Happy New Year from Mike Venturino

[Mike Venturino]

Since I have received several messages from people I someone must have posted something about me and sure enough they did.

Therefore I thought it only proper to respond with a THANKS and to wish everyone a Happy New Year.

I am very grateful for the kind words said about me in the mentioned thread. I hope I live up to them.

In someone's private message they wondered if I had been offended by a post here. Not so at all. As I explained I just have been so busy. To make a living I have to turn in about 70 features and columns a year. No work - no pay. What with my medical problems this time last year and being deep into another book project I have just been swamped. (Well, there's also the fact that I fired in at least 25 BPCR Silhouette matches in 2010 and of course all of them required cast bullets.)

Also someone mentioned that my dog died. Its a little more complicated than that. I accidentally killed him in the driveway last September. That big collie and I were so close that many people often commented on it in our first meetings. He was almost always right at my side and attended all the BPCR Silhouette matches here in Montana with me. The guilt and grief from the accident nearly consumed me too. My wife was afraid it would kill me too. In an effort to do something positive we searched for and found a collie that desperately needed a good home as desperately as I needed a good dog. He was in College Station, Texas and I drove there in two days to pick him up.

Of course he is not my lost dog but he is a fine dog in his own right and we are getting along fine. Naturally I wish he was glued to me as my fine Brennan was and he seems to big by bit becoming that way.

On a happier note my World War II firearms collection has now reached 60 items: pistols, revolvers, carbines, infantry rifles, sniper rifles, submachine guns, and finally one rifle caliber full-auto. The two most recent have been a German MP44 "Sturmgewehr" and a Japanese made Lewis Light Machine Gun. Brothers are they hoots! Especially the Lewis gun.

Yesterday, I turned in my last two articles for 2010 and this weekend I'm going to do something very relaxing, like cast BPCR bullets while someone reads me a good story via a "book on tape."

Again, I would like to thank everyone for the well-wishes on that thread, and hopefully this year I'll be able to visit more here.

Good luck to everyone.
Mike V.

[Mike Venturino]

PS: If I shoot another .577-450 MH do I have to wear a dress like that lass in the photo?

[STP22]

Mike,

I enjoy your efforts.

Skip the dress[smilie=1:

Best wishes to you and your household.

Regards,

Scott

[fishhawk]

mike you could always set up a drag shoot insted of a drag race!

[Wayne Smith]

I am very sorry to hear about Brennan, Mike. I fully understand grief and guilt, and when they are combined it is overwhelming. I'm glad you are recovering. Last two 2010 articles turned on Dec. 31? That is pushing the deadline, isn't it?! Frankly, given your medical issues I'm suprised you were able to get them all done at all. I can see why you haven't had time to be here as well.

Don't try to "catch up" - There is way too much here now to even be able to read much of it in an ongoing way. Things have gotten a mite busier here since you last were here on a regular basis. Just join in with whatever is going on now.

No pet can "replace" a loved animal. They can become a best friend, however, given their unique personality. Different, but equal.

[No_1]

Hi Mike,

Great to see you are doing well. Sorry to hear about your close friend Brennan. I really enjoy all your articles. Please be careful in the years to come.

Take care,

Robert

[Doc Highwall]

I wish everyone a Happy New Year and hope it is better then last year.

[BruceB]

Mike, I had not yet chimed-in with my own good wishes, so kindly consider that oversight corrected as of now.

As for the dress and the Martini-Henry, I believe it's a copper-bottomed, lead-pipe cinch that you will NOT be able to wiggle yourself into the same dresses she wears (the mind boggles). The hat has possibilities, though.....

This year we lost two dogs, a cat, and a horse, mostly to old age except for a young Anatolian (Andre) who had problems from a bad injury inflicted by a vehicle before we rescued him. They''re all greatly missed, just as your buddy will leave a hole in your lives.

2010 was a tough year in many ways. Let's all hope for brighter days ahead.

[threett1]

Best wishes to you too Mike. Been reading you for many years now and blame you for many of my gun indulgences through the years.[smilie=b: I understand your grief at the loss of your canine friend. My buddy Chito turned 16 yesterday, and while I am appreciative of his companionship for so long, I am dreading the coming day. There won't be another, none could take his place. Keep writing, and I'll keep reading.

[spqrzilla]

Mike,

From a big fan, here's hoping that 2011 is a much improved year over 2010 for you and yours.

[ironhead7544]

Hey Mike: Happy New Year to you, too.
Thanks for writing all those articles. I turn to you first when I get a new magazine.
You are my hero. I always wanted to be a Gunn Riter but dont spel soo gud.
Sorry to hear about your dog. I have a 19 year old Terrier that Im worried about. Cant imagine him not being here.
Looking forward to reading more of your writings this year. Bob in GA.

[oldhickory]

Mike, (and all of you who've lost beloved animals) it's one of life's toughest trials. It just doesn't seem fair, their lives seem so short compared to ours, but the up side is, you get to know and love more of them. Every one of them is unique, just like ourselves, and each and everyone of them gives us their own set of memories. Saying good-bye to them is hard, but there's always that furry face in need of our love and companionship. Nothing like a true friend for life.

[Thumbcocker]

I hope 2011 is a good year for you. I have been reading your articles for a long time. You and Ross Seyfried were inspirations for me to cast boolits. I still have an old G&A annual where you wrote about boolits in sporting rifles. There were also some articles by a felow named Brandon Wolfe. I wonder what ever happened to him.

Best wishes for 2011.

[Rocky Raab]

Add my best wishes, condolences and welcomes, Mike. And I'll throw in the same to Yvonne.

You might be able to shoot in a dress, but you'll never wear one like that young lady! Hope to see you at SHOT if you're going. Finally get to shake hands, maybe. The last time I saw you (I think it was at an NRA Convention) you were deeply engrossed in a conversation and I hadn't the temerity to interrupt merely to introduce myself.

[WILCO]

Mike,

I enjoy your efforts.

Skip the dress[smilie=1:

Best wishes to you and your household.

Regards,

Scott

Ditto for me!

[AZ-Stew]

Mike,

Glad to see you back.

Please don't try the dress. The Hawaiian shirt and German helmet were enough.

Regards,

Stew

[*Paladin*]

Happy New Year Mike!

[Heavy lead]

Happy New Year Mike,
So sorry to hear about your dog, I have three myself and can understand the grief completely. Enjoy the your new one, as he'll enjoy his new person, and the new year.

[dragonrider]

Happy New Year Mike, and keep up the good work.

[Bigjohn]

Yvonne and Mike, Happy New Year to you both from downunder. Glad to hear you are on the mend and still writting.

Sorry to hear about Brennan. I know in some way what you are going through. I will have this when my companion 'Belle" passes. She is 11 this year.

Keep up the good work and find sometime to cast and shoot.

Regards,

[MakeMineA10mm]

Mike,
GREAT to hear from you! Here's wishing 2011 is a MUCH better year for you, Yvonne, and your family.

Can't wait to read about your StG.44, and see if your experiences/opinions match my impressions of it.

That Lewis Gun is the one MG that has eluded me. I've never had the opportunity to shoot one, let alone load for, work on, and generally evaluate. Your's sounds very interesting. Is it in 7.7 Jap, 6.5 Arisaka, or ???

[9.3X62AL]

Good to hear from you, sir!

I know that sort of grief--and I'm sorry to hear of its occurrence. It seems that 2010 was a tough year for a lot of us. Here's hoping that 2011 reaps a sweeter harvest!

[NVcurmudgeon]

Mike, Happy New Year to you, Yvonne, and all your critters. It took us over a year to be able to replace the last dog who passed over the great divide. Big mistake! Each pet makes their own unique place, and their predecessors are never forgotten. Thanks for your good work, and take care of yourself. Bill & Fran

Rumor has it that you are going to the SCI show in Reno. I've never been despite living five miles out of Reno, but I'm ready to make an exception this year to meet you.

[Dean D.]

Mike, I would like to add my welcome back and a wish for a Happy New Year! I'm sorry to hear about Brennan, I went through losing my own dog last year also. It sounds like you have a good start on that new pup.

I look forward to many more years of reading your articles too!

Best wishes, Dean D.

[EMC45]

Happy New Year to You Sir, and to all here!!

[1Shirt]

Mike, Happy New Year, and hopes that this one will be a whale of a lot better for you than last. Am glad that you have a new companion, but a replacement never fully takes the place of an old pet. They are family! Hope to see you in Reno if you are going to the SCI convention. Liked your article on odities in the last Handloader. It was quite a project.
1Shirt!:coffee:

[.357]

Sorry to hear about your dog, I just picked up my fourth edition it will go nicely on my shelf o reloading manuals. Best of luck to you for 2011.

[cajun shooter]

Mike, My wife Lisha and I had a Boston Terrier by the name of Lady for 13 years. She became so sick that the vet advised us to put her down almost three yeatrs ago . She was like your dog and went every where with us. She would sleep on our bed at night close to us. She was small and never barked so when we were on the road and a hotel said no pets, my wife would throw a shirt over her and go right past the desk. Lady Dog was not a pet just as Brennen was she was a family member. We have yet to take that step but I am happy you are on the way to recovery. Take Care Your Friend in Louisiana David aka Cajun Shooter,aka Fairshake

[timkelley]

Happy you are back, hope you can stay.

[hornetguy]

Mike,
God bless you and your family in 2011.. Like most of the other guys here, I've been reading your articles for "lo, these many years".. I began my interest in guns back when I was about 15 or so, and, being an avid reader, went through all the gun magazines I could find, as fast as they hit the newsstands. I learned a lot, reading Skeeter, Col. Charles, Bill, Elmer... all those guys. I remember when I started seeing articles by some little fella up north of Texas somewhere... Wyoming? Montana? somewhere like that.
While I don't shoot BPCR, I feel like I am a participant, simply from reading your articles. I DO cast bullets, and have always been a big fan of large bore revolvers, primarily Ruger single actions. Your articles have always been informative and entertaining. Thanks for that.
Best of everything to you and your family!

[The Double D]

No Mike you are excused a dress. There is a fellow who does show up in a kilt. Giving the fighting reputation of those gentlemen who are kilt wearers I am unlikely make any rude comments about them.

But as always if you ever want to revisit the Martini, I am just up the road in Cut Bank.

[skeet1]

Mike best wishes to you and your family and the newest member of you family.

Skeet1

[10x]

The best to you in 2011 Mike!

Keep up the quality articles. I look forward to your black powder and military surplus articles the same as I used to lock forward to Jack O'Connor's hunting and 270 articles in the 1950s and 60s'.

[shdwlkr]

Mike
Sorry to hear you lost your pup, yes I know he was older, I have lost a lot in the last year also. think divorce and kids
I have my animals though two cats and a small dog they keep me going.
I hope to find a real home this year, well the land at least, as someone close to me told me to go find 75 plus acres I would like to have a house on and then we will build a house and I will have a home as long as I live.
I have read your writings for years and will say that I don't always agree with your ideas but don't not follow them a lot times either. Kinda like if you don't know it is better to be safe than sorry.
Happy New Year to your and your family. May this year bring more joy to us all.

[Down South]

I'm glad to hear that you are doing better Mike. Best wishes for 2011.

[broncoformudv]

Happy New Year to you and everyone else on here Mike!

Sorry to hear about your loss and hope things go well with your new collie!

Rob

[danski26]

Happy new year Mike. Keep up the good work and Happy New Year to all here!

[R.M.]

Mike, there isn't anything I can say that hasn't been said already, but all the best for 2011. Keep up the good work.

[Char-Gar]

I know it must hurt to loose you dog. I am a dog person as well. I am truly sorry.

[curiousgeorge]

Mike,

Best wishes to you and your wife.

You keep writing and I'll keep reading.

From one "HANDLOADER LOONEY" to another.

Steve

[Mike Venturino]

My thanks to everyone for your responses. Today was back to the grindstone after the holidays. That wouldn't be so bad if I could get out and shoot some of these new (to me) guns a bit but the weather just hasn't allowed it.

To Rocky Raab: yes I will be at the SHOT Show. A knee is giving me fits so I'll be hanging around the Guns/American Handgunner or Wolfe Publishing booths. Look me up. I'd enjoy meeting you and anyone else on here for that matter.

Nite all.
Mike V.

[Smoke-um if you got-um]

I've got a little "Parson's" Jack Russel. She might as well be surgically attached to me. It's been 10 yrs since I've been able to even go to the bathroom by myself. I know how you feel, I dread the day............
Mike B.

[leadman]

Glad you are back on here Mike. There are many members here that reside in "warm" Arizona that you could visit. Course the Grand Canyon was -31" the other morning. Today in Phx. it was sunny and in the 50s.
Think you will every do an article on the 71 Mauser? Been having alot of fun with a recent purchase.

[Old Shooter]

Mike : Glad you are doing well,sorry about your dog,I had to put mine down on 9-11 she was 14. I miss her and hope to get another soon.You can never replace one just get another to enjoy.

Bill

[jnovotny]

Glad you are doing better and happy New Year to you too!
Catch ya later John.