Jeff Hoover
Blackhawk
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2009
- Messages
- 919
This past weekend I had something to look forward to. My good friend, Mike "Doc" Barranti, along with his two sons, Ethan and Frankie would be heading down from Steel Town USA, Pittsburgh, PA. for a visit, and then a field trip of sorts. We would be heading down to Arlington, VA. To meet with Lee Martin, his dad, Lee Martin, and Max Prasac(Prozac?). We would first be heading to the NRA headquarters in Fairfax, VA to visit the famous Firearms museum. Man, what a treat on all counts!
"Doc" was to arrive Saturday afternoon, around 1 or 2, to start off our visit. A little after 5, "Doc" showed up right on time! You see, I've traveled with "Doc" a lot, and I am used to his time schedule. Plus, given his driving habits, I'm pretty good at calculating his time of arrival from the planned time. "Doc" is the only guy I know who's GPS recalculates on regular intervals, because the driver is driving so slow. As "Doc" snaked his way along the PA Turnpike, onto SB 70, he just kept racking up the bonus miles. Earlier in the week, I made sure to stock up for "Docs" groceries. It was one stop shopping all the way!
"Doc" can't obtain our favorite libation, and "Skeeters" at home, so I make sure he is stocked up on the relaxer of choice for sixgun men. We had a wonderful dinner of homemade tacos made by my wife, along with black beans and rice. With the nip of fall in the air, a fire made, and the Henry McKenna seal was cracked. The feature movie of the night was "Quigley, Down Under". By the end of the movie, everyone was ready for bed. "Doc" always pulls out a bag of tricks on most trips, and this one was no different. "Doc" presented me with one of his "Signature Series" shoulder rigs and a #5DA holster for a 4" Ruger Redhawk. The Shoulder rig was a Birthday present that "Doc" and good friend Glenn Swaggart commissioned for me 2 years ago……..recalculating…….
To say I was tickled, would be an understatement ! Thanks, Doc ! Thanks, Glenn !
The main menu of this trip was to meet up with Lee Martin, his Dad, Lee Martin, and Max, and go tour the NRA museum. The highlight of the trip would be to see Lee and his Dad's special project they had come up with. Sixgun men have few real heroes, ones that stand the test of time, and the scrutiny of cynical sixgunners. The few that I believe to meet that standard, or expectation are Elmer Keith, Skeeter Skelton, John Taffin, and Ross Seyfried. Seyfried was a student of Keith, hunted with Keith, and visited with Keith as a young man for shooting forays testing various load data for favored rifles and sixguns. Years ago, Ross commissioned John Linebaugh to build him a 5 shot .45 Colt on a Seville action for a Buffalo gun. Lee came up with the idea, and his Dad, Lee SR. made it in the home workshop. Lee Sr. is a very interesting man. None could be friendlier than him ! The man is a 2nd generation MD who enjoys milling, grinding, and filing metal objects into precise works of art. What a way to unwind ! This is a very cool project that honors Ross, and John Linebaugh, in my opinion and is a tribute to the grass roots of big bore handgunning ! A super idea whose time has come.
Now ol' "Doc" is a big Ross fan also, and wanted to be part of this special project. It just so happens, by coincidence, that "Doc" can build a pretty mean shuck. A phone call was made, and Lee graciously accepted "Docs" offer to build a proper shuck for such an honorable project. "Doc" came up with a Hank Sloan model with a custom carved Cape Buffalo on the front. Old Nyati never looked so mean, or real, snorting snot on his new leather home.
"Doc" also made a nice stitched cartridge carrier to go along with the holster.
Lee could not have been more gracious when he received his holster and cartridge carrier from "Doc". Pure joy and appreciation was in his eyes. Lee's Dad was also full of praise and appreciation. It was a great meeting of total stranger, who happened to be sixgunners, and as always, become fast friends within 10 minutes of conversation. Amazing how it always works out like that!
This post is getting long winded, and I'll do another with the NRA pics. All in all it was a great trip meeting, and making new friends, and rekindling old acquaintances. Till next time "Doc" !
Don't worry, Max, I didn't forget you ! You will be mentioned in the NRA post.
"Doc" was to arrive Saturday afternoon, around 1 or 2, to start off our visit. A little after 5, "Doc" showed up right on time! You see, I've traveled with "Doc" a lot, and I am used to his time schedule. Plus, given his driving habits, I'm pretty good at calculating his time of arrival from the planned time. "Doc" is the only guy I know who's GPS recalculates on regular intervals, because the driver is driving so slow. As "Doc" snaked his way along the PA Turnpike, onto SB 70, he just kept racking up the bonus miles. Earlier in the week, I made sure to stock up for "Docs" groceries. It was one stop shopping all the way!
"Doc" can't obtain our favorite libation, and "Skeeters" at home, so I make sure he is stocked up on the relaxer of choice for sixgun men. We had a wonderful dinner of homemade tacos made by my wife, along with black beans and rice. With the nip of fall in the air, a fire made, and the Henry McKenna seal was cracked. The feature movie of the night was "Quigley, Down Under". By the end of the movie, everyone was ready for bed. "Doc" always pulls out a bag of tricks on most trips, and this one was no different. "Doc" presented me with one of his "Signature Series" shoulder rigs and a #5DA holster for a 4" Ruger Redhawk. The Shoulder rig was a Birthday present that "Doc" and good friend Glenn Swaggart commissioned for me 2 years ago……..recalculating…….
To say I was tickled, would be an understatement ! Thanks, Doc ! Thanks, Glenn !
The main menu of this trip was to meet up with Lee Martin, his Dad, Lee Martin, and Max, and go tour the NRA museum. The highlight of the trip would be to see Lee and his Dad's special project they had come up with. Sixgun men have few real heroes, ones that stand the test of time, and the scrutiny of cynical sixgunners. The few that I believe to meet that standard, or expectation are Elmer Keith, Skeeter Skelton, John Taffin, and Ross Seyfried. Seyfried was a student of Keith, hunted with Keith, and visited with Keith as a young man for shooting forays testing various load data for favored rifles and sixguns. Years ago, Ross commissioned John Linebaugh to build him a 5 shot .45 Colt on a Seville action for a Buffalo gun. Lee came up with the idea, and his Dad, Lee SR. made it in the home workshop. Lee Sr. is a very interesting man. None could be friendlier than him ! The man is a 2nd generation MD who enjoys milling, grinding, and filing metal objects into precise works of art. What a way to unwind ! This is a very cool project that honors Ross, and John Linebaugh, in my opinion and is a tribute to the grass roots of big bore handgunning ! A super idea whose time has come.
Now ol' "Doc" is a big Ross fan also, and wanted to be part of this special project. It just so happens, by coincidence, that "Doc" can build a pretty mean shuck. A phone call was made, and Lee graciously accepted "Docs" offer to build a proper shuck for such an honorable project. "Doc" came up with a Hank Sloan model with a custom carved Cape Buffalo on the front. Old Nyati never looked so mean, or real, snorting snot on his new leather home.
"Doc" also made a nice stitched cartridge carrier to go along with the holster.
Lee could not have been more gracious when he received his holster and cartridge carrier from "Doc". Pure joy and appreciation was in his eyes. Lee's Dad was also full of praise and appreciation. It was a great meeting of total stranger, who happened to be sixgunners, and as always, become fast friends within 10 minutes of conversation. Amazing how it always works out like that!
This post is getting long winded, and I'll do another with the NRA pics. All in all it was a great trip meeting, and making new friends, and rekindling old acquaintances. Till next time "Doc" !
Don't worry, Max, I didn't forget you ! You will be mentioned in the NRA post.
