In this episode of Life, Liberty, and Equipped, Graig Davis sits down with John Patton—creator of The Gun Collective, founder of Patton Media and Consulting, and the driving force behind GunCon.

Known for his no-nonsense approach and commitment to honesty, John has spent the last decade holding the firearms industry accountable while helping brands better tell their stories through high-quality media and marketing. But behind the fast-paced news delivery is a self-proclaimed nerd with a deep passion for innovation, relationships, and pushing the industry forward.

Graig, Nate, and Tiberius dig into John’s journey—from the early days of The Gun Collective to building a media company and launching one of the most unique industry events out there. Along the way, they explore what it means to stay authentic in a noisy space, the importance of integrity in business, and how strong connections shape long-term success.

If you’re interested in the intersection of media, entrepreneurship, and the firearms industry—or just want an honest conversation with someone who’s been in the trenches—this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

• (00:00:00) - Liberty & Equipped Podcast
• (00:00:42) - Jon Patton on The Gun Collective
• (00:03:56) - John the Jerky On Talking To Old People
• (00:06:19) - Old People Guess Who's Old
• (00:06:49) - John Stamatis on Being Publically Funny
• (00:08:40) - How to Keep a Job and a Family
• (00:11:25) - No More Streaming: Filmmaking on YouTube
• (00:14:59) - John Phelps on Life Outside The Gun Industry
• (00:19:19) - Fast Cars: Riding Around in a Rally Car
• (00:21:16) - What Would You Do For Fun?
• (00:22:58) - John Has A Question For Me
• (00:23:15) - If You Could Live One Day Of Your Life Again
• (00:25:37) - Gun, Ammo, and Belt
• (00:27:21) - Favorite Gear For Cops
• (00:31:09) - Glock 17 subcompact review
• (00:33:49) - The Gun Collective: Starting a Business
• (00:39:19) - Gun Con 2017: Year 5
• (00:39:39) - What Keeps You From Burning Out?
• (00:43:31) - No BS on Guns
• (00:49:20) - Gun Companies Stop Making 320-Magazine Guns
• (00:51:36) - What Do You Think of Gun Companies'?
• (00:55:28) - The Biggest Threat to Firearms
• (00:56:26) - What's the Biggest Opportunity in the Pro-Gun Industry?
• (00:59:34) - Steve Scalise on Fake Gun Content
• (01:00:42) - Gun Con 2018: A Real Human Dynamite
• (01:01:38) - Gun Con 2017: The Industry Event
• (01:06:18) - "This is a big deal."
• (01:06:32) - The Challenges of Gun Con
• (01:08:21) - How Big Is The Team Behind Gun Con?
• (01:10:42) - Gun Con 2020: The future of the event
• (01:15:12) - GunCon 2017: Where to Stay, and More
• (01:17:23) - Air Conditioning The Concert
• (01:19:21) - Life Liberty and Equipped: Stay Armed