Young Guns: Dylan Tyler &
His 40th Shootists Holiday Sixgun
The Tyler family, a few years back, when we went to dinner.
Logan, the youngest, always hams it up for the camera.
Kids, especially boys, are drawn to guns. Imagine growing up in a household where your dad is one of the best and busiest builders of custom guns and finishing in the industry. You’d see large tractor-trailers delivering factory guns to be finished by your dad and his crew. You’d also have a large shop to explore, watching your dad and his staff build cool guns. Sometimes, you were lucky enough to handle those custom gems under Dad’s supervision.
I’ve been blessed knowing Bobby Tyler, his wife Paige, and their three children, Maddie, Dylan and Logan, for over ten years, and that’s pretty much how they grew up. I’ve shared meals, hunted and spent much time with the Tyler family. It’s been a joy watching the kids grow, as both Bobby and Paige are wonderful parents. They expect a lot from their kids and receive it. All are well-mannered, friendly, and a joy to be around, a great tribute to Bobby and Paige.
Dylan, Left, Maddie and Logan Tyler
One of my all-time favorite pictures showing Dylan helping in the shop.
ere’s shy Logan showing off the TGW tomahawks.
The kids made the sheaths on these choppers.
Family Tradition
One of the high points of this year’s 40th Anniversary of the Shootists Holiday was a very special sixgun built by Dylan Tyler, which was auctioned off at the end of the yearly banquet. Dylan is the oldest son of Bobby and Paige of Tyler Gun Works in Friona, Texas. No strangers to the shop, all the Tyler kids have pulled their weight working in the shop in some capacity while growing up. Again, Bobby and Paige have done a wonderful job raising their children.
Maddie is an accomplished violinist, playing sweet music since I’ve known her. She’s also a great student, athlete, and rides cutting horses. She will be going to Texas A&M this fall and wants to be a veterinarian.
Dylan, the middle child and oldest boy, plays football, basketball, runs track, and plays golf and tennis when not building guns. Logan, the youngest, is the family clown, keeping everyone in stitches with his faces and funny attitudes. He also participates in just about every sport, including cross country, track, tennis, basketball and football. All the Tyler kids know how to handle guns, shoot, and hunt. They’ve all taken several trophy animals that any hunter would be envious of.
Dylan Tyler’s first custom build, a Ruger dual cylinder single-six.
The gun and cylinders were bead blasted for a nice matte finish.
A subdued target crown was used for the gun.
Back to Guns
Imagine Dylan’s surprise when his first custom sixgun was auctioned off for a whopping $2,500! All proceeds went to the Shootist, to be later dispersed for a worthy charity. Dylan was tickled to see his first gun auctioned off for so much. I rather enjoyed it myself, thinking there’s another generation to carry the torch for fledgling gunsmiths.
Well figured walnut stocks were used on the gun.
Dylan did a dandy job fitting the grip frame and stocks.
He said his forearms were numb from so much sanding.
The barrel is marked for the event, and Dylan shot
and filled out the test target.
Christy Fowler, along with her husband Brady, were the high bidders,
supporting a just cause while encouraging a fine young man in the process
The Build
Dylan started with a stainless dual cylinder Ruger Single-Six chambered in .22LR / .22 Magnum. He used a Ronnie Wells custom aluminum grip frame called the PJ Jr. These grip frames are made purposely oversized so the ‘smith can file/sand them down to the cylinder frame, so the grip frame and cylinder frame look as one. Dylan did a wonderful job doing this. He then fit a set of walnut stocks to the grip frame, following the contours of the grip frame so both wood and aluminum looked as one.
The action work, supervised by TGW’s own Dusty Hooley, still the coolest name in the industry, performed the action work, but allowed Dylan to do some polishing and filing while learning from a master gunsmith. The finished product was a butter-smooth action that locks up tighter than a spinster’s pursed lips. The trigger is as crisp as a fall apple, breaking at a perfect 2.5 pounds.
The whole works was then bead blasted and marked “Shootist Holiday 2025” and Tyler Gun Works, Friona, Texas is marked on top of the barrel. Dylan also did the test shooting of the gun as well as signing off on the test target and “specs.” I look forward to watching this young man’s career progress. And as Bobby said, if it’s only a passing fad, all men need to know how to work on a gun.
It warmed my heart seeing this whole event unwind before my eyes. I enjoyed seeing Dylan having the interest to build a sixgun, and to then donate it for this event. Our future looks brighter than ever, having an industrious young man like Dylan honing his skills and aptitude to carry the torch forward for custom sixguns.
The Tyler family is special indeed, and it should make your heart feel good too, by supporting such a wonderful family.
