Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Ross Seyfrieds background?

I always liked his writing but he still ain't no John B!

model70man,

Thanks very much!

However, I must comment that I learned a lot about gun writing from Ross. As I've mentioned before, my writing career until about 40 didn't involve much gun writing. Instead I wrote about hunting, fishing, Western history, wildlife biology and some other subjects--whatever paid. Started writing more about hunting guns (both rifles and shotguns) at about 40, which helped a lot when the fishing-writing market took a nose-dive in the late 1990's,

That was about when I met Ross, and since I was changing the direction of my writing, and he was thinking about the same thing within the gun-writing profession, we did some talking. Flat told him I thought he was the best gun writer in the business--which he appreciated. But I also know (not just suspect) that Ross didn't really mesh well with the direction the mainstream gun-writing market was headed in.

I strongly suspect he would have done well by self-publishing, writing about exactly what he wanted to--which is about half of what I do now. But that was very early in the days of the Internet, when self-publishing wasn't where it is today. It's great that he's still writing for Double Gun & Single-Shot, but have always wished he'd published at least one book.

I'm working on him!

Good!

Please do - I've always enjoyed his writings - immensely! (even when I didn't agree)
He was always informative, and well reasoned.

I always look forward to reading Seyfried because he so often comes up with such out of the box stuff. He is all over the place, and I mean that in a good way. Even when writing about things I have no interest in doing, he makes it interesting and I always learn something.

He also tends to ignore conventional thinking, takes a problem back to square one and goes from there. The engineer in me resonates with that.

All that said, JB writes some pretty good technical stuff as well.
True story (that I think I have told here before): I was in London, so I of course had to go to Holland & Holland. I was looking at a stunning .375 bolt gun (still behind the glass. I was honest with the salesman that I had no money to spend, yet they were still gracious.) Anyway, I was told the action was a new, modern, but "completely correct" Mauser. Not from Mauser, but still made in Germany. I commented that I wondered if they got the angle in the groove just behind the bolt head that interacts with a similar angle on the extractor correct. Despite obviously being the older "senior" salesman, he had no idea what I was talking about. So the rifle came out of the display case, the bolt came out of the rifle, some magnification was produced and the salesman learned something about Mausers he never knew before (because the feature was in fact present.) I thought to myself, "How crazy that I come from Texas to London to end up explaining one of the more esoteric of the Mauser's features to a salesman in the gun room of H&H!"

Well, I learned that from reading JB. So, again, thank you JB!

Another interesting point. They had the "records" right there on the shelf! I'd have lost good money on a bet, as I was sure those would have been kept in a vault or safe somewhere. They assured me those were "the books", and not copies. Looking back, I don't know why I didn't ask to take a better look at those.

I always enjoyed his articles. When he still had the Elk Song Ranch, I called him about an elk hunt. He was very gracious and talked to me for quite some time.

When I interviewed him for my first book he laughed and asked me why I would put myself through the painful process of writing a book. I responded by suggesting he do the same as many folks (myself included) would love for him to write a book -- or at least compile his work into one book. In no uncertain terms he said no thanks.

To sum up Ross Seyfried - if he published it, you could take it to the bank.

I enjoyed Ross's writing very much and join the call for him to write a book(s). I would really like to see him and other gun writers, some of whom hang around here, do something autobiographical. How about some others helping out and calling for them to do so?

I had a recent dream of a book resulting from a Barsness-Seyfried collaboration edited by Eileen.

My favorite active gun writer is our own John B.,but Ross was certainly my favorite during the years when he was really active.
I have talked to both fellows on the phone and they are both gentlemen of the first order. I wish we could get Ross to post here,but he probably couldn't put up with our resident nuts as well as John manages to.

I stand corrected on about his current writing activity.

Thanks Mule Deer

I lost track of him after he got involved with the Elk Song Ranch in Oregon. I always enjoyed his writing even if it was on a topic I might never venture into like paper patched bullets or the joys of the Martini Henry but a good read regardless. Seems he always liked the super penetrating bullets like certain fail safes.

Ross Seyfried is the only gunwriter I have ever read who could interest me in obscure cartridges and firearms, a very great talent IMO.
After reading one of his articles I was usually thinking - Darn, I need one of these.

My favorite outdoor writer has always been Jack O' Connor. I use the term outdoor writer because many of his writings were about things besides just firearms. His stories were as much about the country, the people and the game he hunted as they were about the firearms or optic he used, the way he wrote can make me feel like I was there with him.

drover

I too thoroughly enjoyed Ross Seyfrieds articles and writings. I remember my first photographs of him was him in his "twenties" in in his African environment with one of his favorite rifles (at the time), a .340 Weatherby Mark V. He appeared to be very tall and slim with the blond hair of a California "Surfer" who looked to be more at home swimming than hunting in Africa. This "snap shot" was at a time he was licensed as a PH in at least 3 African countries and was considered to be worthy of mention by some of the biggest "icons" of the 1960's hunting community.
He introduced me to "paper patching", drillings, loading double guns, and appreciating antique firearms. Over the years he became even more "readable" with subjects that interested him in such a detailed way as to captivate an interested "reader" (me among them) about subjects seldom broached by other writers. His works with the "Double Gun Journal" (sic) and periodicals seldom seen on the same shelf as "Outdoor Life", are classic and classy! I got the impression that he would not be the favorite writer of some of the "Editors" that direct the subject matter of many of the magazines, but it would probably be due to a difference of opinion rather than the article itself.
I had the pleasure of meeting him once at a NRA Convention and he quickly dispelled the "Surfer Boy" image I initially had of him; he is a gentleman of the first order who is confident in his abilities and character, and a treasure trove of hunting knowledge.

I'm preparing to spend some money because of him. A five shot SRH in 500JRH caliber. And have a Ruger 45 LC Vaquero I need to shoot some more. I have a 33 Winchester in an '86 Winchester also. I too think he might not have the patience for some of the locals. I have a few on ignore. Come see us anyway Ross. Be Well. Rusty

rustyzipper,

I've read a lot of Ross's stuff, but don't remember a .33 WCF 1886. Do you still have the article? I have a take-down '86 in .33 and would love to read his take.

Back in his writing days, Ross was right up there with the best of them. I, too, miss his work. I'd love to be able to get a compilation of his stuff if it ever came to be. Some of his stuff is here in my pile of old gun magazines. I'd pay dearly for his article on the 340 Weatherby and I can't even recall what magazine it was in or the year of publication.

I suspect it was in GUNS & AMMO, and I might have a copy. Will look and see if I do. Would be happy to send a photocopy.

IIRC the article about the .340 Wby is in the Sept 1989 issue of Guns & Ammo.