I thought every one would enjoy reading the article written by Maggi Martin of the Cleveland Plain Dealer on Ron Duning and Phil McNaughton. The article ran on August 31, 2002.
He calls himself Buck Ranger and packs a six-shooter that can knock a villain off a horse quicker than you can say Lone Ranger.
Meet Ron Paul Duning, fastest gun in the East. He can fire a .22-caliber Ruger as fast as you can blink an eye. This weekend, he will defend his title at the Western Fast Draw Championships, at the Marine Corps League, in
Mentor.
About 50 of the best gunslingers east of the Mississippiwill be shooting for national titles at the competition, which is open to the public. Competitors dressed in western garb complete with cowboy hats and holster, will rustle up some grub before they open fire at targets.
The shooting comes down to split-second decisions, faster than you can blink your eye, said Duning, of Willowick, who set the world record last year with a .246 second draw. Competitors are timed from the moment that grab the gun until that hit the target set 5 to 10 feet away
Duning, a gunsmith for GanderMountain, in Mentor, one of the contest sponsors, spends most days repairing guns and rifles for customers. Plaques and ribbons from his shooting shows line the walls among the guns he custom makes and next to films about the Wild West.
Duning, who is president of an area quick-draw club, called the Buckeye Rangers, said the competition is more about speed and precision than power.
Shooters use wax bullets propelled by a shotgun primer when they fire at targets and are timed with electronic devices. The computer calculates a shot down to the thousandth of a second.
Duning, a former police officer in the Dayton area, took up western quick draw on a dare from a former partner 24 years ago. He has been winning award ever since.
At a recent contest in Johnstown, Pa., Duning set four new national speed records. He currently holds 25
national fast-draw records.
Phil McNaughton, of Chardon, vice president of Buckeye Rangers, earned
his nickname “Fireball” because he once set his leg on fire while fanning the
trigger.
“I was quicker than the trigger,” he said. “ I had the pad under my pants smoldering.”
While some might scoff at a sport that is based in part on Western nostalgia, McNaughton, who placed fourth in international competition in Canada recently, said it takes intense mental and physical preparation to excel.
“It is the fastest-timed sport in the world,” he said. “Precision is the key. Like a golf swing or a Major League (baseball) pitch, you have to find your groove and practice, practice, practice.”
McNaughton said the fast-draw competition will let spectators “visit” the Wild West for a while and see some cowboy heroes perform again.
And just to prove the good guys don’t always fade away in white cowboy hats, Duning said he saddles up and heads into most sunsets in his black hat, on
his Harley.
He calls himself Buck Ranger and packs a six-shooter that can knock a villain off a horse quicker than you can say Lone Ranger.
Meet Ron Paul Duning, fastest gun in the East. He can fire a .22-caliber Ruger as fast as you can blink an eye. This weekend, he will defend his title at the Western Fast Draw Championships, at the Marine Corps League, in
Mentor.
About 50 of the best gunslingers east of the Mississippiwill be shooting for national titles at the competition, which is open to the public. Competitors dressed in western garb complete with cowboy hats and holster, will rustle up some grub before they open fire at targets.
The shooting comes down to split-second decisions, faster than you can blink your eye, said Duning, of Willowick, who set the world record last year with a .246 second draw. Competitors are timed from the moment that grab the gun until that hit the target set 5 to 10 feet away
Duning, a gunsmith for GanderMountain, in Mentor, one of the contest sponsors, spends most days repairing guns and rifles for customers. Plaques and ribbons from his shooting shows line the walls among the guns he custom makes and next to films about the Wild West.
Duning, who is president of an area quick-draw club, called the Buckeye Rangers, said the competition is more about speed and precision than power.
Shooters use wax bullets propelled by a shotgun primer when they fire at targets and are timed with electronic devices. The computer calculates a shot down to the thousandth of a second.
Duning, a former police officer in the Dayton area, took up western quick draw on a dare from a former partner 24 years ago. He has been winning award ever since.
At a recent contest in Johnstown, Pa., Duning set four new national speed records. He currently holds 25
national fast-draw records.
Phil McNaughton, of Chardon, vice president of Buckeye Rangers, earned
his nickname “Fireball” because he once set his leg on fire while fanning the
trigger.
“I was quicker than the trigger,” he said. “ I had the pad under my pants smoldering.”
While some might scoff at a sport that is based in part on Western nostalgia, McNaughton, who placed fourth in international competition in Canada recently, said it takes intense mental and physical preparation to excel.
“It is the fastest-timed sport in the world,” he said. “Precision is the key. Like a golf swing or a Major League (baseball) pitch, you have to find your groove and practice, practice, practice.”
McNaughton said the fast-draw competition will let spectators “visit” the Wild West for a while and see some cowboy heroes perform again.
And just to prove the good guys don’t always fade away in white cowboy hats, Duning said he saddles up and heads into most sunsets in his black hat, on
his Harley.
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