In September 2000 … five years ago this month, English John (John Freeman) came all the way from England to Gunsmoke, TX for his first taste of Cowboy Action Shooting … and enjoyed it thoroughly! 

He came with his wife Shirley and his son Patrick to enjoy a freedom that he had recently lost in his home country. 

During his police service as a Constable in England, he had acquired a small collection of revolvers and pistols and had been an active reloader and marksman.  When he retired after an injury received in the line of duty, the English government declared that he now a “civilian” and that he no longer needed the privilege of owning handguns.  The collection was confiscated and melted.

John was extremely disappointed … in fact, it really pissed him off!  He resolved that he could no longer live in a country that would do this to him after his many years of faithful service.

… and so he got onto the internet and started looking at Texas … a place where he knew that a man could be a man … where he would find people who treasured and exercised the right to keep and bear arms.

He found me through the Tejas Pistolero website and fired off an e-mail asking for more information about Cowboy Action Shooting.  When I called him back he told me that he was firmly committed to moving to Texas and becoming an American citizen.  He wanted to know if I could help him attend a shoot when he came to the States for a first exploratory visit.

I told him to bring himself on to Texas … Don’t worry about guns and bullets … We’ve got plenty that he could use.  I also told him that he needed to have his first taste of CAS at Gunsmoke, TX … you just can’t beat it for the atmosphere and the people.

… well, he came and he had a damn good time!  We could all tell that he would become one of the more colorful personalities on the range.  He vowed to return permanently by next year.

In March of 2002, however, he suffered a fatal heart attack in the midst of his efforts.

Shirley and Patrick continued their quest and, after a long struggle, were successful in moving to Houston.  

To honor John, they asked that we help find a final resting place for him where he would always be able to hear gunfire.