I don't know if it is true or not, but I heard that O'Conner and Keith didn't exactly get along. I do know they had different ideas on what type of cartridges to hunt with.
Elmer Keith
- Thread starter LAH
- Start date
Geronimo Jim
Gold $$ Contributor
First thing I did was look for Elmer's column each month
when Guns & Ammo arrived! Great man. True American and
a real man.
when Guns & Ammo arrived! Great man. True American and
a real man.
shoot4fun
Gold $$ Contributor
The names Askins, Keith, Jordan, Keith, Skelton and O'Connor take me back to my beginnings of this almost life-long affair with all things shooting, hunting and reloading. All these men evoke strong memories of strong men with strong convictions and steadfast ways. I have long lived by a code derived from the writings/teachings of Colonel Cooper and have walked the hallowed ground of Gunsite. His knowledge of history a plan for the battle at hand and his defensive tactics have seen me through a tight spot or two.
Who will we remember from the current crop of "experts"?
That thought just saddens me because it will more likely be the worst than the best.
Who will we remember from the current crop of "experts"?
That thought just saddens me because it will more likely be the worst than the best.
LAH
Gold $$ Contributor
They were not pals. Mr. Keith told me so.
Naildriver_2007
Gold $$ Contributor
Bob Milek and Layne Simpson are my two favorite gun writers as both of them more or less dabbled with single shot handguns such as the Remington XP100 and T/C Contender, which got me almost exclusively into handgun hunting. I remember with great anticipation with every monthly issue of Gun & Ammo and Shooting Times that Milek or Simpson would have an article about some big game hunt with a specialty handgun, or a new gun build or cartridge.
The interesting and humorous thing about Milek that I read about last year was Milek mite had been gun shy in that he was seen many times wincing when firing a firearm. He also was known to for an article of a particular firearm to use the smallest give shot group as the mean accuracy for that firearm for a article written about it. He was also known as a bit of a drunk. He was though a great descriptive writer, and his editors loved him for his perfect grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Even with all of Milek’s real life faults, he is still held in high esteem by me. When I learned of his death, my shooting buddy and his father and I fired a 21 shot salute in his honor.
Pictured below is Milek’s custom XP100 chambered in 6mm/223, sitting in a Fajen stock with a Redfield 4x handgun scope.
As for Layne Simpson, he is still writing articles. Aside from his gig with Shooting Times, Simpson also wrote for Handloader for the Cartridge Profile. In most of the Hodgdon Reloading annual load data magazine, Simpson has written many of cartridges or gunpowders reviews with the 2021 issue being the most recent I have of which Simpson contributed a article. It was Simpson’s articles in Shooting Times about his latest custom XP100 or a varmint rifle that always made him a favorite gun writer.
The interesting and humorous thing about Milek that I read about last year was Milek mite had been gun shy in that he was seen many times wincing when firing a firearm. He also was known to for an article of a particular firearm to use the smallest give shot group as the mean accuracy for that firearm for a article written about it. He was also known as a bit of a drunk. He was though a great descriptive writer, and his editors loved him for his perfect grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Even with all of Milek’s real life faults, he is still held in high esteem by me. When I learned of his death, my shooting buddy and his father and I fired a 21 shot salute in his honor.
Pictured below is Milek’s custom XP100 chambered in 6mm/223, sitting in a Fajen stock with a Redfield 4x handgun scope.
As for Layne Simpson, he is still writing articles. Aside from his gig with Shooting Times, Simpson also wrote for Handloader for the Cartridge Profile. In most of the Hodgdon Reloading annual load data magazine, Simpson has written many of cartridges or gunpowders reviews with the 2021 issue being the most recent I have of which Simpson contributed a article. It was Simpson’s articles in Shooting Times about his latest custom XP100 or a varmint rifle that always made him a favorite gun writer.
GotRDid
Gold $$ Contributor
Read most of the writings of all the above, and I am a Contender and XP-100 fan specifically because of Milek/Simpson. Learned from Mike Venturino as well, particularly about older Mil-Surp guns. John Taffin gave me a love for the larger bore handguns. Finn Aagaard took me along vicariously on Safari about as many times as Ruark. All kindled my lifelong love affair with most things shooting, and later, hunting related.
They live on through our memories and passing on the lessons to the young ones that will listen.
GotRDid.
They live on through our memories and passing on the lessons to the young ones that will listen.
GotRDid.
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O'Connor was one of the best BSrs to ever put pen to paper.
All writers, especially in that day had to have their own thing. Something that set them apart from the pack. Elmer had his. He spent one of the wars I think testing heavy loads for trench guns. He partnered with O'Neil and Hopkins I think designing their own line of big bores. O'Connor was a fine all-round writer. He championed the .270 and in later years said it sort of typecast him because he had to defend it. Askins liked and wrote about high velocity cartridges. he was a border patrol agent I think. Page was a benchrest shooter of some fame and liked the 7MM Mashburn. He designed the .240 page Pooper I think and never got credit for it. He and O'Connor were both college educated and wrote well. Keith was a story teller and a good one at that. Finn Aagaard was a decent writer. Really too many good writers to mention from that day.
There were many good writers but competition was pretty tough. I don't think Jim Carmichel had a lot of love for O'Connor either. He was and still is a good writer. I don't put much stock in "who hated who". They were all in competition and where money is on the line people get competitive.
Carmichel and Page were ahead of the curve on accuracy shooting and both had pretty extensive hunting experience. I like to read just about everybody.
There are a lot of good writers today but it's a different world. John Barsness is good and is still writing along with a bunch of others.
There were many good writers but competition was pretty tough. I don't think Jim Carmichel had a lot of love for O'Connor either. He was and still is a good writer. I don't put much stock in "who hated who". They were all in competition and where money is on the line people get competitive.
Carmichel and Page were ahead of the curve on accuracy shooting and both had pretty extensive hunting experience. I like to read just about everybody.
There are a lot of good writers today but it's a different world. John Barsness is good and is still writing along with a bunch of others.
I forgot to add Townsend Whelen. The first book I read authored by him was WHY NOT LOAD YOUR OWN, which was lent to me by a high school friend’s father, Mr. Gordon who also taught me handloading. Mr. Gordon also lent me other books authored by Whelen along with P.O. Ackley, HANDBOOK FOR SHOOTERS AND RELOADERS. Whelen’s quote, “Only accurate rifles are interesting” become my credo.
Was wondering if anyone was going to mention Jim Carmichael. I appreciate the technical thought process and yearning to understand and explain “why” in his writings. I have to admit that his chapter on stock inletting in one book is mind numbingly boring and overly drawn out. Newer times with high quality images would likely have remedied that though...
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