Vince Buckles left Red Jacket Firearms and the Discovery Channel in the season finale of Sons of Guns last week--or did he?
Where in the world is Vince Buckles?
Ever since last week’s season finale of the popular Discovery Channel reality show Sons of Guns, fans have been wondering about Vince, the once-head gunsmith of Red Jacket Firearms. There has been much speculation about his future; whether or not he sabotaged the Las Vegas gun build; whether or not he was jealous of Kris; and much discussion about if he had the right temperament to be a leader in the shop in the first place, given the way in which he left his position. Fans have been divided on a number of issues. On Huliq, several comments have demonstrated this. For example:
- LC7: Why put a rookie in charge when you have an expert? Especially on such an important project. Chris can claim the fame, but we all know it was Vince that built that gun. We are sure Vince could get a job anywhere, and wish him best of everything. How thoughtless of Will to treat Vince like the rookie, ever since Chris and Steph got hot for each other. I would have left as well. No notice, well you don't get a notice when you get fired. Good Luck Vince and Family.
- Anonymous: How is someone going to get a chance to do anything if you keep putting the more experienced ahead of the rest. Kris should've had a chance before this yes but at least he saved the project where as Vince has been acting like a child for a while crying about who leads what. ... [Kris] was to lead the project and Vince was supposed to help if it came to that. Watch the show closer and without blinders ... leading the project means each member was to do a part of the project.
- Anonymous: Kris did not ask for help during build. Only asked at end when he was tired of messing with it. Not the way you work if your give a hoot about what your doing. Did you notice that Kris dropped and knocked stuff needed for the build off his bench and never bothered to pick it up?
- Anonymous: The gun had damage to it and dirt on it that could only have happened if Vince whipped it on the ground. It couldn’t have happened to it while it was in the case (which was broken). You all posting that he was treated unfairly obviously haven't worked much, and seen what an unfair workplace is. This is how Americans are today - they think unless their boss babies them and is nice to them they just stomp their feet and throw a tantrum. If Vince is such a family man he'd do what he's told instead of crying like a baby so he can support his family. Really, how can you all justify him sabotaging the AR, and even damaging it? The guy has some serious mental instability.
- Eddie: No sabotage was made by Vince or the Red Jacket team would NEVER have found the hydraulic buffer. If so, Vince would have mistakenly taken the buffer with him when he went to St Jude's Hospital in Memphis. Since the Red Jacket employees DID find the custom made buffer, the Vegas demo was saved and no bad blood exists between Vince and Will. I believe, like others, Vince wants to star in his own Gunsmith show with partner, Jake Guidry, and created this opportunity for the shows producer to create a spin-off series; featuring Vince. Unfortunately, Vince does not have the TV personality, unlike Will, to be successful and never presented himself during his tenure at Red Jacket as a go-getter or inventor; merely someone who knows the gunsmith trade.
Background: 'Sons of Guns': Did Vince sabotage the Vegas build? (VIDEO)
The only thing that is clear is that Vince is gone from the Discovery Channel.
Or, is he?
An article on the Discovery Channel website insinuates that fans may be seeing more of Vince in the near future, when the new season of Sons of Guns begins on Feb. 29.
“But is he gone for good?” writer Kirk Denkler asks. “Hold off on any forecasts because there’s probably more to this story coming in the new season premiering February 29. Just around the corner.”
Fans know by now that Vince has started a new company, Mesa Kinetic Research, with a partner. At one time, the site, though skimpy, was live and working. Now, however, visitors to the site will find the following message:
"Thank you for visiting MesaKineticResearch.com. We are in the process of updating our website and online store to bring your more content. Please be patient, the website should be up and running shortly. -Mesa Kinetic Team"
But, could it be possible that there are, as Denkler insinuates, brighter days to come for Vince at Red Jacket Firearms? Or, could the Discovery Channel be developing a rival show for Vince and Mesa Kinetic Research, or even a Red Jacket Firearms v. Mesa Kinetic Research show, a la American Chopper: Junior v. Senior? Or, could it be that the tease by Denkler is just that: an empty tease?
Stay tuned.
Image: Wikimedia Commons
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Comments
#1 Vince
Vince should leave. he did the work and all the boss did is bitch.
The guy that runs this place needs to devolpe some people management skills and pay attention to what is going on in that "huge" shop.
#2 Who cares!!!!!!
Listen,people seem to think that red jacket revolves around Vince. Well it doesn't! With out the show Vince is just a gunsmith that lives in Baton Rouge. There is plenty of gunsmiths out there,that are better then him and never get the credit because they work for a small gun shop without a show. The show made him and he should be happy that he has or had a job there. Sure he will find another job,but acting the way he does,he wont last long anywhere. He thinks he's the boss when actually he is a employee who needs to listen,and do what he is told.
#3 Hmmm
I guess being the employee that actually holds the Fed Firearm License for the employer was not considered.
#4 vince
who cares!!!!!!!!! you dont know much do you will and steph lost ther permits to sell auto guns and run the gun shop vince stepped up and used his permits to keep the show on the air because with no shop thers no show, atf inventoryed the shop and a bunch of guns were gone (sold ) with no paper work thats a no no with full auto guns
#5 reply
i see alot of fingers pointed at vince and kris. what about the guy who was told by vince to send the gun off?? was I the only one that seen the finale , when will and vince were talking and the dude in the background had a shocked look on his face? kinda like uh-oh!!!
#6 Dudes right vince did
Dudes right vince did delegate to flem to have the AR shipped. When Will called Vince and bitched him out Vince shut his mouth and took the fall without throwing flem under the bus. I do thing vince could have handled the situation better though
#7 Don't believe all you see!
Sons of guns is a pretty good and enjoyable show however it is, yet another, "adjusted" reality show. There are so many setups that its getting to be more fun watching for the continuity errors than watching the content of the show.
One of the more obvious setups is when they call in Ira when attempting to repair the 32mm mortar. They grind the hole in the tube which leaves all the edges glistening with grinding marks yet when they call in Ira, supposedly after the grinding has taken place, he is seen examining a tube with no grinding marks around the hole. Obviously he examined the tube and condemned it BEFORE it was ground and from there on the whole segment was a setup.
The whole “wrong buffer in the AR15” episode was such an obvious setup. In the episode before you see the buffer fall to the floor when Kris angrily disassembles the gun (how a buffer which is shown encased in a spring not 2 seconds earlier falls to the floor is another mystery). When Vince starts to build the rifle he picks up a buffer from the bench behind him and very conveniently stands it on a block of wood on his bench, camera zooms in to show the buffer in minute detail - why?, is the camera man a modified AR15 expert and knows its the wrong buffer or is this just another example of the modified reality. Show the wrong buffer so they can solve the wrong buffer issue in the next episode? From then on the whole "it doesn't shoot in auto" segment is an obvious setup, either that or the AR expert camera man wanted the build to fail which raises a whole different set of issues.
If they keep making such obvious mistakes and adjusting reality to create the all important "illusion of peril / pressure" (in all shows like this every job has a stupid timescale on it - yeah right, business doesn't work like that) which every reality program needs these days then I for one will be finding something else to watch.
Apart from that its a good show; just don't believe everything you see.
#8 reply
The premise of the last 2 shows was way off. No new AR/AK47 was created. Adding a piston kit post production has been going on for a while now. Hydraulic buffers are not new. I have been running one for 3 years and have never heard of one being necessary for F/A function. Monolithic uppers have been here for some time also. Will is to blame. broke his own rules on fraternization and put an incompetent on the lead for an apparently important contract. The blame stays where it originated. Will, you own this FUBAR planned or not.
#9 Exactly
With regard to their "new" AR, you're spot on. Nothing new about that build. Further, they went to gun builder's business in Vegas... NEVADA. I suspect that they would have been able to pick up a hydraulic buffer either in that shop or just down the street to use for the demo. Its a television show and drama keeps people tuning in. With regard to Vince, I understand not only was the shop using his FFL, but Vince was also part owner of Red Jacket Firearms LLC, a limited liability corporation. I doubt he just "disappeared". There are legal issues with that as well.
#10 truth about the real owners of Red Jacket.
In 2009, the ATF does a routine check of the shop, and lo and behold their books say that they have some guns that they don’t actually have. That’s generally a no-no. Now, from Arfcom and other sources we find that Red Jacket Firearms LLC, the actual legal entity featured in the show was founded in 2010 by some of the gunsmiths featured as “employees” on Sons of Guns. Those employees were the legal business owners and the licensed persons responsible for maintaining the shop’s FFL and keeping the shop in compliance with federal regulations. Will, the “star” of Sons of Guns is/was an employee of Red Jacket Firearms LLC as is his daughter.
Will losing his FFL actually happened before the show premiered; the business entity that was presented to the viewing public by Discover as Will Hayden’s business actually was the LLC that was jointly owned by several of his “employees.” The reason this is all coming to light right
#11 Real owners of Red Jacket.
This just proves that Will is willing to be a fraud. Everyone knows that the truth is the only thing acceptable when it comes to any paperwork dealing with firearms. There very few original ideas coming out of that shop anyway. Any innovations they have they give you very little facts. An example of this is when they were making the AK sniper rifle. What caliber did they use, 7.62x39, which is really good at close ranges ,but not at not at any great distance. I hope the celebrities stay away so they won't tarnish their reputations dealing with Will Hayden. I only watch it because it is always a trainwreck about to happen.
#12 Vince
Vince has been acting like a child for a long time. I would have fired him a long time ago. I know he is a good gunsmith but his behavior doesn't justify his position.
A good example would be his inability to take a joke. He can dish it out but cannot take it.
Another thing is his so called "sense of humor". When Stephanie gave Chris the Marachino Cherries Vince and the other gunsmith took a bite out of each one. You can call that what you want but I call it destruction of personal property. It was no different than if he had broken out the window of Chris's car. In fact it was worse because it was a gift he destroyed. One can buy a million boxes of candy but one given by a lover is priceless and cannot be replaced.
Vince may be a good gunsmith but is sadly lacking in character, especially for someone who calls himself a Christian.
#13 FFL
From what ive heard on multiple sights is that Vince was the one who held the FFL for Red Jacket Firearms. They cant build or sell a gun without him. Thats why Will want Kris to marry his daughter i suspect. So that Kris can get an FFL and the buisness is family controled once again. Will and his daughter are actually listed as employees of Red Jacket Firearms from what i understand.
#14 red jacket
I think that Vince was acting like a child who wasn't getting his way. He has been making snide comments about Will's choices over the last few weeks. It's Will's company and he makes the decisions. As good as a gun smith as Vince may be if he did sabatoge the gun build that Will appointed Chris to lead then I dont think that anyone with half a brain would consider hiring that guy to work for them. He cant be trusted.
#15 Vince walking off the job
I'm relatively new to the show and I understand this is reality TV and a certain amount of drama probably is artificially generated to keep public interest in the show. Putting myself in a position as a business owner with employees for the sake of argument seeing the behavior of Vince leading up to the incident of walking off the job I'd have to say it looks pretty childish and the way I see it Chris got the assignment for whatever reason but it has been a team effort from what I saw in the past and Chris worked hard on the rifle until he got stuck and needed help and we all saw what happened when he asked for it and refusal to do your job is grounds for termination.
Vince fixed the gun he testfired it on semi auto only, don't you think a conscientious gunsmith would also test the autofire also to see if it was working? But he didn't and he didn't ship it personally knowing the importance of the job and it arrived damaged. But here's the kicker for me, if I was an employer looking to hire a gunsmith work history is important when I look at the application or for heaven sakes walking off the job on national TV what does that say about his loyalty, dependability and work ethic? If you get mad and want to quit fine but do it the honorable way, what employer would trust him now knowing he can act like this, I wouldn't!
Just my opinion but a man with a family to support doesn't walk off the job especially in this economy.
#16 FFL
The whole idea that Vince holds the FFL is silly. It the ATF had pulled Will's Class three they also would have pulled his right to own any machine guns. Since he buys them for himself all time it puts the lie to that rumor.
By the way I got to meet them at the SHOT Show in Vegas. Real good down to earth people. What surprised me was Will. I always thought of him as a large man. That comes from his personality. He is actually shorter than I and I am only 5'7".
#17 traits of a Marine
Will what happened to Truth, Honor and Integrety all Marines live by those traits I know from watching the show you don't.
#18 kris
You don't put someone in charge just because is inbetween the bosse's daughters legs. You put some one incharge who is qualified to do the work Vince is the school trained and certified Gunsmith .Kris is OJT ON THE JOB TRAINING and to my knowlege Joe and Vinc, and flem haspulled his butt out of the fire more then once cause he was over his head. He did not know what he was doing . With firearms you make sure you know what you are doing or someone gets hurt or even worse kill because of his stupidity!
#19 Chris is a perfect case for
Chris is a perfect case for sterilization before he can have a kid with Stephanie. It is called editing people. They can make drama out of anything and make what happens in the shop look like one thing when it is another. It is scripted reality tv. They set up the drama and the situations. Just watch the finale. Thye are on a timeline because the general is on his way and he has to go to the range that afternoon then they send out the part next day air and they have an entire day to take care of the jo and sell the daughters gun to another shop in vegas and go shooting at a range and do a stupid proposal ion the desert with a bracelet. Really. Now thay are going to have jesse James show up. Needs to promote his comeback on the discovery channel. All of it is setup.Chris dating the bosses daughter so he can get a better position is an old old tactic in business, especially when the person has no real skill. Done with these shows.
#20 Chris is a perfect case for
Chris is a perfect case for sterilization before he can have a kid with Stephanie. It is called editing people. They can make drama out of anything and make what happens in the shop look like one thing when it is another. It is scripted reality tv. They set up the drama and the situations. Just watch the finale. Thye are on a timeline because the general is on his way and he has to go to the range that afternoon then they send out the part next day air and they have an entire day to take care of the jo and sell the daughters gun to another shop in vegas and go shooting at a range and do a stupid proposal ion the desert with a bracelet. Really. Now thay are going to have jesse James show up. Needs to promote his comeback on the discovery channel. All of it is setup.Chris dating the bosses daughter so he can get a better position is an old old tactic in business, especially when the person has no real skill. Done with these shows.
#21 Vince is a girl period
Vince is a girl period