Well, how do you start writing articles anyway?

I have been a member of Specialty Pistols here since day one, been a nut about T/C's and such since about '85 I think. My first Contender was a package deal, 221 Fireball and 44 magnum. Love from first shot. Well a lot of years and bullets have passed since then, I have amazed a number of shooting buddies with the superb accuracy of the Contender and have had a blast myself.

Now in the last year I have acquired a few custom tubes from Mike Sirois at On Target Technologies (OTT) and the bar has been raised and the objectives have been further refined. Extreme accuracy is the name of the game with OTT.

We have groups from OTT tubes that make MOA seem like child’s play.

Now sometime back I commissioned Mike to turn a couple Ruger 10-22 take-off barrels into Contender tubes. Amazing the transformation, lowly rejected barrels from bull barrel converts became tack-driving Contender barrels for me. Both 12”, one became a OTT Match 22LR and the other a 22 Magnum Match chambered barrel. Match quality seems to be the standard with his technology and precision work. I have a Shilen barrel in 17HMR that OTT made for me that drives tacks as well. The thing that gets me is Mike is genuinely concerned AFTER the sale, not just the sale itself.

Well for now the finish options from OTT have been limited to a bead blasted SS finish or a Black Oxide. SS is handsome and durable, the sole attribute for the black oxide has been it prevents rust, its a matte black that matches what most scopes are offered in.

Now, enter stage right. Dave Harries and The Gun Garage. Dave offers an array of Duracoat finishes and camouflage options to boggle the mind and fool the eye.

DuraCoat is a High Performance epoxy polymer finish with excellent physical and chemical performance and is resistant to most lubricants, oils, and bore solvents. These finishes have an excellent impact, mar, and abrasion resistance as well as salt water and chemical resistance. This coating can be applied in a full gloss range from flat to high gloss.

Now I prefer high gloss myself and have indulged myself in the very brightest color I saw the first time out. For me a blued barrel is pretty, but a BLUE barrel speaks volumes about the caliber as well as the uses in the field. A varmint gun won't be spooking game, and a time proven varmint caliber is the venerable 22-250, right? A natural choice then was a bright blue varmint gun.

Now then settle down and relax, we aren't done yet remember those OTT barrels in black oxide? I had those barrels made for the silhouette game, nothing spooky about those guys either, Now remember the gilded accuracy of the OTT barrels too and I think back to the very first shot at steel and a solid hit and I was thinking, "Wow, This is sweet!”

Ok one more step forward, sweetness is available in many flavors, but for me the simple flavorful but rare treat is a candy cane. Yep, really only out there for a few weeks of the year, but so tasty you look forward to it all year. And there is the Tie in back to Dave and The Gun Garage and OTT barrels. Now Dave has made the barrels I have look as sweet as they shoot!

Now, I am sure not one to advise YOU to candy cane your OTT barrels, but Duracoating Is a great idea for any gun, barrel or anything else subjected to harsh conditions. Both businesses are run by a couple of the best gentlemen out there, The best quality and second to none.
Kenneth Caldwell aka 45nut

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