America, Heck Yeah! Without trying to sound like I'm tooting Uncle Sam's horn, or being overly patriotic, there are some things I experience that keep me believing in American Exceptionalism. Two examples will illustrate the unbridled enthusiasm we pour into our pursuit of quality. One should keep in mind the truism: you get what you pay for.
Champagne brunch. These words fill one's mind with fashionable dining in blissful tranquility. A buffet of omelettes, carved ribeye, pancakes, Belgian waffles, and the like thrown in with the standard breakfast fare of hashbrowns, scrambled eggs, fruits, cheeses, pastries, and a Mimosa to wash it down. A little backstory may be in order. My wife is due to deliver our first child in early January. So we know for a fact that there will be a solid three to five months we won't be dining out at "cloth napkin" restaurants. So we're sandbagging now and eating out a couple times a week if her schedule and nausea permit it. Our dash to soak up these last few meals took us to the
Mission Inn in Riverside, CA. After enjoying one of the best steaks in my life, I casually pointed out that they offer an appealing Champagne Brunch. The wife's response was "Excellent, let's eat here again on Sunday!" No argument from me :).
So that is how I found myself at noon on Sunday, in a Spanish style courtyard, indulging in hot chocolate, eggs with smoked salmon, and a Mimosa: that sweet combination of orange juice and champagne.
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Titanium AR-10: Sure, why not?
Carrying on the theme of penultimate quality, I had the chance this week to handle a rifle that costs more than a Range Rover, but the guy buying this would probably take it home in a Porsche. MSRP of above rifle: a cool $100,000. It doesn't contain any gold or platinum. Nor are any parts covered in unicorn horn or dragon scales, although it may have the very unique Hen's Tooth shell extractor. Why the six-figure price tag? One word: Titanium. The raw materials in this gun cost about $25,000. Add in labor and machining on the toughest metal extant, plus the unique designation of Serial #1 and one rises up into very rare air. I count nine specific titanium parts on the spec list below. Would it really cost more than a condo to build it on your own? No. At least not if you have access to CNC machining equipment with diamond tip cutters and are willing to plunk down the initial material costs. Word amongst some in the industry is that if this had become a "production model" gun, it would list between forty to fifty thousand. Still, at $45K each, Nemo Arms, the company who built this didn't figure demand would support the capital expenditure. I applaud their self-control.
Titanium Matched Receiver Set
416 Stainless Steel, .308 Win, 1/10 Twist, Black Nitride Finish, 16” HBAR Profile
Titanium Customizable Tube Handguard
Troy Tritium Micro Set Back Up Iron Sights
Titanium Picatinny Handguard Rails
Choate 6-position Buttstock
Titanium Low Profile Gas Block
Titanium Charging Handle with Tactical Latch
Hogue Grip with Battery Management System
Titanium DRK Compensator
KNS Anti-Rotational Pins
Timney 4lb Solid Trigger
Norgon Ambi Mag Catch
Ambi Safety Selector
Titanium Buffer Tube
Stainless Steel Buffer
Titanium Bolt Carrier, Nickel Boron Coated Bolt
Trijicon TA648RMR-308 ACOG 6×48
The aforementioned smell hit me upon entering Frontier Gunleather, but I was struck more by the sight of John Bianchi himself than the delectable leather aroma. It was totally unexpected, a shock; I was surprised that he actually still came to work. My notion that he sat at home like other retirees or went golfing was pleasantly shattered. The wife didn't really get how famous he is until I explained it in the car later. If you don't get it, imagine going to a batting cage and having Hank Aaron working there. Or walking in to Nordstrom and being assisted by Ralph Lauren. Doesn't happen much, huh? Aside from crafting the gold standard for holsters, Mr. Bianchi is good enough with a gun to have an NRA pistol tournament named after him: the Bianchi Cup. In spite of this prestige, he is quite down to earth and folksy. We walked out with an order for a custom fit gunbelt with holster, an autographed poster, personalized copy of his biography, and a 1911 double magazine pouch dyed black while we waited. The only thing I'd planned on getting was the mag pouch, but my wife insisted we get more. The poster was a total surprise. :) 
