Mike, I agree with your thoughts. It is a problem, but maybe expected, that these big "national" organizations become "home" for employees. Not necessarily employees that have an interest or knowledge in the organization, but just people who have "jobs" to pay for their kids and who go home after work and mow the grass. They do not have the love and interest in the guns lots of us have-- What do you want to know ? I may not know it, but chances are someone reading this site may know something about the subject or someone who does know.
What do I need to know, the list is long and detailed. I’m working on about thirty projects and would not know where to start asking questions. We all have developed contacts with folks who will share or have access to information. Last month I found a reference to an article I needed. The local library could not find a copy so I had my friend in New York City request a copy though the NYC library, he sent me the copy that had good info but the pictures (from microfiche) were pretty bad I’m still looking for a copy of the magazine to buy. The article was from the June, 1918 Outer’s book called ‘The Springfield De Luxe by Russell Mott. A few weeks ago I learned that the serial number of Stewart Edward White’s Wundhammer rifle may be in the August, 1922 Field and Stream. I wrote the first person I thought might have this issue , that would be you. I then ask my friend in Nebraska to look at it at the local library which has it on microfilm, he took a day and went over, the microfilm machine was broken. What I need to do is take a month or more, go to the Library of Congress and read every sporting magazine I don’t have.
I’ve tried to collect indices of the sporting magazines and have several but always seems what I need is not handy. Of course living where I do might have something to do with it. As I said before I have all the American Rifleman (1923-1970), all the “Shooting and Fishing” (1885-1906 weekly) about a hundred issues of “Arms and The Man” , Gun Repot, Arms Gazette, ASSRA journals, Gun Digest and some “Outdoor Life and Outer’s.
I have thought about starting a co-op for researchers via the net were everyone’s holdings are cataloged and can be shared, but it’s hard to get two people to agree on anything.
