Current Status of the Sons of Guns Cast
The Discovery reality series Sons of Guns, which centered on Red Jacket Firearms in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, ended its run after the show was canceled in 2014 following criminal charges against star Will Hayden. As of the latest available public data, the original cast members have pursued separate careers and legal outcomes, with no current plans for a revival or new seasons announced by Discovery or any production company. The series, which aired from 2011 to 2014, featured Will Hayden, his daughter Stephanie Hayden, and family friend Chris Reed building and selling custom firearms on the show.
Will Hayden was convicted of child molestation and sentenced to multiple life terms in prison, with his earliest possible parole date set decades into the future. Stephanie Hayden, who later took the name Stephanie Hayden-Ford, has largely stayed out of the public eye and has not returned to television, while Chris Reed has continued operating in the firearms industry through smaller ventures and social media content. The cast's post-show trajectories reflect the legal and personal consequences that led to the series' abrupt cancellation, with no members currently involved in new television projects as of the latest public records.
Red Jacket Firearms and Business Updates
Red Jacket Firearms, the Louisiana-based shop at the center of the series, shut down its operations in Baton Rouge following the arrest of Will Hayden in 2014 and the subsequent cancellation of the show. The business, which had built a reputation for custom gunsmithing and reality TV fame, has not reopened under the Red Jacket brand, and its physical location in Baton Rouge is no longer operating as a retail or manufacturing storefront. The company's assets, inventory, and brand rights were effectively dissolved after the legal proceedings concluded.
Chris Reed, the former business partner and on-screen fabricator, has continued working in the firearms and gunsmithing space through independent channels, including online content and smaller-scale custom work, though no large-scale commercial operation bearing the Red Jacket name currently exists. The shop's closure marked the end of one of Discovery's most notable firearms-focused reality franchises, and no new business entity has acquired the Red Jacket trademarks or relaunched the brand as of the latest available public filings and news reports.
Where Are They Now: Legal and Industry Context
The Sons of Guns saga is frequently cited in discussions about reality TV liability and the responsibilities of production companies when cast members face serious criminal charges. Discovery Communications, the parent company at the time, canceled the show immediately after Hayden's arrest and issued statements confirming the decision was made in response to the nature of the allegations and the legal process. The case has been referenced in industry analyses of how networks handle criminal controversies involving on-screen talent, with the network's swift action contrasted against slower responses in other similar cases.
For broader context on firearms regulation and the legal environment facing custom gunsmiths, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives provides federal oversight of Title II weapons and destructive devices, while the SEC maintains public filings for any publicly traded companies in the firearms manufacturing sector. Industry data from the National Shooting Sports Foundation offers market statistics on the U.S. firearms industry, which remains a multi-billion dollar sector despite the high-profile collapse of the Red Jacket brand and the end of the Sons of Guns television franchise.