Just go a call from a dealer friend of mine in Calf. and told me that Don Criswell passed. Don was a great guy and was very kind to me. He was a Winchester 21 specialist. One of the old guards in the trade. He was 90.
John Boyd
The ranks are getting thin. Only had one experience and he was great.
I met Don at BBB in So Cal about 15 years ago.
He helped me with one of my first 21's. He was the real deal.
Always enjoyed getting his sales booklets every quarter or so. Long time ago now. Good man of the trade.
JR
I hate to hear this. I had many good conversations and dealings with Don. He was a good man.
Godspeed. I miss the days of experts in the field, who earned their keep with a big dealer, or, were big dealers.
Best,
Ted
the same that wrote the guides to confederate currency and bonds?
Just go a call from a dealer friend of mine in Calf. and told me that Don Criswell passed. Don was a great guy and was very kind to me. He was a Winchester 21 specialist. One of the old guards in the trade. He was 90.
John Boyd
I met Don a number of times at the Las Vegas January gun show back in the 70's and 80's. We both loved 21's and we always had a good chat.
Fond memories.
Always enjoyed getting his sales booklets every quarter or so. Long time ago now. Good man of the trade.
JR
I remember those as well. He always had quite an inventory of 21s. More sad news.
A really nice man and excellent dealer. Met him in Vegas many years ago and bought my first Parker from him—a DH 12 on a 1 frame. He patiently let me fondle and examine it for several hours without any complaint. I liked him and we would visit in the years following. As said above, the ranks are thinning rapidly.
tho I've not seen him in years I had several dealings with Don beginning in the mid-90's. Easily one of the best dealer people I've had the opportunity to interact with.
RIP, Don.
Yup, I thought Don had been gone for many years. I guess I was mistaken. For those out of the loop, Steve Barnett is gone too. The rest of us will be gone, one at a time. The last to go will have to store all of the double guns left. The last guy will have to shoot a lot to wear the guns out. I still have a binder full of Criswell catalogs. They are a great reference for Model 21s.
Didn’t know Steve had passed!
Same for Don.
Both great gun guys and reputable to a fault.
Saw a 12 gauge Darne R15 on Steve’s website, by the time I got to Steve it was gone. Later I noticed on his site again. Asked what happened? He told me guy said it was 1&1/2 “ off center and returned the Darne, I purchased it, no problems.
Don and I had conversations that I enjoyed and was the distributer for Ned’s M21 book. I have one of the boxed signed copies.
R.I.P. for both guys.
-Richard