Dave Higginbotham Dead.

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adirondakjack
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Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by adirondakjack »

Dave Higginbotham, the man behind Lone Star Rifles of Conroe TX, and the world's preeminent Rolling Block expert, was killed Wednesday morning when a rifle he was taking out of a vehicle discharged.

This is a tragic loss of a talented man who I spoke to several times on the phone, and who built "one off" Roller for me a couple of years ago.

He leaves a huge void in the rifle world, and as a fallen "good guy".
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by piller »

May he R.I.P. Too bad that it was an accident of this kind, but accidents are just that, accidents.
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by Blaine »

Dang. I feel bad because although accidents happen, they are avoidable :( RIP
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by Bill in Oregon »

On no!
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by Hobie »

:cry:
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by LeverBob »

Dingdangit, another fine man meets his Maker due to negligence. This drives me crazy. This was not an accident...handle a firearm like you would a rattlesnake.

Not to come across as harsh, but this is pure negligence by familiarity. I liked him too, however, why was the chamber loaded with a cartridge & the gun cocked? How come he let the muzzle of a loaded firearm point directly at him? Dammitall...we can't afford to lose good men like this from such laxness. Safety first!

"Awareness of gun condition & position" was beaten into my iron like forehead by my betters. Muzzle awareness was too. A fine builder & a patriot. This makes me sick.

May G-D give his family comfort in this time of sorrow.

Accident ? Hellfire...no way. This makes me rip-roaring mad.

LB
Last edited by LeverBob on Thu Dec 15, 2011 6:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by adirondakjack »

LeverBob wrote:Dingdangit, another fine man meets his Maker due to negligence. This drives me crazy. This was not an accident...handle a firearm like you would a rattlesnake.

Not to come across as harsh, but this is pure negligence by familiarity. I liked him too, however, why was the chamber loaded with a cartridge & the gun cocked? How come he let the muzzle of a loaded firearm point directly at him? Dammitall...we can't afford to lose good men like this from such laxness. Safety first!

"Awareness of gun condition & position" was beaten into my iron like forehead by my betters. Muzzle awareness was too. A fine builder & a patriot. This makes me sick.

May G-D give his family comfort in this time of sorrow.

Accident ? Hellfire...no way. this makes me rip-roaring mad.

LB
Shoulda, coulda all ya want, unless yer suggesting suicide, the man goofed and got killed. It makes no difference if it was a gun mistake, airplane mistake or a car mistake, sometimes mistakes take a deadly toll. I'm sure I'm not alone when I tell ya I had an AD here in the shop a couple of years ago. Handle guns long enough, you likely will have "brain spasm" and goof with one too. Yes be careful and yes understand there is ALWAYS risk involved with deadly machinery and tools.
Last edited by adirondakjack on Thu Dec 15, 2011 6:42 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by iceman »

I lost my grandfather and a cousin to "huntig accidents". Both were avoidable but they happened. sound like we lost another great man to a silly error. Prayers for him and his family.
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by 6pt-sika »

I enjoyed talking with him several times on the phone !

My next door neighbor has 3 or 4 rollers he had Dave rebarrel for him . Also one has the side lever on it .

Rest in peace Dave !
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by LeverBob »

adirondakjack wrote:
LeverBob wrote:Dingdangit, another fine man meets his Maker due to negligence. This drives me crazy. This was not an accident...handle a firearm like you would a rattlesnake.

Not to come across as harsh, but this is pure negligence by familiarity. I liked him too, however, why was the chamber loaded with a cartridge & the gun cocked? How come he let the muzzle of a loaded firearm point directly at him? Dammitall...we can't afford to lose good men like this from such laxness. Safety first!

"Awareness of gun condition & position" was beaten into my iron like forehead by my betters. Muzzle awareness was too. A fine builder & a patriot. This makes me sick.

May G-D give his family comfort in this time of sorrow.

Accident ? Hellfire...no way. this makes me rip-roaring mad.

LB
Shoulda, coulda all ya want, unless yer suggesting suicide, the man goofed and got killed. It makes no difference if it was a gun mistake, airplane mistake or a car mistake, sometimes mistakes take a deadly toll. I'm sure I'm not alone when I tell ya I had an AD here in the shop a couple of years ago. Handle guns long enough, you likely will have "brain spasm" and goof with one too. Yes be careful and yes understand there is ALWAYS risk involved with deadly machinery and tools.
Thank you for your comment, however, I will keep my own counsil. I know what works for me through bitter experience, so...you keep yours.

LB
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by Buck Elliott »

So sorry to hear of his passing.. Prayers and condolences for his friends and family. May he Rest In Peace..

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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by Griff »

Buck Elliott wrote:So sorry to hear of his passing.. Prayers and condolences for his friends and family. May he Rest In Peace..
There are always lessons to be learned, by all of us...
Wow! What a shock. Such a nice guy.
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by KWK »

In the e-mail I received, it's not stated if it was his gun or his vehicle.

He was certainly patient with me. I visited his shop over 11 years ago, but it wasn't until this year I had him build me a .30-40 sporter. Many e-mails and phone calls came between. He will be missed.

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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by adirondakjack »

KWK wrote:In the e-mail I received, it's not stated if it was his gun or his vehicle.

He was certainly patient with me. I visited his shop over 11 years ago, but it wasn't until this year I had him build me a .30-40 sporter. Many e-mails and phone calls came between. He will be missed.

Karl
Dave was one of a kind.

Lemme post this here, (I posted it on the SASS Wire as well)

To those who didn't know Dave, a story illustrates his humility and humor. When I first bought my .50-70 roller, I searched online for data and advice, stumbling upon Dave's website, which among other things had a reprint of a magazine article he had written about the .50-70.

So never having dealt with him, I emailed Dave, asking his advice on a load for the 130 year old gun. In my email, I said something to the effect of "They say you know everything there is to know about the .50-70 roller..."

In his reply, Dave quoted me and said, "I would say they are half right. I know exactly half as much as they say I do, which can be boiled down to just this. Every competition I placed in and every 'buff shot was done with (XX) grains drop tubed Swiss 1 1/2, a .030 Walters wad, bullets cast from #2 alloy, and 1/16" compression. These will give you consistency. The rest is up to you."

Now of course I couldn't have known it then, but I'd talk to dave many times after that. When he fixed my NYS roller, I sent a note asking him to tell me what it was going to cost to repair once he got inside it. A week or so later my phone rang and it was Dave. "Got yer rifle fixed and shipped it out this morning."

A little unnerved, I asked "Geez, how much do I owe ya?"
Dave sensed my unease and replied in his typical form, "Oh (heck) just sign over yer first born", then with a chuckle he told me the total, which was about half what I had anticipated. That was who Dave was. He fixed my gun using the ONLY part he had for one (nobody else had that part) and charged half the expected rate, then sent the gun back before even asking for payment. He was a "good ole boy" in the very best sense of the word.

__________________________________________________________________

This was n experience, where a world renowned builder took care of me like an old and trusted friend, that would lead to the later project where again I put myself in his hands. I sent him all the pieces, including a 1905 roller action and a new barrel and sights, and had him build up a rifle. I didn't even ask how much until he had the gun, and once he told me, HE promptly forgot what he quoted (probably never wrote it down). He sent it back all done, a real top notch job that included a new hammer, some truing of the action, a trigger job, etc, as well as threading and chambering the barrel, and asked ME how much he had quoted and trusted me to send the funds. They don't make em like that any more.
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by olyinaz »

Man that's sad. Terrible. :(

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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by Borregos »

That is indeed sad, sounds like he was a great guy.
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by gamekeeper »

I did not know Dave Higginbotham but from reading the comments we are all the poorer for his loss. May he rest in peace and my condolences to his family.
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by kimwcook »

RIP. Godspeed.
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by Hobie »

Prayers said for his family...
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by KirkD »

Very sorry to hear this.
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by Rube Burrows »

BlaineG wrote:Dang. I feel bad because although accidents happen, they are avoidable :( RIP

Very true.

Rest In Peace.
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by Thunder50 »

Didn't know the man , but have heard of the company.

That said, from what others here, and other forums have said about him, he was one of those few souls that comes along now and then, and if you are lucky, you get to know them.

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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by Paladin »

Dingdangit, another fine man meets his Maker due to negligence. This drives me crazy. This was not an accident...handle a firearm like you would a rattlesnake.

+1
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by bdhold »

as a rolling block fan, I'm very disappointed to learn this - I've spent a few hours on his website reading the history he compiled, and generally drooling over his rifles.

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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by Blaine »

:o :o :shock: :shock:
Yours?
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by awp101 »

What a shame. May the Lord be with family...
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by KWK »

adirondakjack wrote:... to the later project where again I put myself in his hands.
His rifle has been my only custom gun; however, I think one is always putting oneself into the hands of a custom gun maker. In a way, they are artists, and some of their personality will come through. The rifle I received from Dave wasn't quite the one I asked for, but it is a beauty, and I'm very pleased with it. My rifle is a cross between a No.1 and a No.5. I'd asked for a No.5 style stock, but he chose to give me one similar to the older target style rifles in No.1, with "ears" where the stock abuts the receiver. The effect is quite nice and probably more graceful than what I had asked for; the man knew his rolling block history and styles. I was aiming for a middle weight rifle, and I got it: 30" barrel yet only 6-3/4 lb.

As for price, mine came out about 15% higher than estimated, but the stock had some unique features, and his hand were arthritic, so I know the woodwork took him longer than he thought. We changed the front site, too. Given all the e-mails and calls, he more than earned his money.

He hated Italian actions, but I had hoped to find him in a good mood one day and sweet talk him into making me a No.7 on the Uberti pistol. I would have liked to have been a repeat customer.
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by WCF3030 »

Prayers for him and his family.
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by Ysabel Kid »

Dang! Prayers up for close family and friends. :(
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by Charles »

Darn shame! I didn't know the man, but he made fine rifles and was a kindred spirit for doing so.

I have know of several people killed when they or others pulled guns out of cars. Anytime it happens, it is the result of somebody not focused on what they are doing. Anytime basic firearms safety gets waved due to familiarity or circumstances, deadly consequences can happen.

Hell, I have done it. I suspect we all have. We just got lucky and didn't draw the short straw that day.
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by 93marshooter »

Never drag any rifle by the barrel. Exposed hammer weapons are really dangerous.
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by Higginbotham »

Paladin:
Dingdangit, another fine man meets his Maker due to negligence. This drives me crazy. This was not an accident...handle a firearm like you would a rattlesnake.


I understand your frustration when you heard this news. I am his daughter. He raised me with the knowledge and constant reminder to "treat guns like a rattlesnake. If you aren't careful, they will bite". Also, to "treat every gun as loaded". So we too didn't understand why the magazine was loaded, or why the barrel was in his direction. My dad always moved fast. He was always in a hurry to get back to work. We believe there was a second tug on the gun to get it out of the back seat, and with that second tug he turned is body just slightly. But God has a plan. Though we may not understand why this would be a part of His plan, His plan is perfect. I miss my dad deeply, but the plan that God had, has shown through this tragedy. It has taken years to fully see Gods plan work through me, my husband, and my two boys (who love their grandpa), but I have seen that Gods plan is perfect.

I randomly like to search my dads name and read about him and the comments that people say. I love to read about people's interactions with my dad! I'm dissapointed when I read negative judgments of a man they have never met based to what happened. In the future, please consider others when posting.
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by crs »

"I randomly like to search my dads name and read about him and the comments that people say. I love to read about people's interactions with my dad! I'm dissapointed when I read negative judgments of a man they have never met based to what happened. In the future, please consider others when posting."

+1

I have seen several such (negative judgments of a man they have never met) of late (one on this forum) and upon a second reading, all would have better left unsaid.

Thoughts and prayers for his memory and family.
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

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Higginbotham wrote: Mon Oct 22, 2018 11:08 pm Paladin:
Dingdangit, another fine man meets his Maker due to negligence. This drives me crazy. This was not an accident...handle a firearm like you would a rattlesnake.


I understand your frustration when you heard this news. I am his daughter. He raised me with the knowledge and constant reminder to "treat guns like a rattlesnake. If you aren't careful, they will bite". Also, to "treat every gun as loaded". So we too didn't understand why the magazine was loaded, or why the barrel was in his direction. My dad always moved fast. He was always in a hurry to get back to work. We believe there was a second tug on the gun to get it out of the back seat, and with that second tug he turned is body just slightly. But God has a plan. Though we may not understand why this would be a part of His plan, His plan is perfect. I miss my dad deeply, but the plan that God had, has shown through this tragedy. It has taken years to fully see Gods plan work through me, my husband, and my two boys (who love their grandpa), but I have seen that Gods plan is perfect.

I randomly like to search my dads name and read about him and the comments that people say. I love to read about people's interactions with my dad! I'm dissapointed when I read negative judgments of a man they have never met based to what happened. In the future, please consider others when posting.
Thank you for posting your thoughts. It's a good reminder to everyone who posts to remember that whatever they post has a profound effect on the family of that loved one. We should all think about that before hitting the "submit" button.
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by Sixgun »

BlaineG wrote: Thu Dec 15, 2011 4:54 pm Dang. I feel bad because although accidents happen, they are avoidable :( RIP

Yep. I agree. I never realized my sloppy safety standards until I started shooting in competition at different area clubs. Those match directors guys will chew you out unashamedly in front of others for the slightest infraction. Muzzles up 180......actions opened all the way......cannot pick up ammo until the command...etc------6
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by piller »

CRS and marlinman; you both are pointing to an issue that we are seeing more often. The incivility seems to be growing on this forum.
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by Sixgun »

Paladin was 1000% right. Being an individual who is around lots of guns and people with guns at many different events I have seen what happens when people who do not pay attention or are pre occupied with other things on their mind. I have seen guns go off unintended on the firing line.....most times the muzzles were pointed down range, sometimes to the ground and a few up in the air. My BIL was pulling a .32 Ruger single action out of a holster from the back of his hatchback car and it went off into the floorboard....he was promptly told to pack his guns and leave. He was disqualified from attending the match. Bill is also a great guy but he made a stupid...yes, stupid mistake.

While everything I've read about Mr. Higginbotham shows him to be an utmost great guy and a very talented guy who gave back to the gun community he made several mistakes which cost him his life and could have cost others their lives had people been behind him. This is an "oh well moment" where a great guy screwed up and others need to learn from his unintended mistake.

What the hell was the gun doing loaded in his car? Why was the muzzle pointed in his direction? There's fifty other questions but you all get the message.

How would YOU feel if his mistake cost you your son's life or for that matter...anyone's life?

If a survivor feels "hurt" by what other people rightfully write....and hopefully that writing will prevent another "stupid" mistake, then THEY have the problem...live with it....a great guy made a mistake and luckily/unluckily for him, he was the only one hurt, not an innocent bystander.

Paladin calls a spade a spade...so do I.....anyone who spends the majority of their time around guns gets complacent and the best thing for that guy....as a constant reminder.....is to treat that gun as a rattlesnake. Good call Paladin----6
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by gamekeeper »

Well said 6.
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by piller »

Six, I cannot find fault with your reasoning. Maybe it could have been said with more concern for his daughter, and maybe not. Someone my Dad knew died when he pulled a loaded rifle by the barrel and it went off when it got stuck on something. I guess that the best takeaway from all of this is that even those who are well versed in firearms can make a mistake, and yes we should all remember to follow the safety rules. Bullets are simply objects which go where they are sent whether it is by accident or intent. As such, they must be given respect at all times. Not fear, but respect. After all, mistakes can happen to anyone.
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by Bill in Oregon »

Hard to believe Dave passed 7 years ago. Mike Venturino had one of his rolling blocks and admired it greatly in print.
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by Pete44ru »

Higginbotham wrote: Mon Oct 22, 2018 11:08 pm
I am his daughter. He raised me with the knowledge and constant reminder to "treat guns like a rattlesnake.
If you aren't careful, they will bite".
Also, to "treat every gun as loaded". So we too didn't understand why the magazine was loaded, or why the barrel was in his direction.

My dad always moved fast.
He was always in a hurry to get back to work.
We believe there was a second tug on the gun to get it out of the back seat, and with that second tug he turned is body just slightly.

But God has a plan.
Though we may not understand why this would be a part of His plan, His plan is perfect.

I miss my dad deeply, but the plan that God had, has shown through this tragedy.
It has taken years to fully see Gods plan work through me, my husband, and my two boys (who love their grandpa), but I have seen that Gods plan is perfect.

I randomly like to search my dads name and read about him and the comments that people say.
I love to read about people's interactions with my dad!

I'm dissapointed when I read negative judgments of a man they have never met based to what happened.

In the future, please consider others when posting.



I hope you and your family will accept our deepest condolences on the grievous loss of your Dad - He was evidently a good man, sure to be sorely missed.


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AJMD429
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by AJMD429 »

EVERY one of us can make a mistake, and will, eventually.

The smart and humble among us learn and learn well, and don't need reprimand or lectures. However the reprimand and lectures DO benefit those observers and bystanders who are inexperienced enough to think "I'll never make a mistake like that....".

So hopefully the victims (which clearly include the next-of-kin of this fine man) don't take it too personally, and hopefully the bystanders in the conversation DO take it personally; the 'lecturing' is just an attempt to prevent those bystanders from having something like that happen to them someday.

As a physician I run across this all the time when I have to 'lecture' families who lost a dad because he didn't take his cholesterol seriously since the cardiologist said "the stress test was ok", or a mom because she believed a gynecologist who said "you can't get melanoma there". I want the next of kin to "do better" but I also don't want to disrespect the deceased, who just made a bad decision. We ALL make bad decisions, it's just that some of us luck out, and the bullet misses, or the symptoms are scarier so we take them more seriously.

To Dave's daughter, prayers up for your family, and it is GOOD to see that you are fitting the pieces of your lives together with God's help. In that sense his death was not in vain. We will all die eventually, some gracefully and some not, some as elderly specimens and some far too young, but what counts is what we did with our lives for others, and what kind of kids we raised (or helped raise). It sounds like he did very well in both those respects.
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Griff
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by Griff »

marlinman93 wrote: Tue Oct 23, 2018 10:55 am
Higginbotham wrote: Mon Oct 22, 2018 11:08 pmPaladin:
Dingdangit, another fine man meets his Maker due to negligence. This drives me crazy. This was not an accident...handle a firearm like you would a rattlesnake.

I understand your frustration when you heard this news. I am his daughter. He raised me with the knowledge and constant reminder to "treat guns like a rattlesnake. If you aren't careful, they will bite". Also, to "treat every gun as loaded". So we too didn't understand why the magazine was loaded, or why the barrel was in his direction. My dad always moved fast. He was always in a hurry to get back to work. We believe there was a second tug on the gun to get it out of the back seat, and with that second tug he turned is body just slightly. But God has a plan. Though we may not understand why this would be a part of His plan, His plan is perfect. I miss my dad deeply, but the plan that God had, has shown through this tragedy. It has taken years to fully see Gods plan work through me, my husband, and my two boys (who love their grandpa), but I have seen that Gods plan is perfect.

I randomly like to search my dads name and read about him and the comments that people say. I love to read about people's interactions with my dad! I'm dissapointed when I read negative judgments of a man they have never met based to what happened. In the future, please consider others when posting.
Thank you for posting your thoughts. It's a good reminder to everyone who posts to remember that whatever they post has a profound effect on the family of that loved one. We should all think about that before hitting the "submit" button.
+1. Higginbotham, I met your Dad one time, back in the very early '90s at a cowboy shoot outside Columbus... I bought a pair of spurs off him... I don't know if he made them, or a friend of his did, but... I admired them... and he offered 'em up at a great price. I'm still wearin' 'em. Every time I put 'em on, I think of the man that sold 'em to me, and the conversations we had over the two days of that shoot. Know this, your Dad is missed. Like your Dad, the majority of folks on this forum are passionate about firearms... and we can get carried away in our enthusiasm as well as the next guy, (or gal)... I'll be a bit presumptuous, and ask that you forgive us our exuberance in trying to put a perspective on an aspect of gun-ownership that we hold dear.
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Re: Dave Higginbotham Dead.

Post by Blaine »

:( I've almost "screwed the pooch" a few times. I also don't believe in accidents, just mistakes. For example,years ago, I'd carry my little J-Frame loose in my jacket pocket. I was in Bestlever's drift boat and pulled it out and I have no earthly how it ended up cocked. Needless to say, I was sick to my stomach at the ramifications of this, and I unloaded it and never loaded it again until I had a pocket holster for it. If it had gone off, it would have been my fault, and not an "accident". If my comment several years ago was uncivil, I'm sorry I made a family member feel bad.
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