192: Chapter 190 The Best Treasure at the Bottom of the Box 192: Chapter 190 The Best Treasure at the Bottom of the Box Bob seemed even more excited than Gao Yang, his voice charged with emotion, “What treasure has got you so pumped?
Jack, don’t keep us in suspense, tell us now.”
Jack gestured for them to wait a moment before quickly exiting his lounge.
A few minutes later, when Jack returned, he was holding a large iron rod in his hand.
Although it was an iron rod, Jack handled it as if it were a fragile glass object, carefully stretching it forward, “Guys, check this out.”
Bob shrugged indifferently, “It’s just a steel rod, or rather just a gun barrel steel, not even a completed barrel.
Jack, this is too much for you, isn’t it?
Why are you so excited?”
“This is gun barrel steel, but it’s not ordinary barrel steel, buddy.
This is the crystallization of technology, newly developed by a laboratory under the American Steel Company.
They intend to sell this steel to the military and also aim to dominate the high-end gun steel market for civilian shooting competitions.
So they came to me, asking me to make a batch of guns for them, and I sneakily kept one for myself, haha.”
Gao Yang’s spirits lifted immediately, his eyes shining as he looked at the steel rod in Jack’s hands, he exclaimed loudly, “How’s the performance?”
Jack, with animated excitement, claimed, “Buddy, this is the best gun barrel steel I’ve ever seen, bar none!
They only produced a hundred rods, with secret composition, secret production process, just everything secret.
In short, it’s extremely fantastic; after personally testing it, it’s just unbelievable.”
Bob, puzzled, asked, “If it’s really that good, why didn’t the military procure it?
And why hasn’t that laboratory mass-produced it?
Also, if everything’s a secret, how did you manage to sneak away a steel rod?”
Jack boasted proudly, “Under the watchful eye of someone from the lab, I switched it with another steel rod I had prepared specially, then made the switched rod into a barrel.
Unfortunately, that barrel was scrapped, so they destroyed the failed barrel, and I, I kept this piece of barrel steel.”
Bob still didn’t get it, “Why steal when you could buy?
Since they plan to turn this steel into barrels and sell them, you could have bought a large quantity.”
Jack with a look of sorrow and resignation, replied, “Buddy, don’t get me started.
The dimwits at the Ministry of Defense didn’t procure this steel because Congress would never agree to fund it.
And the arms companies didn’t either because, man, this steel is too damn expensive.
Although I don’t know the formula and the process, a single rod like this costs twelve thousand US dollars, just the cost price.
The military would be insane to buy it, and think about the arms companies.
How many barrels made from this steel do you think could be sold in a year?
Ten?
A hundred?
Buddy, market demand simply cannot sustain the production line for this type of steel.
Therefore, the specs for this steel were archived, it was only produced experimentally in a hundred units before production was halted because there simply was no market.
This rod I’m holding could be the last of its kind.”
Bob also expressed regret, “Does it offer a big performance improvement?
If so, I’m even thinking about having my dad buy the patent for this steel.”
Jack shrugged, “For gun barrels, the performance improvement is significant, but it hasn’t revolutionized the existing material system, and the price is hundreds of times higher.
The current steel materials are adequate, so this steel is doomed to just be a technical reserve.
The lab has pitched it to many countries in the world, but sadly, neither the American military nor the civilian high-end gun market can afford it.
Do you think there’s any other country that can?
They’re indeed seeking to sell the patent, and anyone with money can buy it, but no nation’s military will buy the patent and produce this steel unless they want to deliberately bankrupt their treasury.
So you might as well forget about selling the patent.”
After speaking with a look of regret, Jack turned to Gao Yang, “Okay, now this steel rod is yours.
I’m going to use it to create the most perfect heavy barrel and meticulously craft all the parts that can match this barrel.
Now follow me, I need to carefully measure your body data first.”
Witnessing Jack ready to leave with Gao Yang, Cui Bo who had been holding back from speaking finally couldn’t contain himself any longer, he immediately chimed in, “Please wait, could you make me a gun as well, a 12.7mm caliber sniper rifle?
Price is no object.”
Jack stopped in his tracks and shook his head apologetically, “Buddy, it’s not that I’m unwilling to help, but I really don’t have the time.
It’ll take at least three months to make a gun for Gao, and I just can’t squeeze in the time to make another large-caliber sniper rifle as well.”
Anxiously, Cui Bo opened his gun case, showing a Barrett M82A1M and a TAC50, then urgently said, “Even if you can’t make a new one, that’s okay.
As long as there’s a significant performance improvement, I’ll be happy with just an upgrade.”
Jack glanced at Cui Bo’s guns but shook his head with a smile, “Buddy, what makes you think a mere upgrade can significantly improve a gun’s performance?
That’s just ridiculous.
Let me tell you this, guns produced by big companies today are of very high quality.
To significantly improve performance on top of what’s already there, there’s no other way but to manufacture a new one from scratch, starting with the raw materials.
This requires manual polishing and fitting of parts, which in turn demands a lot of money and time.
Of course, if you have a crappy gun that didn’t even get assembled with care, maybe an upgrade could significantly improve its performance.
But if it’s a product that big companies deem good enough for the market, there’s basically no chance that such a lousy gun would be on sale, unless you’re really unlucky.”
Cui Bo looked utterly disappointed and said, “Do I really have to have a new one made?
I see lots of gunsmiths making a living off modifications.”
Jack laughed and replied, “They sustain themselves by modifying firearms, whereas I elevate guns to the realm of artistry, buddy.
That’s the difference between them and me.
However, if you insist, I can still do something for you.”
Anxious, Cui Bo quickly asked, “What can you do?”
After examining Cui Bo’s two guns carefully, Jack said gravely, “This Barrett M82 has been modified.
I can tell it’s been fitted with hand-polished parts, but the work is not good enough.
Moreover, the gun doesn’t quite suit your frame.
I can reduce the weight of this gun, replace some parts with lighter ones, then reassemble, and reshape the stock according to your body size.
After these modifications, it should help improve accuracy and make it more comfortable for you to use.
This should give you a rather substantial boost in your shooting, but I have to make it clear that this isn’t a result of a major precision enhancement, rather it’s achieved by making the shooting experience more comfortable for you.”
Cui Bo nodded repeatedly and said, “Okay, no problem.
Even if I can’t have a new gun made, having it modified to better suit me is good enough.”
Jack nodded, then after a moment of thought, said seriously, “The modification will cost ten thousand US Dollars.
How do you plan to pay?”
Cui Bo was taken aback by the price Jack quoted, and he said, wide-eyed and tongue-tied, “Just for a modification, ten thousand US Dollars?
That’s expensive, right?
That’s almost the price of the gun itself, isn’t it?”
Jack shrugged and responded, “Materials, five hundred US Dollars; my labor, nine thousand five hundred US Dollars.
You can pick up the gun in three months.
I have no choice but to work overtime on my off hours for you, which means you need to pay extra for that.
Of course, you are free to have someone else do the modification for you.”
Without a second thought, Cui Bo immediately shook his head and said, “I’m just expressing my shock.
Ten thousand is ten thousand, it’s fine.”
Bob, however, laughed heartily and said, “My dad already sent you all a gift, and I have to send you something as well, so all expenses here are on me—don’t worry.
This budget has been specially approved by my dad; otherwise, I couldn’t afford this myself, haha.”
Li Jinfang touched his head and commented, “My gun doesn’t seem to need any changes, does it?”
Jack replied seriously, “If you’re using a rapid-fire weapon like an assault rifle, then there is indeed no need.
In my opinion, assault rifles are consumable items, and the demand for precision isn’t too high.
Thus, if you are using brand-name guns from major manufacturers, there’s simply no need to waste my time.
If I were you, I would opt for a tailor-made sidearm.”
Gao Yang nodded and agreed, “That’s right, we should get a good handgun.
I’ve always been using the M1911, but the first and best one I’ve ever used was a custom M1911 Simon gave me.
All subsequent guns of the same model didn’t feel as good, so I do indeed need to have a handgun custom-made for myself now.”
Bob laughed and added, “Do you feel the difference?
Let me tell you, Simon’s gun was made by Jack.
After gifting you his gun, Simon returned to have Jack custom-make another, but unfortunately, Jack didn’t have time.
Now, you can have handguns customized just for you, so it’d be best if you returned Simon’s gun to him—he’d be grateful.”
After saying this, Bob gave Jack a playfully stern pat and declared, “Buddy, my life was saved by these guys.
If not for them, you’d have lost a good brother.
I plan to thank them with your craftsmanship, and you must fulfill my wish.”
Jack glanced at Bob and replied, “You should have mentioned this earlier.
You didn’t tell me they saved you.
Alright, since they were the ones who saved you, I can work overtime and craft a suitable handgun for each of them.
But it has to be a handgun; otherwise, I wouldn’t be done by this time next year.”
Cui Bo’s face lit up with excitement, and he was always thrilled at the prospect of getting a good gun.
Hearing Jack agree to make a handgun for each of them, Cui Bo immediately raised his voice and said, “I want a SIG P226 with my name engraved on it.”
Jack looked at Cui Bo with a smile, then shook his head saying, “Sorry, it’s not up to you to decide which gun you’ll use, but up to me.
What you like may not be what suits you.
So, come with me now to get your guns, and let’s head to the shooting range for a test fire.
Then we’ll select the guns that truly suit you.” (To be continued.
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