doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Best gun writer

As a non romantic reader I look for writing that gives new insights, or new perspectives, and also whether the writer has added to the overall knowledge of the subject.

Dr Andrew Jones on ballistics does both.

Greener puts you in the gunmaking picture better than most.

Crudgington and Baker provide information on the development of double guns, the hard stuff that others usually omit, and thanks to them the true creators and inventors are credited.

Gought Thomas and Geoffrey Boothroyd over the years provided new perspectives. I kept in touch with both, perhaps I am biased, but others also value them, so maybe not.

Ted,
wasn't Gough Thomas's Gun an 28" Atkin 12 bore.I remember him writing that he ordered it as long as it was made "to your finest pre war standards" or such wording.
It seemed he liked it very much indeed,especially the ease of opening n closing..i believe it was an assisted or self opener...he seemed to hint that it was easier to close than a Purdey...no "hard" spot
cheers
franc

More Askins and Crossman

�How To Become A Wing-shot� by Charles Askins
http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/Outing/Volume_57/outLVII02/outLVII02q.pdf

�Catching The Birds On The Wing� by Charles Askins
http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/Outing/Volume_57/outLVII04/outLVII04r.pdf

�The Case of the Small Bore Shotgun� by Edward C. Crossman
http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/Outing/Volume_63/outLXIII04/outLXIII04u.pdf

I like Chas. Askins the Elder, but he certainly contributed to the North American Nimrod's more is better attitude when it comes to buying shot shells -- Super-X 16-gauge for Quail!! Also, his overstuffing of 2 7/8 inch 28-gauge hulls prior to WW-I for his 30-inch barrel 6 3/4 pound Parker Bros. 28-gauge double.

Researcher: your man Edwin Hedderly's Western Field is still not digitized after he became editor July 1910. But here's some of his small bore evangelism

Arms & The Man 1915
https://books.google.com/books?id=BX07AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA158&lpg

Recreation 1917
https://books.google.com/books?id=4uVQAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA97&lpg

Outdoor Recreation 1919
https://books.google.com/books?id=BX07AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA158&lpg

I think the thread has expanded to include hunting writers, and there's a big difference between gun writers and hunting writers. My choice of shotgun writers is Brister .......... hunting writers, Archibald Rutledge. Maybe if I lived up nawth and hunted grouse I might feel differently, but Rutledge was a true Southerner, and quite a gentleman.

SRH

Patrick F. McManus.



__________________
Several times the fantasy prevented my perishing from a loathsome childhood affliction:school. Patrick F. McManus

For fun hunting story reading, Stories of The Old Duck Hunters & Other Drivel, by Gordon MacQuarrie is hard to beat.

Since so many names have been proffered above , and I knew a couple of the most prominent rather well (Brister & Hill)

I'll skip over them and throw in the small work "Lock ,Stock & Barrel" by Cyril Adams and his frequent gunning pal, the late Bob Braden.

Decidedly biased toward the English side of gun manufacture and shooting , it is none the less the musings of a VERY EXPERIENCED shot gun enthusiast...

Cyril also brings the dual perspective of gunmaker (former proprietor of Atkin, Grant & Lang) and Worldly shooter, both for sport, and competitively in the "ring" sports of Flyers and Helice.

At 76 , Cyril is wrapping up his second book on shot gun shooting currently. I sat and overheard a lengthy call between the author and his publisher this summer. We were in attendance at a FITASC Helice world cup event , and between rounds , Cyril was trying desperately to explain to his publisher that their suggested collaboration between the author and a non shooting editor was becoming rather frustrating.....

Hopefully it is resolved and headed to print as I write this.....I would think that it would be a worthwhile addition to any shooter's library. I know I eagerly look forward to it...

Two of my favorites are Terry Wieland and Ross Seyfried. Seyfried writes interesting stuff on shotguns and rifles and his older stuff he did with handguns is great. They both write accurately. Brian Pearce from Handloader writes interesting stuff. He writes about hands on stuff that he's used with success over the years as a rancher/hunter. He knows what works and doesn't work. Lastly John Taffin. He's a legend!!!