J. Warren Cassidy, RIP

Former NRA Executive Vice President and CEO J. Warren Cassidy passed away on Wednesday, June 12th at the age of 93. In addition to serving as the EVP from 1986 to 1991, Cassidy headed the NRA-ILA starting in 1982 after Neal Knox was fired by Harlon Carter. Cassidy was Wayne LaPierre’s immediate predecessor as EVP.

Cassidy served as president of the Goal Owners Action League, was elected to the NRA Board of Directors in 1978, and served one term as mayor of Lynn, Massachusetts. He served for 22 years in the US Marine Corps Reserve retiring in 1975 as a Lt. Colonel.

According to an article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette from 1991, Cassidy was forced to resign as EVP by the Board of Directors due to mis-management issues related to a new computer system, a drop in NRA membership, and a sexual harassment lawsuit settlement. Another article stated that Cassidy, when he became EVP, wanted to change the NRA’s image to put more emphasis on training and hunter safety as opposed to fierce advocacy for the Second Amendment. From my outsider’s perspective of events almost 40 years ago, it appears that is was a classic battle between the “Fudds” and hardline 2A advocates.

From his obituary:

After retirement, he moved to East Wakefield, NH and later, Mirror Lake, NH where Joan and he enjoyed family visits, golf, home projects, and giving treats to neighborhood dogs.


Cassidy is survived by his wife, Joan Cassidy (Purtell), and five children: Joseph Cassidy III and his wife Anne; Julia Rose (Cassidy) and her husband Ray; Phil Cassidy and his wife Tina; Susan Van Tongeren (Cassidy) and her husband Philip; and Beth Grew (Cassidy) and her husband Steven. He is also survived by his sister Carol Welch (Cassidy); his grandchildren: Michael, Diana, Bart, Cara, and Cassie; and, his great-grandchildren: Aiyla, Shayn, and Alina. Warren was pre-deceased by grandson, Christopher van Tongeren.


In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any donations be sent to the Tuftonboro (NH) Free Public Library. Cassidy will be interred at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Lynn with military honors.


A Funeral Mass will be 11:00 AM Saturday June 22 at St Katharine Drexel Church in Alton, NH.

Gaston Glock, 1929-2023

Gaston Glock, founder of Glock  Ges.m.b.H., died today at the age of 94.

Photo courtesy of Glock, Inc.

His company got its start in 1963 making curtain rods and then field knives for the Austrian military. His purchase of an injection moulding machine to make handle handles for his field knives gave him the experience with injection molded polymer. He took that knowledge and applied it to making a polymer pistol for the Austrian army. He received a patent for it in 1981 and it became known as the Glock 17. The rest, as they say, is history.

In announcing his death, the company said:

Make it simple, make it perfect.

Following this guiding principle, our founder, Gaston Glock not only revolutionized the world of small arms in the 1980s, but also succeeded in establishing the GLOCK brand as the global leader in the handgun industry. His internationally renowned GLOCK Perfection stands for uncompromising quality and maximum customer satisfaction.

Gaston Glock charted the strategic direction of the GLOCK Group throughout his life and prepared it for the future. His life’s work will continue in his spirit.

Unlike many, I’m not a Glock fan-boi. I do have a Gen 4 Glock 17 and a police trade-in Gen 2 Glock 22 but my collection contain many more Rugers, Smiths, and CZs. I have had one of those Glock field knives for much longer than I have had either pistol. Mine is marked FM 78 for Feldmesser 78 and you can see it in the picture below. It is a tough knife that doesn’t need to be babied.

The Glock 17 was neither the first polymer pistol nor the first striker fired pistol. Those accolades belong to the Heckler & Koch VP70 (1970) and the Hugo Borchardt C-93 (1883) respectively. What Mr. Glock did do was produce a simplified striker-fired polymer pistol which morphed to become the most popular brand of handgun for law enforcement and civilian alike. World wide sales of the various models of Glock pistols were estimated to be around $500 million annually in 2017. Undoubtedly, the figure is higher now in 2023.

I will not get into the details of Gaston Glock’s life. Needless to say, it has been interesting. While a little dated, the best book on his life and the growth of his company through 2012 is Paul Barrett’s Glock: The Rise of America’s Gun (commission earned). I bought my Kindle copy of it back in 2012 shortly after it was released. It makes for an interesting read.

Dr. Bill Chachkes, RIP

I learned this morning from his wife that Dr. Bill Chachkes had passed away yesterday. He had been in ill health for a number of years.

Bill was a gun rights advocate, a podcaster, a retired teacher from the NYC schools, a sports journalist, and a Blackhawk helicopter pilot for the Army’s Special Operations Command. His podcast, Firearms Chat, was part of the Self Defense Radio Network. You can hear how he and the late Greg Hutton started their podcast here.

I first met Bill at the 2018 SHOT Show. He had reserved a room to record podcast episodes. I was invited to join Bill and Greg for an interview on Firearms Chat. We talked about a lot of things and, to be honest, I can’t remember exactly what. I do know that the Complementary Spouse and I saw him again many times that week. He was having some issues with his leg due to diabetes and she took a look at it for him.

I next met Bill along with his wife Annrose at AMM-Con and the 2019 Gun Rights Policy Conference held in Phoenix. I had been a guest on his show a couple of times by then. Being a guest on his show was always a fun thing.

You may remember the issues that I had with Google and their Blogger platform in 2019. When I switched to my own domain and WordPress, it was thanks to Bill that I was hooked up with Patriot Hosting. He introduced me to Kyle and the rest is history. I will be forever grateful that he stepped up and made that introduction.

Bill was a mensch to use a Yiddish word in honor of his Jewish heritage. He was a man of honor and integrity, he was a patriot both in and out of uniform, and he stood up for what was right and opposed that which was wrong.

I am proud to be able to have called him a friend and I shall miss him.

Note: I don’t know whether there will be a memorial service or funeral. If I hear anything, I will post it as an update here.

Ed Head, RIP

Ed Head, trainer, author, and veteran of both the Border Patrol and the USAF, passed away on Friday from cancer. I never got the opportunity to take a class with him but did get to share a beer or two with him at a Michael Buys The Beer get-together in Las Vegas. He was wearing his traditional Hawaiian shirt and shared stories with my brother-in-law Larry and myself.

From Ed’s Facebook page in his natural element at Gunsite

His gun reviews were always spot on and you knew you could trust them. Ed knew firearms. More importantly, he knew how to use them in dangerous situations from his days in law enforcement. In addition to his reviews, Ed wrote the Skills Check column for the NRA’s Shooting Illustrated.

Ken Campbell, CEO of Gunsite, wrote this about Ed and his career on Facebook:

Ed (Was) was a US Air Force Security Police Officer from 1972-1976, specializing in nuclear weapons security. Also, he was the Captain of a weapons and tactics competition team.

He entered the US Border Patrol in August 1977 and was assigned to San Diego, CA. During his tenure, he supervised a Patrol Group of 19 supervisors and 160 Agents at the Imperial Beach Border Patrol Station. His stories of his time there are near-legendary. Successfully completing the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) Firearms Instructor Training Program with a Distinguished Master rating, he began working as a Range Officer conducting all firearms training and qualifications for the Chula Vista and Imperial Beach Border Patrol Station. That later morphed into the Sector Firearms Instructor and then the Senior Firearms Instructor for the San Diego Border Patrol Sector, including more than 2500 agents. Additionally, he was the Founder, Rangemaster and first club champion of the San Diego Law Enforcement Combat Shooters Association.

Ed retired after 24 years with the USBP, retiring in 2001.

Ed met the love of his life Jean in and they were married over 36 years. They shared many adventures from horses to recent travel in their RV.

The other great love of his life was Gunsite. He began attending Gunsite in 1988, earning the coveted “Expert” (“Golden E”) rating in many of his classes. He attained his Instructor Rating at Gunsite in 1992. Ed worked as Operations Manager from February 2005 to September 2010 and then resumed his lengthy teaching career at Gunsite. His career as a writer in the gun industry also began to flourish, writing for NRA Publications and working with Michael Bane on video productions. Ed taught his last class at Gunsite late May of 2022. We know it was a very difficult moment for him to come to us in early June to let us know of his illness and withdrawing from the active instructor roster. We assured him he was only being moved to the “injured reserve” list and we looked forward to his return.

I love this picture of Ed from his younger days when he was a supervisor with the Border Patrol. You knew he meant business.

His death reminds me of John Donne’s poem.

No man is an island,
Entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thine own
Or of thine friend’s were.
Each man’s death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.

We are all diminished by Ed’s death.

John Ross, RIP

John Ross, author of Unintended Consequences, passed away of a heart attack on April 29th. I know the news has started to spread amongst the gun culture given the status of his book as a classic.

I bought a hardback copy a number of years ago. Fortunately, I’ve never lent it out as I understand lent copies sometimes fail to be returned and the hardback has become unobtainable unless you are willing to pay an extravagant amount. Softcover copies are reported to be available here.

I’m guessing I’ve read the book at least three times. Beyond the history of the gun culture and the later adventures of Henry Bowman in his war against the ATF, what I loved about the book was the setting in Saint Louis. As I’ve mentioned many times, I have relatives in the area including my older daughter. When Ross wrote about Barnes Hospital, I could relate as my daughter works for its successor as did my brother-in-law and son-in-law. When the Bowmans drove Hwy 40 through Saint Louis, I could picture it.

One thing I do regret is that Donald Trump didn’t take John on the offer to be Director of BATFE and take a $1 per year salary. That would have been fantastic. I can only imagine just how he would have screwed with the Deep State.

I came across his obituary today. It is from a Saint Louis funeral home which is where his memorial service will be held on Friday.

From Lupton Chapel, Inc.:

John Franklin Ross

April 29, 2022

Passed away unexpectedly on Friday, April 29th of natural causes, at his home in Richmond Heights. Mr. Ross is survived by his daughter Lucy Margaret Ross, of Boulder, Colorado, and his two sisters Helen Ross and Lucy Natkiel. John is the son of Walter Ross and Lucianna Gladney Ross, deceased, both of St. Louis, as well as the grandson of Frank Y. Gladney, a prominent attorney and businessman in St. Louis.

John graduated from John Burroughs High School in Ladue in 1974 and from Amherst College in 1979 with a B.A. in English, which he put to great use later in his career as a writer.

He was employed by E.F. Hutton for almost a decade as a broker, and later as an executive in the Clayton regional office. He later left the financial industry to concentrate on being a full-time writer. 

John was a world-class expert and instructor on shooting, firearms, and ammunition. Having been introduced to gun culture at a young age by his uncle Graves Gladney, also of St. Louis, John became a nationally recognized prodigy in shooting and designing firearms and ammunition by the time he graduated from high school. 

It was a lifelong passion for John, who as an adult became a world-renowned and highly respected expert in many different areas of the global firearms and ammunition industries. His dedication to gun culture and to the history of firearms in America led to his ongoing work as one of the tireless pro-Second Amendment lobbying activists in Jefferson City over a period of more than ten years. His work there was largely responsible for the State of Missouri’s ultimate reversal of its existing legislation and its subsequent adoption of the constitutional carry statute, and relaxed purchasing regulations for Missouri citizens.

Before that, in 1995, John published his first and best-known novel Unintended Consequences, which has sold over 100,000 copies as of 2022. The book iswithin the worldwide sociological sub-group known informally as “the Gun Culture”one of the most popular and influential books in the long history of that demographic, and the book has been published in several languages and sold in over 100 countries. 

John was working tirelessly on a sequel to Unintended Consequences when he passed, and the publishers have already committed to examining the unfinished work and doing everything they can to get it published within a year. 

John had an appetite for life and pursued his dreams and interests with intense abandon. Whether you found him barreling down the slopes of Aspen, Colorado; in the cockpit of his Pitts Model 12 biplane; setting up his famous over-the-top July 4th firework display; or regaling friends with an eccentric joke at any of his local Soulard haunts, John’s generosity of spirit allowed him to forge deep friendships over the decades of pursuing his passions. He loved sharing what he loved with the people that he loved.

The Memorial Service will be held at THE LUPTON CHAPEL, 7233 Delmar Blvd., University City, MO 63130 on Friday, May 6, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers the family ask that donations be made to either FreedomPrincipleSTL.org (an activist non-profit that works to defend, through events, lobbying and suggested legislation, the political principles John fought so hard for in Missouri all of his life) or ChallengeAspen.org (a non-profit based in Aspen that provides year-round adaptive outdoor experiences, such as skiing or snowboarding, for individuals faced with physical or cognitive disabilities).

I really do hope his unfinished manuscript that is the sequel to Unintended Consequences can be made into a book. According to Michael Bane, it was to be entitled Cold Resolve. I know I’d buy it as soon as it was published.

Eddie Bridges, NC Conservationist, RIP

The name Eddie Bridges might not ring a bell but in North Carolina he made an indelible mark on wildlife conservation in this state. He served on the NC Wildlife Resources Commission for 12 years and was the father of the lifetime hunting, fishing, and sportsman’s licenses. In addition, he helped start the tax check-off for the nongame and endangered wildlife fund and the NC Waterfowl Stamp and Print Program.

In addition to his work with the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, in 1992 he founded and served as the voluntary, unpaid, executive director of the North Carolina Wildlife Habitat Foundation. That foundation has raised over $15 million to help buy land for wildlife, fund projects and studies, and to maintain over 2,000 acres of conservation easements.

The NC Wildlife Resources Commission back in 2013 listed all the awards Bridges won for his conservation work.

The Thomas L. Quay Wildlife Diversity Award is the latest in a long line of prestigious awards given to Bridges over the years. These include the Chevron Conservation Award in 1989;the Sol Feinstone Environmental Award in 1991; the N.C. Wildlife Federation’s Governor’s Award of Excellence in 1993 as the North Carolina Conservationist of the Year; the National Budweiser Conservationist of the year; the Wildlife Federation’s Hall of Fame in 2004; Field & Stream magazine’s Conservation Hero of the Year in 2012; and most recently, the Governor’s Order of the Long Leaf Pine in 2013.

On winning the Field & Stream Conservation Hero of the Year Award, he said this to the Greensboro Daily News.

“It’s also crucial to keep kids interested,” he told Field & Stream in 2012. “I’ve been hunting and fishing since I was 6 years old, and I’m still kind of addicted to it. … I just turned 79, I don’t wear glasses and I don’t need a walker or false teeth, so I think it’s done me some good.”

Bridges estimated he raised over $200 million for wildlife, conservation, and his alma mater Elon University where he played baseball and football. On raising the money for conservation, he said:

“It’s about the thousands of people who are members of my foundation and other interested folk who have embraced my cause,” Bridges told the News & Record’s Jeff Mills in 2019. “It’s about the 1 million men, women and children who hunt and fish in North Carolina, people who have generated $2.3 billion a year for our state’s economy. No other sport has done that.”

A long-time resident of Greensboro, Bridges was 87.

Jeff Quinn – Obituaries

As most people know by now, Jeff Quinn of GunBlast.com passed away on Monday. His down-home – and honest – reviews of firearms were in distinct contrast to the type of reviews you often got in the gun mags.

Here is a round-up of obituaries.

From the funeral home:

Mr. Jeffrey Wayne Quinn, age 61 of Dover, TN passed away, Monday, July 27, 2020 at St. Thomas Hospital West. He was born January 16, 1959 in Erin, TN, son of James P. and Lorene Kent Quinn. Jeff was the editor of Gun Blast website.

Jeff is preceded in death by his father James P. Quinn. He is survived by his beloved wife, Souette Lee Jerles Quinn, his daughter, Rebecca Quinn-Giles, Clarksville, TN, mother, Lorene Quinn, Dover, TN, grandchildren, Abby and Ethan Giles, son-in-law, Sebastian Giles, brothers, James Lee Quinn, Erin, TN, Anthony Quinn, Four Oaks, NC, and Greg Quinn, Nashville, TN.

A graveside service will be held at 8:30 am on Saturday, August 1, 2020 at Stewart County Memorial Gardens and a celebration of life will follow at the Carlisle Missionary Baptist Church.

Arrangements are entrusted to Anglin Funeral Home, Dover, TN.

From Kat Ainsworth at TTAG which includes a number of comments from people who knew and worked with Jeff:

He was one of those rare men everyone liked. Whether it was his somewhat twisted sense of humor or his country-boy-turned-biker-turned-gun-reviewer charm, you liked him. He was readily identifiable by the twin braids in his beard; if you ever saw him attempting to cross the floor at NRAAM you know he was constantly swarmed by fans of his work in the gun world.

And when I say we are diminished by his passing, I am not spouting platitudes. We are diminished. The gun industry is lessened by his death. The day of this writing – July 27, 2020 at approximately noon central – we lost Jeff Quinn of GunBlast.com.

Jeff’s passing does not come as a surprise. He’d been fighting kidney failure for years, searched for a donor, gone through dialysis, and suffered complications to his heart and other organs. But somehow, every time we heard he was in the hospital and we expected the worst, he prevailed.

From Jim Shepherd of the Outdoor Wires:

Jeff Quinn passed today.”

Those three words on Monday rattled me more than any news I’ve gotten in quite a while. Jeff and I had been to a number of gun writer-type events together over the past few years, but it was the time with him away from the “events” that endeared him to me.

He was self-deprecating, unapologetic about his faith, fiercely loyal to his friends, and dedicated to his family.

He also managed to be one of the funniest, and most authoritative voices in the firearms news business. His Gunblast features combined genuine information with authentic entertainment.. sometimes intentional.

And, finally, from his brother and collaborator in GunBlast.com, Boge Quinn, the most heartfelt obituary.

Jeff Quinn, RIP

Jeff Quinn of GunBlast.com passed away today according to multiple reports. I don’t know the circumstances yet but will update this later. He had health issues in recent years including diabetes.

Jeff knew his guns and did excellent reviews of them on his GunBlast.com. I featured his reports from the SHOT Show many a time as they were great.

From GunBlast.com

He will be missed.

Joe Tartaro, Obituary

Below is the obituary for Joe Tartaro posted on the funeral home’s website. There is nothing yet on his local Buffalo, NY newspaper.

From Amigone Funeral Home:

TARTARO – JOSEPH P.

June 13, 2020, age 89. Beloved husband of 63 years to the late Patricia B. (nee Burke) Tartaro; loving father of Mark J. (Dolores) Tartaro, Patricia M. “Peggy” Tartaro and Bridget F. (Laura Gorman) Tartaro; cherished grandfather of Marc (Anne), Deanna (Mike) and Joseph M.; adored great-grandfather of Kyle, Kiki and Hailey; caring brother of the late Vincent, Salvatore (late Ann), Pierina and Zena Tartaro; also survived by nieces and nephews. Joseph was a former Ad Executive for Tartaro Advertising and Former President and Editor of the Second Amendment Foundation. Arrangements by the AMIGONE FUNERAL HOME, INC. Services will be held privately and at the convenience of the family. Donations in his name may be made to the Second Amendment Foundation (saf.org) or The Buffalo and Erie County Library. Please share memories and condolences with the family at www.AMIGONE.com.

Bob’s Obituary

Bob Owens’ obituary has been published. Over and above his friends in the gun culture, he leaves behind a wife, two daughters, and his parents. In other words, he left behind a lot of folks who loved him.

Fuquay-Varina – Robert “Bob” Eugene Owens, 46, passed away on Monday, May 8, 2017. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

Bob is survived by his wife of 18 years, Christine Zamzow Owens; daughters, Maya Owens and Kate Owens of the home; parents, Eugene Alan and Nancy Barbee Owens of Greenville, NC; brothers, Richard Glenn Owens and wife, Farrah of Winterville, NC and Sean Christopher Owens and wife, Laura of Winterville, NC; father-in-law, Carl Zamzow, III and wife, Regina of Fuquay-Varina, NC; brother-in-law, Carl Zamzow, IV and wife, Kelly of Cary, NC; sister-in-law, Anitra DeRosa and husband, Scott of Fuquay-Varina, NC; eight nieces and nephews.

The Bob Owens Family and College Fund has been set up on GoFundMe. It has raised a little over $27,000 in the last two days. The goal is an ambitious $250,000 and it is going to take a lot more donations to hit the goal. I have donated. If you liked and respected Bob’s work. I’d encourage you to do the same.