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QUINCY, ILL. -- If you pick up the popular magazine Guns and Ammo, you'll see a Tri-State connection on the cover. 

Richard Heinie of Heinie Specialty Products has been creating works of custom handgun artistry since 1973. Now this self-taught pistolsmith is the man behind the cover story of Guns and Ammo this month. Two of his gun designs, the Long Slide and the Lady Hawk are featured in the publication.

Heinie said, "It was such an honor to be featured like this. I've been in other magazines but 'Guns and Ammo' is one of the biggest."

His full feature in Guns and Ammo is a result of decades of work. He began fixing guns in the 70s, and then began tapping into the growing market for custom made handguns - the art of conforming a pistol to the owner for comfort and enhanced performance.

In recent years he noticed a growing demand for women's handguns. That's when he designed and engineered the Lady Hawk, complete with a smaller grip for petite hands.

He also created the Heinie Long Slide, a handgun for hunting which got the attention of a gun manufacturer one year at PASA Park near Barry. The company Nighthawk bought both designs and is manufacturing them right now. Meanwhile Heinie began consulting work with the company to keep quality standards high.

Anyone who buys a Lady Hawk or Long Slide from the Night Hawk gun company will see a piece of Quincy. Heinie's logo appears on the grip and the slide of each gun.

Heinie has stopped making custom pistols, but is passing on his trade to machining students.

However he travels to the Nighthawk gun manufacturing facilities on a regular basis as a quality control expert.