Only because my eyes are BrownI have it on good authority that that Mike R guy is full of shit
Mike R.
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Tac Ops:
- Thread starter Brian Foster
- Start date
Mike R.
I have that rifle coming soon, and titanium can sitting in jail too! Hope my test target looks as good as yours ; )
Let's see who gets their can first!
DW
Now we just need a couple PVS22 or 30s to put on those rails!
I spoke to Mike on the phone for an hour about 15 years ago when TacOps ruled the bolt action world. He was very kind and I loved listening to his stories. But I was a 20 year old kid desperately trying to save my pennies for a $4,500 rifle (at the time, no idea how much they are now), that was challenging to say the least.
Fast forward 15 years and I own 3 fully built 700’s that will consistently shoot 3/8 MOA with factory match ammo. I can’t shoot better than that. TacOps rifles are a work of art that no company in the world can touch in terms of detail and accuracy, but when I decided I was ready to drop $5,500 on a rifle I realized that I’m over the 700 action and McMillan fiberglass of yesteryear, so I ordered a Barrett MRAD. We’ll see if I ever change the barrels, but if I want to I have the option to do so.
I’d still love a TacOps, but there’s no way I could get myself to go that route over the MRAD since I could only afford one, and I don’t regret my decision at all. Not only could the Barrett outshoot me (and most shooting it) but I can use it as club, sledgehammer, battering ram, and a Jack stand that would make Harbor Freight jealous, it’s built in a way that would make Killdozer proud!
TacOps? Hopefully I can check it off my bucket list someday, they’re pretty spectacular.
Fast forward 15 years and I own 3 fully built 700’s that will consistently shoot 3/8 MOA with factory match ammo. I can’t shoot better than that. TacOps rifles are a work of art that no company in the world can touch in terms of detail and accuracy, but when I decided I was ready to drop $5,500 on a rifle I realized that I’m over the 700 action and McMillan fiberglass of yesteryear, so I ordered a Barrett MRAD. We’ll see if I ever change the barrels, but if I want to I have the option to do so.
I’d still love a TacOps, but there’s no way I could get myself to go that route over the MRAD since I could only afford one, and I don’t regret my decision at all. Not only could the Barrett outshoot me (and most shooting it) but I can use it as club, sledgehammer, battering ram, and a Jack stand that would make Harbor Freight jealous, it’s built in a way that would make Killdozer proud!
TacOps? Hopefully I can check it off my bucket list someday, they’re pretty spectacular.
I did just the opposite. I sold my AX with barrels to buy a Tac Ops. Mike never ceases to amaze me. His memory is inhumanly good and treats everyone like his best friend. Phone conversations are like your rifle is the only one hes working one, but he does this with everyone. Sold my AI.. zero regrets. Mike wont be here forever and I want one of his rifles in my collection.
Another shoutout to Mike and his crew. I’d love to call and chat with him again but I’m not going to waste his time.
My obsession with TacOps in my 20’s ran deeper than blood. I LIVED on the Hide/Sniper Central forums and YouTube just to get a peak at all the new TacOps news. I’ve never even held one yet I’ve studied them more than most. My three 700’s all have TacOps bolt knobs tig welded by Matt (not sure what happened to that guy, he was awesome). All 3 triggers in them are old 700 triggers reworked by Mike and sent to Birdsong for black T. One of those triggers resulted in Mike calling me and saying “I’m sorry it’s taken so long to get your trigger back to you, that was the worst trigger I’ve ever dealt with in my life. Getting it apart was like working on an engine and not having the tools. I probably should have just thrown it out and given you one of mine because it’s not perfect, I’m not happy with it but I’m sure you’ll like it.” About 20 people have shot that rifle to this day and they’re always in awe over the trigger. I don’t own a single gun without a trigger job/new trigger (even pump shotguns), and that trigger is still my favorite of all my guns. He’s right, it’s not “as” crisp as the other two he did for me, but it’s unique, and if I was a famous shooter and Timney approached me I’d tell them to replicate it.
Not trying to brag but when people see my guns they’re in awe. They aren’t looking at the action work, Krieger barrels, optics, or Manners/McMillan stocks, they’re looking at every screw/detent/and part on the guns (big and tiny) that’s coated in Birdsong/Cerakote, the colorfill (that people laugh at now in the AR world), the marine tex grip texturing, two tone colors on everything, screws that are perfectly aligned with one another on the DBM/bipod rails. Insane attention to detail that I just HAD to have because “that’s how TacOps does it.” It created a monster as that philosophy went into every gun I own. I even took a course on etching into metal by hand to try my luck with it, but I never practiced lol. I’m probably the only person with a Romanian WASR and Chinese SKS that have been ground down with rewelded spots, machine scratches filled, all imperfections fixed, then refinished and outfitted with custom made furniture to make them look like ceremonial guns for a king. I blame Mike for that lol. Thank god I made friends with the guy that owns the company I go to for Cerakote because he cringed when I walked through the door knowing I was bringing a gallon freezer bag full of tiny parts every time lol. Then again people always found my over the top details a bit crazy.
After spending 9 years working in the gun industry I walked away right before COVID, started playing guitar and working on my car again (first time in many years). Haven’t bought much in the way of guns or shot much either (last time I shot a gun was to qualify for my old second job that I’m also no longer at). But the 15/16 or so years I spent buying and building was mostly in part of TacOps. Even in the guitar/car world I don’t have influences that make me want to do what they do. There’s a lot of cool stuff out there, but TacOps spoke to me like art, it’s more of a feeling/emotion than anything else, and once you connect with it like that you can’t help but to want to copy it.
TLDR I know, but big thanks Mike. You’re 80% responsible for me having two 30 gun Liberty safes full of insanely custom guns that rarely ever get shot haha. The MRAD was a no brainer considering what I already own, but it still wasn’t an easy decision when I knew I could have just called you up and ordered my dream rifle. All of what I own was purchased (mostly used or free from connections with companies, didn’t like buying new when I was just going to rebuild it) over years of time and worked on little by little, having big money up front isn’t an every day thing. Like I said I don’t regret the MRAD, but someday I need a rifle from the company that inspired me to become a mad scientist. I’m pretty happy I googled TacOps for the first time in 3 years and this thread popped up.
You’re the man Mike. If you ever decide to escape Cali know that the poor state of Ohio will welcome you with open arms. We don’t have your weather, but it’s cheaper, a bit more sane, and the Bengals are in the Super Bowl so there’s that haha.
My obsession with TacOps in my 20’s ran deeper than blood. I LIVED on the Hide/Sniper Central forums and YouTube just to get a peak at all the new TacOps news. I’ve never even held one yet I’ve studied them more than most. My three 700’s all have TacOps bolt knobs tig welded by Matt (not sure what happened to that guy, he was awesome). All 3 triggers in them are old 700 triggers reworked by Mike and sent to Birdsong for black T. One of those triggers resulted in Mike calling me and saying “I’m sorry it’s taken so long to get your trigger back to you, that was the worst trigger I’ve ever dealt with in my life. Getting it apart was like working on an engine and not having the tools. I probably should have just thrown it out and given you one of mine because it’s not perfect, I’m not happy with it but I’m sure you’ll like it.” About 20 people have shot that rifle to this day and they’re always in awe over the trigger. I don’t own a single gun without a trigger job/new trigger (even pump shotguns), and that trigger is still my favorite of all my guns. He’s right, it’s not “as” crisp as the other two he did for me, but it’s unique, and if I was a famous shooter and Timney approached me I’d tell them to replicate it.
Not trying to brag but when people see my guns they’re in awe. They aren’t looking at the action work, Krieger barrels, optics, or Manners/McMillan stocks, they’re looking at every screw/detent/and part on the guns (big and tiny) that’s coated in Birdsong/Cerakote, the colorfill (that people laugh at now in the AR world), the marine tex grip texturing, two tone colors on everything, screws that are perfectly aligned with one another on the DBM/bipod rails. Insane attention to detail that I just HAD to have because “that’s how TacOps does it.” It created a monster as that philosophy went into every gun I own. I even took a course on etching into metal by hand to try my luck with it, but I never practiced lol. I’m probably the only person with a Romanian WASR and Chinese SKS that have been ground down with rewelded spots, machine scratches filled, all imperfections fixed, then refinished and outfitted with custom made furniture to make them look like ceremonial guns for a king. I blame Mike for that lol. Thank god I made friends with the guy that owns the company I go to for Cerakote because he cringed when I walked through the door knowing I was bringing a gallon freezer bag full of tiny parts every time lol. Then again people always found my over the top details a bit crazy.
After spending 9 years working in the gun industry I walked away right before COVID, started playing guitar and working on my car again (first time in many years). Haven’t bought much in the way of guns or shot much either (last time I shot a gun was to qualify for my old second job that I’m also no longer at). But the 15/16 or so years I spent buying and building was mostly in part of TacOps. Even in the guitar/car world I don’t have influences that make me want to do what they do. There’s a lot of cool stuff out there, but TacOps spoke to me like art, it’s more of a feeling/emotion than anything else, and once you connect with it like that you can’t help but to want to copy it.
TLDR I know, but big thanks Mike. You’re 80% responsible for me having two 30 gun Liberty safes full of insanely custom guns that rarely ever get shot haha. The MRAD was a no brainer considering what I already own, but it still wasn’t an easy decision when I knew I could have just called you up and ordered my dream rifle. All of what I own was purchased (mostly used or free from connections with companies, didn’t like buying new when I was just going to rebuild it) over years of time and worked on little by little, having big money up front isn’t an every day thing. Like I said I don’t regret the MRAD, but someday I need a rifle from the company that inspired me to become a mad scientist. I’m pretty happy I googled TacOps for the first time in 3 years and this thread popped up.
You’re the man Mike. If you ever decide to escape Cali know that the poor state of Ohio will welcome you with open arms. We don’t have your weather, but it’s cheaper, a bit more sane, and the Bengals are in the Super Bowl so there’s that haha.
Mike, it should say "The King of Beverly Hills"
They call him "Mr. Mike" in Beverly Hills,
Mr Mike, Mr Mike, we have your table over here,
Mr Mike that is not on the menu but for you, anything
Mr Mike, Mr Mike all over Rodea Drive and Sunset
I've lusted over one for as long as I've been on the Hide. Something always comes up and I just can't swing it. But I will own one before they plant me in the ground.
I’m gonna try to go shoot tomorrow before the weather gets western here in NTX…. Or normal weather for you Yankees. I’ll post a report.Stevo give a new Range report on the Delta with your Can my Ninja
Mike R.
Edit: can is still in jail.
Ninja
