The Firearm Hobby - Best/Worst Gunwriters?

May 07, 2019, 01:01 PM

FN in MT

I'm fortunate in that Mike Venturino and John Barsness both live in Montana. So I run into them at gun shows or gun shops at least once or twice a year.

John's writing are so technically correct that he reminds me of Ross Seyfried's writing in RIFLE and HANDLOADER magazines. Ross always got the facts straight.

Brian Pearce is another favorite, Good articles on revolvers and loading, casting, etc. His writings remind me a BIT of the old Elmer Keith articles in Guns & Ammo many years back.

I sorely miss Finn Aagaard (sp?) when he wrote for Wolfe publishing before his death. Like Seyfried, very well researched as well as many loads tested before it went into one of his articles.

Jum Cirillo was another great writer. Talk about experience!

Sadly most of todays gun mags are more puff pieces and advertisement than anything else. American Rifleman the NRA monthly is a shadow of it's former self.

May 07, 2019, 02:19 PM

RichardC

Granted, he was not strictly a gunwriter , I miss Pat McManus' stories.

May 08, 2019, 01:14 PM

RogB

Can still see Elmer Keith's 10 gallon hat and fat stogie.
IIRC it was Keith who pushed Smith to amp up the .44 to its magnum status.

May 08, 2019, 04:57 PM

lyman

there was a guy that wrote for American Handgunner that wrote fluff/ humor articles,

usually about something he did, or had happen to him, and in a somewhat self depreciating way

ex military, or at least the story was told that he was, and always into something,

Charles Petty was ok for a bit, I still have his HI STandard book , but his writing in gun rags got to the point he was basically just phoning in the articles,

I subscribed to American Handgunner for a few years, then found Precision Shooting and dropped all the other magazines,

did read an article somewhere years ago that said the covers were done on purpose,

the article had ranked the covers based on gun pictured on the cover,, and how it affected sales that month

1911's sold the most copies, but could not be done every month,

May 08, 2019, 10:31 PM

Hume

This is from page 6 of Guns & Ammo's Surplus Firearms with a cover date of 2005:

Quote
DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF ROBERT T. SHIMEK 1944-2000

"Bob Shimek was a popular contributor to the early volumes of Surplus Firearms, which were published during the 1980s and 1990s and are now long out of print. An avid collector of pistols and military rifles, he was a serious student of firearms history. Bob wrote numerous articles and gun reviews as well as the "Collectible Classics" and "Handgun Hunting" columns for many years in Handguns. He was also a frequent contributor to various Guns & Ammo Specialty Publications. Several of Bob's timeless articles are included in this edition of Surplus Firearms."

May 09, 2019, 10:53 PM

divil

I have not read a gun-rag (except the occasional Hand loader magazine) with serious interest or quest for actual knowledge in over a decade so my names are a bit dated.

Enjoy - Mike Venturino
Brian Pearce
Sheriff Jim Wilson

Meh - Mas Ayoob

Not a Fan - Dick Metcalf (before he Did his own Zimbo)

Clint Smith thunder ranch cap wearing fanboys whose names I never bothered to learn that were ever present in the early 2000’s

Before my time ( I am 45) were the true legends but I have read the occasional Skeeter Skelton article and would have read him regularly back in those days. Cooper liked the sound of his own voice too much for me.

May 10, 2019, 12:10 PM

mrapteam666

While at work last night and committing time clock fraud, I was trying to find the name of the writer I always enjoyed but I keep coming up blank.

I know he served during the Vietnam era, and he worked as a Police Officer at the Univ of Pitt I believe.

He wrote about any and everything.
He was very down to earth. He was very thorough and sometimes went over board in technical jargon but he went from stock to front sight giving the good and the bad.

May 11, 2019, 09:31 AM

enidpd804

quote:
Originally posted by TexasRaider:
Stumbled on some very old magazines, including 'Petersen's Handguns', 'American Handgunner', 'Combat Handguns', 'Shooting Times', 'Gun World' and 'Guns', started to remember some of the articles that made my eyes roll back then. If you're old enough, you remember crap like:

• 9mm vs. 45? Which is the Best Manstopper?
• Point Shooting vs. Aimed Fire! Which Will Keep You Alive?
• Revolver vs. Auto? Which is More Reliable?
• 1911 vs. Glock? Which is Superior?
• Weaver or Isosceles ? How to Win the Fight!
• Hollowpoints or Ball? Which Puts 'Em Down the Fastest? (yeah, that was actually a debate at one point).

In going back, some gun writers were clearly 'in on the joke' and just making a living, like Jerry Ahern. He was always mugging for a photo, but had a great deal of knowledge. Personally, I always did like Mas Ayoob and thought his articles provided a lot of insight. Dean Speir (aka Waldo Lydecker) was usually good for a laugh, didn't take it all to seriously. Leroy Thompson's 'James Bond' wannabe articles on international protection were usually an enjoyable read, as well.

Guys I couldn't stand? Dick Metcalf and his "I shoot 5.75 million rounds a year and know it all" nonsense. Likewise, Chuck Taylor and Jim Wilson both came off way too self-important and usually dressed like they were actually trying to cosplay an Army Colonel or a Sheriff, more than being the real thing. Oh, and Bradley Steiner, throwing insults at anyone who disagreed with his point shooting thesis... didn't care for him at all.

Any other greybeards out there that remember those old writers?

Pretty much that. Skelton was a true writer. I would love to be that gifted with words. When it comes to Mas, I don't know a lot of folks who don't like and respect him after meeting him. He's an amazing speaker, teacher and shooter. I miss Jan's writing.

May 13, 2019, 01:34 PM

SIGWALLY

Elmer Keith and John Taffin are my top two favorites.

May 14, 2019, 11:11 AM

pulicords

Mas is well informed and writes well, but Sketter Skelton wasn't just a a writer, he was the Mark Twain of gunwriters AFAIC. I loved not only his technical expertise; but the depth of his real world experience as a LEO, his ability to bring to life fictional characters in his "Me and Joe" series, and the personal class that made every article he wrote something special to readers. He was taken from us far too soon.

When S&W produced the limited series of Model 24-3 (.44 Special) revolvers in large part due to his influence, I bought a 6.5" barreled version and had it cut down to 5" (Skeeter's favorite). Master Gunsmith James Hoag did the work and provided an unbelievably smooth trigger job. Finally, I bought a set of Bear Hug stocks from Deacon Deason, whom Skeeter wrote of frequently. I still own this "tribute" gun and will never part with it!!!

May 14, 2019, 09:15 PM

Bigbuck5

I remember a guy named Hal Swiggett. At the time I was reading his articles, he was writing for North American Hunter, primarily about handgun hunting. I always found his articles very well written and informative.

May 15, 2019, 01:18 PM

jhe888

I read a lot of the gun rags in the '80s and '90s, and after about five or six years, the articles were all pretty much repeats except for the odd article about the "History of the Krag Rifle" or something like that.

The reviews of new guns were worthless. Caliber wars were tedious.

Skelton was fun to read. Ayoob sounded like he knew what he was saying. Some of the articles focused on hunting were good, but those appeared more often in "Sports Afield" and the like.

May 16, 2019, 01:50 PM

Hume

quote:
Originally posted by mrapteam666:
While at work last night and committing time clock fraud, I was trying to find the name of the writer I always enjoyed but I keep coming up blank.

I know he served during the Vietnam era, and he worked as a Police Officer at the Univ of Pitt I believe.

He wrote about any and everything.
He was very down to earth. He was very thorough and sometimes went over board in technical jargon but he went from stock to front sight giving the good and the bad.

I do believe you are referring to Robert T. Shimek. See above. It would be nice were someone to republish his articles in a collection.

May 16, 2019, 06:57 PM

walkinghorse

I enjoyed Bob Milek's writings. He covered the west and wrote about pistols, rifles, long range shooting ( though the range now considered long), hunting, and varmint shooting. Based in Thermopolis, Wyoming and if I remember right was a licensed guide.

May 16, 2019, 09:30 PM

smithnsig

quote:
Originally posted by RogueJSK:
quote:
Originally posted by TexasRaider:
• Point Shooting vs. Aimed Fire! Which Will Keep You Alive?

I recall some guy showing up on the forum many years ago and immediately launching several threads about how point shooting was the be-all and end-all of gunfighting. He proceeded to argue vigorously with anyone who questioned that.

IIRC, he had a website about point shooting that he was shilling for.

He even advocated pulling the trigger with your middle finger while pointing at the target with your index finger.

If my trigger finger trigger finger gets any worse, I may have to start shooting that way.