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#599639 07/15/21 05:17 PM
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It is with regret I must advise board members of the passing of Nick Makinson 7/12/21 at his home in Komoka, Ontario Canada. Nick was born in Birmingham England. He completed an Engineering apprenticeship in the late 60's
before going to work with his Father in Law, Benjamin Wild, Gunmaker of Price St. B'ham. Nick specialized as a machinist to the trade and was noted for the accuracy of his sleeving work. He moved to Komoka Ont. in the early 80's where he set up business repairing and regulating European Doubles. Before retirement Nick served many customers in both Canada and the U.S. transferring guns through Port Huron. Although I did not know him well we spoke on the phone a number of times.He will be missed by Family, Friends in the trade and those he served as customers.Condolences to his wife Barbara and family
Sincerely. Hugh Lomas.


Hugh Lomas,
H.G.Lomas Gunmakers Inc.
920 876 3745
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I am saddened to hear that, Hugh. I communicated with Nick many years ago, and bought his video on the L C Smith shotgun. I had been in contact with his wife, I believe, in the last year or so, and she had told me of Nick's health issues.

Another good man gone. Thank you for passing along the sad news.


May God bless America and those who defend her.
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Nic was a good friend and tremendous resource to me.

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I first met Nick at a CADA show in the western Chicago suburbs in the spring of 1990. Nick was standing at the Double Gun Journal table and quite freely answered all my questions about doubles. He worked on several Guns I had acquired and always delivered quality work and solid information to a then younger shooter. He was a good man with tolerance for those who wanted to know more. I’ll miss I’m.

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Thanks for posting Hugh.....


gunut
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I met him a few times at his shop. I saw excellent work and a very nice gentleman. RIP


The world cries out for such: he is needed & needed badly- the man who can carry a message to Garcia
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Sad news.

Joined: Mar 2004
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A good man who did fine work. RIP.

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Sad news indeed. Really hate hearing about these ultra talented and extremely knowledgeable fellas passing on or retiring. I did not know Mr. Mackinson personally, but had several really good conversations with him over the years. His barrel work was fantastic, he was also superb in being a jobber, he could fix about anything. One area that I, and others were particularly impressed with was his barrel browning & white. I’m not sure if he actually did the browning or if he sent it out, but it was absolutely fantastic. The perfect “chocolaty plum” color with plenty of contrast.

I wish guys like Mackinson would’ve taken on an apprentice or two and passed on all of their superb knowledge and skills to carry on for the next generation of shooters.

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As my gunsmith on older doubles, Nick was fantastic with metal. His barrel color process was mostly in-house tucked away in a purpose-built area. I especially loved the result he coaxed from a MacNaughton hammer gun. For my Blanch hammer ejector, rather than “fix” the fiddly miniature ejector box, Nick built a more robust replacement from scratch giving me back the original for my jewelry box. We met countless times in Port Huron and had a couple memorable visits at his home. I must say I miss Barbara’s cooking! Nick will be missed. He is the one that taught me a gun is a system; mess with one part and the rest have to be looked after as well.

There are so many stories….

Nick once worked over a Wm Powell 20 bore for me. He really struggled with the ejectors but ultimately told me to just keep a flattened wooden match handy to position the outermost rod. He disliked the wood on that gun enough to mess with it using watercolors over the years.

He was the master of annual maintenance. I am convinced the life of my guns has been extended. He eventually obtained a microscope to help root out rust, for example. It was his idea to always make an extra set of firing pins once he dialed in length on the first pair. He also taught me the value of getting my shipping boxes just so and set up for repeat use.

Getting Nick shells with which to test guns was not always easy. Sometimes a gun case went through carrying them. And, when testing, he had acres of tobacco and corn fields near by.

I had a problem with the handling of a re-barreled Stephen Grant. Knowing intimately what my other Grants felt like in hand, Nick iteratively back-honed the 1970s era barrels. He didn’t love the fact the sweetened barrels were no longer in proof but I still had the originals for that.

Metal fabrication included almost anything. I do not know whose hands did the engraving but all manner of screws, springs, hammers and trigger bows came out of his shop as I needed them.

Even as we both aged, technical telephone conversations kept us engaged.

Last edited by Montana; 07/16/21 12:47 PM.
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