Jack O'Connor

[Maddog58]

I got to hold one of Jacks legendary 270’s at the Sheep show. I truly had goosebumps thinking of where that rifle had been

 

[Blockcaver]

Jack’s and Elenor’s both! Was a treat!

I got to hold one of Jacks legendary 270’s at the Sheep show. I truly had goosebumps thinking of where that rifle had been

 

[TreeDux]

I’ve got one book of his, I think it’s a Best of collection. Some of everything including stories of his childhood. I don’t think he was necessarily the best writer, but he had some of the best stories.

 

[mainbeam pursuit2]

Read him all the time when I was young in magazines. I bought several of his books also, still have them.

 

[Procision Arms]

Took a photo this year in the Yukon, some of Jack and His wife’s ashes are scattered in the basin behind me. Was one of his favorite areas to hunt and she killed a 43” ram not far from where I was standing.

Very cool piece of hunting history that I felt blessed to see.

 

[NoDakfarmin]

My grandfather was a huge O’Connor fan and turned me into one, I remember sitting at our shooting range at the farm talking rifles with him when I was young and he gave me a copy of “The Hunting Rifle”. I’ve read all of Jacks books and compilations of his articles. Also own an Al Biesen, built Jack’s #2 sheep gun, in .270 featherweight and when you hold it you truly understand what Jack was trying to get everybody to carry in the mountains compared to the anchors that were around in those days! I have started collecting signed copies of his books now, cheaper then rifles!

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I read all of his stuff growing up. These days I’m less impressed with it all.

 

[NoDakfarmin]

I read all of his stuff growing up. These days I’m less impressed with it all.

Why’s that?

 

[S-3 ranch]

I too grew up reading him in Outdoor Life. I have every book he wrote. I just finished re-reading Lost Classics for the 3rd or 4th time, it is my favorite. He influenced me a lot on his ideas about the classic rifle.

My uncle gave me a copy of a outdoor life of all of O’Connors sheep hunts a limited addition when I was stuck in bed sick with some childhood illness
I read and reread it till the pages fell out ( then I taped it back together)
My mom threw it away when I was in college.
But that one magazine has influenced my gun buying and traveling for over 40 years now . Wish I could find a copy of it somewhere
His sheep hunts where epic

 

[Howdoyoulikemenow]

I enjoyed reading his articles and books as a young kid. It would be cool to have lived and hunted in his time. Blues steel. Walnut stocks. Wool clothing. No draw tags. Just go man…

 

[wingmaster]

I've collected O'Connor books for a while, including the deluxe version of The Hunting Rifle (100 copies printed). One interesting acquisition I've made is Hunting on Three Continents with a green slipcase. The book had a first-edition run of 500 copies, but Safari Press says they've only issued about a dozen of the slipcases to the original customers who asked for one.

I've yet to find a first edition of his original novels, Conquest and Boom Town, with nice dust jackets. A nice copy of Conquest with a dust jacket might be the rarest O'Connor title, I've yet to see one.

 

[CMF]

Just an fyi, if you can't find a particular book for sale, some online website will show you libraries that have the book you're looking for. I had to go to a university library and get a guest card to get sheep and sheep hunting last year.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Sheep and Sheep hunting. Found his book on Rifles in a thrift store, very interesting to see how many chamberings are long gone now. Also interesting to see which are still widely used.

I got that book, paid a lot for it. I don't get the hype.

 

[highcountrymuley]

I grew up near Gainesville FL which housed the Fred Bear museum and was the site of the original bear bow factory, or more precisely Archer, FL. When I heard the museum was slated to close I went there to find an open door and no one around! I walked around for about an hour then left. Very cool history in there. Wonder where it all went.

 

[Steve O]

I grew up near Gainesville FL which housed the Fred Bear museum and was the site of the original bear bow factory, or more precisely Archer, FL. When I heard the museum was slated to close I went there to find an open door and no one around! I walked around for about an hour then left. Very cool history in there. Wonder where it all went.

FYI, Bear Archery was started by Fred in Detroit Michigan and boomed in Grayling Michigan until 1978 when it moved to Florida.

 

[highcountrymuley]

Ok.. I stand corrected. Thank you sir!