Truth from Marty Ebbinghaus....
"We are GOING TO AFRICA IN A MONTH TO TEST SOME OF THOSE JDJ'S because we can come back with tales "AS" JD Jones, Larry Kelly, Gary Reeder and Mark Hampton did that inspired a generation of handgun hunting. NOTICE I DID NOT say "LIKE" in that previous sentence, I'm still a realist, and have so much to learn about handgun hunting."
J.D. is a friend so don't take this as negative but I
never used or owned a JDJ barrel, for hunting or plinking. Even my very first few Safaris I used my own calibers. I used the 450 GNR, 41 GNR, 378 GNR and 338 GNR on my first few African hunts.
I think that's just continuation of SSKs selling out...
And someone trying to keep it going. I grew up on TCs starting around 12 years old. Had a cousin/neighbor that shot silhouettes in that era.
Have barrels from TC, Fox Ridge and any number of others. All are good and never found the need for a measuring contest or internet drama.
Gun builders are like restaurants. You can tell which ones are good by how busy they are.
I thought good of Marty to name those who pioneered the Hand Cannon building.
JD's stuff was/is good. A different take
from Gary's stuff. He seems to have always used really good quality barrel blanks, that really helped. He did like aluminum with those 4 ring mounts and those ribs. Glued (red lock-tire) and screwed they worked. The rings he told me spread the recoil forces over a more broad area and flexed the scope body less, so your scope lasted longer. That made since to me and I try to manage that myself when I can. I've had a couple. Liked matte chrome plating too. He had his own niche.
In the 1980's he started going toward the Class III stuff and I know he pitched some specialty suppressed/full auto stuff to U.S. Military Security folks. Maybe others too.
I've spoken to him on the phone about 3-4 times over the years and he helped me on a job or two. Treated me very fairly. He stopped going to the Y-O the year Gary first took me so I have not gotten to actually meet him yet. God Bless him and I pray for his health to improve.
wow, sounds like a slam on GNR's barrels.
"JD's are good but a different take on Gary's. JD used good barrel blanks". That was a low blow.
Trust me, it wasn't. WB is and has been a loyal supporter..
Of GNR for many moons. Any regular Misfit knows that.
Told Gary when I posted this someone would stir the pot.
I apologize. I just read it wrong
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Nah, no problem. Gary took some of us to the Y-O
to the SCI Handgun Hunt there. He introduced us to all the industry guys there. Peter Pi from Cor-bon, The nice fellow from Magnum Research, Ernie French from TC, Bob Baker from FA, Dick Williams, on and on... Gary said JD might be there but he had gotten a bit of ill health and did not make it any of the times I went. Plus a lot of those folks had their kids with them it was a great time. We got to mess with prototypes and pre-production stuff too.
I always had several of Gary's guns (my personal ones) on display and talked to the guys about them. They thought I worked for Gary! LOL.
To be be truly knowledgeable you need to experience as broad a spectrum as possible. I've tried to as my resources have allowed. I've had all kinds of guns and from many custom shops. Few, very few, custom shops will alloy much input or choices aside from "packages" they have developed. Of all, GNR really allows (tolerates) customer input in spades. It has been one heck of a fun ride and I have met so many good people. My literal life has been greatly enriched and I am so grateful to him. It was admirable for you to be ready to defend GNR on his turf, kudos!
This was an early adventure HHC in TX.
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