The Grim Reaper has been having a field day lately with my fellow gun writers and doing his damnedest to turn this blog into an obituary column. We learned this week of the death of Wiley Clapp.
I knew the man and liked him, and greatly respected his work. He experienced intense combat in Vietnam and always led his Marines through their fights with minimum casualties. When he returned to the United States he became a deputy sheriff in Orange County, California, dealing with the worst members of his own society.
Well respected by gun manufacturers, he was one of the most influential in the industry. He thought the hammerless Smith & Wesson Centennial of 1952 was the best and most useful of small-frame .38s, hated that it was discontinued for lack of sales in 1974, and led the charge of consumers that convinced S&W to bring it back circa 1990. It’s now the most popular revolver in S&W’s lineup. Colt made Wiley Clapp signature models custom built for the public to his specifications, like the one he’s pictured with here courtesy of NRA, and Ruger did likewise with Wiley Clapp signature model revolvers.
He was a big, affable bear of a man, with hands powerful enough to manage the savage recoil of full power 180 grain Magnum loads in the little eleven-ounce S&W Centennial .357 he carried daily. I’ve shot with him: he was a helluva good shot.
His gun writing career spanned Gun World magazine, Guns & Ammo, and for the last several years NRA’s Shooting Illustrated magazine where he wrote a column called “Fighting Iron.”
Wiley Clapp was a man of integrity. Some years ago, he made a very long drive to a fancy shooting school that was getting a lot of press for teaching self-defense shooting. On arrival he was told he couldn’t bring his own firearms into the facility, but not to worry, they’d issue him one each morning and take it back at the end of each day of shooting. Wiley told them in so many words to stuff it, and turned his truck around and drove home.
That school didn’t last. Wiley Clapp damn sure DID last.Condolences to his widow, relatives, and many friends. Wiley fought for his country and fought crime for his fellow citizens, and finished his career teaching those citizens how to protect themselves. May he rest in turn in well-earned peace.
I knew the man only through his written words – those words spoke volumes about his knowledge, experience and values. The knowledge was vast, and I always appreciated his sharing that with all of us.
We are diminished …
“Semper fidelis“ Wiley Clapp.
With respect Mas, the link to the picture “courtesy the NRA” in the 3rd paragraph is non-functional.
I never met the man, but followed his writings over the decades. He…like Cooper, Skelton, Jordan, Nonte, Marshall, Askins and you sir and so many other knowledgeable men formed my early understanding of weapon craft. It served me.
RIP Mr. Clapp
Read Mr Clapp for many years, and own his designed GP-100 and Colt Commander.
Saddened to see all us old timers past.
Rip Mr Clapp
Damn, another iconic gun writer from my teenage years has left us. R.I.P. and God bless, Wiley, Semper Fidelis and OORAH. 🇺🇸🙏🫡🪖🎖️🚨🚔👮♂️ ‘Til Valhalla.
Oh no! Thanks for letting us know
I learned a lot through his writings, as I have yours, over my 49 years. He will be missed. He was a very wise man and knew how to put things things into very common sense terms.
I’ve found the saddest part to being older, 69 now, is that all of my mentors are gone. I’d never met Mr. Clapp, but like many of us I’ve read his words for decades. The world is a lesser place, but then all you’ve got to do is look at the news to see that.
Rest in peace sir, Lord knows you’ve earned it.
Growing up I read everything I could find that he wrote, especially on testing target pistols and revolvers. He knew how to properly use a Ransom Rest and document the various loads and how they performed at both 25 and 50 yards, the distances we bullseye shooters are concerned about. Whenever one of the legends like Wiley Clapp passes, we are diminished as if the library had burned. My condolences to his family and friends and thanks to Mr. Clapp for his service to our nation as a Marine and to us as a shooting master.
That didn’t work, so:
(Taps)