Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Col. Askins

Thanks moose.

Yes,he did.

Ok,here is Mt. Riley. 5 miles South of there is the US/Mexico border.



These are the East Portrillos as they are called now. Some where in those was the headquarters for Ed Cox's ranch. They are just East of Mt. Riley.



These are the West Portrillos. Just West of Mt. Riley.

Cool!

Thanks, Elk.

DF

Yup,hunted quail all around Mt. Riley back when there was quail. Used to see some deer hunters camped close to Mt. Riley,never knew if anyone killed any though,but every year there would be hunters there.

I have heard that there are quail there this year, but it's a large area.

If he was alive today, he might say the 270 is gay. Lol.

Maybe a .223AI fan...

DF

I skimmed over the last few pages, then googled him.

I found a couple of shorts stories on Tatical life. The fat kraut was interesting. And after reading about the 44 mag in SE/Asia, I recalled reading about that maybe 30 plus years ago, but can't remember if it was in a NRA magazine.

May try and get out there later this fall for quail and coyotes.

Just finished "Sinner". I don't think he was all that bad a guy. A tough man for tough times.

I agree.

He doesn't fit today's P.C. world, was a unique individual who lived at a time when his skill set was better appreciated. Some today who claim to not be P.C., are more P.C. than they realize or admit. This thread is evidence of that.

His soul is another matter, way above my pay grade to judge.

He was a renouned story teller and provocateur. Being controversial sold copy and put food on his table. He for sure could stir folks up and here we are, still talking about him long after he's departed the scene.

So, as a story teller/provocateur, he was immensely successful.

DF

Exactly. What made him and Uncle Elmer successes was they were very opinionated and they were eager to share those opinions. If you didn't like what they had to say then tough [bleep].

I asked Bill Askins to review and critique this thread.

Here are his comments.


SOME COMMENTS FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AS SOMEBODY WHO KNEW MY DAD BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE:

1. THE MORALITY OF KILLING: IN THE BORDER PATROL HE WAS ALWAYS OUTNUMBERED IN ANY SHOOTOUT, AND THE OTHER SIDE WAS COMPLETELY WILLING (AND EAGER) TO KILL ANYBODY THAT GOT IN THEIR WAY. IT IS PERFECTLY OKAY TO START THE GUNPLAY, AND IT GIVES YOU THE INITIATIVE, AND SAVES YOUR LIFE.
ANY OF THESE GUYS WHO TALK ABOUT SOME ETHICAL DEMAND TO "FIGHT FAIR" HAVE NEVER, EVER, BEEN IN A FIREFIGHT. YOU DO WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO KILL THE ENEMY, AND YOU MUST TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ANYTHING THAT SWAYS THE FIGHT TO YOU. MY DAD NEVER SUFFERED ANY DOUBTS ABOUT WHAT HE DID. THIS IS NOT HOLLYWOOD, ITS REAL LIFE, AND YOUR LIFE IS ON THE LINE!

2. JORDAN DID KILL ANOTHER BP OFFICER. HE WAS PLAYING WITH HIS REVOLVER, DID A QUICK DRAW, IT DISCHARGED UNEXPECTEDLY, THE BULLET WENT THROUGH THE WALL AND KILLED A PATROLMAN IN THE NEXT ROOM. BEYOND THAT SHOOTING, JORDAN NEVER HAD AN ACTUAL GUNFIRE THAT ANYBODY KNOWS ABOUT. HE JUST LOOKED THE PART, BEING A SORT OF GARY COOPER STYLE FELLOW. HE TOURED THE USA FOR MANY YEARS WHEN ON DUTY WITH THE BP, PUTTING ON A QUICK DRAW SHOW AND PROMOTING THE BORDER PATROL. HE WAS ALSO A OFFICER IN THE MARINE CORPS RESERVE, SPENT THE WHOLE WAR IN REAR ECHELON JOBS.

3. MY DAD WAS A VERY STRONG PERSONALITY, A COMMANDING PRESENCE, AND WHEN HE ISSUED ORDERS, OR MADE DEMANDS, THEY WERE OBEYED. HE HAD THE MOST STARTLING EYES IMAGINABLE, LIGHT GREEN WITH FLECKS OF GOLD, AND THEY COULD TURN VERY COLD INDEED. I THINK A LOT OF THESE GUYS THAT SPEAK ILL OF HIM WERE PROBABLY INTIMIDATED BY HIM AND BECAME RESENTFUL, HAPPY TO TAKE A POTSHOT AT HIM NOW.

4. THE .308 MODEL 70, WITH THE BIRDSEYE MAPLE STOCK AND THE SILVER CAP "CHARLES ASKINS", MODIFIED TO LEFT HAND BOLT, IS ONE OF THE GUNS THAT I HAD AUCTIONED OFF SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
A HANDSOME PIECE BUT I AM RIGHT HANDED!

5. THANGLE IS MY SISTER'S KID. MY SISTER IS VERY, VERY BRIGHT, AND THANGLE IS TOO, IS PRODUCING SHORT FILMS IN HOLLYWOOD NOW.

6. KEN HOWELL WAS JUST ONE MORE JOURNEYMAN GUN WRITER, AND COULD ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS AN OCCASIONAL ACQUAINTANCE OF MY DAD. HE HAS GIVEN HIMSELF A CLOSER ASSOCIATION THAT IS WARRANTED BY THE FACTS.

7. THE RHODESIAN BABY STORY IS A DISTORTION OF THE TRUTH. WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED WAS THAT MY DAD AND SOME OF HIS RHODESIAN PALS WERE OUT IN THE BUSH CHASING TERRORISTS THAT HAD RAIDED A NEARBY FARM. THEY HAD A SHOOTOUT, AND THE ONLY SURVIVOR WAS A LITTLE KID. THEY BROUGHT IT BACK TO THEIR FARM'S NATIVE HAMLET, GAVE IT TO A WIDOW THERE TO RAISE. WE BOTH HAD GREAT SYMPATHY FOR THE RHODESIANS, BOTH BLACK AND WHITE. THEY WERE THROWN UNDER THE BUS BY THE USA FOR WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE POLITICAL GAIN FOR THE THEN ADMINISTRATION. THE COUNTRY, OF COURSE, WAS DESTROYED; IT WAS THE BREADBASKET OF AFRICA AT THAT TIME, EVERYBODY WAS FED, HAPPY, AND LIVING IN HARMONY.

8. REGARDING THE SHOOTINGS, THERE WERE MORE. HE ONLY WROTE ABOUT THE MORE INTERESTING ONES. THERE WERE SOME OTHERS THAT WERE ON MORE SENSITIVE TARGETS THAT MUST REMAIN OUT OF PRINT. WHETHER HE INCLUDED THOSE IN THE 27 KIA I HAVE NO IDEA, BUT AMONG HIS CONTEMPORARIES IN THE ARMY HE WAS WELL REGARDED, AND DID A CONSIDERABLE PERIOD OF TIME ON GENERAL STAFF DUTY DEALING WITH INTELLIGENCE PROJECTS. I NEVER DID GET AN ACCURATE HEADCOUNT ON THE RHODESIAN STUFF.

9. MY DAD WAS THE COMMANDING OFFICER OF THE FIRST EVER BATTLEFIELD RECOVERY COMPANY IN THE US ARMY. THIS WAS IN II CORPS IN NORTH AFRICA. IT WAS FORMED OVER THERE, AND COL BRUCE MEDARIS PICKED HIM TO COMMAND IT SINCE HE WANTED SOMEBODY THAT WOULD WORK COOLLY UNDER FIRE. MEDARIS HAD BEEN A MARINE IN WWI, PICKED UP A RESERVE COMMISSION BETWEEN THE WARS, EVENTUALLY BECAME A MAJOR GENERAL AND COMMANDING GENERAL OF REDSTONE ARSENAL AND THE ENTIRE ARMY MISSILE COMMAND. DYNAMIC CHARACTER AND ONE OF MY DAD'S PATRONS. HE TOOK MY DAD ALONG WITH HIM WHEN HE WENT OFF TO FIRST ARMY AS THE ARMY ORDNANCE OFFICER, MAKING HIM THE ARMY'S BATTLEFIELD RECOVERY OFFICER DURING THE ENTIRE EUROPEAN CAMPAIGN. HE WAS UNDER FIRE REGULARLY, ESPECIALLY IN NORTH AFRICA, AND WAS WOUNDED RECOVERING TANKS FROM THE KASSERINE PASS FIASCO. HE GOT PULLED OFF FOR A SPECIAL MISSION BY GEORGE PATTON (WHO HAD BEEN A CAVALRY REGIMENTAL COMMANDER ON THE BORDER DURING THE '30s AND KNEW MY DAD'S CAPABILITIES) BUT OTHERWISE SERVED THROUGHOUT THAT CAMPAIGN AND THE SICILY INVASION BEFORE GOING BACK TO ENGLAND IN PREPARATION FOR THE NORMANDY INVASION. HE SPENT THE ENTIRE WAR OVERSEAS EXCEPT FOR A PERIOD WHEN MEDARIS ROTATED HIM ON COMPASSIONATE LEAVE WHEN MY BROTHER WAS KILLED. HE PICKED UP AN ORDNANCE BATTALION IN THE STATES, AND BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE ETO WHEN HE CAME BACK.

HOPE YOU WILL FIND THIS OF INTEREST.

BEST REGARDS,

BILL


Edited to delete a sentence not for publication. It slipped thru.

Link on Gen. Medaris who the Col. mentions in Unrepentant Sinner and who Bill referenced.

http://articles.latimes.com/1990-07-16/news/mn-135_1_john-bruce

DF

Great info! Thanks for sharing.

Extremely interesting. Thanks to Bill and DF for sharing.

Bill's an interesting guy in his own right.

There was some info I omitted per his request.

I've told him, the Askins style for writing and story telling is still alive.

I've enjoyed the association, never met him in person, hope to rectify that one of these days. We have done a fair amount of correspondence regarding various topics including Askins guns. A lot of that info is on the Shotgunworld link.

DF

I assume when he spoke of the 308 Winchester 70 LH he was referring to the 308 Norma Mag.

I bet he is!