Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Major Charles Askins?

Notice how he scooped out the comb to lower it and make it fit his face.

BTW, taking those photos on slick paper isn't easy. Hope y'all can read it.

DF

That's awesome DF. Thanks for sharing all that

Thank you for posting them DF. Great reading!

Thanks

My interest in the Major and the Askins Clan sorta evolved as I researched his Superposed Browning. Hooking up with Bill was icing on the cake. He was great help.

The Askins have a long history in this country dating back to Abe Lincoln and before. The Col may have been a bit rough around the edges, but as a previous poster noted, you have to take him in context of the times in which he lived and operated.

Too much “retro judging” of past personages based on our current somewhat woke standards isn’t fair to our forbearers and is nothing but virtue signaling, showing everybody (and ourselves), just how pure and holy we are.

That’s nothing but self righteous pride and is a dangerous slope some try to climb.

And seems I’ve read that pride comes before a fall. So as our current generation dances on the high places of self aggrandizement and pride, the great crevasse looms all too close.

Just a thought.

DF

Well said DF!

X2

Speaking of woke standards, the second page of the wildcat article has the following quip:

In the old days chronographs were few and those that existed were at government arsenals and at the plants of the big loading companies. As a consequence the ballistics data on wildcats was largely guesswork, and generally the estimates were on the generous side. An example was the 285 OKH. Now the 285 OKH was nothing but a 30-06 case necked down to take a .284” (7mm) bullet. It was fitted with a long flash tube from the primer to the forward part of the powder charge. Fitting this device was about as easy as the operation that turned Christine Jorgenson into a lady.

Yeah, times have definitely changed.

The narrative trumps any sense of humor.

DF

It appears that the Major did loose part of a finger when a rifle using a .276 bullet in a .30-06 case blew up, according to a 1930 Outdoor Life article he wrote.

Taking out the rifle to the target range to sight it in with the reduced load, about the third shot the rifle blew up, tearing off the third finger at the upper joint, and breaking the little finger.

After studying photos more carefully, if he’s missing part of a finger, it must be the tip of his middle finger, left hand. Study the first picture I posted, him sitting on the running board, hands on his knees.

Not that noticeable unless you look really close.

DF

Even less evident, the picture him shooting with Bill Weaver.

DF

The problem with your sanctimonious thoughts about using modern judgement for Askins Jr is that it ignores how a number of his contemporaries found similar faults, including several of our esteemed members who knew the guy including Ken Howell (RIP) and Steve Timm. This isn't exactly a new concept.

Another thing - It's been a while since I read the book, but as I recall during WW2 Askins violated some sort of temporary cease fire late in the war in order to fulfill his blood lust, much to the chagrin of the local GIs whose position was mortared following his escapades in shooting a German soldier. As I recall he was a Field Grade officer in a battalion staff position by that point, which meant he likely had more important things to do than shooting a German engaged in taking a poop - it wasn't his job. That whole escapade, if it even happened and wasn't apocryphal, showed the kind of disregard he had for human life, as he was very much compromising the safety of troops of the nearby American unit for little reason other than to satisfy his desire to kill a human being.

I’m not condoning his aggressive behavior, just pointed out that during the Wild West, justice was quick and sometimes brutal.

To me Col Charley was a 19th century dude stuck in the 20th century. If judged by 19th century standards he looks a lot better than if judged from the mores of the 20th century.

He was definitely a colorful guy. Love him or hate him, he left his mark.

DF

Different time for sure. I have his book Unrepentant Sinner. Pretty good read. A lot of ego in his writing. He definitely loved and respected his father.

Ron

Yeah, he had quite an ego. Guess you aren’t bragging if you can back it up. He could.

DF

Truth

Ron

No. It's still bragging.