Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Brian Pearce's Gun Collection.

I have had the pleasure of being in Brian’s Gun room and it’s impressive . He was sort of pigeon holed into doing handguns but he knows guns !

Flat Rifles is a classic, as is the B29. Both helped me understand myself a bit better.

Idaho Shooter,

Pretty much the same here--and Brian and I are close enough that in 2012 he attended the memorial service for my mother, who taught at Boise State University for many years. Around 300 people attended, and Brian didn't tell me he would be coming. But was sure glad to see him!

One thing he said still sticks with me: "We don't really grow up until both our parents pass away." His were both already gone, even though he's several years younger than me.

gitem 12,

Glad you really liked "Flat Rifles"!

I enjoyed writing the back page of Rifle for several years, and for those who never read that particular column it was based on the principle that American paper money is essentially "flat rifles"--soon to be turned into 3-dimensional rifles--whether the flat rifles are Benjamins or Jacksons or whatever.

Even in semi-retirement I still tend to operate on that principle....

I've mentioned that to Brian, but suspect he's too busy in other ways--including running the ranch, and having a large family.

One thing that many readers might not understand is there have been relatively few "gun writers" who made their entire living doing just that--at least until they retired. Townsend Whelen was a good example, a U.S. Army officer for most of his life. Elmer Keith is another, who combined cattle ranching and guiding for most of his life to "support" his gun writing.

I have certainly not totally made my living by "gun writing." Until age 30 also did part-time work that included oil-rigs, where I worked from "worm's corner" to "chain hand," Also worked for seven years on a custom-cutting crew during wheat harvest, where I eventually became a sort of foreman. Also wrote about a bunch of other stuff.

And then there's the other factor: Many "gun writers" these days are also married to a woman who has their own career--and makes good money.

Writing ONLY about guns is still not an easy way to make a living--or at least the sort of living many Americans hope for these days.

Even tougher here in Canada to "make a livin" full-time as a gun or outdoor writer. Most of us have other sources of income to keep the writing going. Still, none of us would trade writing for any other way to make a few bucks.
Jeff