doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Worst News - Michael Petrov

I think when a person passes that the most they can hope for is that sometime after they pass, in the present or future, that someone will at least remember them and think of them...the remarks, in this thread, are full filling that hope and are a tribute to Michael and the person he was.

Michael, in his work and research, honored all those wonderful riflesmiths that passed before him, that Michael and we cherish so much. If there is an after, then he is now talking to them in person.

I am really saddened to hear of Michael's passing. I'm struggling to write something meaningful as his passing is a shock. I knew Michael was very sick, but convinced myself that "months" somehow really meant "years".

Michael and I never met in person, but we spent a lot of time on the phone and traded many emails over the years. I often hunt with a Schaefer & Son SxS that Michael once owned and hunted. I am really glad a have that reminder of Michael. I hadn't thought about that gun in quite that way before. I like thinking there is a connection to a friend.

Michael didn't know me from Adam when I first wrote to him years ago. He took the time to write a detailed response and included photos of catalog information. I was blown away with both the depth of his knowledge as well as how open he was about what he didn't really know. There was a humility in his response that really struck me.

I will really miss talking to Michael. Rest in Peace.

I imagine that, for a lot of us, it is hard to find words to say what we feel. I am going to try. The phrase "gentleman and a scholar" certainly describes Michael. It was a pleasure to have corresponded with him. Right after Christmas, he sent me a copy
of his latest book as a way of saying thanks for helping him find some rifles over the years. He didn't have to do that, but he did.
I asked him to autograph it to my now 11 month old son, which he did. On a whim, at the beginning of this month, I sent him a link to a video of my son playing with our golden retriever. Michael wrote:

"Fred,

That's so cool, ever kid should grow up with a dog.
Regards,

Michael"

When my son is old enough, I will give him the book, I will tell him about Michael and let him read the e-mails.

I'd like to think that right now he is the company of all the great gunsmiths that he wrote about, and that he got to meet
S-Man and was right about his identity. And Whitey is there too, smile.

I'm sad too. He certainly had a deep love for fine arms and for others who shared a kindred spirit as evidenced by his deep generosity with and his willingness to pass on his vast knowledge. I'm sorry I didn't get to meet this man who now seems almost larger than life.

MP and I have had discussions about the passing on of research material and the fate of the Rifled Arms Historical Association. I remember his frustration about this subject, which parallels my frustration. We can only hope that "Volume 3" of Michael's book is published with whatever he has completed to date.

I don't spend much time on this forum any longer and just saw this post. What a tremendous loss to those who read MP's posts on various forums.

I had the pleasure of meeting Michael in Las Vegas a few years ago where he brought me an item that went with a rifle I had purchased. I never expected to meet a roughneck!

RIP Michael