Guns of the NPSC: Bob Jones .38 Special Revolver
NRAblog 11.16.11
When I first approached U.S. Border Patrol Agent Robert Vadasz about profiling the guns he used to win the 2011 National Police Shooting Championship — his third in four years — he had just completed the final stage of the Revolver 1500 Match. A match that he won with a score of 1490-117x. A match in which he used his Bob Jones PPC revolver.
“It’s a .38 Special Smith & Wesson,” said Vadasz. “My Bob Jones PPC revolver. The very first competition gun that I ever had built … probably back in 2000.”
In a 2001 NRA Law Enforcement Division Newsletter, Jones talked about his work on PPC pistols:
“I started working on pistols in the Navy, and it kind of stuck — it was something I really enjoyed doing,” said Bob, thinking back to his days as a Naval armorer who tinkered with .45s.
Bob’s typical modifications to a Smith & Wesson revolver include rebarreling it with a Shilen barrel, bobbing the hammer (cutting off the cocking spur), adding an Aristocrat rib, tuning and smoothing the trigger, and installing a trigger stop. The Shilen barrel increases accuracy, adds some additional weight for stability, and its increased size helps with heat dissipation.
Fitted with Hogue Monogrip, the .38 hasn’t been tinkered with since the day it arrived.
“Exact same gun,” said Vadasz. “It’s never been worked on. It’s never been changed. It’s never been different. I won all three of my PPC national championships with this gun. It’s real special to me.”
NRAblog covers the 178 programs of the National Rifle Association. Whether it's the Youth Hunter Education Challenge, Women On Target, Hunters Rights, our National Competitions or a look at one of the thousands of guns in the National Firearms Museum, NRAblog is there to provide you an inside look to how it all happens at the NRA.
