Big shout out to Joe and the guys at Hero Gear

[TGO David]

Got to give Joe and the rest of the gang at Hero Gear in Winchester, TN big thanks for making us Nashville folks feel welcome and for taking care of us today.

Hornet Handler and I drove down this morning to visit Hero Gear and lighten our wallets a little. The visit was well worth the drive down from Nashville and I can't say enough good things about the Hero Gear HQ, the selection of firearms and gear available or the guys themselves. Joe even participated in a little Glock bashing while we attempted to convert another poor lost soul to the Church of John Moses Browning.

I'm now the owner of an über-sexy HK P2000 in .40SW with the LEM trigger. My search for the perfect replacement for my long gone Glock 23 is now over. <insert angelic chorus here> If you look up the term "bad assery" in the dictionary, you're going to see a picture of a Heckler and Koch firearm ... probably in Samuel L. Jackson's hands.

Hero Gear rocks. Seriously. Go visit them sometime; it's worth the drive!

[Guest GT_Rat]

Dude, you suck. When are you going shooting next? I want to squeeze off a few rounds through the new toy. Nice acquisition.

[molonlabetn]

That P2000 is a sweet gun, I can't wait to get my own. Sorry you and Hornet Handler didn't get to come shooting with me, but it was cool to see you guys and your new toys... and thanks for lunch!

Congrats to Hornet, as well, for joining the ranks of 1911 owners today... and doing it in style!

[fury2neon]

It was nice to meet you and Hornet Handler. Your HK is very nice piece and that 1911 Operator Hornet Handler purchased is pretty sweet too.

[BimmerFreak]

It was great meeting you guys in person today.

Thanks for allowing me to help you with your firearm needs, and im glad we finally have HH carrying a REAL gun

[DaveTN]

I just missed you guys.

Joe made me buy a new toy while I was there. I’ll post about it later when I have some pics. I’m just drooling over it right now.

Hey Joe, great meeting you and Rod…

[Guest Hornet Handler]

1911> P2000

It was great hanging out with everyone today. Next trip will be for stuff for the rifle. :evil:

For the record this is my 2nd 1911. All I did today was correct an error in judgement in selling it.

[shaftbass]

Sounds like we need to have a TNspeed/TGO cruise down to Hero Gear sometime! I'm sittin' on go.

[TGO David]

Dude, you suck. When are you going shooting next? I want to squeeze off a few rounds through the new toy. Nice acquisition.

I'd like to go down to On Target tomorrow and shoot it and the Kimber some. Want to meet up?

Sorry you and Hornet Handler didn't get to come shooting with me, but it was cool to see you guys and your new toys... and thanks for lunch!

Man, I wish we could have gone but we needed to get back up here. We'll definitely get together sometime soon and do some shooting. I'd like to get a can of 5.56 for the AR and burn it up some.

It was nice to meet you and Hornet Handler. Your HK is very nice piece and that 1911 Operator Hornet Handler purchased is pretty sweet too.

Good to meet you as well!

It was great meeting you guys in person today.

Thanks for allowing me to help you with your firearm needs, and im glad we finally have HH carrying a REAL gun

It was great to meet you too, Joe. It was a powerful thing seeing the torch of masculinity rekindled in a former Marine by taking possession of a 1911 once again.

I just missed you guys.

Joe made me buy a new toy while I was there. I’ll post about it later when I have some pics. I’m just drooling over it right now.

Wow... sounds like Joe made his quota for the day! I bet Diane Feinstein is pissed!

1911> P2000

I agree! But P2000 + 1911 + 1911 > 1911!

[TGO David]

Sounds like we need to have a TNspeed/TGO cruise down to Hero Gear sometime! I'm sittin' on go.

[MexicanDragon]

Hero Gear rocks. Seriously. Go visit them sometime; it's worth the drive!

Heh... too bad it took you this long to find out. Glad you guys made it out there. I knew of Joe's shop for a while before I went. I wasn't into guns, but had met Joe through something else. I had a buddy who had wanted a gun, so we took the hour drive to get there (from Chattanooga). Well worth it. I don't know if I'd even held more than 5 handguns in my life, and had never shot one. He gave my buddy a good deal, and within a month I had my own 1911.

Since I'd never gone shooting before, he went through the safety stuff with me, how the gun worked, and even had to show me how to load the magazines. Went to a range, showed me how to shoot, and I even got to shoot one of his wilsons, and one or two other 1911's... and I got to WATCH him shoot his Thunder Ranch One (double stack "2011" goodness... I want one). (BTW, you owe it to yourself to talk him into letting you fondle this beast... a one-off Thunder Ranch double stack 1911 style... wow).

So anyways... I've made the hour or so trip (each way) many times now... bought a couple guns (well... bartered for one of 'em), a couple knives, and a bit of ammo. And think about it... any place with THAT MANY 1911's... it's just a place you need to go.

Heh... just thought of another thing. It's QUITE obvious that Hero-Gear is a Class III dealer. I went to a range/gunshop a couple weeks ago. I saw one suppressed pistol... and I was like... "Oh, you're a Class III dealer? I didn't know that." Funny thing is... I've been in there probably 10-12 times and had NO idea...

Oh yeah... @ Tungsten and HH... did you see the DPMS LR-308B "Sniper" package they have setup? Yeah... I'm setting aside the pennies for one of those.

Now I'm having to plan my next trip up there to check out the new Nighthawks they have in. So many toys... so few pennies...

**BRENT**

[fury2neon]

Heh... just thought of another thing. It's QUITE obvious that Hero-Gear is a Class III dealer. I went to a range/gunshop a couple weeks ago. I saw one suppressed pistol... and I was like... "Oh, you're a Class III dealer? I didn't know that." Funny thing is... I've been in there probably 10-12 times and had NO idea...

Hero Gear just became a class III this past summer. So it may have just happened in between trips for you...

[BimmerFreak]

Hero Gear just became a class III this past summer. So it may have just happened in between trips for you...

Wes-

I think Brent was talking about our LARGE Class III selection, compared to another shop he visits.

While we haven't been in the C3 game for very long (We are on our second SOT. The first one we paid was midway through last year, and then we renewed in June.) We have committed a ton of money to stocking a full line of suppressors, SBR ARs, and AOWs (and a TON of post-86 machine guns )

and Brent....that LR308-HGROBA (HeroGearRifileOfBadassery) is sitting here waiting for you to come adopt it

[TGO David]

Heh... too bad it took you this long to find out. Glad you guys made it out there. I knew of Joe's shop for a while before I went.

Man I'm telling you... if they were a little closer to me I'd be there all the damn time. Hero-Gear is seriously a toy store for red blooded heterosexual men who sweat testosterone and gun oil. You walk into the place and you can feel your chest hair turn to steel wool and half expect to see vikings shopping for better battle axes.

It's actually a good thing that they aren't closer to me or I'd be broke all the time!

And by the way... I saw their Nighthawks. And they were good. Oh yes, they were good.

[shaftbass]

Man I'm telling you... if they were a little closer to me I'd be there all the damn time. Hero-Gear is seriously a toy store for red blooded heterosexual men who sweat testosterone and gun oil. You walk into the place and you can feel your chest hair turn to steel wool and half expect to see vikings shopping for better battle axes.

You know Tungsten, I've known you a while. I just can't imagine you'd ever say that in person

[Guest GlocKingTN]

Sounds like I need to check this place of Hero Gear's out sometime.

[fury2neon]

...and half expect to see vikings shopping for better battle axes.

I have been trying to get Joe to carry battle axes (you know there is nothing like the classics) but for some reason he wants to stay in the modern era...

[molonlabetn]

I plan to hang some cool weapons in the lounge area of the basement... a claymore and a battle-axe would be very cool.

[BimmerFreak]

Man I'm telling you... if they were a little closer to me I'd be there all the damn time. Hero-Gear is seriously a toy store for red blooded heterosexual men who sweat testosterone and gun oil. You walk into the place and you can feel your chest hair turn to steel wool and half expect to see vikings shopping for better battle axes.

It's actually a good thing that they aren't closer to me or I'd be broke all the time!

And by the way... I saw their Nighthawks. And they were good. Oh yes, they were good.

We are actually getting ready to expand.

I am planning on adding a Muffler Shop, Strip Bar, Tattoo Shop, and a vending machine that sells nothing but Axe body spray

I kid, I kid.

So as not to run off any female customers; keep in mind that we not JUST a big BOY store, but also are very female friendly and work very hard to cater to the female shooter.

[BimmerFreak]

I have been trying to get Joe to carry battle axes (you know there is nothing like the classics) but for some reason he wants to stay in the modern era...

Wes, I have to stop stocking stuff you want, or you are going to go broke!

[fury2neon]

If I don't spend it the wife and kids will...

[TGO David]

You know Tungsten, I've known you a while. I just can't imagine you'd ever say that in person

You haven't hung around me at any gun shops or shooting ranges. It all sort of just comes out in a flurry of steroidal firearms mania.

[Guest Verbal Kint]

You haven't hung around me at any gun shops or shooting ranges. It all sort of just comes out in a flurry of steroidal firearms mania.

Yeah... after knowing him for almost 30 years, I can attest to his many personalities and catalyst-induced moods. Like being so inebriated that he couldn't get up off the floor, and he couldn't move any of his limbs at all, yet managed to eat saltine crackers off the floor.

[TGO David]

yet managed to eat saltine crackers off the floor.

True story. You do what you have to do to survive.

[MexicanDragon]

Hero Gear just became a class III this past summer. So it may have just happened in between trips for you...

Yeah... Joe clarified it for me... I was talking about a shop I frequented in the greater Chattanooga area. I almost ALWAYS look at their entire selection (they have a few Kimbers, and nothing else 1911 wise... I tend to just buy a box of ammo (as a courtesy) and head to the range. The last time was the first I'd seen any mention of suppressors, class III status, AOW availabily, etc. From talking to the owner for a moment, it seemed like they had not just recently aquired the status. I asked if that one piece (for a small Walther) was all they had and he had replied it was all they had in-store, but they could get whatever you wanted.

I mean... you talk to people who want a "silencer" or a suppressor, but think it's illegal, or waaaay too expensive. With HG, it's obviously right there in your face (literally... the case is eye-level with the target demographic, a shelf full of cans... it's beautiful). One can actually see what - with the asking of a simple question "Hey, what do I need to do to get one of these quiet black thingies on the end of my noisy cricket?" - it takes to get in to the wonderful world of hearing-friendly shooting.

Now... I've seen people come into HG who traveled 4 hours just to check it out. I saw that guy tell the HG staff on hand (Probably Joe and Dan that day, maybe Rod was around too) that HG was his new home shop... even though it was 4 hours away. I don't even think he was from this STATE! I've also seen someone come in and get the ball rolling on a suppressed 1911 package.

To me... I'd be MUCH more inclined to buy from a shop that had a nice selection, from multiple companies (YHM, ETS, Inc, maybe another), especially in similar calibers. Just having a tactile knowledge of what you're about to drop some $$$ on, as opposed to ordering it out of a book... that's just more tempting to me.

I'm sure the guy at the Chattanooga shop I'm referring to would do a LOT more business in the class 3 realm if he'd advertise it a little more... maybe HE should take a trip to Winchester to see how it's done. <g>

Just some thoughts...

**BRENT**