Mike Venturino

[georgewxxx]

If you been on Cast Boolits long enough, you'll know Mike Venturino post here on occasion. I hadn't seen any new posts from Mike in quite a while and hasn't even checked in to view anything since last July. Christmas day he was here for his first look in almost 6 months, so sent him a note asking if there was a problem of some sort. He quickly got back to me indicating he's been extremely busy. I was kind of happy to hear that as he had some medical problems in the past.

He said on average he writes 70 articles a year, and attends 25 to 30 shooting matches. I know he goes to several gun shows also that takes up a whole week end.

I'm a day one reader of the Handloader, and have followed all of what he done there plus many other magazines on his list. One thing he does that I mentioned to him about is adding Yvonne's name to the header as photographer. Very few if any other gun scribes do that, and take all the credit of assembling the articles themselves.

He knows there are some folks here that aren't fans of his. but then who cares, I enjoy his easy way of telling the story line. He's very readable......Geo.

[Hardcast416taylor]

I agree with you GeorgeW. I have been corresponding back and forth with Mike for awhile. He caught his medical problem just as it was taking a turn for the worst, a med procedure gone wrong. Last I heard from him he is about as close to being back at 100% as he thinks possible. Everybody has the right to dislike anybody else for their own reasons, I can`t understand why anybody would not like Mike?Robert

[Gunsmoke4570]

Glad to hear he is OK! I've always loved reading his articles.

[spqrzilla]

Venturino has always been a class act. I'm glad his health is stable.

But if he is busy writing, for pete's sake don't jog his elbow.

[theperfessor]

I like Mike. At least he writes about cast bullets and other things I'm interested in. And his style is very readable. I don't agree completely with everything he says, but I don't agree completely with everything anyone says either. Some days I don't even agree with what I have to say!

Hope he's doing well. The local store stopped carrying the mags he writes for so I haven't read one of his articles in at least a year.

[docone31]

I like Mike, I have read his work for years.
I corresponded with him for a short while. I was honoured. An Icon I respected wrote to me!
He is a straight up guy. He answered my questions directly, no nonsense.
To the point.
I like Mike.

[405]

I hadn't talked to him in a while but I know he's been very busy- writing, traveling, shooting. To us, all this gun stuff is mostly casual recreation - to him it's his living. Good to hear the positive report on his health. Yes, he's a straight up guy.

[Tazman1602]

You know I don't always agree with what Mike writes, but.............he always writes what he believes to be true and whether I think he's write or wrong I like that in a guy.

Bring 'em on Mikey!

Art

............If a writer could ONLY get away with writing like Elmer Keith these days *sigh*

[KCSO]

I remember when he was just Mike nesbitt's shooting buddy. He's been at it a long time. I hope he lasts a long time yet.

[telebasher]

While I've never been into military weapons, I've always found Mike's writings to be imformative and educational. I hope I never get to senile to learn something new about reloading/ casting even if its not really weapons I own and use. Besides anyone that writes about cast boolits and the Holy Black can't be too bad now can they.

[Rocky Raab]

Writing like Elmer? You mean with poor grammar and atrocious spelling? Heck, half the folks here write like that, LOL!

I have never met Mike, but I also like his writing style - even when he writes about stuff that I care nothing about. After all, I write about stuff that probably bores him and most of you guys. Fair is fair.

[6pt-sika]

Hmmmm , I suppose you could say Venturino is the one to blame for me getting about 90+ Marlin's in the last few years !

And his book on shooting lever action rifles didn't help to stop me from buying either !

I bought his book on shooting Buffalo Rifles as well . And thank god I had friends with Sharps and Rollingblock rifles for me to shoot so I didn't need to take off on a spending spree for those as well !

His loading data for both lever guns and buffalo rifles has been very helpfull to me over the past years !

[1Shirt]

Am in hopes of meeting Mike at the SCI convention in Reno in Jan! He is a caster, and a cast shooter, and that's good enough for me!
1Shirt!:coffee:

[rhbrink]

Like most here I like to read Mikes articles too easy to read and straight foreward. I had the pleasure to meet him at Raton several years ago, we had a very nice consversation and a very standup sort of guy in my opinoin. I hope that his health issues are improving. I'm kinda of like "theperfessor" don't know anybody that I agree with 100% of the time including myself.

[diehard]

My interests have always been for "vintage" rifles, military classics, big bore buffalo blasters, and military revolvers. Because of these passions, I've probably read every Venturino article ever published ( I said probably...). A gun writer's personality is as much a part of a story as the content itself. When reading his stuff, I just find myself liking the guy. There are few current writers of whom I am familiar (in this genre) with his charisma, as well as his knowledge. Glad he is doing well.



And Rocky.....I love your stuff too. I've learned a lot from you....THANKS!

[EMC45]

I like Mike too!

[timkelley]

I wondered where he was. Glad he's OK. I like his writing.:smile:

[PAT303]

MV and Brian Pierce are the reasons I get Handloader shipped to Australia.Both men write it as they see it and I like the firearms,both rifles and pistols that they write about.I have no interest in modern ''tactical'' rubbish or the lastest calibre that shoots 4000fps.I like hearing about Shrapnel too. Pat

[clodhopper]

I visited with him at the Bozeman gun show.
He said he was busy and looked healthy.

[AZ-Stew]

I made mention that he was doing well about a month and a half ago when I renewed my subscription to Handloader and Rifle. When I was talking to the young lady taking subscription info, I asked her if she knew anything about the writers. She seemed hesitant to answer until I told her I hadn't seen anything from Mike on this site since July. She then opened up and let me know he was doing well.

Anyway, Mike, welcome back and keep posting!

Regards,

Stew

[9.3X62AL]

That is DEFINITELY good news that Mike V is on the mend. I enjoy his work, and he makes Handloader worth running down at B&N.

[bcr]

I have no interest in modern ''tactical'' rubbish or the lastest calibre that shoots 4000fps.

This is my new favorite quote.

[smoked turkey]

I consider a high percentage of the folks who post on here to be VERY knowledgeable about the various aspects of shooting, casting, handloading, hunting, etc. However when I first read a post from Mike V. I ran out of the room and got my wife so she could see that this big time writer was hobknobing with us common folk. I'm sure Mike doesn't look at himself that way and that is part of the reason that we all like him so much. Keep writin' Mike!

[Buckshot]

Originally Posted by PAT303
I have no interest in modern ''tactical'' rubbish or the lastest calibre that shoots 4000fps.


This is my new favorite quote.

............Pat's a good bloke. Perhaps he'll license it's use to you as your signature line? :bigsmyl2:

.............Buckshot

[Three44s]

HEY! If we all agreed on everything ...... it sure would be boring!!!!

I like Mike and remember his writing from the early years. I enjoy his style ...... just regular folk!!!


Keep'em coming Mike!!!

Three 44s

[Old Shooter]

Mike is about the only gunwriter I respect, most of his writing is about used, old guns . He is not a shill for manufacturers and tells it like he see's it. I am glad he is doing well.

[crabo]

Originally Posted by PAT303
I have no interest in modern ''tactical'' rubbish or the lastest calibre that shoots 4000fps.



............Pat's a good bloke. Perhaps he'll license it's use to you as your signature line? :bigsmyl2:

.............Buckshot

If he gives credit to Pat303, he can use it for free!

[PAT303]

OK,we'll talk about money later:smile:. Pat

[NSP64]

I like mike also. He probably does like most of us here and checks the site without logging in. I do it if I'm just surfing, to check and see whats new. Glad to hear he's doing better.

[The Double D]

Well Mike is a slow learner, but he does learn....I hope!!! 120 grains of Swiss 1 1/2 Fg behind a 520 grain bulllet in a Martini case brings to tears to my eyes just thinking about it.

To quote Mike, "Those 10 shots nearly cured me of shooting .577-450's forever. They literally kicked me senseless."

And:

"This rifle is so unpleasant to shoot that I am seriously considering just getting rid of of it?" Note-he did.

Come with me Mike next summer when I go up to Alberta for the Victorian rifleman shoot. They have a girl up there who shoots Martini's and Sniders while wearing a dress.

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w259/copilot001/calgary2008017.jpg

[georgewxxx]

[QUOTE=NSP64;1104636]I like mike also. He probably does like most of us here and checks the site without logging in. I do it if I'm just surfing, to check and see whats new.

Some of you may not know that you can check to see who's been on and when the last date they were here. If you touch their log-on name and hit the view public file, there's a line that shows the last time they've even been surfing on Cast Boolits. I have a older cast shooter buddy that lives only 5 miles away, but I can check to see what he's been posting here by doing that.

Yesterday I just read the last two new articles Mike has in the last February Handloader and like always, he includes plenty of pictures taken by Yvonne. He explains what he's doing well, but those pictures clear the cobwebs from my brain enough that I can get the jest of it all. ...Geo

[Boz330]

I've always enjoyed Mike's writing and when I subscribed to the shooting mags his articles were always the first that I read. In fact I kept several of the subscriptions only because of Mike's articles. I'm sure glad to hear he is doing OK because I to was wondering about not seeing anything from him in awhile.

Bob

[cajun shooter]

Mike is as down to earth as any man who shoots Black Powder and cast bullets. All of us are a few grains off in different places. Man; that lady shooting the 577 in a dress would be something to see in one's life time.

[jlchucker]

I like Mike. At least he writes about cast bullets and other things I'm interested in. And his style is very readable. I don't agree completely with everything he says, but I don't agree completely with everything anyone says either. Some days I don't even agree with what I have to say!

Hope he's doing well. The local store stopped carrying the mags he writes for so I haven't read one of his articles in at least a year.

I can agree completely today with what you just wrote here, Perfessor. Hope Mike's doing well.

[AZ-Stew]

...Come with me Mike next summer when I go up to Alberta for the Victorian rifleman shoot. They have a girl up there who shoots Martini's and Sniders while wearing a dress.

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w259/copilot001/calgary2008017.jpg

Is she as purty as her outfit?

Regards,

Stew

[The Double D]

She is much to young for me to notice, but I did notice the young guys would rather talk to here about what ever and not talk old guins with me.

Last years theme was the Afghan wars and she carried a long knife in the sash of her sari.

[AZ-Stew]

Too young to notice?? What is she? 12?

Anything over 18 is worth looking at. God's greatest artwork. Or am I just a DOM?

Regards,

Stew

[Char-Gar]

Mike has always been a real stand up writer. He doesn't pretend to be something he is not and know things he does not know. May his tribe increase.

[454PB]

When I first read his writing some 35 years ago, he was mainly into handguns, and .44 magnum was my main interest at that time.

I met him at a gunshow some years ago, and if you didn't know it, you'd never guess he was a famous gun writer.....salt of the earth.

Last Tuesday, I was in our local Walmart, looked at the checkout to my right, and there stood John Barsness.

[PatMarlin]

John's a good guy too.

I re- read through a lot of old handloaders each night. Mike's always got old iron that makes me drool and want to spend money I don't have ...:mrgreen:

[MakeMineA10mm]

Too young to notice?? What is she? 12?

Anything over 18 is worth looking at. God's greatest artwork. Or am I just a DOM?
Regards,

Stew

Nah, just like most sailors I've known! [smilie=l:


As far as Mike, I really like his writing. The first article of his I read was in American Rifleman in the really late 70s or early 80s, and he wrote an article about Sharps Rifles. It was the most technical and thorough explanation of them and their cartridges I'd ever been able to find up to that time. I longed then that he would get a real gig as a gunwriter, and my wish was granted. Have enjoyed every article of his I've read since then...

[EDK]

Mike's writing is always good. While I'm not into the Mil-Surp stuff very much, there is some loading data...and a little history...that make the articles worth reading.

I have autographed copies of his books...two of LEVER GUNS and BUFFALO RIFLES...that have been good references and saved me a lot of wasted time, efforts and components. And like Mike, my first (and only so far) Sharps is a BIG 50.

IIRC, there were posts on another forum that Mike's dog Brennan died. We've all lost a pet-companion of many years...and know the effects of the loss.

Best wishes to Duke and Miss Yvonne

:Fire::cbpour::redneck:

[Boz330]

John's a good guy too.

I re- read through a lot of old handloaders each night. Mike's always got old iron that makes me drool and want to spend money I don't have ...:mrgreen:

Mike's writing can do that, although I usually don't need much encouragement. The economy has slowed down my gun purchasing tremendously. Last gun I got was almost a year and a half ago, (that I bought). Did get a Santa Fe Jungle Carbine for some training I'm giving a guy. I didn't ask he just offered. :bigsmyl2: I do like the 303s.

Bob

[Tazman1602]

Proper grammer and spelling do not a writer make Rocky. If it did, no one would ever have read Louis L'Amours stuff and personally, I LIKE Elmers style even if it wasn't proper like the Queens English.

We almost NEVER talk properly, I've hung out with CEO's who eat with their mouths open and talk with a mouthful and eaten with janitors who had the best table manners of them all.

I'd rather read something that was the truth and sounded like a man was telling me the story, than something that sounded like it was cut and dried and trashed by the editors into perfect english....

just my humble opinion................



Writing like Elmer? You mean with poor grammar and atrocious spelling? Heck, half the folks here write like that, LOL!

I have never met Mike, but I also like his writing style - even when he writes about stuff that I care nothing about. After all, I write about stuff that probably bores him and most of you guys. Fair is fair.

[1Shirt]

Have to agree with Tazman! The equation of proper grammer, with education and knowledge is highly over rated. This is most noticable in the area of academia. I know a number of educators who have no common sense and little if any ability to be anything but Ph.D.'s. One of them reminded me one time that he was a Ph.D when I threatened to close his lab and shut his research down if he did not straighted up his lab due to safety violations. I then informed him that Ted Kazinski (think that spelling is close) is also a Ph.D, and that I had the authority to shut him down. He got very silent, and when I inspected his lab the next day it had been cleaned up and was safe.
1Shirt!:coffee:

[Bigjohn]

It is good to hear that Mike has mended and is just about back to 100%.

I do look forward to his writtings and normally save them until last when reading the magazines.

As for BUSY, I can understand that also as variuous things have curbed the time I have avaialable to visit here.

Mike, Best wishes to you and Yvonne and keep up the writting.

[Rocky Raab]

Taz and 1shirt, please note that I was in fact making light of Elmer's spelling and grammar, but not his writing. My comments were to another poster who wished he could write like Keith - to which I made a natural joke.

Proper spelling and grammar do not a writer make, but neither do bad spelling and grammar. There are several writers who get regularly published, but their editors have to spend many hours getting their manuscripts into publishable shape. The ability to connect with readers is a skill entirely separate from the technical aspects of language. Some writers have both, but not all.

And the internet overflows with folks who have neither.

[btroj]

Personally, I find reading anything full of poor spelling and grammatical errors irritating at best. It makes it hard for me to follow what the writer is trying to say. It is like people here who use lots of odd abbreviations or run on sentences. And what happened to the concept of a paragraph guys?
Elmer had lots of good things to say but he was a horrible communicator. Your knowledge is only as good as your ability to put it in anyone elses head. And I consider myself a poor speller and have bad grammar too!

[Rocky Raab]

In the great bell curve of writing ability, btroj, you are firmly ensconced in the right-hand side. Trust me.

[1Shirt]

Rocky, Had no real problem with your comments, or those of Taz for that matter. I did take your comments as making light of Kieth. And I don't consider that to be a big deal at all. And, I will agree with you that some writers have both the ability to connect with the reader, and lack the technical aspects of language. Don't consider that to be a big deal either.

That said, I consider this forum something that provides comparisons of experiance, knowledge, and acquired wisdom. I also consider that there are a lot of folks on Cast Boolits who take themselfs far to seriously and that their comments are the end all and be all regarding casting etc. I do not consider either you or me to be in that group.

It is rare that when I pull this site up that I do not learn something of value. I value in particular the comments of Buckshot, Felix, Larry Gibson, LLoyd Smiley, 44Man, Ben, and Beagle. There are others whose comments I enjoy reading as well of course, but doubt that most others have the range time of those I have listed. Doubt also that I am on the left side of the bell curve of literacy, but then again haven't been tested since I retired. (That is me making light of me don't ya know)

By the way are you attending the SCI convention in Reno? If so, would like to meet you.
1Shirt!:coffee:

[Rocky Raab]

I visit some forums sites to teach and some to learn. This one is a "learner." But if I think I have grasped a concept here and there, I am happy to pass along my achievement as confirmation of what the others say. If I disagree, I usually shut up because I AM still learning about casting.

No SCI. I'm going to SHOT and five days among casino craziness is about all I can stand. I made three trips a year to Reno (for the Big Reno Show) for 15 years and don't care if I never see the place again, frankly.

[1Shirt]

Rocky, We are on the same page here regarding this forum for learning. And, MOST of the time, if I disagree, I just shut up also. Regarding casting, I consider it as a subject to be female in nature. Accordingly as no two females are the same, no two molds are the same. I also consider all rifles to be female as well. So much to learn, so little time. That said, sorry I won't have a chance to meet you in Reno. I agree with you about Reno in general, as I am not a gambler. However this is my first chance to attend the SCI convention with a gunwriter friend.
Cheers!
1Shirt!:coffeecom

[broncoformudv]

I enjoy reading Mikes articles nd am happy to hear he is on the mend!

[PatMarlin]

When you guys go to Reno, you got to eat at the Chinese Duck House on Virginia St.

That place is fantastic and packed. Inexpensive too. We started telling guys about it at last years Gunshow and everyone raved about it.

Awesome home cooked chinese fast food and excellent duck:

http://maps.google.com/maps/place?hl=en&biw=990&bih=590&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=china+duck+house+reno,+nv&fb=1&gl=us&hq=china+duck+house&hnear=Reno,+NV&cid=12150212033316017590

[Lloyd Smale]

personaly i get more agrivated with someone who writes or posts here using big words or posts things in such a technical way that nobody here really understands then i do with someone who uses improper grammer. Not everyone here went to college or has a IQ of a 180. 99 percent of us are just good old boys that like to shoot guns.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Good to hear the good reports from those who have met or talked to Mike in one way or another.

This will date me, but years back a fellow by the name of Jack O'Conner was just about the next best thing to sliced bread. That is until I moved to a town close to Lewiston, Idaho which he called home.

Then started to hear some first hand tales about the Ol'cermudgin, finding out that he was a crusty Ol'Coot in real life.

Still liked his writings, but it did burst my bubble when I found out he was human!

And by the way, I also like Mike's writtings even is he is probably also, Human.

"Human" does come in different flavors, so it is good to hear when that flavor is OK up close and personal.

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[wills]

She is much to young for me to notice, but I did notice the young guys would rather talk to here about what ever and not talk old guins with me.

Last years theme was the Afghan wars and she carried a long knife in the sash of her sari.

This one?
http://www.fototime.com/3319177DF46F8F8/standard.jpg

[The Double D]

Yes that is Sarah.