Mike Venturino Update 11-4

[A10]

One of my favorite all time gunwriters, Mike went in for a heart procedure at 7 this morning. No word yet on what the docs are doing, but I'd ask for prayers for him.

He's on Facebook and a frequent poster if anyone ever goes there.

11-4 UPDATE: Mike is feeling good enough to post to FB today, and it looks like he will be released on Friday!

Thanks all for your thoughts and prayers! If you get over to his FB page today be sure to wish him and Yvonne well.

Ron

 

[OLDNAVYMCPO]

I'm really sorry to hear that. I always enjoyed reading his stuff. Hope and pray that everything turns out okay.

 

[Jebus35745]

Hope everything goes great for him. Always enjoyed reading his articles, one of the good guys. Andy Horvath is local and did a few custom guns for him. Prayers sent, Larry

 

[medic15al]

I love his classic guns and cartridges writings. Heck all of them actually.

I have been meaning to get some info from him on the 38-40 WCF loadings for SAA and clones with black powder.

 

[UncleEd]

Medic,

Get his Shooting Colt Single Actions.

He gives loads for just about all the old SAA cartridges with modern and black powder usage.

Also check out his Shooting Lever Guns of the Old West, with again some modern and black powder loads.

 

[medic15al]

Thanks Uncle Ed...Ya made me run over to Amazon and I'm about to order the SAA version now. Will pick up the others as I finish reading them. I have 3 SAA clones in .45 Colt, shot with 40 grns of FFFG Olde Eynsforde black powder under a 250 grn PRS Big Lube bullet. Hoo-weee!

Will be getting a lever sometime when I catch up on house related expenditures.

 

[GatorFarmer]

I have read his work going back quite a ways. I wish him the best and a speedy recovery.

 

[UncleEd]

Medic,

I'm not a black powder loader and am not familiar with the powder you're using with a 40 grain load.

But I seem to recall that in the 1870s, the 40 grain load proved too hot for the metallurgy of the day and while the load was nominally referred to as 40 grains, the factories actually started to load only 38 or maybe 37 grains with the 240/250 grain bullets in .45 Colt.

In the .44-40 with the lighter bullets the 40 grains seemed OK.

Any way the two books give a lot of history besides Mike's own reloading experiences.

As to his health, I wish him the best. If you had met him as I had about 6 or 7 years ago, you realized he was woefully overweight, a cardiologist's nightmare.

Luckily in this day and age, cardiology is one of the most advanced medical fields around and successes are phenomenal.
I know from experience.

 

[ralph7]

I'm wishing "The Duke" a full recovery.

Prayers up.

 

[calmex]

I hope he comes out okay, I am an admirerer of his work.

 

[fordson]

Same here. He's one of the "good guys".

 

[medic15al]

Absolutely! Any updates?

 

[A10]

Looks like he's in need of a double bypass soon. He also said no shooting for a while (THATS gotta be about killing him!).

 

[Harkrader]

I sure hope the magazines have a contract that says he STILL has to submit articles and stories from The Other Side.

 

[Erich]

Thanks for the heads-up - He sure has my prayers.

 

[fixitfred]

I Want To Be Like Mike

Is that the same Mike Venturino that wrote most of the chapters in my Lyman "Cast Bullet Handbook?"

I don't know what type of writing style it is when he refers to himself in the third person but this poster didn't really like it.

 

[medic15al]

Aww man I do feel for him. I pray for an easy speedy recovery.

 

[A10]

Most likeynthe same Mike. Never seen him use that style, sounds more like the venerable Col. Cooper.

 

[calmex]

His work on rediscovering the secrets to loading blackpowder cartridges and cleaning blackpowder firearms with non-petroleum-based products and making the knowledge widely known is truly what gun-writing is all about. I'm sure there were other people doing the same thing at the same time but it was Venturino's work that made me aware of the "proper way" to load and care for blackpowder guns. In the same way that Cooper's work made me aware of the "modern technique" back when it was still very modern.

If anyone here does know him and has some form of contact with him please wish him the very best from all of us. I feel as if a friend is in the hospital but I cannot go to visit him.

 

[hobby-gunsmith]

Mike Venturino

I am very sorry to hear "Duke" is in need of a double bypass heart surgery. I am an avid reader of his articles in the gun publications and value his expertise in antique firearms. My prayers go to him and his family for the successful surgery and speedy recovery.

Nick