Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Whatever happened to John Barsness?

He ain’t in the current issue of Handloader!

That's because I retired from Wolfe Publishing this fall--after I'd written my last article for the 2022 issues of Handloader and Rifle. Have been semi-retiring for about four years now, one market at a time.

but still answers questions here with great knowledge ...

For that I am very grateful!

Thanks!

Will still post here, but only be writing regularly for Sports Afield and Rifle Loony News. Though right now am working on one for the 2024 Gun Digest annual, and may do occasional articles for other publications--if they interest me.

As my friend Charlie Waterman once noted. "Older writers almost never really retire. They just write less." Charlie was still doing a monthly column for one magazine when he passed away at 92.

Mother in Law kept up my subscription to Rifle/Handloader for years. She eventually let it lapse for about a decade and I had hit a point I felt like I was re-reading a lot of the same info. (Mule Deer was nowhere near as bad as some when it came to repetition).

She re-upped the subscription this year. Got my first Handloader the other day. I had even read Mule Deer had retired and was still disappointed to not see his article there.

He and Ross Seyfried will always be my two favorite gun writers. Brian Pierce rolls in at #2 (maybe he’ll keep writing for a while).

Congratulations Mule Deer! You’ve more than earned it! Thank you so much for the knowledge you imparted on those pages! FWIW, the #1A 7x57 in my safe is there just because of the pic you had in an article with yours leaning on a backpack about 20 years ago!

He’s still writing full-time where it matters the most at RIFLE LOONY NEWS, which IMO is great since I believe John does his best work there. BTW, rumor has it that he’s working on an exposé style book with a draft working title of “My Live Around the Campfire – Insights into the Gun Industry.” Sort of cross between O’Connor’s “Confessions of a Gun Editor” and Busse’s “Gunfight”. It sounds like a best seller to me…

Still on the masthead…..

Can’t begrudge him his retirement. I’m less than a year older, and haven’t hit a lick in 12 1/2 years😜

He’s long overdue.

I'll miss your articles, Mule Deer!

John,
Congratulations on your (semi) retirement! You've provided many hours of enjoyment and a wealth of knowledge with your articles--always the first article I read every month.
Rifle and Handloader won't be the same without you.

I'll have to subscribe to Rifle Loony News.

-Mike

Congratulations on your retirement. Please don’t let “retirement rot” set in to your writing.
By that I mean trailing edge repetition of concepts that are moving things forward in the field.

All the gun mags have worn out the same old articles year after year anyway. Read and re-read Gun Gacks and you’ll be up to speed!

Are you planning on continuing to write for Sports Afield for a while?

A long while I hope!

I don't know the first thing about the writing/publishing industry...but in almost 55 years in the metal trades workplace, breaking in new management or a new boss is tiresome in the extreme. The new leader, the younger, eager beaver, new broom sweeps clean types, no matter how brilliant or educated, wants to win his spurs and prove himself rapidly. Which is as it should be, any business should not stagnate, but the smarter young men will ask their staff...why do we do it this way? Can we improve on this? The hard charger type A's ask nothing and innovate change for change's sake...usually ending in a schidtshow and another rapid management change, starting the cycle all over again. I hope Wolfe's staff is not exposed to this, it's not fun. The history of the decline of the American Rifleman mag is a case in point...from the gold standard of excellence in the industry to a participation trophy in 20 years.

Is this another way of admitting to an increased level of maturity? GD

Mule Deer;
Top of the morning to you sir, I hope that the winter weather has been at least tolerable down in your chunk of Montana and that you and Eileen are well.

Congratulations on the "semi-retirement", you've certainly earned it in my view though for sure as others have said I'll miss your work in the Wolfe stuff.

Since I've just renewed my subscription to both Rifle Loonie News and Sports Afield I'll still be able to keep up with your current work too.

All the best to you both this year and again congrats.

Dwayne

with John Barsness retiring what i see is going to happen the days of the older wood stock rifles and not as popular cartridges stories will probably be a thing of the past. John you had very educational gun stories and just a great read i will mis those stories. > so guys be ready the future stories from these newer writers we be reading more about black guns and new cartridges . John enjoy your retirement time and if you do get bored > well maybe another Gun Gack ? Pete53

It had gotten to the point where the only reason I'd buy a copy of Handloader or Rifle was if JB wrote about something that caught my fancy. The last copy of Rifle I bought had John's article about rifle triggers which I found interesting, but the entire rest of the magazine left me yawning, figuring I wasted $9. Pearce is ok but he ain't JB, I like Terry Wieland's stuff a lot and that's a plus, but Venturino hasn't written much new original stuff in a long time. The rest of their regulars are largely strangers to me, except Simpson and he seems to be on a never ending "Magnum kick".

I’ve been watching a good bit of Jeremiah, hat and all, on Handloader TV, and he seems pretty meticulous and knowledgable for a young man. His mag pieces are good too. I’ll continue to subscribe to the magazines, unless they replace John with Jim Zumbo or Dick Metcalf I guess. I let my subscription to SA lapse, as most of the hunting stuff is beyond my experience and reach. I can get John’s stuff on their website sooner or later.

Best of luck, John.

All the alternate writers mentioned are no John Barsness. But to their credit, they're no Lee J. Hoots either.

I guess I'm jaded/spoiled, having come of age reading the likes O'Connor, Keith, Page, and later on Carmichel, C.E. Harris, early Simpson, Seyfried, et al. JB, for me, fit in with them and bridged the gap with his smooth writing style and keen grasp of tech. Being John's age myself, I don't see myself seeking out a new "hero", for lack of a better term. I'll ride off into the sunset re-reading the old greats, with but a nod to the new guys so as not to be a total stick-in-the-mud!

You did an article in the October 2018 Handloader for the M1 Garand. I have used your loads in my M1 and I find them nicely accurate. My favorite is 48 grains of Varget. You used a 150 grain Winchester power point. I use a 150 grain Hornady soft point and 150 grain Hornady FMJ's. I'm not getting the .88" groups you did but I don't have your shooting history. I just know that the load works well in the M1 Garand and the 1903 and is nicely accurate for my needs. Thank you.

Congrats on your wanna be, kinda, semi retirement.

kwg

I'm disappointed, but understand! Guess I'll be saving some money as I'll not renew my subscription to these two magazines. John's articles were the only ones I looked forward to reading. THANKS JOHN, for years of enjoyable reads.

Can we pre-order it?

The first thing you learn about retirement is that your brain didn't join you in the lapse in daily responsibility.
That's why old men are so cantankerous, Excessive brain activity with inadequate output.

Welcome to Geezer-hood John. A new Apprenticeship.

Thanks! I've been easing into it for a few years, and so far like it....

> GOOD FOR YOU ! <

This post just gave me an urge to re-read Gun dogs and Bird Guns.

Yep, Charlie was a fine writer, with a lot of experience. He definitely influenced me in many ways, both in his straightforward yet subtle style, and his sense of humor.

We corresponded for a while before I actually met him, on our first trip to Florida in 1986. (As you no doubt know, he and Debie spent winter/spring in Florida and summer/fall in Montana.) We went bass fishing together in early April, when the water was still pretty cool, fly-fishing with poppers. He was rowing the boat while I fished, and after my first cast he said, "Good. Now work it faster, like an amateur bass-fisherman...."

After that we got together in Montana just once, for a visit. This was when they were about to sell their place and quit "migrating" (as Charlie called it). At the time we had two bird dogs, which we brought along, and told Charlie and Debie they were named Keith and O'Connor--and they BOTH laughed!

It's already out of print.

Funny.
I loved a line in a chapter Charlie wrote about chukar hunting, the first line of the chapter if memory recalls. Something to the effect of “All my chukar hunting guns are beat up and scarred”. I’d often think of this while selecting a shotgun for chukar hunting. I’d be hell bent on taking a Mossberg 500 until I got to my gun safe and couldn’t resist taking my Berretta or Browning SxS. Now I have dents and scratches on them and not the 500.

I always read your articles first, thanks for the great work you have done all these years. We salute you!! Enjoy your retirement, it’s nice, took me 6 months to get used to it but like it now.

Congratulations on your retirement from Wolfe. Hopefully, they gave you a gold watch. Or maybe Polacek's cowboy hat? 😃
I will definitely subscribe to Rifle Looney News now. I enjoyed the gift subscription I got with my purchase of GG3.

jackpinesav,

Thanks! Glad you're liking RLN.

John

People will ask “ What are you gonna do now”. Tell them
“ Whatever I want, but I ain’t gonna start until after lunch”


I stole that from Thomas “ Hollywood “ Henderson’s Wiki. He is 69 like us.

He allegedly said that after he won 28 million dollars in the Texas lottery.

Yeah, yeah... can we start talking about Gun Gack 5 yet? (LOL)
Congrats John - enjoy yourself.
Rex

Maybe you'll find time to do some shooting now!

When I retired I found that it's best to go to bed knowing what I'm going to do tomorrow.

Yaddio,

Don't have any problem with that at all--just know that I don't have TOO MUCH to do tomorrow. That's how it seemed for quite a while....

Me too and it's great. I only work with existing clients and referrals.
Someone mentioned redundancy in an earlier post. I just received my last issue of Petersens Hunting. Joseph Von Benedikt article on the 7PRC has a picture of his wife and kids with a black bear. This is the same picture that was in another publication regarding the 7 PRC. There's an article on hunting Axis deer in Hawaii and within in the last month in another publication was Axis hunting in Hawaii. I don't know if it's from the same author or not as I recently recycled a bunch of magazines.
Repetition is why I'm cutting back on publications.

Poppers on a flyrod for bass is the best of fishing. Good memories. Like some of the others I'll be subscribing to RLN - it's been in my shopping cart for a few days now with some Gun Gacks and a couple of Eileen's. As others have said, we're all glad for the "semi-" part of "semi-retired"!

Andy

I grew into a hunter reading Bob Milek and Ross Seigfried, Milek is partly responsible for me living in central Wyoming now. JB has always be interesting and informative, with out The old school Keith / Oconnor I am right because I said so attitude. Jb has envolved with the times and branched off in many areas of interest. If interested ,whenever it was possible I would like to share a pot of coffee and pick John's brain in person. Not something I desire to do with any of the other gun rag poets.

Looks like the Adirondacks that I grew up in. Makes me homesick.

It is. Winslow Homer. He's got some really amazing Adirondack stuff. He stayed at a hunting camp near Minerva in the mid-late 1800's. Looks like a great place to grow up!

Big congrats John...

Hoping you can continue with only projects you enjoy. Because that’s not work. Thanks for all the incredible information you have provided here. Prayers for health, wealth, and happiness on you and Eileen.

shootem,

That's the plan! Though part of the reason I'll continue working for Sports Afield is not only do I enjoy it, but they pay better than the other magazines I've been writing for in the last decade. (One of the general trends in the business has been pay dropping for the past 25-30 years, which is why GSPfan, in his above post, has noticed the same photos and hunts appearing in more than one magazine. Lower pay means you have to write up the same material in various places to make ends meet.)

I also enjoy writing for Rifle Loony News. When Eileen and I started it 14 years ago, I mostly wrote articles I'd proposed to conventional magazines, and none of 'em wanted. This was because either the editor didn't get the concept, or there weren't going to be enough mentions of advertisers--and mentioning advertisers frequently in magazines has been another major trend during the same period. But RLN doesn't take advertising, and Eileen is the editor, who after living with me for 40 years "gets" even my strangest suggestions for articles!

Have always looked forward to to your articles in Rifle and Handloader and will miss them. Best wishes and enjoy your retiring years.

<It is. Winslow Homer. He's got some really amazing Adirondack stuff. He stayed at a hunting camp near Minerva in the mid-late 1800's. Looks like a great place to grow up![/quote]

I'm gonna sign up for RLN. Congrats MD.

OneEyedMule, I know Minerva. Another one of my passions is motorcycle riding. There's a really cool family friendly biker bar/restaurant in Minerva called Sporty's Iron Duke Saloon. Yea, a great place to grow up. My dad used to take me hiking, fishing and camping once a month in the Adks. Him driving me up to the high peaks was more exciting than Christmas morning. Probably one of the best things a dad can do with a son.

You forgot Jack O"Connor's The Last Book. My favorite quote in there being about 'the big bore boys.' Nuff said.

Congrads John, won't be the same mag without you. When I was a young man I believe I took 6-7 different magazines all hunting fishing shooting it seems like after the the old rider started retiring and dying off less and less interest I currently don't take any anymore occasionally I'll buy rifle or reloader every now and then but it's got to be something that catches my eye or an article by JB enjoy retirement!

Thanks!

It still seems a little unbelievable to me that I was a "staff writer" for Wolfe for 30 years.

When I started Dave Scovill was the editor, and after I wrote a few articles he phoned me and asked, "So what are you going to write for the next issue?" Which was my first real hint that it might be a steady gig--always important to "freelance" writers.....

That's a shame. I might have to think about my subscription. I've been subscribing to Rifle and Handloader for over 20 years but the past five years or so I only read one or two articles. The mags have changed over time and I don't really like the direction they have taken. A lot of the articles (AR15 and handguns) have limited application here in Australia. All good things must come to an end I suppose.

Good luck with the semi-retirement John. I hope it does remain only semi though. You're too good a writer to just stop.

Sad thing to hear of

I'll need to find another copy of the magazine
with the " Anything but bolts " article.
Mine started out new, but it's passed through
many hands and it getting fairly ragged

I had a couple of Al Miller's articles I used to
share around, but those got permanently loaned
without my permission

Ranger99,

I might have an extra copy with that article in it. Will check and see. When was your ragged copy published?

John - Ever consider asking other retired writers to occasionally contribute to RLN?

No, because it doesn't make enough profit to pay anybody but me and Eileen--and we wouldn't ask professionals (even if retired) to write for free.

However, we have paid a non-retired writer a little to do something. Not long after we started RLN, we paid Phil Shoemaker to a piece on 'Ol Ugly," the self-customized .458 Winchester Magnum he's been using as his favorite brown bear back-up rifle for many years.

Well sir, that's a good question.
Been looking through my stacks of different magazines,
Backwoodsman through the late 90's, some very old
Popular Mechanics, a good many years of Tactical
Knives, etc.
I still have a few G&A and Shtg. Times, and fewer O L
and F&S and Louisiana Sportsman, copies I kept for
reference for whatever reason.
The particular magazine in question is elusive.
I still have a good many to paw through when I'm
not so bleary eyed . Did find Efficient Cartridges and
the High Wall black powder testing. I'm sure the
one I'm seeking is a Rifle and not a Handloader.
It should be here somewhere

If you can find it and determine the date, that would certainly help. Over the decades I probably wrote over 500 articles for Rifle, since for a while I was working exclusively for Wolfe--and writing at least a technical column, a feature and the back page for each issue of the magazine.

Have enjoyed reading you sir. I'm a young pup compared to many here, early 30s. But started getting boxes of old hunting and shooting magazines from a couple great- uncles when I was old enough to start reading.

Then as they passed I started getting my own subscriptions.

I grew up reading your stuff and was no doubt influenced by you many times.

Enjoy the retirement.

-Jake

Thanks!

Good to know that a younger reader likes reading my stuff.

But as pointed out earlier, am not fully retired, just writing less!

John

Got a stack of Rifle'n Handloader mags to read, if I ever get new glasses?

Old boy I knew, wrote a weekly conservation news column for a few rural PA weeklies, then suddenly disappeared. Didn't always agree with his views, but enjoyed reading his stuff for years. Found out his trusty Brother word processor had died and since he was in his early 80s, hung it up. According to his kin, refused to use a computer and printer.

Then one day his column appeared again. Come to find out they'd scoured the country for a functional Brother word processor. That lasted him until he cashed in his chips, I think?

John, I realize nothing good lasts forever, and I've lamented for a while this day was coming. It appears that your Handloader article on the .350 Legend and your Rifle article on triggers are your last appearances at Wolfe. Will you occasionally free-lance there? If so, I request something along the lines of your take on "The Joy of Handloading" or a career perspective such as "I Was a Rifle Loony Before Rifle Loonies Were Cool." Give us JB fans a proper send-off, so to speak. Even though I still have RLN and future Gack volumes to look forward to, some of your other Wolfe fans may not.

Just a thought.

Greg Perry

He's your Jack O'Connor.....a worthy crown. We will all miss his skilled writing!

Congratulations Mule Deer on your semi retirement. I hope you get to do the things you enjoy.

Still looking
Found a bunch of my saved Brian Pierce and Ross
Seyfried articles, and some of the knives I had
in a box from the last move. Probably have some
of the original Buck Selector blades for trade soon

I'll look some more ASAP

I suppose so. I never read magazines, at least that I remember, that had O'Connor. I've only read library books by him. Sheep and Sheep hunting, The hunting Rifle, and probably a few others I can't remember right now. I devoured everything hunting and shooting related in our small local library when I was growing up.

-Jake

Congratulations on your semi-retirement!

Good to know you'll be in SA. A stellar magazine, and your pieces in the current issue were spot on, as usual.

Glad you liked 'em! I enjoy writing for SA, as it allows a much wider range of subject matter than most "pure" gun magazines.

Some other comments on other posts:

Greg Perry, am sorry, but there won't be a send-off article in Wolfe---partly because I'm already getting busier again, due to working for www.riflesandrecipes.com in ways other than just writing. Eileen developed the website and associated book-publish company, but pretty much ran it by herself for well over a decade--which is the main reason I could retire from Wolfe. So now I'm helping her more!

Scotty, I am planning to do some of the things I used to do more of before getting into gun writing. One is fishing--which I used to do a lot, and wrote about as well, especially flyfishing. But in the 1990s hunting/gun writing started paying significantly more than fishing writing, so I quit writing about fishing. Eileen and I were kind of relieved, because then we could go fishing without having to take photos for articles, or be thinking of "story angles." Instead we could just go fish and relax.

But instead we went fishing far less, since I was far busier writing hunting/gun stuff. In fact, often my only fishing during entire years was outside Montana--when I was on a hunting trip to, say, Alaska. After getting the big game, I could catch salmon, grayling trout or whatever. (This isone reason I have several take-down fly rods that will fit alongside my rifle inside its airline case.) So we're gonna do more fishing!

John - thanks for all the great articles and books over the years and I look forward to reading more of them.

Thanks for editing my grizzly hunt article and helping me get it published.

I've gone on to have a lot of articles "published" online, mostly because you got me re-started with that 2017 bear hunt article. Thanks.

Regards, Guy

And here I was thinking you were only a YouTube star.

I’d try reading your stuff if I kew where to find it. Hint.

Guy,

Was happy to do that--as I have been with several other aspiring writers/

But you were pretty much a natural storyteller anyway, so I suspect you'd have figured it out pretty well on your own!

You coming through Montana again anytime soon?

Good hunting,
John

Hmm, considering a photo/fly fishing/camping trip near Wyoming & Grand Tetons about September or so, but that's about it for heading that way this coming year unless the "Safari Rifle Championship" is held in Libby again. I hope it is!

Guy

We'll probably be around in September. Let's see what happens!

So glad you're OK! AND retired too....!
I was getting worried.... but the best of luck to you!
You were the primary reason that subscribed to both Wolfe's rags.
Still, they have good writers and articles... but I'll miss yours the most.

I'm about a year or so out myself from starting on the government's dole.....

Maybe by that time powder, primer, and bullet prices will come down some, and I can start shooting again.
And maybe have a better "leader" in DC. (Before the dung hits the fan!)

Good luck always and I'll start looking for your other great pieces in the other magazines that you mentioned! A few that I never heard of before.... Joe

Suspect you'll enjoy your upcoming retirement! So far my semi-retirement is doing OK--though since I'm still writing a little, some periods are more retired than others!

It turned out my article for Gun Digest 2024 didn't work out. The editor really liked it, but the company buys all rights to articles--meaning they can reprint forever without paying me anything. I haven't signed a contract like that in many years, so told them they weren't getting it.

Instead will be running the article in the May edition of Rifle Loony News, the on-line quarterly that Eileen and I publish on our website www.riflesandrecipes.com.

It's a long piece about the sudden increase in factory .17-caliber rifle cartridges in the 21st century, including handloading info and what hunting each .17 works for.

Now we're really looking forward to May's RLN

Golden Years

I love being semi retired. I only deal with existing clients and referrals, work when I want and enjoy life.
John will you be doing another collection of RLN the third 5 years? I don't know if the third 5 years has been reached or not but when it does count me in. I enjoy going back and reading them.

In the early 80s I was a magazine hound, hitting the mag racks once a month. In a couple of years had a stack or two and decided to go through and look for what I really liked. Three authors were the general theme, one had retired, one disappeared and there was JB. Barsness had been my guy for a long time now for not regurgitating others opinions, for trying things before stating his views.

May you and your wife enjoy the quasi retirement.

Enjoy your semi-retirement, John!

Coming up on 8 years for me, love it!

We all enjoy having your old flinter over the fireplace at our Sportsmen's Club. I'll send you a picture of it sometime.

Regards,
Bob.

Yes, we're going to be publishing Rifle Loony News, The Third Five Years next year about this time. It doesn't seem like almost 15 years since we started RLN, but there it is!

And thanks to everybody for the semi-retirement wishes. Started to four years ago, and just keep whittling away at the work-load....

John

Every day is Saturday Mule Deer 😁

Congrats on the move toward retirement John. I did it 100% 9 years ago and am busier than I ever expected.

My late father in law shared an article with me many years ago, and after reading it he asked how I liked it. I said you are correct that John's words are very informative to the subject of the article. I believe it was a precision shooting monthly or bi monthly magazine he enjoyed reading and was I believe small calibers and shooting sage rats / ground squirrels/ accuracy tips , as we both were very new to Northern Califonia skippy shooting and just compiling guns to enjoy the fun the act is. Not long after you were selling a hunting book here and I had you sign it. When I gave it to him and showed him your signature and words he thought I was pulling his leg. He didn't realize both you, and Steve Timm were posting and replying on a darned internet website. He also admired Steve's articles and a few caliber comments in I believe the Hornady reloading manual. Gary appreciated, used and had proven your writing was to his findings very good information. He actually had his first custom rifle built after reading yours and other writers words, and was happy he bit the bullet to get a custom made and shot his best ever groups with it.

Enjoy the free time you may have, get out in the field and enjoy your passion of the outdoors while your body allows. I have learned as I age that delaying a trip sometimes becomes a regret. And keep writing good stuff John, you are appreciated more than you know.

Allen

Thanks, Allen.

Nice to hear the story about your father-in-law!

As far as doing stuff in the outdoors, have posted elsewhere that the reasons for getting into the outdoor writing business included liking to write (was determined to be writer from about age 12), and knowing that it would offer plenty of opportunities to hunt and fish, often in other places around the world, instead of waiting until I retired to do it. That happened, in places from Alaska to Africa, including several trips to Europe and other countries such as New Zealand and Argentina. Some places were visited more than once, including eight African safaris up to a month long, and 15 hunts in Canada from British Columbia to Quebec.

In fact Eileen and I traveled enough to now be content to mostly hunt and fish in Montana (where many other people dream about traveling to!) and have taken good enough care our selves to still be able to. But are looking forward to quite a bit more fishing, which we didn't get to do as much after hunting became our main focus!

John

Excellent John.
I hadn't thought about that. It is always good to be able to enjoy your work like you have, and benefit from it as well. And also very interesting you were able to pursue, and quite successfully and well, your childhood dreams. Not many can do that, let alone do it so well.

Cheers John and Eileen.

Happy trails

Allen

Congratulations John. You don't know this but our early lives when starting out ended up about the same. I don't need to expand on this. IMO opinion, you are the greatest living writer and JOC was the greatest on rifles and Skeeter on handguns.

I'd recommend that if you're an aficionado of
Mr. Barsness's writings, find a copy of Rifle
magazine March 2008 No.236 and read his
fine article " ANYTHING BUT BOLTS " starting
on page 44

I used to loan this out to people that would
boo-hoo about me deer hunting with an "obsolete "
bow or muzzleloader, or a break action single
shot or semi automatic

What happened to John Barsness ?

its a real short story > he road away on a dark horse into the sunset never to be seen again . Happy Trails

Thanks very much!

How did your life start out?

I have a few issues of a long defunct Wolfe Publishing rag called “Hunting Horizons”, from the early 90’s (when I was about 19 and in college). There are two articles from those issues that John wrote on the 257 Roberts and 7x57 Mauser that got me hooked on both rounds, and hooked on reading everything John has written that I could get my hands on. So, about 30 years of John Barsness for me. Thanks for all the outstanding articles John! I’ve spent lots of money on firearms, and firearms related stuff/minutia over the years, largely because of JB. BTW, I’d love to hear some more handloading Haikus. That article had me rolling! Enjoy the golden years John. You deserve it!

"And have taken good enough care of ourselves to still be able to". That gentlemen is the secret. No truer words were ever spoken than these,,, (YOUR HEALTH IS YOUR WEALTH). BCM

As some humans have observed in the past, you're only as old as you feel!

Oh crap!

Exactly! And never having been 70 before, I have no idea how it feels--especially to others!

Thanks for years of honest efforts, MD. 👍

Thank you!

The question that opened this thread is what brought me here to the Campfire over a decade ago. I realized that I hadn’t seen a “John Barsness” byline in “Handloader” or “Rifle” for a while so I thought I would just do a internet search and wa la …😁 or voila! for some of our friends up North.

It didn’t take long to figure out that our “Mule Deer” was the one and only…😊