As the newest of the "gun writers", my post should be the shortest. Born and grew up on a hardscrabble ranch in central Texas, went to a rural high school where opening day of whitetail season was a holiday. All my teachers told me that I couldn't write. Spent eleven years combined in college, grad school, and the military. My time in the Army was spent stateside as an engineer/statistician/test director at a proving ground. Spent a couple of years working at a small electronics company, then got a wild hair and started Oehler Research because I wanted a chronograph and didn't want to pay Herter's $120 for something I could build myself.
The next forty years were at Oehler Research where I actually enjoyed solving the technical problems related to ballistic measurements at least as much a shooting, reloading, or hunting. By virtue of my position I got to know the old names such a Colonel Harrison, H.P.White, Roy Weatherby, Bill Ruger, John Amber, Bob Hagel, Les Bowman, and most of the younger fellows writing today. Compentence by association doesn't work!
The only writing I recall, save ad copy and instruction books, were a couple of articles sent to Neal Knox at Handloader. A few months ago Scott Mayer and Joel Huchcroft offered to let me write a monthly ballistics column for Shooting Times. They made the rash assumption that by my long association with all the true experts, I had managed to learn a few things and might tell a few stories. They promised to clean up my writing.
Because of my diverse background, I can usually see both sides of many arguments. I've been the dude on paid hunts, and I've been the Jaegermeister and land owner on other hunts. I've tried to wring the last bit of velocity out of a case, and I've worried much about exceeding pressure limits. Although trained in the mathematical and engineering arts, I tend to just get a bigger hammer and make sure it works. I can relate easier to an old John Deere than to any hotrod.
It is my nature and intention to lurk in the shadows and enjoy reading and learning. I'll jump in if it seems that I might have something to add, or if someone has a specific question of me. Scott Mayer suggested the Campfire, and it was a pleasure to read dear friend Ken Howell's writer's guide on the home page. He must cringe at my posts, but he has always been most tolerant.
Ken
As it was explained to me many years ago, "I feel sorry for those who believe that ballistics is an exact science. They just don't understand the problems."
