doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Sad Departure Of Another Forum Member

It is hard to post this, but Steven Dodd Hughes (SDHMT here on the forum), a good friend and Internationally known custom gun maker died July 27 at home with Nancy. Nancy Crow, Steven's girl friend has asked that I announce his untimely death to those pwople that knew or knew of Steven.

His work is well known for his discriminating eye and ability to build abslutely beautiful custom rifles. I have had the good fortune to own some of his guns and share my love of custom guns with Steven. We were working on a couple articles at the time of his death and I don't know if he got them completed for print.

Steven was 75 years old, and had battled COPD for years and was fortunate enough to survive Covid with the poor condition his lungs were in.

I wish I had something better to post, but these things need to be shared so his friends and readers of his articles will know what happened.

Nancy did ask if anyone wished to offer condolences, to contact me and I will pass it on to her. Those that knew Steven, knew him to be a very private person.

Steven, I along with many gun enthusiasts will miss your presence and contributions to the shooting industry...


RIP

That is sad news indeed. I've known Steve for many years...since the mid 80s. Will miss his friendship and expertise.

Shrapnel,
Thank you for sharing. I have learned a lot reading his articles and books, and he will surely be missed by many. Our condolences to Nancy, and may God hold him in his arms.
Karl

Did not know him, but loved his work. Sad passing, we've lost a good one.

So sad to hear. Much talent lost to the ages.

RIP, SDH-MT

A considerable amount of lost knowledge and a big loss to the community.

Very sorry to read this, the man had talent in spades, not only a superb gunmaker but a top notch author and photographer as well. We have lost three excellent craftsman in a very short period now with the loss of Dennis and Doug as well. Steven and Dennis were both extremely generous with their knowledge, teaching many classes over the years and helping numerous students. Godspeed Steve.

Ditto all of the above. Steve was always happy to talk about and answer the most simple of questions. He will be missed.

Sad news. Somewhat recently I have missed our Sunday afternoons shooting at a mutual friend's place, talking about guns and gunsport. His passionate views will be missed , as well as his published contributions to gun enjoyment.

I did not know the man, but, did know of his work. If a picture is indeed worth a thousand words, his life was an encyclopedia of good work.

Godspeed.

Best,
Ted

Well stated Daryl. He was certainly a contributor and also a promoter of everything related to good guns. His dedication to education, whether through his photography and publications, his commitment to the ACGG, his workshop classrooms, or documentation of ”the way it was” - he will have a lasting legacy.

Shrapnel,
Please pass my condolences to his wife. I didn't really know him, other than here, but I highly respected his opinion and his work. I will miss his sage advice.
Mike

Sad news indeed

I'm sorry to learn that Steven died. I didn't know him but met him more than once. His published work did a very great deal to promote custom gun making and to share its knowledge. The books and tools I got from him have been have been a great help over the years. I wish I had got to know him.

Rest in peace, Steve.

I’m sorry that Steve died.

The custom gun world is worse off for that. And of course, I hope that his family can be consoled.

I want to say that when Steve got fired up, he was very, possibly the most erascible fellow I have ever seen on the Internet.

He got into a tiff with Cecil Fredi over Walnut, and Cecil sent him an exhibition grade blank and in a fantastic demonstration of FU, Steve made a video showing him sawing it in half on his bandsaw.

Now that was fired up.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody do something like that before or since.

Rest in peace Steve you gave me many a chuckle.

recently, on one forum or another, SDH had posted a comment regarding his health issues - while i cannot quote him - the gist was that he was paying the price for too many years of exposure to fumes, solvents, dust and other air born contaminants, with disregard for his basic personal protection. i don't imagine that he was alone in doing so.

another sign of expertise, from a different angle.... wisdom from a genuine craftsman, as useful as any of his other instructions.

Godspeed SDH

Had few conversations with him over the years, about tool and technique he was always helpful ..he was encouraging me to come visit one of his workshops one year,regrettably I was financially unable .

Rip SDH

My sympathy for the loss.

I had a few phone conversations with him early about custom guns and gunsmithing techniques. Then I met him at one of the Gun Makers and Engravers Guild shows, probably around '84 or so.
Always helpful, but never one to pull punches if you asked for an opinion!

He was also one who testified before Congress in 2002(?) in an attempt pushed by the NRA to relieve small output custom makers & gunsmiths from the Fed Excise Tax placed on those guns.
The result of that hearing and Congressional back and forth was that custom makers/gunsmiths that produced fewer than 50 units/yr were not subject to the Fed Excise Tax on the
custom 'mfg'd' firearms.
(Build #50 and you are then on the hook for that one and the other 49 from that calendar yr.)

Manufacturing a Firearm for the purposes of Federal Excise Tax is defined differently than the GCA68 definition of Manufacturing a Firearm
Simple sporterizing an existing firearm, restocking, rebbl'g, engraving, non orig type refinish etc are all considered 'Manufacturing a Firearm when dealing with Fed Excise Tax.

If that original rule has stood, then the FET on a gunsmiths custom build would be due from that 'maker' and it would most certainly
be passed along to the customer when it became time to pay for the job.
FED is 10 or 11% of the value of the completed firearm depending on whether it's a long gun or handgun.
It can add up very fast.
The BATF has been put in charge of the business of FET on Firearms and Ammo by the IRS. So you deal with them,,again.

Rest easy SDH

What a loss. I admired his work and his writing, and in our few emails he was extremely generous with his expertise. What a gentleman. RIP

I think back in the day chemicals and wood dust destroyed one's lungs over the long term. Kind of a silent killer. I knew two fellows who worked in Armory working on military weapons of various types for 40 plus years. Within two years of retirement, both had passed from either lung of cancer issues. In the opinion of most it was related to working with chemicals their entire lifetime in confined spaces. Think of Black Lung in the day. My wifes grandfather worked in the coal mines for 40 years. black lung killed him over time. Was just outside of Scranton Pa.

God speed, SDH.

A few years ago he agreed to tighten up a wobbly hammer on an old Ed Kettner 12 gauge. I drove to Livingston to drop it off and he ended up spending a few hours showing me around his shop area, looking through his photography and he brought out a custom gun to drool over. Very kind of him. We shared a few acquaintances (close friends to him), most of whom I hadn't seen for many years, and he spoke very kindly about them. When I picked the gun up, he went over how he fit the hammer in detail, bade me to take good care of the gun "because this thing's really old!" and I replied "Well, it was made after the turn of the century" and he barked back "yeah, the turn of the LAST century!!" and laughed a bit.

Blessings on his loved ones.

Kutter, thanks for noting one of many ways the NRA has helped to protect and defend our Gun Rights. Here's a link to another big victory the NRA-ILA won to reverse registration of suppressors and short barreled rifles and shotguns just last week in a Federal Court lawsuit.

https://www.nraila.org/articles/202...-and-short-barreled-shotguns-in-nra-case

Unfortunately, we still have a number of gun owners who go along with the Democrat's attempt to denigrate and destroy the NRA... even though they themselves benefit greatly from the hard work the NRA has done to preserve the 2nd Amendment. You can't fix stupid.

We know.

Even worse, you couldn't resist the opportunity to try to do that on this topic, that is supposed to be a tribute to a departed member.