Sometimes things just fall into place.
That's how it happened that the Ruger company offered to
donate two commemorative guns to the "Gunsmoke" 55th-anniversary
celebration.
Mike Martin, regional sales manager for Ruger, lives in
Overland Park and travels to Dodge City from time to time for
dove hunting.
In the fall of 2009, Martin came west with Jason Cloessner,
a Ruger distributor from Baton Rouge, La.
After a stop in Medicine Lodge to tour a new gun shop
recently opened in a historic hotel, the pair headed toward
Dodge City.
While they were stopped for lunch, Martin received a call
from actor Buck Taylor that got him thinking about "Gunsmoke."
"I was a big fan of the show, and I remembered the 50th
anniversary in 2005 and wondered if they were planning anything
for the 55th," Martin said in an interview Friday at the Dodge
House.
Martin came up with the idea of creating a commemorative gun
to donate to the 55th-anniversary celebration. He ran the idea
by his boss, who approved, being a "Gunsmoke" fan himself.
Taylor put Martin in touch with Jim Johnson, president of
the Dodge City Trail of Fame. And before long, Johnson and
Cloessner were e-mailing graphics and design ideas back and
forth.
Once the final design was approved by everyone, Ruger
manufactured the gun and sent it to Rob Bunting and Heidi Roos
at Baron Technology for engraving.
"The whole process is a lot easier than it used to be, since
we have computers," Martin said.
Baron Technology provides custom engraving services for
Ruger products. Any Ruger rifle, shotgun, pistol or revolver can
be custom-engraved with your choice of subject matter.
The two guns produced for the 55th anniversary are on
display at the Dodge House during the anniversary. One will be
presented to Buck Taylor and the second will stay with the Trail
of Fame committee, which is responsible for the "Gunsmoke"
anniversary celebration.
"I hope the gun will really be a fundraiser for them,"
Martin said.
The gun will be offered for sale at an online auction
following this weekend's festivities.
"There's no way to put a value on this gun," Martin said.
"After the auction, we'll know what it's worth."
For more information about the auction, contact the Trail of
Fame at (620) 561-1925.
GUNSMOKE TV SHOW ANNIVERSARY RUGER SINGLE ACTION REVOLVER
DODGE CITY —