A(nother) recent request for information motivated me to (finally) assemble a short history of my airgun books. I've always titled and sub-titled my books self-explanatory to the subject matters each addresses, but also to hint at my writing style that always emphasizes entertainment over technicality.
My first book was The Manic Compressive- Fifteen Years Of Airgun Testing (copyright 1998). It contained 23 chapters of 'interesting' and inciteful airgun reading, production dating of Crosman, Benjamin and Sheridan airguns, and velocity testing of about 150 airguns of all types. Chapter titles included- QB Or Not QB?; Cool Custom Classics; Technoverdose; Layin’ ‘Em Low In Langtry; and Airin’ It Out.
My second book was titled Airgun Hunting and Sport- Misadventures Of A Manic Compressive (copyright 2001). Again, some of the 22 chapter titles may best describe the contents- Methods To The Madness; Squirrel Stutzen-Fest; Magnum Air Pistols Of Yesteryear; Airgun Challenge “Down Mexico Way”; No Respect!, and Makin’ Bacon (possibly the first written record of hog hunting with modern airguns).
My third book, A Sporting Proposition (copyright 2003) included airgunning but was more specifically about hunting Texas by sporting means and with challenging weapons including handguns, air rifles, air pistols, archery and traditional archery equipment. Its 19 chapters included: Pistol-Packin’ Bike Hippie; Javelina Dreamin’; Bug Bitten Bowyer Bags Bowdacious Buck; and Stand Up And Shoot Like A Man!
The fourth book, AIrgun Chronicles- Thirty Years Of Airgun Testing And Competition (copyright 2013) contained not only 22 chapters of reading, but velocity testing of over 350 airguns of all types, and extreme accuracy testing of many. Chapters included: Accuracy- It’s All In Your Head!; Korean Heavy Hitters; Field Target Insights; Field Target Incites; Optical Delusions; Field Target Pistol Shoot-Out; and A Very Good Year (3 State Champion titles, 3 National Champion titles, and an airgunned wildcat in one year).
All my books except the latest, Custom, Classic And Otherwise Awesome Air Pistols! are now out of print and possibly available only in the used market. But since all were printed in extremely low quantities, they are seldom found.
That will also be the case when I run out of Custom, Classic And Otherwise Awesome Air Pistols! Chapter titles include: Airgun Zealot On The Loose!; Air Pistol Sights, Insights And Incites; Life Beyond Ten Meters; Precharged Pneumatic Pistol POWER; and Rimfire Versus Air Pistol Accuracy (to 50 yards!). Ordering and other information on Awesome Air Pistols! can be found in the classifieds section of this forum.
Anyone who has endured this far in this post now knows why my aliases include The Manic Compressive, Og, and That ****ing Ron Robinson! ?
Happy airgunning, Y’all!
Ron, it might be time to re print some of your older books.
Ron, you do have a great expressive way of writing. Doesn't matter what the subject you have the talent to describe it from your view point and do it well. I have always considered you a friend and awesome competitor. I certainly respect your knowledge of older airguns especially my favorites the Career 707. Keep up the great work in your journalism for the airgun world that you have promoted for so many years. I'm not sure my endorsement will help your books sell better but understand I like you and have always taken your advice under advisement.
AFA, Bill Day
Hi Bill,
Leave it to you to not only make me get off my lazy butt (again) to reply to something(s) I can't ignore, but also extract true confessions out of this shameless sinner.
As many times as you and I have butted heads, often contentiously and almost always about AAFTA rules, I also have always considered you a friend; albeit sometimes "misguided".😉 That's a joke, Bud.
Truth is, we're both very strongly-opinioned, unhesitant to debate matters we feel strongly about, and hesitant to believe we aren't RIGHT. Point is, we are much alike; hence why sometimes at odds. I like to think our friendship survives our travails, as you seem to confirm. BTW, congratulations on your 2022 Cajuns Hunter Champion title; great shooting!
More true confessions now. In an effort to spend less time on-line and keyboarding, a couple years ago I stopped visiting this forum for another that seemed a little easier to navigate for this Tech-Neanderthal. And though I've regretted choosing just one, it did reduce the amount of time I waste on-line. Suffice to say there are personal reasons I prefer some things about this forum.
I really love writing. Like shooting, writing is therapeutic for me. Lord knows I need lots of therapy, especially nowadays. Unfortunately my books have never paid off in anything other than therapeutic value, despite the hundreds of hours invested. And with book-readers moving ever-closer to extinction, book-writing is an ever-diminishing return on investment(s). Probably doesn't help that I make liberal use of literary tools like compound sentences, compound-compound sentences, word-play, "creative" spelling, grammar, punctuation, humor and other poetic-license techniques beyond the appreciation/comprehension of ever-shrinking reading audiences in attempt(s) to compete with evermore fantasmagorical competitors like YouTube, Twitter, TikTok, and similar ilk capitalizing on the dumbing down of increasingly attention-deficit Modern Man by bombarding him with sensory over-kill. So although I strive to make every sentence of my writing so entertaining, informative, and/or provocative to resist reading the next, and next, I still lose the battle for dollars and "minds".
I thought getting AWESOME AIR PISTOLS! into Amazon distribution might "make the world my audience". However, between the fact there are relatively FEW serious air pistol enthusiasts in the world and my tech illiteracy preventing me making my latest book VISIBLE on Amazon, I won't be buying a Ferrari anytime soon. The only way to find AAP! on Amazon is by going to the Book section and searching for Awesome Air Pistols. To add insult to injury, I suspect it might be a violation of forum rules for me to post a link to my book in order to circumvent the obstacles. I respect this forum too much to violate posting rules.
Sorry for this long-ass post. But at your urging I felt the need to fill in some gaps from a couple years absence (here), Bill. Thank you for re-affirming our friendship, Bud... and buying my books!
Best Regards,
R
I suspect it might be a violation of forum rules for me to post a link to my book
Not!
Links to legitimate and/or respected airgun resources are very much allowed. A link from you would tick both boxes.
https://www.amazon.com/Custom-Classic-Otherwise-AWESOME-PISTOLS/dp/B08R7S2KYD/
Ron,
that was just one of your classic sentences you crafted.
Contrary to popular culture and those being born in the current millennium, I DO enjoy your style of writing very much.
Thanks for using it and entertaining me and I'm sure, thousands of others. 👍🏼
All the best to you! 😊
Matthias
@pistolero Butt wait, there's more!I ordered more air gun "books",in order to spread the wealth of knowledge.
Oh btw,some of Ron' older books are on eBay,double the price.
Don't be like me and wait,my Dad use to tell me weight broke the bridge.
