Dave McCracken
Moderator In Memoriam
As some of us know, Bob Brister died in the past few days. He was 77, and we are all in his debt.
Besides his Masterwork, Shotgunning, The Art and The Science , Brister spanned the gap between traditional shotgunning and us moderns. He was a pragmatic engineer who tested and experimented until actual real world results showed what worked and what did not.
When he wanted to find out what happened to patterns on moving targets he built a trailer and convinced his wife to drive around pulling the trailer while he shot at it. They were married over 50 years. Her pet 10 gauge Ithaca Goose whacker was nicknamed "Baby"....
When he wanted to determine if there was any benefit to a stock mod like a straight English style grip, he'd change the stock on his pet Perazzi and go shooting. At one point, that P Gun had a dozen stocks.
His work with the 28 gauge did much to popularize its use among non skeet shooters and hunters.
He helped start Sporting Clays in this country, observing the game in England and designing the first courses here.
And he was not snobbish about shotguns. While he owned bespoke doubles and lots of Perazzis, he also liked pumps and autos. He had some input on a couple Winchesters, the X1 auto and the 101 O/U, though he never styled himself as a designer.
And he was one heck of a writer. His story about tracking a wounded Cape Buffalo in the Novogorongo Crater was a heart stopper. The bull died within arm's reach.
He was one heck of a shotgunner also. The high dollar live pigeon shoots in Texas and old Mexico saw him as a major contender. He won trap and skeet shoots,kicked major butt at recently as last year in SC, and instructed Olympic shooters, pro SC folks and plain folks who wanted to shoot better.
Anyway, say a prayer for a man who did it all and helped many unaware of his existence......
Besides his Masterwork, Shotgunning, The Art and The Science , Brister spanned the gap between traditional shotgunning and us moderns. He was a pragmatic engineer who tested and experimented until actual real world results showed what worked and what did not.
When he wanted to find out what happened to patterns on moving targets he built a trailer and convinced his wife to drive around pulling the trailer while he shot at it. They were married over 50 years. Her pet 10 gauge Ithaca Goose whacker was nicknamed "Baby"....
When he wanted to determine if there was any benefit to a stock mod like a straight English style grip, he'd change the stock on his pet Perazzi and go shooting. At one point, that P Gun had a dozen stocks.
His work with the 28 gauge did much to popularize its use among non skeet shooters and hunters.
He helped start Sporting Clays in this country, observing the game in England and designing the first courses here.
And he was not snobbish about shotguns. While he owned bespoke doubles and lots of Perazzis, he also liked pumps and autos. He had some input on a couple Winchesters, the X1 auto and the 101 O/U, though he never styled himself as a designer.
And he was one heck of a writer. His story about tracking a wounded Cape Buffalo in the Novogorongo Crater was a heart stopper. The bull died within arm's reach.
He was one heck of a shotgunner also. The high dollar live pigeon shoots in Texas and old Mexico saw him as a major contender. He won trap and skeet shoots,kicked major butt at recently as last year in SC, and instructed Olympic shooters, pro SC folks and plain folks who wanted to shoot better.
Anyway, say a prayer for a man who did it all and helped many unaware of his existence......