I was just reading through the latest Handloader magazine and stumbled accross the article on page 20. It seems as if Shrapnel is for real, I had no idea one person could accomplish all that he is given credit for.

I don't know if I understand him more or less.

You know he's also a poster here right?

Check out his posts.

I have gotten to know ol' Shrapnel pretty well in the past couple of years. He's a rifle loony of the first order, and also really likes to hunt.

Turns out we were in high school together and didn't know it. He was a year behind me, but as I understand it he hadn't blown up any guns yet.

Hmmm.

I remember reading some of Ventorino's writing going back about ten years that Shrapnel HAD blown up several older guns and lived to tell about it.

Hence the nickname "Shrapnel".

I read that article too and figured it had to be the same guy as on here. Pretty cool!

I occasionally run into Shrapnel at the local gun shows, he "seeeems" fairly normal?

Talking about Clark?

He's a great guy.

I was fliping though the magazine and saw the pick of a guy hunting rabbits with a 20 plus pound rifle and thought I've seen that guy before. Some people are just coller than the rest of us.

My impression - not endorsed by Venturino or Shrapnel, BTW - is that the Shrapnel who appears in Venturinos columns is a kind of avatar of the real person.

Like Dave Berry will write about his wife in a way that makes you think she's a cartoon figure, and she puts up with it because she knows its part of the act, the schtick.

Venturino and Shrapnel appear to be really good, really close friends.

And I note that JB and Eileen hunt with Shrapnel from time to time, and they're not skeered.

- Tom

Shrapnel is either a character or a caricature, I am not sure which, and I have known hime for 15 years!

He is a rifle looney, for sure, and if he ever buys something from you, it is either a high-quality item, or you just sold it for too little!

When it comes to deals, this guy is a MASTER. I have much to learn.

If you ever need a solid opinion on a gun, he is a great resource.

If you ever go rabbit hunting with him, you'd better be quick on the trigger! Also, as much as I like the guy, I will shoot my own handloads.... he's called shrapnel for a reason!

The gunlooney world allows for two Shrapnel's

I want to hear some stories.

I've exchange a few PMs with Shrapnel. A helluva good guy, IMHO.

Always a good thing to have a firearm looney who is a blast !

At a good and safe distance of course . They remind of the potential for doing things we shouldn't, at times.

Carry on Shrapnel..........,and keep safe please, some of those blasts were antique status IRC, or were .

He is either (take your pick) 1) unlucky, 2) careless or 3) God just has it in for him.

Hey what's all this talk about Shrapnel???

There are even more stories, One involves a machine gun and the firing line around Gardiner, Montana. But wait, Mike still needs something to write about.

This one was kind of fun. We were bear hunting near Kalispell, MT and came around the corner of a logging road with a tree across the road. We didn't have a saw, so I took the M-1 Garand out of it's case and shot through the tree about 1 inch apart to weaken the tree.

Then we hooked the winch up to the tree, put a coat over the cable in case it should snap and pulled the tree in two and then went up the road about 50 more yards and ran into a snow drift we couldn't get through or around...

Outstanding!

YEAH!

Now that's a real blast, .

Way to go!

Interesting way to saw a tree.

When I first saw the top picture I was curious how big the snow patch in the background was...... Guess you answered that....lol


Congats on supplying Mike literary material, does he pay you in bullets. or replacement guns..lol

Allen

Did you see the article in question here? He posted a picture of his gun safe where I had put sticky notes on the guns I wanted, should something happen to Mike.

I have always said the crumbs that fall off his plate onto mine make a real feast. No complaints here. I did ask him why he didn't write about the good things I have done, he told me "You can have fame or justice, but you can't have both."

LOL

Nope, I don't subscribe to any magazines.... this one fills my needs.


I was joshin you about Ole Mike. I did get magazines long ago and have read several of big Mike's articles. Seems like a good person to call friend, and I suspect you also fit the bill. I quit buying magazines about the time the series of STW chamberings were announced, shooting times seemed a good read for my needs then.


Allen

You don't have to subscribe, just stand at the magazine rack and read the articles while all the free offer cards fall out on the floor.

LOL

Good idea. I may have to go try and find a store here in Ca that actually carries shooting magazines....


Allen

Still laugh when I think of old Shrapnel's " Boning them in the field thread" last winter. Think I'll go rabbit hunting this winter with my 45-110 Sharps and remember Shrapnel for the idea'er. Magnum_Man

Like Mike said, I have all my guns sighted in for "Minute of Rabbit", so if you really want to have a good time give me a call and we can see if we can find one.

I belive I have seen a pic of Shrapnel with a Moose taken with a Win. 1876, and others in Mikes & Steve Garbys Book, I have it some place, cant rember the name, of it, was in to the big Old guns at one time. Now mostly the 1899 savages!
John