A Memorial To Steven A. Camp
Oct 19, 2017 15:02:28 GMT -5
Mister Coffee, gt40doc, and 6 more like this
Post by jaypee on Oct 19, 2017 15:02:28 GMT -5
We are most pleased to dedicate a special section of this forum to the contributions and accomplishments of one of the most respected voices in American pistolcraft of the past thirty years, the late Mister Steven A. Camp.
Stephen A. Camp
Steve Camp lived from 1951 until 2011. In his 59 years, he brought the shooting community a wonderful body of thoroughly interesting, professionally researched and composed literature about his favorite subject, the pistol - and everything about it. Concentrating mainly on defensive pistols, especially the Browning High Power, he evaluated and reported on a wide variety of pistol related subjects ranging from their technical specifications to the belt gear they were carried in. As a matter of fact, there are more than 115 such articles in just one section of his website, “High Powers and Handguns,” and there are another 61 such articles in the “Browning High Power” section of the same website. Then there are his books and guides, plus a vast volume of internet posts that attest to his legendary love of pistols and his expertise with them. His contribution to the body of pistol literature in the United States cannot be overstated. His voice has been a very important one and remains so today.
While Steve is known for his passion for pistols and writing about them, he was more than just a writer. He was a well-educated man, having obtained a college education as a Physics major at the University of North Texas in Denton. He was a career police officer and supervisor, having spent 25 years with the Denton Police Department, retiring in the rank of Sergeant. During that time, he was certified as a master police officer and police firearms instructor. He was also a devotee of the Department’s Tactical Unit. Being one of its original members, he found himself in on the ground floor of helping to design the unit, and then went on to spend eleven years as one of its members and team leaders. He had a keen understanding of the administrative and legal aspects of tactical training and operations, and was actively involved in writing the Department’s policies and procedures that pertained to them. He was a Life Member of the National Rifle Association and a tireless supporter of Second Amendment rights. He was a distinguished member of the Board of Directors of the Texas State Rifle Association, where he was known for his hard work and devotion to the enactment of the state’s Concealed Handgun License laws. After those laws were passed he attended the state’s first CHL Instructor Course and went on to instruct the CHL licensing course for his fellow Texans many times. He was also a longtime pistol competitor in PPC and IPSC competition.
It would be difficult to pay Steve Camp a compliment that hasn’t already been paid many times over. He was a very popular and dedicated man who did his work with integrity and humility. He was very principled in life and maintained high standards of conduct for himself and those he influenced. Those who knew him personally have referred to him as a Southern gentleman, and the respectfulness associated with that title came through loud and clear in his associations with others. It can also be said of him that his writings were characterized by an honest regard for his readers, and that endeared him to all of us who follow his work. In his lifetime, Steve founded, administered, moderated, and contributed to a great number of internet gun discussion forums. And whenever his name appeared on those forums, polite dialogue and gentlemanly conduct soon became the order of the day. Those of us who were Moderators in discussion forums he supervised were told that the best kind of moderation was the least amount of moderation, and that moderators were always to show gentlemanly deference to the members of the forum. Stephen Camp was a fine man who placed a premium on dignity and character. It showed in everything he did.
Most people equate Stephen A. Camp with the Browning High Power because of the great number of articles he wrote about them. But he had other favorites too - not to the extent of the High Power, but favorites nonetheless. He became a police officer back in the revolver days of 1973, and, like many of his peers at the time, quickly developed a preference for the Smith and Wesson Model 10 .38 Special revolver with a four-inch heavy barrel. He once wrote that he was drawn to them as a moth to a flame. As a matter of fact, he also wrote that the Model 10 and his beloved High Power shared equal billing in the pointing department, at least in his hand. And like so many veteran policemen of his era, he held the double action revolver in high esteem for the rest of his life, releasing the 138 page “The Shooter’s Guide to the Airweight J-Frame” in 2010.
Sergeant Stephan A. Camp, Denton, Texas, Police Department
Another favorite was soon to follow. Early in his police career Steve began to compete in IPSC matches and was soon introduced to John Browning’s M1911 pistol. Although he was already greatly enamored with the Hi Power, he quickly caught “the fever for any and all things 1911-ish,” and spent several years with the “forty five automatic” at the center of his attention. “Soon, I would cough up the dough for some customized ones. After all, serious shooters should own at least one customized “forty-five automatic”, shouldn’t they?” he would later write. His affection for the 1911 also continued for the rest of his life. He thought so much of the pistol he produced the 164 page “The Shooter’s Guide to the 1911 Pattern Pistol” in 2004.
And then there was Steve’s all-time favorite of favorites, the Browning High Power. His writings say that his first encounter with the pistol happened “just before the 70’s got here” when he was introduced to a T Series High Power with fixed sights. That experience struck such a chord with him that the High Power would remain his favorite pistol for the rest of his life. The first Hi Power he owned, which he named “Number 1,” was a 1971 commercial model with adjustable sights and walnut stocks that he bought two years after his experience with the T Series pistol. He went on to say that he had already been “thoroughly infected with the Browning Hi Power….” at the time he bought his first service revolver, in 1973. So, it seems likely that “Number 1” probably came into his stable of pistols in 1971, where it remains today. He was to use and write about his High Power pistols for the remaining 40 years of his life.
Steve owned a number of both factory stock and expensively customized High Power pistols over the years, and not one of them could lay claim to being a “safe queen.” He shot them and he shot them a lot. He shot them in IPSC competition and he carried them in harm’s way as a police sidearm, both on and off duty. His inquisitive nature and education in physics led him to learn the most minute details about their design and construction, and to test their capabilities in every way a shooter was likely to use them, and with every type of ammunition that could be obtained or loaded. And the most beautiful part is that he passed his findings on to the entire shooting community by way of well-illustrated, professionally written guides and books, not to mention thousands of informative gun forum comments about the High Power. In 2003, he produced the “Hi Power Disassembly Guide,” and “Defensive Handguns,” as well as “The Shooter’s Guide to the Browning Hi Power,” which he revised and expanded in 2011. The revised edition of the Guide is 188 pages long, and contains 142 photographs and 12 tables – just a sample of the treasure of information he left behind. His work with the High Power as a practical pistol is without peer.
Steve Camp passed away of natural causes on May 27, 2011. His passing was a terrible blow to the shooting community he had served so well, and was felt by many, many people. His beloved wife Sandra produced a legacy notebook for Steve’s friends containing all of the condolences and well wishes she had received from internet forum members - it was 240 pages long!
At his funeral, Steve Camp stories filled the air. Perhaps the most heartwarming tribute came from a longtime friend and dispatcher with the Denton Police Department, Ms. Ida Bonaparte. Ms. Bonaparte spun a yarn about Steve’s arrival at the Pearly Gates. As the story goes, when he arrived, Saint Peter went to God and informed him that Sergeant Camp had arrived. God said that he had been expecting him, he was on the list, and to let him in. An angel replied: “You don’t understand. He says if he can’t bring his gun in, he isn’t coming!”
We are more than pleased to remember such a man.
JayPee, October 19, 2017
Note: This memorial is a result of collaboration over a period of months between JayPee, Mrs. Camp, and a number of Steve's closest friends and associates. Some of the information presented here is from Steve's last writings - that were never published - and from a series of internet gun forum posts sent to Mrs. Camp that numbered over 240 pages, also never published. We are most grateful to Sandy Camp for her part in helping us make sure that Steve''s work remains a large and distinguished part of the legacy of the Browning Hi Power, and of American pistolcraft in general. JP
Stephen A. Camp
Steve Camp lived from 1951 until 2011. In his 59 years, he brought the shooting community a wonderful body of thoroughly interesting, professionally researched and composed literature about his favorite subject, the pistol - and everything about it. Concentrating mainly on defensive pistols, especially the Browning High Power, he evaluated and reported on a wide variety of pistol related subjects ranging from their technical specifications to the belt gear they were carried in. As a matter of fact, there are more than 115 such articles in just one section of his website, “High Powers and Handguns,” and there are another 61 such articles in the “Browning High Power” section of the same website. Then there are his books and guides, plus a vast volume of internet posts that attest to his legendary love of pistols and his expertise with them. His contribution to the body of pistol literature in the United States cannot be overstated. His voice has been a very important one and remains so today.
While Steve is known for his passion for pistols and writing about them, he was more than just a writer. He was a well-educated man, having obtained a college education as a Physics major at the University of North Texas in Denton. He was a career police officer and supervisor, having spent 25 years with the Denton Police Department, retiring in the rank of Sergeant. During that time, he was certified as a master police officer and police firearms instructor. He was also a devotee of the Department’s Tactical Unit. Being one of its original members, he found himself in on the ground floor of helping to design the unit, and then went on to spend eleven years as one of its members and team leaders. He had a keen understanding of the administrative and legal aspects of tactical training and operations, and was actively involved in writing the Department’s policies and procedures that pertained to them. He was a Life Member of the National Rifle Association and a tireless supporter of Second Amendment rights. He was a distinguished member of the Board of Directors of the Texas State Rifle Association, where he was known for his hard work and devotion to the enactment of the state’s Concealed Handgun License laws. After those laws were passed he attended the state’s first CHL Instructor Course and went on to instruct the CHL licensing course for his fellow Texans many times. He was also a longtime pistol competitor in PPC and IPSC competition.
It would be difficult to pay Steve Camp a compliment that hasn’t already been paid many times over. He was a very popular and dedicated man who did his work with integrity and humility. He was very principled in life and maintained high standards of conduct for himself and those he influenced. Those who knew him personally have referred to him as a Southern gentleman, and the respectfulness associated with that title came through loud and clear in his associations with others. It can also be said of him that his writings were characterized by an honest regard for his readers, and that endeared him to all of us who follow his work. In his lifetime, Steve founded, administered, moderated, and contributed to a great number of internet gun discussion forums. And whenever his name appeared on those forums, polite dialogue and gentlemanly conduct soon became the order of the day. Those of us who were Moderators in discussion forums he supervised were told that the best kind of moderation was the least amount of moderation, and that moderators were always to show gentlemanly deference to the members of the forum. Stephen Camp was a fine man who placed a premium on dignity and character. It showed in everything he did.
Most people equate Stephen A. Camp with the Browning High Power because of the great number of articles he wrote about them. But he had other favorites too - not to the extent of the High Power, but favorites nonetheless. He became a police officer back in the revolver days of 1973, and, like many of his peers at the time, quickly developed a preference for the Smith and Wesson Model 10 .38 Special revolver with a four-inch heavy barrel. He once wrote that he was drawn to them as a moth to a flame. As a matter of fact, he also wrote that the Model 10 and his beloved High Power shared equal billing in the pointing department, at least in his hand. And like so many veteran policemen of his era, he held the double action revolver in high esteem for the rest of his life, releasing the 138 page “The Shooter’s Guide to the Airweight J-Frame” in 2010.
Sergeant Stephan A. Camp, Denton, Texas, Police Department
Another favorite was soon to follow. Early in his police career Steve began to compete in IPSC matches and was soon introduced to John Browning’s M1911 pistol. Although he was already greatly enamored with the Hi Power, he quickly caught “the fever for any and all things 1911-ish,” and spent several years with the “forty five automatic” at the center of his attention. “Soon, I would cough up the dough for some customized ones. After all, serious shooters should own at least one customized “forty-five automatic”, shouldn’t they?” he would later write. His affection for the 1911 also continued for the rest of his life. He thought so much of the pistol he produced the 164 page “The Shooter’s Guide to the 1911 Pattern Pistol” in 2004.
And then there was Steve’s all-time favorite of favorites, the Browning High Power. His writings say that his first encounter with the pistol happened “just before the 70’s got here” when he was introduced to a T Series High Power with fixed sights. That experience struck such a chord with him that the High Power would remain his favorite pistol for the rest of his life. The first Hi Power he owned, which he named “Number 1,” was a 1971 commercial model with adjustable sights and walnut stocks that he bought two years after his experience with the T Series pistol. He went on to say that he had already been “thoroughly infected with the Browning Hi Power….” at the time he bought his first service revolver, in 1973. So, it seems likely that “Number 1” probably came into his stable of pistols in 1971, where it remains today. He was to use and write about his High Power pistols for the remaining 40 years of his life.
Steve owned a number of both factory stock and expensively customized High Power pistols over the years, and not one of them could lay claim to being a “safe queen.” He shot them and he shot them a lot. He shot them in IPSC competition and he carried them in harm’s way as a police sidearm, both on and off duty. His inquisitive nature and education in physics led him to learn the most minute details about their design and construction, and to test their capabilities in every way a shooter was likely to use them, and with every type of ammunition that could be obtained or loaded. And the most beautiful part is that he passed his findings on to the entire shooting community by way of well-illustrated, professionally written guides and books, not to mention thousands of informative gun forum comments about the High Power. In 2003, he produced the “Hi Power Disassembly Guide,” and “Defensive Handguns,” as well as “The Shooter’s Guide to the Browning Hi Power,” which he revised and expanded in 2011. The revised edition of the Guide is 188 pages long, and contains 142 photographs and 12 tables – just a sample of the treasure of information he left behind. His work with the High Power as a practical pistol is without peer.
Steve Camp passed away of natural causes on May 27, 2011. His passing was a terrible blow to the shooting community he had served so well, and was felt by many, many people. His beloved wife Sandra produced a legacy notebook for Steve’s friends containing all of the condolences and well wishes she had received from internet forum members - it was 240 pages long!
At his funeral, Steve Camp stories filled the air. Perhaps the most heartwarming tribute came from a longtime friend and dispatcher with the Denton Police Department, Ms. Ida Bonaparte. Ms. Bonaparte spun a yarn about Steve’s arrival at the Pearly Gates. As the story goes, when he arrived, Saint Peter went to God and informed him that Sergeant Camp had arrived. God said that he had been expecting him, he was on the list, and to let him in. An angel replied: “You don’t understand. He says if he can’t bring his gun in, he isn’t coming!”
We are more than pleased to remember such a man.
JayPee, October 19, 2017
Note: This memorial is a result of collaboration over a period of months between JayPee, Mrs. Camp, and a number of Steve's closest friends and associates. Some of the information presented here is from Steve's last writings - that were never published - and from a series of internet gun forum posts sent to Mrs. Camp that numbered over 240 pages, also never published. We are most grateful to Sandy Camp for her part in helping us make sure that Steve''s work remains a large and distinguished part of the legacy of the Browning Hi Power, and of American pistolcraft in general. JP