TGC Outdoors, approximately five miles north of Oxford on Highway 7, is offering exceptionally customized and detailed lower receivers for AR-15 rifles, a first for the popular shooting range and gun shop.
“The lower receiver is the actual serial numbered firearm portion of an AR-15. It’s the basic frame that all the other parts are attached to,” according to Joshua Gregory, owner of The Range at TGC Outdoors. “The lower receivers that we manufacture are standard Mil-Spec lower receivers just like the majority of other lower receivers on the market – the only difference is the custom engraving.”
Photos by Jeff McVay
Although TGC Outdoors is classified by the ATF as a firearms manufacturer, it does not yet operate its own machine shop to produce the “lowers” (as they are called). Still, TGC manages to keep up with demand and keep everything close to home.
“Because of the fact that we don’t machine our own lowers, we get a variance from the ATF to allow another machine shop to actually produce them for us (Aero Precision in Washington State),” Gregory said. “So physically, they are machined in Washington but according to the ATF they are legally manufactured in Abbeville, Mississippi.”
So what does this mean?
What it means is that AR-15 owners now have the opportunity to order a customized lower receiver for their rifle enabling them to show their Rebel or Mississippi pride,for example, even while in the field.
Customization themes of the lowers vary but all sport a nifty Southern theme.
Examples of lower customizations include: an engraving of the Mississippi State flag with the safety selector marked PEACE – REBEL – SECEDE; an Ole Miss version with the safety selector marked ARE YOU READY – HY DR – HOTTY TODDY; and even a Mississippi State University cowbell engraving with the safety selector marked NO CLANG–CLANG–CLANG-CLANG-CLANG.
“After delivery, we take the customized lowers and assemble them in house using high-quality parts, creating a completely custom AR-15 rifle or pistol,” Gregory said. “The options are endless. We are able to build these for customers and they make unique, one of a kind rifles.”
Pricing for these AR-15 customizations vary depending on color and base material but interested shoppers can contact TGC Outdoors for quick, personalized service. Complete customized rifles can also be purchased onsite.
TGC Outdoors also offers other customizations including their popular Desert Eagle Handguns modeled after those in the 2009 American vigilante film, Boondog Saints II.
“There are plenty of gun shops out there where customers are able to spend their time and money,” Gregory said. “They come here because we treat them with respect, humility and patience, the way a friend should be treated.”
TGC hours of operation for both the range and the gun shop are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Range at TGC Outdoors is located at 662 Highway 7 North, Abbeville, Mississippi. They can be reached by phone at 662-281-9933 or by visiting its website at tgcoutdoors.com. Interested readers may also visit The Range at TGC Outdoors Facebook page for more information.
Jeff McVay is a staff writer and graphic designer for Hottytoddy.com. He can be reached at jeff.mcvay@hottytoddy.com.
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