Introduction

Sons of Guns is a reality television series that aired on the Discovery Channel between 2011 and 2014.

Outline

The series centres on Red Jacket Firearms LLC, a Louisiana-based business that manufactures and sells custom firearms to law enforcement, security firms, and private collectors. Will Hayden was the founder and owner of the shop, while his daughter and business partner Stephanie managed the office.

As on the Discovery Channel series MythBusters, this show practices a degree of self-censorship and safety-consciousness. Each episode begins with a staff member (usually Will) warning viewers not to try anything demonstrated on the show at home. In addition, during scenes of catastrophic failure, the crew reminds the audience not to try anything at home. The program made a noted point to avoid showing specific detail of how weapon modifications or fabrications are performed.

After five seasons, the show was cancelled on 27 August 2014, as a direct result of Hayden’s arrest on various sexual charges. On 07 April 2017, Hayden was convicted on two counts of aggravated rape and one count of forcible rape. On 11 May 2017, Hayden was sentenced to two life sentences plus 40 years in prison to be served consecutively, for rape of two girls between ages of 11 and 13. Because of this, Discovery has effectively frozen any further distribution of the series on any platform, and repeats of the series are unlikely to ever air again.

Trivia

• Will Hayden and Rich Wyatt (of American Guns) hosted the Discovery Channel special Top 10 Shootouts (17 August 2012) in which they discussed and demonstrated firearms used in events of American history.
• Will Hayden also made an appearance in another Discovery Channel documentary, How We Invented: Guns, which aired following the season-four finale (2013).

Sons of Guns Series

• Series 01 (2011):
  • Episode 01: Civil War Cannon, Shotgun Silencer.
  • Episode 02: Master Key.
  • Episode 03: Flamethrower.
  • Episode 04: Browning Machine Gun, Stephanie’s Big Bet.
  • Episode 05: Coffee Grinder, Katana.
  • Episode 06: AK-47 Silencer.
  • Episode 07: The Bazooka, Kris’ Birthday.
  • Episode 08: Tommy Gun, Machete.
  • Episode 09: Movie Gun, Leopard Gun.
  • Episode 10: Remote Controlled Machine Gun.
  • Episode 11: ATV Gun, Help Wanted at Red Jacket.
  • Episode 12: Machine Gun Mania, The New Guy.
  • Episode 13: The Rocket Launcher.
  • Episode 14: Alligator Kill Stick.
  • Episode 15: Double M16.
  • Episode 16: Flashlight Gun.

• Series 02 (2011-2012):
  • Episode 01: Anniversary Bash.
  • Episode 02: AK, Sniper Rifle.
  • Episode 03: American Chopper Gun.
  • Episode 04: The Meat Chopper.
  • Episode 05: Grenade Launcher Silencer.
  • Episode 06: Flying Guns and Uzis.
  • Episode 07: Taser Shotgun.
  • Episode 08: Gatling Gun and Duelling Pistols.
  • Episode 09: Oh My God, a Cannon!.
  • Episode 10: Guns of Glory.
  • Episode 11: Will’s Floating Fortress.
  • Episode 12: Honey, I Blew Up the USS Kidd!.
  • Episode 13: Flamethrower Cannon.
  • Episode 14: Boys and Their Maxim Toys.
  • Episode 15: The Hogzilla Gun.
  • Episode 16: Mortars and Mayhem.
  • Episode 17: Wedlock & Load.

• Series 03 (2012):
  • Episode 01: This Time It’s Personal.
  • Episode 02: Sniper Rifle Silencer.
  • Episode 03: Kamikaze Cannon.
  • Episode 04: Behind the Scenes.
  • Episode 05: Jesse James Gun.
  • Episode 06: World’s Largest Machine Gun.
  • Episode 07: Armoured and Dangerous.
  • Episode 08: Zombie Gun!.
  • Episode 09: Total Recall Vector Submachine Gun.
  • Episode 10: The Gun that Killed Osama.
  • Episode 11: Three Cannons and a Rock Star.
  • Episode 12: Red Jacket Snow Blaster.
  • Episode 13: Red Jacket Challenges Mythbusters.
  • Episode 14: Shotgun Superstars vs Red Jacket.
  • Episode 15: Nine Guns and a Shootout.
  • Episode 16: Free Fall Shotgun.

• Series 04 (2013):
  • Episode 01: Under Siege.
  • Episode 02: Hangfire.
  • Episode 03: Will’s Monster.
  • Episode 04: Russian Roulette.
  • Episode 05: Cutbacks.
  • Episode 06: One Man Army.
  • Episode 07: Misfire.
  • Episode 08: Last Round.

• Series 05 (2014):
  • Episode 01: The King and Will.
  • Episode 02: Mobile MAG-58.
  • Episode 03: Steel Tornado.
  • Episode 04: Scorpion Strikes.
  • Episode 05: Master Blaster.
  • Episode 06: The Throwdown.
  • Episode 07: Bone-dry .50 Cal.
  • Episode 08: Red Jacket Reloaded.
  • Episode 09: Red Jacket Rises.

Production & Filming Details

• Director(s):
  • Zac McFarlane … (23 episodes, 2011).
  • Brian Cavallaro … (8 episodes, 2013).
  • Graham Wiggins … (7 episodes, 2012).
  • Richard Velazquez … (3 episodes, 2012).
  • Jerry McNutt … (3 episodes, 2014).
  • Mark Therrien … (2 episodes, 2011).
  • Dixon Troyer … (2 episodes, 2012).
  • Tom Grant … (1 episode, 2012).
  • Shauna Stoddart … (1 episode, 2012).
• Producer(s):
  • Stephen Land … executive producer (59 episodes, 2011-2014).
  • Robert Wear … co-producer (57 episodes, 2011-2014).
  • Dolores Gavin … executive producer (54 episodes, 2011-2014).
  • Wesley Caylor … producer (33 episodes, 2011-2012).
  • Christina Cieri … coordinating producer (33 episodes, 2011-2012).
  • John Girod … associate producer (33 episodes, 2011-2012).
  • Todd Goodrich … story producer (33 episodes, 2011-2012).
  • Tom Grant … supervising producer / producer / senior producer (33 episodes, 2011-2012).
  • Robin Acutt … senior producer / supervising producer (32 episodes, 2011-2012).
  • Fiona Kennedy … co-executive producer / supervising producer (32 episodes, 2011-2012).
  • Michael Twardy … producer / series producer / co-producer (29 episodes, 2011-2014).
  • Patrick Leigh-Bell … executive producer / co-executive producer (25 episodes, 2011).
  • Shauna Stoddart … story producer (20 episodes, 2011-2012).
  • Jessica Ferstand … associate producer / producer (18 episodes, 2011-2012).
  • Lisbeth Lozano … associate producer (17 episodes, 2013-2014).
  • Pamela Robison … associate story producer / producer (16 episodes, 2012-2013).
  • Kevin Raymond … story producer (15 episodes, 2011-2012).
  • Matt Sprouse … producer (14 episodes, 2011-2012).
  • Mark Therrien … senior producer / producer (13 episodes, 2011).
  • Graham Wiggins … producer (11 episodes, 2012).
  • Christopher Goettsche … producer (9 episodes, 2011-2012).
  • Cary Millman … field producer (9 episodes, 2011-2012).
  • Neal Fischer … associate producer (9 episodes, 2011).
  • Kristin Wilcox … coordinating producer (9 episodes, 2011).
  • Philip Wayne Tatler IV … series editor (9 episodes, 2012-2013).
  • Nancy Clark … story associate producer (9 episodes, 2014).
  • Natalia Munoz … supervising producer (9 episodes, 2014).
  • Elizabeth Hutchison … associate producer (8 episodes, 2011).
  • Zak Weisfeld … executive producer (8 episodes, 2011).
  • Barbara Davilman … story producer (8 episodes, 2013).
  • Russ Ward … supervising producer (8 episodes, 2013).
  • Dixon Troyer … supervising producer (7 episodes, 2011-2012).
  • Stephanie Buxbaum … co-executive producer (6 episodes, 2011).
  • Tom Kramer … supervising producer (5 episodes, 2011).
  • Ewa Mularczyk … story producer (4 episodes, 2011).
  • Kailey Offerman … story producer (4 episodes, 2011).
  • Larissa Bills … producer (3 episodes, 2011).
  • Steve Wright … producer (3 episodes, 2011).
  • Jason King … supervising producer (3 episodes, 2014).
  • Blaine McManus … associate producer (2 episodes, 2011).
  • Kerri McDermott … producer (2 episodes, 2013).
  • Ryane Belafsky … associate producer (1 episode, 2013).
  • Tee-a Hof … supervising producer (1 episode, 2013).
• Writer(s):
  • David Vanacore … (50 episodes, 2011-2014).
  • Doug Beiden … (17 episodes, 2011).
• Music:
• Cinematography:
  • Steve Purcell … (27 episodes, 2012-2014).
  • Zac McFarlane … (8 episodes, 2011).
• Editor(s):
  • Eric Johannsen … (27 episodes, 2011-2012).
  • Josh Lowry … (20 episodes, 2011-2012).
  • Christopher Mena … (18 episodes, 2011-2012).
  • Gabriel Forster … (12 episodes, 2012-2014).
  • Todd Beabout … (12 episodes, 2012).
  • Eric Dinh Lu … (8 episodes, 2013).
  • Michael Degl’Innocenti … (6 episodes, 2012-2013).
  • Philip Wayne Tatler IV … (5 episodes, 2014).
  • Bobby Munster … (4 episodes, 2013-2014).
  • Vankhoa ‘Mike’ Le … (3 episodes, 2011).
  • James Messina … (3 episodes, 2011).
  • Michael Cronin … (3 episodes, 2014).
  • Erik Adolphson … (1 episode, 2011).
  • Kabir Akhtar … (1 episode, 2011).
  • Sharmila Ariathurai … (1 episode, 2011).
  • Justin Hardison … (1 episode, 2011).
  • Scott Kubicki … (1 episode, 2011).
  • Zach Land … (1 episode, 2011).
  • Sarah Longnecker … (1 episode, 2011).
  • Brett Lyda … (1 episode, 2011).
  • Antony Berrios … (1 episode, 2013).
  • Wilton Cruz … (uncredited) (1 episode, 2014).
• Production:
  • Jupiter Entertainment.
• Distributor(s):
  • Discovery Channel (2011) (USA) (TV) (cable).
• Release Date:
  • Series 01: 26 January 2011 to 30 March 2011.
  • Series 02: 13 July 2011 to 18 January 2012.
  • Series 03: 29 February 2012 to 24 October 2012.
  • Series 04: 19 April 2013 to 07 June 2013.
  • Series 05: 21 march 2014 to 16 May 2014.
• Rating: TV-14.
• Running Time:
  • 30 minutes (with commercials, series 01); and
  • 60 minutes (with commercials, series 02-05).
• Country: US.
• Language: English.

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