Saw today in Handloader that Ken Waters passed away. Thought a lot of his advice over the years and generally enjoyed Pet Loads.

R. I. P.

Sorry to hear that.

Anyone have a link to his obit?.

I really liked his straight forward approach and thorough research. Not too unlike JB.

DF

RIP Ken Waters...............

My God, a wealth of knowledge gone. I'd feel fortunate to have a quarter of the knowledge he'd forgotten...

http://www.hoytfuneralhome.com/memsol.cgi?user_id=1901682

http://ncadvertiser.com/92394/obituary-kenneth-l-waters-99-ww-ii-veteran-former-town-official/

Thanks guys for the Obit.

Very interesting guy and 99 yrs. old.

Wow!

He lived a good, productive and full life.

May he R.I.P.

DF

Man I'm sorry about that. I thot a lot of him and enjoyed his writings.

A friend of mine had a 7X30 in a Contender back in the 80s.

R I P Mr. Ken


Thanks for posting this

Jerry

R.I.P. Ken

Godspeed Ken.

Enjoyed his writings for quite a few years. RIP.

I just had Pet Loads out last night reading about 300 Savage.
He was one writer I never passed over even if the cartridge didn't interest me.
Fair wind and following Seas, Mr. Waters.

One of the very best and one of my favorites.

He passed on a great legacy to us all.

Thank you, Ken Waters.

A fine man and a life very well lived.

Godspeed my old and dear friend.

Steve

I'll have to send some 7-30's down range in his honor.

RIP Ken Waters!

Sorry to hear this.. RIP.

Ken was not only a major factor in helping two very small magazines get their start in the 1960's, eventually helping RIFLE and HANDLOADER become much larger parts of the shooting industry, but a major influence on many later writers aditors. I know PET LOADS is always handy in my office, one of perhaps two dozen essential references. Though many of the powders and even bullets mentioned are no longer available, he helped set the standard in handloading research, so will live on far beyond his many years of shooting and writing.

R.I.P. Ken Waters.

Ken Waters was the best. I began reading his GUN DIGEST material before HANDLOADER started in '66. Thirty years ago I received a one-and-one-half page, single-spaced, typewritten reply from him in response to a question. I was impressed that he would take the time, effort, and interest to do such.

Back in the early days Ken would answer handloader's letters, I have several in my files. Pet Loads was a great work, a treasure trove of reloading data, Ken will be missed.

I've loaned my copies of Pet Loads to a lot of new reloaders. A lot of the powders are now obsolete. But the basics remain the same. Hasbeen

R.I.P. Mr. Waters.

The timing of his wife's passing coincides with him stopping responding to letters.
I had wondered if he had passed away back then. While I'm glad to know he didn't, I'm sad to hear that he has now passed.

Ed

RIP Mr. Waters. I enjoyed his writings/articles very much.

He sure would take the time to respond to one's letters and queries. That being back in the days where a month's turn around was considered normal, and a trip to the PO in a town 40 miles away was a twice a month occurrence.

We are diminished.

GTC

As mentioned above, Ken's writings were a model for many, many fledgling reloading writers, including yours truly. One cannot overestimate the positive effect Mr Waters had on the shooting world.

Sorry to hear of his passing. I have spent many hours reading pet loads and always enjoyed Mr. Waters writings. I need to purchase the supplement updates.

Sorry to read of his passing. I too have Pet Loads here. As a young person, his writings on vintage rifles and cartridges had a significant influence on me, and inspired my interest in them. I once wrote him regarding loads for the .32-40, and he replied with a very thoughtful typed reply.

His method of judging pressure my case expansion is somewhat outdated today, but it was a step forward in its time.

Outside of shooting, it is obvious he was a talented man who proudly served his country and community. RIP sir, we are diminished in your passing.

Sorry to hear of Ken's passing almost 100 years wow RIP brother.

RIP Ken. He was a giant in the field. His "Pet Loads" is still the first manual I reach for and his articles (I have Handloader from #1 to present) are the first ones I check when I start working with a new round.

RIP Ken

Rest in peace, sir.

RIP

R.I.P. Mr. Waters. You are missed.
Paul B.

I've got a well worn copy of both volumes of Pet Loads, spent many hours reading and re-reading them.

Sounds like he had a long and productive life. That's a pretty good epitaph. RIP, and thanks.

I have gleamed much reloading info. from Mr. Waters over the decades. I saved many a "Pet Loads" column and they live in my reloading room with all of the other books & printouts of loading data. He will be greatly missed.

RIP Ken Waters!

I found Ken in the mid 80's upon buying my first deer rifle, a Win 94 chambered in 7x30 Waters. My only copy of Pet Loads feel apart from use a few years ago. In the mid 90's, when he was still on the "Handloader" staff, I wrote him a couple of letters and still have the responses. Wish there were more in the world like him. RIP Ken.

Back in the day of letter writing, we talked at length about a project I had started. He seemed kind and patient with a young man who wanted to learn. I wanted a 416 express having read about it in Pet Loads. Think I'll take her out and shoot while remembering Mr Ken.

Gonna miss you Ken.RIP

He wrote plainly, clearly and with authenticity. Pet Loads is his enduring memorial.

Thank you, Ken. R.I.P.

I never skipped over "Pet Loads" when my "Handloader" came in. Many times when I got a rifle chambered in a cartridge I'd never worked with before I'd refer to "Pet Loads" to get a start.

Rest In Peace Ken Waters.
His ability to explain the why as well as the how in easy to understand language was what always captivated me. And the fact that he was willing to try any cartridge at least once, if for no other reason than it was produced at some point.

One of the good ones.

A life spent learning and teaching and learning more, always passing it on.
Thank you Ken Waters.

Sorry to learn this - RIP Mr. Ken. How many times have I (and so many of us) referred to his Pet Loads and numerous articles? A treasure trove of solid info from a man gracious in giving of his knowledge and experiences. I enjoyed a couple of visits with him in New Caanan and tried again to do so when through there last May.

Here in the shop, I keep small firearm accessories/parts in several cigar boxes that were his - EW Top Stone was his choice back then. The Contender in 7-30 Waters is right here - need to load and shoot some tomorrow - will look in the book again for memory sake.

My enthusiasm for hand loading came from reading Ken's Pet Loads. I'll miss him.

God bless and God speed Ken. Your pet loads has and will always be an important part of my loading bench.

Thumbed thru that book many many times. Ken's passing signals the end of an era. May he Rest In Peace.

Godspeed Ken, Rest in peace.

Ken Waters contributed as much as anyone to handloading. It was a privilege to read his research.

I spent hours reading his articles and Pet Loads books. He gave a lot of us a wealth of information.

I'm sorry to hear this. He lived a very interesting and successful life. He certainly contributed greatly to us. Pet Loads is my most valued book on reloading.

RIP Sir.

I seem to recall he was testing bullet expansion, so he'd climb up on the high dive board and fire into his swimming pool and have his nephews jump in and recover the bullets.

U.S. Army Mineplanting ? Had never heard of that.

A very interesting and knowledgeable man. He will be missed.

Like many of us here, I learned how to handload before the internet from several books and manuals available in that day. Pet Loads was the best of the bunch and still gets used.

Someone should do an updated Pet Loads with modern chamberings and components. It would be a fine tribute to Ken Waters and his efforts.

Had that same thought.

Would be a lot of work, like a lifetime of work.

DF

I don't see how one person could tackle that job. With the proliferation of components available today the task is next to impossible. Personally, I am hoping JB does an update on his Handloads That Work article. Also, I would like to see a digital copy of Pet Loads.

R.I.P.

Sorry to hear of his passing. Pet loads is one of those books I go to for something specific and end up "wasting" another hour with "hmmm, I didn't know that"

I learned so much from Pet Loads. May he Rest In Peace. I always enjoyed his writings.

You're right about that being a near impossible task.

The beauty of the Fire, we have multiple contributors working on a vast array of projects.

A lot of Fire info is high quality and well done, some not as disciplined and documneted as work by JB, Ken or other professional gun writers. But, it's info nonetheless. We can sort it out, interact, ask questions, ultimately check it out for ourselves.

DF

Thank you Mr. Waters for the knowledge and joy over many years. Go with God.....

RIP Ken

Sorry to hear about our losing another giant in the field. His data were always reliable and his work unfailingly gave an excellent place to start load development. His pressure reports were one of the most valuable contributions to his data.

Ken's writings taught me how to be a reloader and how to approach things in a systematic way. He will be missed!

Pet Loads is one of those references you run to, when you just bought a old codger of a rifle that current data doesn't service well, like .30/30 or .38/40.

His stuff was always useful in some way, though a bit dated now, it sure helped with some guidance when data was scarce or non-existent.

I'll sure miss that, Waters seemed like a heckuva nice guy in his writings.

I've about worn out my copy of Pet Loads, but I gained a lot by his research.

RIP Mr. Waters.

Rest in Peace Mr. Waters...

Died 6 months short of his 100th birthday....

as was said, certainly lived a full and accomplished life...

What a life! If you've ever read the whole volume of Pet Loads, you have to wonder how he ever had time to do anything else. That guy must have never sat down in his whole life, he was that busy.

He was very productive, for sure.

But, he did a lot of other stuff, as well.

A full life, well lived.

DF

Another good one gone! Dang. Love his Pet Loads book. I borrowed my brothers book years ago and keep forgetting to give it back. I bet Mr Waters will be working with the Lord's Thunder n Lightening crew.

I started with the pet loads i think as far back as the 70's.
i still read it regularly just to read the articles.
times have changed, but i still use a lot of the loads he recommended.
go with God Ken, you had influence on a whole lot of people.

My well used volumes of Pet Loads are my favorite reloading references having earned that distinction over many years. In my shooting related correspondence there are 2-3 type written responses from Ken regarding some questions that I asked regarding some reloading or cartridge issue. He was a great man by all accounts and I am pleased to have known him through his writings. RIP, Ken.

Aside from his "Pet Loads" work, one thing that gave me a kick was his description of his home test range. He actually did what I threatened to do many times (and sometimes still do, when the scotch has my undivided attention), and that was he dug a 100 yard long trench out from his basement, laid concrete drain pipe in it, and backfilled- voila, a 100 yard underground indoor test range. I'm betting his wife was a very understanding/long suffering woman!

R.I.P.

RIP Mr. Waters, loved his pet loads

Another one of the good guys gone. RIP

geo

RIP, Mr. Waters.

Like many of the early writers on handloading Ken Waters influence was far reaching.
J.R. Mattern, J. Bushnell Smith, Harvey Donaldson, Earl Naramore and several other writers shared their passion for rifles and handloading in the budding business of gun writing. Ken Howell once commented on how little Waters received for his writing. Mule Deer pointed out these writers kept the young gun magazines from going broke.
Ken Waters column Precision Reloading in the early Shooting Times has a similar look and feel to the later Pet Loads articles. Some of the pictures for both the Shooting times and Handloader articles had to have been taken at the same time. Dave Wolfe driving the bus for both magazines.
Here is a Meet the Gunwriters from the December 1962 issue of Shooting times.

a real loss

very sorry

Remarkable man it seems, as with all good men we hope to remember a man we all respected and enjoyed and his passions for guns as we do! Rest In Peace Ken Waters!

A true pioneer. His 7x30 is still one of my favorites. He will be missed ! R.I.P.

He earned his rest. Rest in peace.

I'm sad.
I still refer to "Pet Loads" every time I test a new to me cartridge. Ken was my mentor in my mind as far as getting my start in reloading. He was very thorough in the way he worked up loads and such. Each cartridge had a "story" along with the rifles he tested them in. I've tried many cartridges based on his praise for them.
I always wished I could have met him, or at least dropped a letter in the mail to him.
R.I.P. Ken

When I started reloading- as a young man in the Army- his work and love of the art ensured my success at the bench..

R.I.P

I remember buying Pet Loads about 10 years ago and not being able to put it down. About 3-4 years ago, the wife of another 'fire member texted me and asked what I thought her husband might like for Christmas. Without hesitation, "Pet Loads." I'm not sure it's ever left his bathroom.

Ken, I'd fire off a 7-30 M94 in your honor......if I could find & afford one. Thanks for all of your amazing contributions. Two of my favorite handloading books are PL and Ken Howell's book on metallic cartridges. Two huge losses in a short period of time.

I often think about the sheer volume of work that Mr. Waters put into a Pet Loads article, the pounds of powder and bullets, the hours at his press and on the range, and then writing an article that was so informative. There was never a question about shortcuts or assumptions. How many mistakes do you find in that body of work? The man set a high standard, a very high standard.

May God be with you and you with him Mr. Waters. Your writings continue to bring much pleasure to my life.

Like many other members of this august group, I, too sat at Ken's knee (figuratively, of course...) and learned much about handloading and just shooting in general. I have two copies of "Pet Loads"... One in my office within easy reach, and one on my loading bench. I suspect that he is now sitting around with Wayne Schwartz and discussing the relative merits of shooting, ballistics and who knows what. Even tho' I would sometimes get frustrated with some of his opinions, I still admired and respected him.

Certainly, a life well lived... Godspeed, old friend!

Wow! Almost a hundred years old...what a full life. Ken thanks for writing and doing all the work you did for the common person in shooting and hunting. RIP.