Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Herman Bockstruck

Exchanging e-mails with a new owner of a Winchester Model 94 Big Bore rifle today and he asked: �who designed the Big Bore cartridges?� and then: �who designed the Angel Eject Model 94?�
I told him an engineer for Olin named Herman Bockstruck was to thank for the cartridges and the rifle. Bockstruck received a number of interesting patents for Olin including a shotgun shell for the military and law enforcement along with an interesting variation on the boat tail bullet.
I have read Bockstruck was an avid shot gunner - but cannot remember where. As a big fan of the Angle Eject Winchester Model 94 (but not of the rebounding hammer and the cross bolt safety) I am wondering if Bockstruck was a rifleman or an engineer with an assignment.
Did anyone on the forum know him very well?

Never met him, nor do I know him.

But if you Google the name, and then look for his work, you will find a lot of it over the years.

And a lot of it very solid.!

Yes, he seems to have been involved in everything. The patent office also has his name on a lot of documents.

I grew up in Alton, Ill and my dad worked with Olin in East Alton. I learned to shoot at the Olin/Winchester Rifle/Pistol Range in East Alton. Herman Bockstruck was a good friend of my fathers and I met him quite often at the range. My father has passed away so I don't know if Mr. Bockstruck is still alive today, though I did have an opportunity to visit with him at a gathering about 5 years ago in Alton. At the time he appeared to be doing quite well. I expect he is getting up in years if he has not passed on. You are right, he was one heck of a weapons engineer, handloader and shooter.

Came up with this nugget on a search:

http://www.sportsmansteamchallenge.com/dwnlods/oliveraward.html

Also a magazine article that referred to Mr. Bockstruck as "head of ballistics" for Olin.