Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Dave Scovill

Whatever happened to Dave Scovill, is he still working? Is he still writing ?

He is retired now, and has been for several years. For an editor, he had an interesting pattern of starting to write about one topic, and rambling onto another. For example, he would frequently put a title on his column that, by the time you reached the end, had little to do with its content. Also, he wrote the longest sentences of any professional writer I've ever encountered. However, once I got used to his "style," I always read his column first. It's hard for me to admit, but I miss his writing. He was as loony as the rest of us, and liked to get down into the weeds on handloading subjects.

gaperry,

Yep, that was Dave! I learned a lot while working with him for over 20 years.

But as he got older he tended to keep rehashing the same stuff--which isn't uncommon among gun writers. One reason I've been writing less is trying to avoid that tendency....

I always enjoyed his articles on the .45 Colt. His book on Single Actions and .45 Colt is all over the place, but has good info.

"vice", "of interest"

Yes, that book is all over the place, but yet I've read it several times.

I enjoyed Dave Scovill a lot. Especially enjoyed his tales of Oregon and later life in the southwest. If he rehashed a topic, oh well, it was still interesting reading.

I enjoyed Dave Scovill's style, but I kinda ramble myself. I didn't mind the rehashing either, there were nuggets to be pulled out of quite a few of his columns. Hope he's doing well.

I enjoyed his big bore lever gun hunting in Africa.

Ron

Always worth reading. Very accomplished and knowledgable. Maybe just a bit too obviously proud of those things and quick to dismiss other peoples’ notions.

Still, the mags he ran have lost a step in other hands, no doubt about it.

Reading his articles was a bit like opening an unexpected pakage. The label may not describe what was inside but was usually interesting.

Like Warren Paige, he used odd verbiage at times. I am not quite sure where exactly "amidships" is on an animal.

Right dab in the middle

In other words, too far back.

I didn't say that. I took this deer as he was going into the thick brush. Hit him "amid ship" and went right down, didn't make half a body length

In the middle, land lubber 😁

HAHA you're onto me!

I also read it many times. Had too to pull out data and wanted too. LOL

Never really cared for his work.

He was definitely the crusty old timer like “get off my lawn [bleep] it!” guy, but I enjoyed his articles usually read them last as I was finishing up the Rifle/Handloader magazine. He definitely understands the big bore handgun world.

41

I always read is column in Handloader. Haven't read his books yet. I figure the content of messages he got from readers could have exacerbated his inner curmudgeon :-)