Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Whatever happened to Jim Carmichael ?

Whatever happened to the great gunwriter from Outdoor Life? I miss all his articles, and he always replied to letters and questions. He loved the .338 too for Elk. I miss that guy!

He loved the .280.

He retired about 3 years ago.

He shot from the hip once too often.

He's still around in NC,I see him once in while at some Sporting Clay events.

Jim has semi retired. He is very active in the benchrest scene. In fact he set a World Record earlier this year. He lives in Tennessee. We exchange emails on a regular basis, good jokes and a little political banter.

Did they replace him? I don't take O L anymore, it used to be my favorite when I was a young fellow.

[quote=butchlambert1]Jim has semi retired. He is very active in the benchrest scene. In fact he set a World Record earlier this year. He lives in Tennessee. We exchange emails on a regular basis, good jokes and a little political banter.


Can you ask him if he will write another book on Hunting rifles,"The Modern Rifle" was great, however it is a little outdated, some great info. though. I had a question for him a couple of years ago, I contacted Outdoorlife, and they never answered my e-mail. Tell him to keep writing, a talent like his is too young to retire! Too much knowledge to share with all us hunters and shooters.

Didnt he put a bunch of his guns up for sale somewhere awhile
back?

Do you have 'Book of the Rifle'? He wrote it about 1985, perhaps 10 years after the Modern Rifle. Also a good book.

Jim Carmichael always seemed like a classy guy to me. I was delighted to hear of his new world record recently, and could not imagine it happening to a nicer guy.

Back about 1978, I had just purchased his (then) brand new book "Do it Yourself Gunsmithing". As a budding amateur teenage gunsmith, I wrote him asking for additional details on something in his book.

He took the trouble to write a reply, which, in retrospect, I should not have expected (this was pre-internet of course, so it was a real letter, envelope and stamp).

I had to get rid of many hundreds of pounds of books when I moved from Canada to Sweden, but I would never part with that book! In fact, it sits on the shelves behind me as I write this now.

If anybody is happens to be contact with him, please give him a friendly hello from long time fan now in Sweden (formerly Ontario)!

John

Excellent gun writer, accomplished shooter and hunter, and a fellow Tennessean. Every man should own his Book of the Rifle.

No, I don't have that book. I will look into it. All I'm saying is just because somebody hits a certain age they don't have to disappear, He has a lot to offer with his knowledge, We would like to hear more from him and learn. He wrote an article about the best "Elk Rifle Cartridge" In an Outdoor Life article, Rated the .338 Winchester Magnum #1, Changed my life. Sure would like to hear more from the man.

I liked Jim Carmichael's writing, though at the age of 12, I was absolutely devastated when Jack O'Connor quit his OL column. I soon adjusted, and learned a lot from Carmichael. He wrote an article on IMR 8208 XBR powder in the Hodgdon 2010 reloading manual that I really enjoyed.

I always enjoyed his articles. One he wrote for Handloader, "Light loads for light rifles" is a real Gem, .30-06 loads with .30-30 up to around .300 Savage punch.. Very little recoil and velocity "as advertized" according to my chrono results.

I grew up on Carmichael and Zumbo, sure do miss Jim's writing.

One of the great honors of my life is an evening in the Carmichael's home. What a great person. His wife is a really classy lady as well.

From what I could tell, Jim had to retire so be would have more time to shoot!

I do not agree with Jim alot but I like what I know of him. He seems like just a good person.

Jack was one of my favorites. I have an article a guy wrote about Jack. He was a close friend of Jack's and took his son by to meet him. Jack showed the guy's son all kinds of hunting stuff, rifles, mounts, etc. The guy's son was really enjoying himself. When Jack asked the kid what he thought about everything, the kid said "you don't do much fishing, do you?" The writer said it was the only time he saw Jack speechless for a couple minutes.

I cant tell that anything has happened to Jim Carmichael.He may not write for a magazine regularly now,but, he can damp well still shoot.He won the River Bend 2 gun this weekend and I mean kicked some serious butt!!!

I am not surprised.