Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Ross Seyfried

I once ran into him at an industry show and asked him if he had run into an editor of our mutual acquaintance. He said something like " Thankfully, no." This did seem ungracious but savoir-faire doesn't seem to be part of the job description. It was very pleasant to run into folks like Dean Grennell because he never did seem full of himself. Another sixgun hero I met at an NRA show seemed about ready to regurgitate a load of Tequilla onto my shoes. Another one scarfing down lunch in the press room was crouched over his plate growling and gimlet-eyeing everybody in the room that might rush in and abscound with his din-din.

Anyway on paper, in the early days, Seyfreid explored some interesting stuff and wrote it up with articulate enthusiasm.

I always liked Ross S. but I did not have any interest in the old black powder rifles he liked to write about but that is just my opinion.

Concerning Berit Aagaard, I hope to see more of her writing, I'm sure she could also use the financial gains as well. When her husband Finn died, I wrote her a letter (in care of Wolfe Publishing) expressing my sympathy and high regards for her husband and she wrote one of the nicest letters back to me that I have ever received. Her father was, at one time, the Norwegian ambassador to Kenya. If you haven't read Finn's book I would highly recommend it.

Thanks...Bill.

Always liked Ross, but my favorite writers were Skeeter Skelton and E. Keith.
It's hell getting old and out-living your favorite writers...
Virgil B. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

Dean Grennell was one of the best. He was said to be heavy on the booze, was deaf as a stone, and in his last years (I'm told) was hard to work with and seldom sober. But in all our contacts and correspondence, I never saw any indication of the reported dark side. He was witty, knowledgeable, a skillful woodworker and photographer, and an ingenious improvisor. A very special friend � I miss him mightily.

Ken Waters is one of my all-time favorite people, too. But he has retired, so we aren't likely to see any more of his writing � certainly no regular stuff but maybe an occasional piece after his creative juices have been "lying fallow" for a while. I hope that he'll produce at least an occasional piece in days ahead.

I can't imagine either of these two men ever being anything but gracious gentlemen.

Grennell wrote the definitive work on Sensory-Neural-deafness. It would have been right at home in a medical journal or in the Saturday Evening Post of a generation ago.

"...you can hear the words just fine. You just can't tell WHAT words they are. Somebody will say 'Government Pension' and you will hear 'doberman pincher'......."

I ran into him years later at an NRA convention and noticed he had double miracle ear hearing aides. Asked him how they worked... " Great! I used to go to the grocery store and all I heard was &%^^&ing gibberish!" Now, I go to the grocery store and I hear LOUD &*^&%ing Gibberish!"

Dean could've been one of the old gun writers at the range (in the old gag):

"Windy today, isn't it?"

"Nah, it's Thursday."

"Me too. Let's go have a beer."

Dean had them sitting around a table. "Got me a new hearing aide and I can hear as good as I ever could!. " "Really! What Kind is it?" [looks at watch] "Three O'clock."

mec--

The announced move of Mike Venturino to the Wolfe magazines is true. In fact, Mike came by here a few weeks ago and we had a good talk about it. He will be a great addition to the magazines.

MD

"What goes around comes around."

Mike Venturino � one of today's best gun writers and all-around good guy � got his start at Wolfe Publishing Company in 1979-1980 but wasn't treated very well there after his work in other magazines gave him much broader opportunity and renown.

I hope the current wheels at WPC recognize, this time around, what a coup they've pulled-off by getting him back. He deserves more and better than he got there just a few years ago, when the Editor would hold Mike's material for looooooooooong periods and not pay him for it until after it had been published � pretty shabby treatment for such an able and widely respected staff writer.

Being new to rifles and avid shooting, I'll miss Seyfried's articles. His stuff, for the most part, was unique compared to what I've seen in other magazines.

Never met the guy, but he seems to have an opinion on most anything and feels that his way is the BEST way. I did find it interesting to read his article and find another article in the same issue or recent/future issue by a different writer that had a different take on the same subject. Case in point is his treatment of the .458 Win Mag and that of Phil Shoemaker's. Definitely different opinions.

Looking forward to reading Venturino's stuff as I've not read any of his stuff before, that I know of anyway.

It's verified that he's on staff at Guns and American Handgunner too. He should draw in some new readers for all of them. Wolff circulation numbers dont seem to be available but the Spring 04 numbers for the others look like this:

Guns and Ammo 454,442 -up
Shooting times 175,873 - up
Primedia Net Loss
Handguns 120,796-down

American Handgunner 106,810-down
Guns 73,186-up
FMG Net Gain

I didn't always agree with what he said, but I did usually enjoy his writing. As mentined above, Barsness and Seyfried are (were) the chief reasons I would buy a RIFLE or HANDLOADER magazine simply because I saw their byline in the table of contents.

I could take or leave his articles on obsolete rifles, but appreciated his common sense approach to most things hunting.

I will miss his writing.

I have enjoyed Ross Seyfried's articles, from his early published work to his most recent. I read his material whenever I can, and have even bought individual copies of periodicals for particular articles, except for Double Gun Journal (too expensive, unless I can find used copies). While I have no intention of ever trying to develop loads for antique or carriage-trade weapons that I can't afford to even fantasize owning, I am glad that Ross Seyfried and others have done the necessary experimenting to learn how and then have taken the trouble to tell the rest of us how to do it too. The centerfire black powder express is an old technology, but it worked, and I enjoyed learning how and why and how to do it myself if I ever have the time, money, opportunity and desire. His article about his experiments to learn how to make a Paradox work were valuable to me, not because I own or have access to a Paradox, but because I'm fascinated by all aspects of firearms technology. Mike Venturino has done a lot of the same kind of work, but with a nineteenth century American emphasis. I own some of Mike Venturino's books and I'd like to own a book or three by Ross Seyfried about his experiments, hunts and evaluations of old firearms. That means that I also enjoy Seyfried's hunting tales. I admit that I have a lot more "know about" knowledge than "know how." My own shooting and hunting experience is "long but thin," to quote one of Jack O'Connor's more memorable lines. I haven't yet seen or read any evidence that Ross Seyfried's articles were ever based on anything other than what he had actually done, whether experimenting or hunting. So I am going to miss Ross Seyfried and his articles. If anyone can learn where his future work will be published, or his past work collected, whether in book or in periodical form, please let me know. I understand that some people may be subject to business or personal obligations that forbid them to comment further, but if anyone else who has no such prohibitions cluttering his or her life has or gets information about Ross Seyfried's work and its availability, please let the rest of us know at once. And if anyone wants to send me a personal message with that information, I'll be most grateful.

Ken,
Would that editor that gave Mike a raw deal now be writing a political column for another journal?
You are right on about Mike being a class act. I like him very much. He's genuine, one of a kind, and writes a good story.
Don Buckbee

I easn't aware Mr. Grenell had passed, he was an exceptional honest writer. He was almost the only writer I ever read who critisised the design of most reloading presses, like rockchuckers ... I bought my C&H heavyweight champion because of him and love it. Venturino is writing for wolfe now, so what is the editor going to write about? doesn't Venturino write only about blackpowder cartridge stuff. If Siefried is writing for Guns magazine, I will start buying it, I have a feeling the recent upgrade in quality of rifle and handloader is about to reverse itself.

Wonder if Seyfried will go back to an occasional article for Blackpowder Hunting? His pieces there were standouts. Small mag with few pro writers, but nice mag. Back to Wolfe, really hate to see Clair Rees returning. His "in-depth" work truly belongs in G&A or some such.

Blackhawk,

You are a man of incredible understatement. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Steve

I agree, Ree's belongs in G&A, and he should take Al Miller with him and send back Ross.

I take it that it is unanimous re Clair Rees. How many times can two articles, on full-length stock carbines, and compact scopes, be published in different magazines? If it wasn't so ridiculous it would be funny!

You forgot the ones on .308s and 22lr's! I loved the article in Successful Hunter where Mr. Rees was testing out some binos and a riflescope on a whitetail hunt in Sask. He ended up shooting the 'wrong' buck at 80yds even with the ~$2K in optics he had with him! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />