Who was Felix Robbins? History

[ghh3rd]

"Houston Warehouse Experiment" - just looked it up and read it... a lot of reading! Good stuff...

[dragon813gt]

Tim....Maybe it is a generational thing, as like Felix, I hate to hear firearms called weapons and think of them only as collectable history and for sporting use. I consider all of todays run around, roll on the ground tactical nonsense rather childish. Everyone wants to be ninja/swat trained and ready to neutralize any threat that comes their way. The whole thing looks rather immature to me.

I realize that folks will have a negative reaction to this, but unlike Felix I don't mind upsetting folks. Felix was/is a better man than me.

I don't think it's a generational thing. I think it has to do w/ education. I was taught to call them by their proper name and they were never to be referred to as a weapon. And as a younger gentleman I find the whole tacticool thing to be beyond childish. I can't express my true feelings here due to the word filters. Hate me all you want, I have thick skin.

[BeeMan]

Answering who Felix was would be tough for those of us who did not meet him or get to know him in person. Still, the conversations I had with him via email and PMs shed some light on the man. He had a very intelligent and analytical mind, balanced with a very humble and respectful approach to others.

I recall public and off line discussions as varied as getting maximum value from a car purchase or sale, planting walnut trees as an investment, what made for a good camshaft design in a high performance engine, electric motor design, the value of well grounded personal faith in strengthening relationships, computers, software, and of course cast bullet lube, firearm design for accuracy, and a keen understanding of how propellants burn in the cartridge and firearm system. To me, Felix was a modern Renaissance Man, for whom the whole of knowledge was a field to tackle. Yet he was approachable and willing to share.

Quite the unique individual.

[HARRYMPOPE]

I don't think it's a generational thing. I think it has to do w/ education. I was taught to call them by their proper name and they were never to be referred to as a weapon. And as a younger gentleman I find the whole tacticool thing to be beyond childish. I can't express my true feelings here due to the word filters. Hate me all you want, I have thick skin.

I dont care for that stuff but who cares if the have it.it just when it comes to defending gun rights those are the ones that stick out.I have the same problem Felix did abut calling guns "weapons"

[mpbarry1]

Everything is a weapon, and nothing is. depends on how you use it. You dont hear litte league moms calling a ball bat a weapon. But they are often used that way. More often then a firearm actually here in the US.

I loved to read everything Felix posted. He was a very thoughtful man and kind to me and my questions. I only interacted w him a couple of times, but he always made me feel good in the conversation.

Felix will be missed. We have several folks on here with the same nonjudgemental mentoring style. I challenge all of u to be mentors like Felix was. I truely love this place.

[Mumblypeg]

Everything is a weapon, and nothing is. depends on how you use it. You dont hear litte league moms calling a ball bat a weapon. But they are often used that way. More often then a firearm actually here in the US.

I loved to read everything Felix posted. He was a very thoughtful man and kind to me and my questions. I only interacted w him a couple of times, but he always made me feel good in the conversation.

Felix will be missed. We have several folks on here with the same nonjudgemental mentoring style. I challenge all of u to be mentors like Felix was. I truely love this place.

These are the kinds of post that make me smile..... and if you don't understand....well... you just don't understand....

[WallyM3]

We've lost a lovely man.

[Elkins45]

How very sad that he was preceded in death by two of his sons. I'm not a parent but I have some small insight into the kind of hurt a loss like that can bring. It is an even greater testimony that he was such a considerate and giving person after bearing such pain.

One of the unintended negative consequences of our otherwise fantastic global electronic village is that it can occasionally cause us to mourn the loss of friends we've never actually met.

[WallyM3]

"One of the unintended negative consequences of our otherwise fantastic global electronic village is that it can occasionally cause us to mourn the loss of friends we've never actually met."

But, we are the richer therefore.

[TXGunNut]

Good man gone too soon. Houston warehouse project was indeed the golden age of early BR learning. It bothers me that he responded to a post of mine awhile back and I didn't understand his response. Now I know that I just wasn't paying attention. Wish I understood powders the way he did, so sad to lose all that expertise.

[sundog]

I've shot Felix's BR gun on at least two different occasions. The mere fact that he would let me was a humbling experience and speak volumes of his friendship and encouragement. That gun shoots awesome groups -- with cast. Just spending a day with him, and Pat, was to know what fine people the Robbins are. I surely will miss him, but to have known him as enriched my life.

[MT Gianni]

Way back on the Shooters Board I remember him talking about barrel harmonics and how accuracy is best found in multiples of 8000 fps though acceptable can often be reached @ 4000 fps intervals. I wish I remembered more about that as I have not heard that discussed in that depth for a while.

[Rusty W]

I remember the 1st time I met Felix. It was about 2 years ago. We pm'd each other a few times and set up a meeting place & time. We met at Braums and had some ice cream and talked about shooting, guns, & just life in general. We talked about an hour or so and exchanged phone numbers. We set up another meeting and he and radar came over to my place to do some shooting. He brought a couple of 1911's to try out and he shot a couple Ruger wheelguns. We looked over my casting and reloading setup and talked boolits, styles, designs, and just shooting in general again. He had told me he was just recovering from being sick and just getting enough energy to get out some. We had a good day shooting & visiting. I learned a few things that day but it took awhile to sink in. Felix had a vocabulary wayyy above what this small town okie could understand right off the bat. He understood powders like no one I've ever met, single base, double base, % of nitro in such & such powder, graphite coated ball, extruded, short cut, etc. I was asking him about a RCBS powder measure & how it "crunched" on 3031...he said don't worry about the crunch, you'll never noticed it on the target. Later on he invited Lisa, (my girlfriend) & me over to visit. He & Pat entertained us for a couple hours, Lisa & Pat talking about flowers & plants, Felix & me talking boolits, riding motorcycles, jobs and he showing me around the house. He & Pat are most hospitable. He told me a story about toothpaste and how back when the tubed paste 1st came out a fellow could tell the manufacturer how to double the sales of the product. The answer was extremely simple and right in front of their face, but they didn't think of it until he told them to make the hole bigger. He also told how to make the best, award winning chilli, again the answer is simple. We talked about a lot of different things, Felix was a well rounded fellow. I feel like a lot of other members on the board, words can't describe. My dad died about a year ago and I watched his health dwindle over a period of about a year. I saw a lot of the same signs when I/We had a chance to visit with Felix. I think the shooting community and mankind in general has lost a great man. He has definitely made an impact on a lot of peoples lives.

[Ajax]

"He also told how to make the best, award winning chilli, again the answer is simple."

Please post Felix's recipe so those of us who love chili can make it and have a bowl with Felix.

Andy

[HollandNut]

I think he just told us the recipe

Keep it simple !! Don't over engineer it ..

[Hickok]

You all gave a fitting eulogy to Felix. Thank you all for the enlightenment into this man's life and accomplishments.

Felix, gone to be with the Lord!

[rockrat]

Would love to have been in on the conversation at Braums. Having a face-to-face conversation with Mr. Robbins(Felix) would have been quite a special occasion and quite enlightening

[utk]

Felix M. Robbins

http://www.castpics.net/CastAndCrew/images/Felix.jpg

[sthwestvictoria]

I liked this bit of Felix wisdom from a thread about Throat diameter versus Groove diameter:

For the most exacting group of projectiles, we must have zero clearance of the projectiles against the gun walls containing the projectile as the projectiles travel through the entire gun. There are no exceptions to this rule. Any time the projectiles are mashed beyond their absolute concentric return point, or not mashed into such conformity during their ignition stage, spells trouble of some sort and must be fixed. Yes, the rule is that simple, but the making of such thing(s) to happen day in and day out is the pure magic portion of this sport. ... felix

[Estalio]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...-of-Lube-Felix