On Target Technologies is a company that specializes in designing and manufacturing barrel storage systems for the Thompson/Center line of single shot firearms. Company owner, Mike Sirois, was not actively seeking a better way to store barrels but as the old saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention. According to Mike, the scene played out like this. It was deer season and he was wrestling with a stuck breech plug on his Encore 209x50 muzzleloader. Before the battle was over the plug wrench was broken, his hand was injured, and from being rolled around on the camp kitchen table the rear sight had been knocked out of alignment. All this had him back at the range the following morning instead of the woods.

This was in late November of 1999; by Christmas Mike had made a large wrench to hold the barrel upright. Originally the wrench had a shroud around the barrel to prevent anything from hitting it. The wrench was later refined to a simple slot. Further improvements got it to the shape it is in now. This was all completed in or around late January 2000. The final products that Mike developed are the "Crib", "Crib End Units, "Cradle", and "Cradle End Units." The Cribs are designed for the Contender barrels and are anodized gold. The Cradles are made to hold Encore barrels and are anodized black. Even though the Contender and Encore pistols are physically different internally and externally, Mike has designed the Crib and Cradle systems to interlock together and can be interchanged. Mike is also making "Frame Holders" that will be available soon. The Frame Holders will integrate as a part of the Crib and Cradle Storage System.

When locked together, the Crib and Cradle system protects all Contender and Encore barrels during storage. The slot in which the barrel sets locates them 4" on center. If a second row is staggered below the first, this will arrange the barrels 2" on center. This leaves plenty of space so that scopes and sight systems are protected because there is no contact to them from other barrels or from laying them on shelving. When a new barrel is added to the collection, simply slide another Crib or Cradle in place and attach with a drywall screw or #8-32 flathead screw. The units can be mounted anywhere that allows enough space for the barrel to hang freely. The Crib/Cradle can be mounted inside a gun cabinet, safe door, or on a wall for display. The feature that I like best about the Crib and Cradle system is that no straps are needed to hold the barrels in place; barrels are retained by their own weight. When asked if the suspending would cause any damage to the barrel, Mike said that this has been investigated. Mike submitted his 45LC/410 barrel and pin for testing with a materials lab. The lab results showed that the small pin in the Contender could withstand quite a few pounds before any deformation will occur; the Encore uses bosses, which being larger in diameter will withstand more.

Over the years I have accumulated a decent sized collection of Contender barrels. One of the biggest problems with having so many is identifying one from another when they are all stacked in the safe. They are all either 10" or 14" and wear Tasco Pro Class or Burris scopes, so the majority of them look identical. If I am looking for a certain barrel, I have to take each out of the safe, read the roll mark, then neatly place it back if it’s not the right one. The Crib and Cradle System allows the barrels to be easily organized and identified because they are fully open to view.

Mike’s wrestling match with the Encore barrel gave him the idea for the company name, ON Target Technology. He said the key is that once the gun is on target now lets keep it there. When talking to Mike, he mentioned that along with using the Crib and Cradle system to store guns, they could also be used for cleaning supports, wrenches for muzzleloader breech plug removal, or work supports while other components are being cleaned. I especially liked the idea of using the Crib as a cleaning stand for my Contender barrels. Most of the time when cleaning a Contender barrel I place a towel on the workbench, lay the pistol on its side on the towel, and begin cleaning with my right hand as I hold it down with my left hand. Cleaning with the Crib has made it much easier. After a trip to the range I disassemble the pistol (which takes about twenty seconds), set the barrel in a crib that I have attached to my bench top, and begin cleaning. The Crib holds the barrel securely in place and leaves both hands free for cleaning. Taking the pistol apart also allows access to the internals of the action for cleaning.

The Crib I use for cleaning is attached with a short drywall screw through the piloted hole into my workbench. It is placed so that the end of the barrel would hang over the end of the bench, directly over the garbage can. When cleaning a barrel this minimizes the mess by allowing the patches to fall directly into the can when pushed out of the muzzle. I have since removed the drywall screw from my bench, reamed out the hole in the bench top to remove the threads left from the screw, and use a small flat-headed bolt. This allows the Crib to be removed and replaced in a matter of seconds by simply sliding the bolt through the crib and into the bench top when I need to clean a barrel. By spinning the Crib 180 degrees, it works great as a barrel stand when installing a base, rings, and scope. Mike also said that he is working on a box that will incorporate the Crib and Cradle system and function as a storage rack when traveling or just going to the range. When he puts them into production I’ll be sure to add that item to my barrel storage system!!

After discussing the history and many uses of the Crib and Cradle system, Mike described some of the manufacturing process. He said that finish machining of the initial extruded aluminum shape basically does manufacturing. The original prototypes were made with a wire EDM in his shop. An extrusion die was made to the periphery of the part. The aluminum extrusions are sawed to rough thickness of ½". A CNC miller is used to cut one side, cut and chamfer the pin pocket, and machine opposite side. The main slot is machined for Contender lug width or Encore lug width and the hole is also spotted; end units are then made by cutting off either end in the miller and rounding it off. The .201" hole is drilled off line in a Bridgeport and holding it on a spinning drill chuck chamfers the backside. Parts are then tumbled and checked for burrs. Mike made a stamping die with interchangeable stamps for part designations to stamp the part names on each piece. The stamp was made in the shop with a pantograph for the electrode and the conventional EDM in the shop. All pieces are sorted and sent out for colored anodize. Packing is done in the shop and printing the brochures is accomplished in the office. Mike told me that he really enjoys making these and tried to make sure that they would be very durable.

If you would like to contact Mike regarding the Crib and Cradle storage system for your T/C collection call him at 603-750-3232, e-mail him at mbmco@prodigy.net, visit on the web at http://www.mbmco.net, or write to On Target Technologies, PO Box 1098, Dover NH 03821-1098.

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