Jack O'Connor

Wanting to refresh my memory I went online and quickly found the
Jack O'Connor Hunting Heritage & Education Center. The emotions
felt as I read and viewed images not seen since my youth surprised me.


I contacted the O'Connor Center and was graciously given permission to use this copyrighted image of my hero.

Board Member Mr. "Buck" Buckner, who knew O'Connor, says this image was thought to have be made in the mid 1960's.

It's worth a visit to the website, if only to see his famous Al Biesen stocked Model 70 Winchester.

Many young people have never seen such a fine example of what a hunting rifle should be.

Jack O'Connor was a great fan of this rifle and the .270 cartridge. He surly helped the Winchester sales, and the .270 is one of the most popular rifle calibers.

I continue to believe the Model 70 is difficult to beat, and that no cartridge is greatly superior to the .270 for most North American big game.

I was fortunate to be a young boy when heroes such as John Wayne, Roy Rogers, Gene Autry… filled a young mans head with excitement and adventure.

These were great days for the gun business. I was somewhat interested in Mr. High Velocity and Bling: Roy Weatherby. I liked Bill Ruger's new guns. The great bow-hunter Fred Bear was exciting, but I was a gun hunter. They all influenced me in one way or another.

I couldn't get enough when reading about guns. I even read Elmer Keith an extreme big caliber fan. I didn't much care for what he said or how he said it. He was sometimes critical of O'Connor; I thought envious.

Jack O'Connor, his adventures seemed real; less Hollywood. He felt comfortable; I trusted him. Somewhat like sitting on my granddads lap while he told of his hunting adventures.

His writing made sense, it was reasonable; he chose a gun based on what he was hunting and where. He taught that enough bullet, in the right place, was better than tons of sloppy power.

Even a kid could understand the honest quality in his writing. I now realize that no celebrity had as much influence on me as his writing did. I read many other outdoor articles... but I couldn't wait to get a new issue of Outdoor Life Magazine.

His down-to-earth style was entertaining and flowed easily into ones mind. I was almost unaware of the sometimes technical nature of what I was reading. A young boy or an old man could learn while being entertained at the same time.

As an adult I am very aware that this man (and the others) surely had shortcomings. I prefer to keep him on a pedestal of honesty and integrity where few sit. I'm sure many who remember would agree.

The Lost Classics of Jack O'Connor
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