Favorite Gun Writer?

[Yosemite**Sam]

Should have been a General Craig Boddington.

 

[SwampWolf]

Clay Harvey was also a good read. He was down to earth in his writings.

You speak in the past tense. Is Mr. Harvey still around? I always enjoyed his writings.

 

[gunnutitis]

Dean Grennell. Guns and reloading are fun.

 

[SwampWolf]

I grew up in an age when gun articles were found mostly in the pages of general "outdoor" magazines. We're kind of spoiled today with the glut of magazines and books available to shooters and hunters. Among my favorite writers that have passed on were Warren Page, Charles Askins, Skeeter Skelton, Elmer Keith, Bob Milek, George Nonte, Henry Stebbins, Clyde Ormond, Lawrence Koller, Bob Hagen, Frank de Haas, Michael McIntosh, and, of course, Jack O'Connor.
Current favorites include Ken Waters, Jim Carmichel, Wayne Van Zwoll, Craig Boddington, Massad Ayoob, John Taffin, Al Miller, John Barsness, Brian Pearce and Mike Venturino.
Regarding Barsness and Venturino, I don't know if anybody other than my shooting/hunting friends and I have noticed, but it's almost comical the way these two writers apparently feel compelled to shoe horn the state of their residency (MONTANA ) into virtually every article they write, irregardless of context (i.e., they can't just attend a gun show; it always has to be a Montana gun show). Don't get me wrong, I believe that identifying where you're from generally adds to the interest of the reader. But the perpetual redundancy of same seems to me to border on a pathological need of these writers for their readers to be continually reminded of where they reside. Okay, already, Mike (er, Duke, aka Montana Musings) and John, we got it. You both live in Montana.

 

[amflyer]

Jeff Cooper was a really great writer. Not the Jeff Cooper on the back page of whatever magazine he ended up with. But the Jeff Cooper of The Art of the Rifle.

Bubba, in case you're not being facetious, both were written by the same person. He wrote for Guns and Ammo, and his column was "Cooper's Corner" I believe.

 

[ADKWOODSMAN]

I grew up with most of these and like the modern members of this list
Elmer Keith
Skeeter Skelton
Bob Milek
Peter Capstick Hathaway
Massad Ayoob
Russel Anable(sp)
Bob Hagel
George C. Nonte
John Taffin
Mike Venturino
Ken Waters
Jack O'Connor
Neil Knox and his articles with Harver Donaldson

 

[JerryM]

Jack O'Connor
Warren Page
Townsend Whelen
Elmer Keith

Regards,
Jerry

 

[kw4570gov]

I grew up a hunter first shooter second so most of my favorites were:

John Wooters
Bob Milek
Peter Capstick

New favorite:

Craig Boddington

Favorite Shooter/Personal Protection

Massad Ayoob
Clint Smith
Tiger Mckee

 

[clance]

Chuck Taylor

 

[Bubba613]

Bubba, in case you're not being facetious, both were written by the same person. He wrote for Guns and Ammo, and his column was "Cooper's Corner" I believe.

They were biologically the same person. But their work was eons apart. Art of the Rifle was a fantastically well written book. His later columns read like parodies of his earlier work.

 

[amflyer]

OK, I'll buy that. Just thought that you may have thought they were in fact two different people.

I really didn't think much of Cooper's Corner when I first started reading the gun mags back in the day. I thought he was a overconfident blowhard, more closely to the truth.

I find I enjoy his writing much more these days.

Probably doesn't hurt that I shoot a lot of 1911. And I'm a curmudgeon too.

Wish I could have made it to Gunsite (orange) before he passed.

 

[skoro]

Mas Ayoob

 

[FTG-05]

Bob Milek.

Yea, he was one of my favorites also. I remember when he died, sad day.

Otherwise:

- Mas Ayoob - agree/disagree, he always had his reasons
- Skeeter
- Jordan
- Capstick
- Leroy Thompson
- Ventrino was pretty good with the old type guns

Hated:
- Liberoul (or however you spelled his name), just a gear/gun whore, IMO
- Bradley Steiner (incompetent trainer, worse writer - is he even around anymore???)
- Chuck Taylor (insert pic of "I'm so awesome...")
- Ed Sanow

 

[boatdoc173]

albert league

masaad ayoob

 

[Andy2]

I am a big fan of Finn Aagaard, Ross Seyfried and John Barsness.
Might go to the "Hot" place for saying so, but I never really cared for the writings of Cooper or Keith...
Andy

 

[PRM]

I know who its NOT... But then if I say, I'm sure my post will be deleted.

 

[Drue]

I like Keith, Cooper, O'Conner and Skelton(a LOT) but I agree with Andy, Finn Aagard was great!

Drue

 

[T.R.]

I'm a big fan of Sam Fadala.

TR

 

[rswartsell]

I also liked Aagaard, Skelton, Jordan...can't abide the creepy I get from Askins.

Currently no-one touches Ayoob. With the onset of the information age I feel you have to fold in the bloggers/youtubers.

Hate:
Yeager-even when I agree with him
iraquiveteran8888-Moss Pawn _ personal preference, cultural differences
VSO Gun Channel-no comment

Like;
Colion Noir
Yankee Marshall
sootch
duelist1954


1 Step Up;

hickock45
Gunblast
Neither will ever offer a meaningful criticism though, might as well add Jerry Miculek as much as it pains me to say he is a S&W employee and there is only so much inhumanly fast shooting one needs.

Chuck Hawes


Watch intently;

nutnfancy-whether you like him or not, you WILL learn something
Military Arms Channel
Forgotten Weapons-Ian


Pure entertainment value;

Tex Grebner
FPS Russia

No explanation necessary.

Sorry to those who might feel this is a thread hijack, but I am a "new age guy". LOL

 

[tactikel]

Elmer Keith, Col. Askins, Jeff Cooper, O'Conner, Nonte. In that order.
Yep I'm old school.

 

[ColonelKorn]

Elmer.

 

[cpt-t]

Skeeter Skelton was my favorite Gun Writer and Shooting Times was my favorite Gun Magazine bar none for many years. I couldn`t wait for my copy of Shooting Times to come each month. I read Skeeter`s article`s first and then the rest of the magazine. And then I read Skeeter`s article`s again. I had several years of every copy of Shooting Times. I kept them in order by month and year stored in boxes so I could reread Skeeter`s articles,and I did just that many times. I thought at times Skeeter was writing just to me and I really considered Him a personal friend tho I had never met Him. I enjoyed his Me And Joe Story`s more than I can say. And when Skeeter past away, it really effected me, I quite taking Shooting Times and any other Gun Magazine`s for several years. For some reason that I can`t explain I blamed Shooting Times for Skeeter`s Death. And I still miss reading his articles and I wish I had got the chance to have met Skeeter. I enjoy Skeeter`s Son Bart`s articles very much and I wish Him the best, because He has some very big shoes to fill.
ken

 

[Hokkmike]

Not a gun writer PER SE but a great non-fiction gun author. I LOVE his books.

Peter Hathaway Capstick (1940–1996) was an American hunter and author. He was born in New Jersey and educated at the University of Virginia although he was not a graduate. Capstick walked away from a successful Wall Street career shortly before his thirtieth birthday to become a professional hunter. His hunting career began in Central and South America and culminated with hunts in Africa for which he is best known. Capstick spent much of his life in Africa, a land he called his "source of inspiration"

After a short career as a Wall Street stockbroker, Capstick headed to Latin America, where he traveled widely while hunting, fishing, and mastering the Spanish language. A few years later he returned to New York, where he founded a business arranging professionally guided hunting trips. Shortly thereafter, he took a position as hunting and fishing director of Winchester Adventures of New York, a subsidiary of the famous gun manufacturer. In that capacity he made his first trip to Africa in 1968. Subsequently, he worked as a professional hunter and game ranger in Zambia, Botswana, and Rhodesia.

Capstick started writing about his adventures in the late 1960s and published numerous articles in various sporting magazines. In 1977, he published his first book, Death in the Long Grass, which became a commercial success and established his reputation as an author of true adventure stories. Capstick is frequently compared to Ernest Hemingway and Robert Ruark in discussions of influential African hunting authors.

(Thank you Wikipedia)

 

[M-Cameron]

Mas Ayoob

i have a problem with Mas.....well not him personally.....but the people that read his stuff....

they seem to think that EVERYTHING he writes is gospel, and that he can say no wrong, and follow his writings to the T, even if it not applicipable to the situation.....they dont stop to think that that is simply his OPINION on the matter, and that at times, he can be wrong.

...i mean, ive read a few articles of his that were questionable at best in terms of the advice he offered.....

this goes for all writers, but listen to their advice....but at the end of the day use your own head when making decisions.

 

[Dirty Bob]

Skeeter Skelton is the all-time best, IMHO.

Finn Agaard and Ross Seyfried have also taught me a lot. Ross's article "When it Matters," about loading nearly-perfect ammo for hunting, is a classic.

Ed Harris is another favorite. Very knowledgeable about reloading, ballistics and other topics. He occasionally writes something as a guest for Grant Cunningham's blog.

I also have give kudos to Paco Kelly. His book: Leverguns, and his website: leverguns.com, have been a great source of info for me, and are the reason for my getting into the .45 Colt (my all-time favorite caliber).

All my best,
Dirty Bob