt that Discovery Channel is paying for the chopper. And probably paying them at least a couple hundred grand per episode.

[Hal]

He was just getting into shooting, with aspirations of someday being on the Olympic shooting team

Sad in a way - but - it does figure since it fits in with all the other silliness on that show.
The only value a decorated Ruger would be, would come as a wall hanger.
Something to hang on the wall and look at for inspiration towards achieving his goal.
Even that would be of questionable value.

He'd have been a lot further ahead putting his money towards the correct pistol instead of some fancy paint job.

[Rifleman1776]

The Ruger is a gun, this is America. Bling it all you want, ugly or not the whole thing shouts "freedom".
The previous week he blinged a 1911 for his wife. I couldn't help but think all those diamonds on the grip had to tear up the flesh on her hand from recoil.
As for the bowling ball cannon, pure TV nonsense. Lot of misstatements made about black powder. Corny is one thing but errors of fact are another. Spreading false information is wrong. e.g. cutting 4" off the end of the tank/barrel reduces internal pressures; bp can be set off with static electricity, very wrong.
The show is entertaining but should not be any kind of guide for building, trading or selling guns.
The girls are attractive.

[kraigwy]

bp can be set off with static electricity, very wrong.

That part is true, VERY TRUE. Black powder CAN be set off with static electricity.

Static electricity is nothing more the electricity generated by the friction of two items rubbing against each other, and to get to the ground, a spark jumps. It that spark hits black powder, it can in fact ignite the powder.

That's why NON sparking tools are used when working around black powder.

The rest of the show's BS is for drama effect as most of these shows. You cat tell that by the targets they use.

Shooting isn't much of a spectator sport. You don't get much of a drama effect punching holes in pater several hundred yards away so they have to shoot big targets that break or blow up.

Another thing you want to look at in this and other shows, is all the mistakes or mis statements. I think that's done on purpose, after all, look at all the post these shows generate on Internet gun forums. Point out misstatements or mistakes, and others read about it, they turn on the show so they can catch the misinformation and join the rants.

BUT the show was correct about static electricity and black powder.