Power Custom 'Finally' Gun
Clint with his “finally” Ron Power PPC gun. He said it shoots like a laser beam.
In my younger years during the 1970s while pursuing a law enforcement career, I shot competition in the then-popular PPC format. The Practical Pistol Course, in retrospect, may not have been all that practical or tactical but it did give a youngster a chance to get trigger time. I used what I could afford then, that being my duty S&W Model 19 revolver. I competed against good shots who often had the “go-fast gear” of the era. Being a S&W guy I always longed for a Ron Power built Smith. I couldn’t afford a Power-built revolver in those days; not because they were over-priced so much as cops simply didn’t earn much.
At the SHOT Show in 2010, I returned to the FMG booth to find a big fellow waiting for my return. A stout guy in his 70s, the extended hand greeted me with “Hello, I’m Ron Power and I wanted to meet you.” Well, first I looked around to see if there was a “leg-pull” in progress and to sort of gain some wits about me. Yes, Ron Power wanted to meet me.
You’re actually seeing old-school hand craftsmanship in
action — Ron Power at his work bench.
We talked for some time about the old days and PPC shooting and whom he thought was the best shot he ever saw at the game. We talked of the transition era from the revolver to the now exclusively used autopistol in PPC competitions. After some time he asked if I had never owned a Power Custom PPC gun. Even a pig will find a strawberry once in awhile, because after some discourse he, Ron Power himself, said he would build me, Clint, a Power Custom.
Not being cool enough in itself, Mr. Power offered to build me the last full-blown “Grandmaster Deluxe” PPC revolver he would build. “I’ll have to dig around, but I think I can find the parts to build you the gun — but it’s the last one of these I plan on building.” I scooped a 686 from friend Dewayne Irwin and that gun was in flight to Gravois Mills, Mo., in like the now-mode. Then, in December 2010, after several “details” calls the revolver got here just before Christmas. Merry Christmas to me.
The last Power “Grandmaster Deluxe” PPC gun ever to be built.
It only took Clint 40+ years to finally get one!
The Gun
First off there is no way to completely describe how cool this revolver is. The .38/.357-caliber revolver wears a 6″ slab-sided barrel, fully adjustable front and rear sights on an 8″ rib, all done-up in a very high class act way. Attached beneath the barrel is a rock-solid weight to help balance the gun. The jeweled trigger and hammer are truly slicker than glass, bearing a smooth, non-serrated trigger. The barrel is marked Grand Master Deluxe, with additional barrel/rib markings being those of Ron Power’s signature and the American Pistolsmiths Guild logo. The side plate bears the Power Grand Master logo with the Smith & Wesson logo on the thumb latch side of the gun.
Aaron Hogue provided the excellent finger groove stocks to Mr. Power for the building of this last full-house PPC gun. The frame/yoke has the locking-ball detent system, and the cylinder has the chamfered, numbered charge holes.
Finally Shooting One
As I write this, we are butt-deep to a tall guy in snow, but I took the Power PPC to the range and pounded out 500 rounds on plate racks in the 0-60 yard ranges. Pounded was the correct word, as the revolver never dropped one, not one, off an 8″ plate. I really look forward to a weather break to replicate a PPC course and to stretch the gun out to even farther ranges in the “shoot for fun” mode.
This may seem a bit odd to some because you can’t get one anymore. To set the record straight this column is truly not about showing off or gloating. For me, the effort was about sharing, in a fashion, a young man’s dream to own a Power Custom that, some 40 years later, became a reality for Ron Power. Maybe he said it best in the letter that came with the revolver.
“Dear Clint,
I feel honored at the age of 72 years, with more than 50 years of working on S&W revolvers, to be able to make you the last ‘Grandmaster Deluxe’ PPC revolver. This revolver is an example of proof that Old World craftsmanship coupled with modern day technology can produce the finest custom revolver available.”
I believe this revolver is truly a piece of history, and demonstrates the likes of craftsmanship rarely seen in today’s world. I wrote this for those who understand what this revolver represents. And, after 40 years — I finally got one. And how fun is that?
Grandmasters Today
Even though this was the last full blown gun, it’s important for you to know Ron Power still is working and doing action jobs on S&W and Ruger double- and single-action revolvers. With his son Randall in overall charge of the business called Grandmasters L.L.C., d.b.a. Power Custom, Ron is still very active and designing new products, patents and working on the manufacturing of new products. New and innovative products include custom Smith & Wesson triggers for the K, L, N and X guns.
Another primary project is the design and making of aftermarket parts for the Ruger 10/22, including a Grandmaster 10/22 trigger. Ron and his son have the trademarks of Grandmaster and logo versions, Power Custom and Red Star, as well as a number of patents on their product lines. Power Custom also has a patented adjustable trigger for the AK-47 rifle system. A good idea due to the sometimes crudely made triggers on stock rifles.
The Powers clan is also the gold standard for shims for the firearms industry. I looked at depth into the products Power’s produces, and to truly understand the depth of the product line you should visit the Power website and check out the broad spectrum of custom high quality products available.
All and all the guys in Gravois Mills, Mo. are a busy bunch, and deservingly so.
