Is Ray, of Ray's Sporting Goods still around?

Ray did me a great favor once, though he was probably thinking of the comic possibilities involved...

I had just turned eighteen, and was at Ray's looking for my first center-fire Rifle. I ended up talking with Ray, and he made me a great deal on a Marlin 1895G, the one with the straight grip and the hard plastic butt-plate.

I developed a flinch with it of course, but I worked on that flinch and got past it - and later on never developed a flinch again. I wound up being a magnum nut and have owned most magnums suitable for North American hunting, up to and including a Ruger #1 in .375 H&H.

Every time I enjoyed one of those fine rifles, I thought about Ray. - He was the one that made all of that enjoyment possible.

I for one will always remember Ray, of Rays Sporting Goods, most fondly.

I think he passed several years ago. He always seemed to be a decent sort.

Lawrence "Ray" Brantley died in 1996, he was always fun to deal with. I guess the most famous story from Ray's is that he sold Jack Ruby the .38 Special Colt Cobra he used to kill Lee Harvey Oswald after the assassination of JFK.

I had a next door neighbor called Crazy Ray.

I remember that the gunsmith upstairs had a Colt Sauer action on display, and I always wondered if he would ever do anything with it.

First time I walked into that old store was just a few years ago. I fell in love pretty quick. Such a cool old place. I really like the older fella behind the gun counter. The one you can hear from the front door. Great guy. And there's a younger fella up there who took some time to really show me a few cool CZ rifles I had no idea I'd love. Dang it! lol

Lots of memories for me too. Ray offered me a job in his stock room when I got out of college in 1976. Haven't been there in a while but they have some really cool stuff there.

I think Chuck kinda runs it now, real tall, follicle challenged gentleman.

I need to drop in and see if they got any 4" Colt Pythons at a reasonably price, but I think they call this an oxymoron.

I think Chuck kinda runs it now, real tall, follicle challenged gentleman.

That's the guy! lol. I like him though. The kind that says it like it is but will answer a question truthfully if you ask the question right.

I thought Crazy Ray was a whistling Cowboy icon that eventually had his legs hacked from diabetes before death.