Buck Hamlin passed.

[Brian Hornacek]

A great guy who did some outstanding work.

https://www.myleaderpaper.com/obituaries/obituary-for-carlton-buck-hamlin-jr-of-pevely/article_35b94412-7cd0-11ee-abcc-ef030363ad35.html

[Mills Morrison]

Sad news . . .

[Jim DiSpagno]

Sorry to hear that. He did some fine work.

[charlie cleveland]

another great one gone....charlie

[John Davis]

I really hate to hear that. RIP

[Bruce Hering]

Wow.... I hate to hear this. Buck was a great guy. RIP Buck.

[George Davis]

Great guy, excellent gunsmith and a loss to the double gun crew!!!!

He restored several Lefevers of the last 25 years for me and his work was second to no one.

[keavin nelson]

Wonderful gentleman, great gunsmith! Truely a loss to the SxS world!

[Mills Morrison]

On top of being a great gunsmith, I always enjoyed his turkey hunting stories in the LC Smith and Lefever journals. He always had a new gun he fixed up for each season

[Chris Robenalt]

Buck was a true artist, he did it the right way. I've admired his work for years.

Chris, AZ

[Bob Decker]

Buck's passing is a terrible blow to the entire double gun community, with Lefever probably being the most seriously affected. Buck was not only an extraordinarily talented gunsmith, but a repository of knowledge that he was more than willing to share. He will be missed.

[Larry Stauch]

Now that's indeed a blow. He was my go to guy for Foxes, LC Smiths and Lefevers. He's the one that cleaned up that 30" 16 gauge Sterlingworth that I showed in "Other Fine Doubles" amongst several others. I would send him a gun and it would be back in 3-4 weeks. Just a great, hard working, guy.
I have to ask if anyone knows what took him? RIP Buck....:bowdown:

[Mills Morrison]

Apparently cancer took him . . . And so many others

[Joe Graziano]

Very sad to hear. I didn’t meet him in person but enjoyed several conversations by phone. He worked on a few guns for me and did a fine job. He was quite a nice gentleman and he will be missed by many.

[Frank Srebro]

I never met Buck nor had any work done by him but we talked a few years ago when he was looking for some scarce Fox smallbore ejector parts. Of course i knew his name from having seen him mentioned in many posts here and there. We had a long conversation and I quickly learned he was genuinely friendly, unimposing and really knew what he was talking about on Foxes. Very good vibes and it like he was an old friend I hadn't talked with in a while. I sent him one part along with a dimensioned sketch of another one that was my last and I didn't want to part with. He understood and said he'd make that one from scratch. Godspeed to a good man and comfort to his family knowing he's in our Lord's hands.

[Mike Koneski]

Mr. Hamlin was a icon in the double-gun world. We are losing too many skilled craftsmen and way too much knowledge goes with them. Too bad he didn't have some texts written for posterity. I never met Buck but spoke with him a few times over the phone too. He was always gracious in sharing any knowledge he could. A great man and a tremendous loss to us all. Prayers for his family.

[Russell E. Cleary]

“Buck” Hamlin’s survivors might appreciate seeing all of these very positive and even heart-felt remembrances of the man.

I know of instances where a polymath has passed away and family members are oblivious to one particular sphere of influence in which the decedent had been held by many in high regard.

I am not sure if those circumstances apply here, but some members likely do.

[Trevor Rice]

“Buck” Hamlin’s survivors might appreciate seeing all of these very positive and even heart-felt remembrances of the man.

I know of instances where a polymath has passed away and family members are oblivious to one particular sphere of influence in which the decedent had been held by many in high regard.

I am not sure if those circumstances apply here, but some members likely do.

Russell, thank you for your kind words. I am Bucks youngest Grandson. His shop is shut down to the public but I am working on his last gun he started for “next years Turkey season”. Field Grade LC Smith “hammerless”
I’ve been out of his shop for around 15-20 years, I’ve forgotten more than I know.

I really do appreciate everyone’s kindness

[Mills Morrison]

I always enjoyed his turkey hunting stories and the guns he fixed up each year just for the occasion.

[Trevor Rice]

I always enjoyed his turkey hunting stories and the guns he fixed up each year just for the occasion.

My favorite is when he shot the 5 bearded Tom

[Jeff Davis]

Wow I just saw this. What a bummer. I had him restore two LC smiths for me including one really rough 10ga that he did an incredible job on. I also recently acquired a Lefever that was almost certainly restored by him. He’s did great work and was a really nice guy when I spoke to him.

[Larry Stauch]

I think it may be appropriate, and for Trevor's benefit, to post a few pictures of one of my favorite Buck restorations that he did for me. It's not an expensive gun, but it might be a little rare as the only 28" A grade Lefever skeet gun I've seen; all the rest being 26". Very nice work.
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[Stan Hoover]

That is beautiful Larry,

those case colors are as close to original Ithaca colors as I've seen.

Thanks for sharing,
Stan

[Trevor Rice]

I think it may be appropriate, and for Trevor's benefit, to post a few pictures of one of my favorite Buck restorations that he did for me. It's not an expensive gun, but it might be a little rare as the only 28" A grade Lefever skeet gun I've seen; all the rest being 26". Very nice work.
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Thank you for that! The CCH was his own recipe, I know how he did it but don’t know the mixture. He also free hand checkered the stocks on his lap. He did not use a girdle (which to me is even more impressive)

I loaded a photo of one of his Ithaca guns that looks very similar

[Trevor Rice]

I was wondering if anyone could help identify this? Buck said this was a German Gun and the barrels are from a Lefever.

This gun was used to kill the 5 bearded Turkey

[William Eddleman]

I was hit hard by the news of Buck's passing as we had been talking less than 2 months before then. I had Buck work on a large number of guns with large and small projects in the 35-40 years we talked.

I met him at his home in Pevely in early 1980s where I went to pick up one gun he had restored for me. I was from MO in Rolla and was flying back to see my folks so swung down to visit with Buck and pick up the latest project.

We developed I think a good friendly relationship over the next 35 years and miss him terribly because he taught me so much and had a very dry sense of humor I enjoyed. I have not been back into MO for several years and now regret not making another trip to see him as he was a real craftsman and dear friend.

I remember the time he told me his real first name, Carleton. He did not like it at all and told me if I ever called him by that name he would not have anything further to do with me. LOL

I sent a condolence card as soon as I heard, but that is an inadequate way to say good by to someone I spoke to so often over the years and considered a friend. He is missed!

[Jon Weber]

I too am very sorry to see him go. He did work for me a fair number of years ago and he did an exemplary example of his talents. He completely restored a very rare LC Smith Crown Grade 20ga that was a complete basket case. He had it for well over a year and what he did with that shotgun was incredible. I could hardly recognize it when I first saw it again. A true master of his profession.

Rest in Peace, Buck.
Jon in Idaho

[Trevor Rice]

Jon, do you have any photos of the Crown Grade? I’d like to see them

[Jon Weber]

Hi Trevor. Yes, but I'll have to do some searching and then post them.