Jack Behn

[d findley]

Watch for an article on Ruger employee, the late Jack Behn in the Fall Digest.

[Doc4429]

I met Jack for the only time at the annual meeting of the NRA in Kansas City in 2001. Bob Radaker, Jim Beck, and I were representing the S&W Collectors Association with a display of 44 Magnums. Jack came over and told me a very interesting story. He was good friends with C. Gerard Peterson, Manager of Product Services for Remington, who did the development work in collaboration with Smith & Wesson on the 44 Magnum cartridge. In September of 1955, S&W sent a prototype 44 Magnum with serial number S121839 to Mr. Peterson to complete the work. After the work was finished, Mr. Peterson gave this important revolver to Mr. Behn. Unfortunately, it, along with quite a few other guns were stolen from Mr. Behn's residence in August 1972. Many of the guns were recovered, but one of the most important 44 Magnums was not, and is lost to history. Mr. Behn sent me a nice personal note with a list of the guns stolen. We corresponded some after that, but we never met again. I know he had many interesting stories to tell and I would have liked to have heard them.

Bill Cross

[Watertender]

Don, anything that you write is well worth reading. Thanks for sharing all of your priceless information with us.