SIGforum
LDD Interviews Grayguns: Bruce Gray
April 07, 2015, 11:22 PM
TKOLDD Interviews Grayguns: Bruce Gray
Great read LDD. Much like with Rick I was fortunate to spend a couple of days with Bruce back in December at the class in Mesa. Did you know he hadn't been back in 10 years?
It was an experience I will never forget.
"The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." Albert Einstein April 08, 2015, 09:34 AM
.45ACPVery good interview, Bruce is a wellspring of insight.
April 08, 2015, 01:54 PM
JAFOquote:
Originally posted by LDD:
quote:
Originally posted by JAFO:
Hmmmm. Wonder what's under the towel? Secret Volcano Base stuff, no doubt.
Bruce's porn stash
NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
<><><><><><><><><><><><><>
"I drank what?" - Socrates
April 08, 2015, 02:47 PM
two-two-niner-romeoGreat interview LDD!
"Get some damn grease!"
"Being miserable and treating other people like dirt is every New Yorker's God-given right!" - GhostBusters II
"You have all the tools you need. Don't blame them. Use them." - Dan Worrall
April 09, 2015, 04:51 AM
Tubetonequote:
Originally posted by LDD:
Bruce: "I just decided I’m going to go all-out, all-in and do the absolute best work I can completely by hand—everything on the gun from sight installation to barrel fittings, to slide-to-frame-fitting and all the cosmetic work, completely done by hand. I’ve used the milling machine to straighten out a couple of lines externally, everything else is by hand."
That ought to be quite a 1911. What kind of time does hand-fitting every part of a custom 1911 take - if you have an idea? I know of some who have been calling for a gunsmith to make a truly custom 1911 with a real Damascus steel slide for magazine articles. Have you thought about whether you would use old school deep bluing or something else? Is your vision in more of a classic style - if you even know yet? I presume function and accuracy would be first concerns. There just aren't too many examples of that kind of work around or able to be produced anymore. What watchmakers, jewelers and gunsmiths were able to do with just hand tools in the past has been amazing. Good fortune to you along the way.
_______________________________
NRA Life Member
NRA Certified Range Safety Officer
April 09, 2015, 10:41 AM
RotndadI'm more interested in whats hiding under the paper towel in the first picture.
it looks small. Maybe Bruce is working with Keltec for a 10mm subcompact
Dripping water hollows out stone, not through force, but through persistence.
-Ovid
NRA Life Member
NRA Certified Basic Pistol Instructor April 09, 2015, 11:05 AM
Ed FowlerI also notice that maybe his extension cord behind him on the wall is a little frayed?
April 09, 2015, 11:32 AM
c1steveGreat interview. Thanks for these interviews LDD, I and everyone really appreciates them.
I think Bruce has been making a classic mistake that is super common among the self employed, myself included. Bruce has been charging too little. If his overall profit margin is only 10% or so, a small price increase would double or triple the profit margin. Often small, moderate cost shops eventually close down because they do not charge enough.
-c1steve
April 11, 2015, 08:27 AM
greybeard9It's nice getting to know Bruce. Thanks, LDD.
"In the age of madness, to expect to be untouched by madness is a form of madness." - Saul Bellow April 11, 2015, 08:32 AM
WinoLDD, it looks like the end of the interview got cut off... can you check it out?
Thanks!
April 11, 2015, 01:02 PM
LDDquote:
Originally posted by Wino:
LDD, it looks like the end of the interview got cut off... can you check it out?
Thanks!
I tried to edit the post to put the text in.
It was there before and now it's cut off.
Weird. That happened before, I think the software may be limiting the total length of a post?
Here is the rest
quote:
want to buy.
There are very few companies that guarantee the way things we do. We guarantee our work on somebody else’s gun, for life. We can do that, we stand behind it and we don’t regret it. It is a business.
USPSA and IPSC declined for a while in this country largely because people spent an awful lot of money on equipment that did not work and it drove them out of the sport. And we saw that in the early to mid 90s with the rise of all these people building really expensive open guns that did not function. With people constantly having nothing but malfunctions and jams and giving the entire concept of the 1911 a bad name.
These are things that I think people need to realize can still happen. It’s a testament to the quality of production pistols that are out there now that they’re as good as they are and don’t require as much work as what we had in the past. Building 1911s we used to make everything by hand. Now you can buy a trigger kit of a Glock or go to Randy Lee and get great stuff for the M&P, and be down the road and have pretty good assurance you stuff is going to work. But once you step beyond that, you have to be careful.
April 12, 2015, 01:12 AM
ontmarkGreat Job LDD and thanks to both of you.
Beware the man who only has one gun. He probably knows how to use it! - John Steinbeck
April 13, 2015, 11:24 PM
incogneatoAnother great interview! Thanks to all
April 16, 2015, 05:48 PM
piedrarcThanks! Very cool.
April 16, 2015, 06:46 PM
TigerDoreNice work, LDD. I really enjoyed the read. Thank you!
April 27, 2015, 07:38 PM
LDD is now up.
April 27, 2015, 08:53 PM
454gunVery good interview LDD . Bruce you are one interesting man. I love the three guns you did for me , even if I am one of those 9 months deal . WELL WORTH IT WILL DO SOME MORE.
Jon
May 14, 2015, 08:34 PM
porterdogWow, he is so humble. One to learn from for sure.
Is your government serving you?
September 10, 2015, 09:58 PM
mrtunaGreat interview! I am looking forward to the parts Grayguns is making. Bruce's integrity and character shine through.
Training as often as possible!
NSSF Media Member
October 07, 2015, 09:07 AM
GreymanGreat interview and glad Bruce is resource for Sig.