SPORTING LIFE M “I’ve passed out 7,000 to 8,000 business cards at gun shows in Savannah," he said. Today, ProjX Gunsmithing is based in a backyard workshop that is crowded with vices, lathes and other tools of the trade. McCue recently added an overhead mill that will enable him to add dovetail sights right in gun barrels. Borrowing from his cabinet-making days, McCue also makes custom gun cabinets and display cases, as well as recoil pads and devices that help “fit" the gun to the user. In addition to repairing guns, he’s become a certified instructor in everything from handguns to shotguns to military-type firearms from M-1s to M-16s and has a small shooting range behind his house.
Defensive pistol matches are a relatively new sport sponsored by the International Defensive Pistol Association to hone the skills of people with concealed weapon permits.
But it isn’t hunters that provide the majority of his business. Half of his business comes from people who arm themselves in selfdefense. “A lot of people are very conscious of selfdefense,” McCue said. “We have very low crime rate, but it dropped after the state’s concealed weapons law went through." His goal is to train people how to use those firearms. He starts inexperienced shooters with a laser gun his shop. Next, they use air guns that use propane canisters to propel a 6mm ball on the range and then they graduate to live fire. While McCue once hunted dove and pheasant, his primary interest now is handguns. He volunteers as a safety officer at matches organized through the International Defensive Pistol Association. Competitions feature scenarios from being caught in a convenience store robbery, a home invasion, car jacking, or an ATM/bank robbery and firing from a bed, or crouched behind a door or counter. McCue said his business is doing well. “We have a really large community of (firearm enthusiasts) here. We have a lot of
Skeet: Clay pigeons come from two locations and can be thrown in pairs to imitate flight patterns of upland birds such as pheasant and quail Trap: Clay pigeons come from one location intended to mimic water fowl such as duck and geese Sporting clays: Shooters go to a series of stations and clay pigeons come from a variety of locations. It most closely resembles hunting scenarios.
retired miliary here because of the bases. That’s a good portion of it. There is a lot of hunters here. We have the longest deer season on the East Coast, from Aug. 15 to Jan. 1.” He doesn‘t envision going back into homebuilding. “Where else do you get to shoot everyone else’s guns and ammo?” he said with a laugh. M
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