Veral Smith Has Passed

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  • Last Post 08 February 2025
MP1886 posted this 24 January 2025

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RicinYakima posted this 24 January 2025

Sorry to hear of his passing. RIP

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Bud Hyett posted this 24 January 2025

Sorry to hear of his passing. Veral was an asset to all cast bullet shooters. Veral was always willing to share his knowledge and experience.

Veral will be remembered for his contributions.

May he rest in Peace.

Farm boy from Illinois, living in the magical Pacific Northwest

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linoww posted this 24 January 2025

I talked to him last year and his voice was so weak I could barely hear him.He told me some neat stories about Ross Seyfried. He mentioned Ross sending him a letter thanking him for all he did for handgun bullet design.

His molds were perfect, I've cast with none better.

"if it was easy we'd let women do it" don't tell my wife I said that!

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rmrix posted this 24 January 2025

That is too bad. RIP Veral.  He sure changed the way I looked at all things casting and shooting. He was writing in the F S and telling of his experiments hand scraping out LEE molds into improved designs when I first knew of him.  In his early days in the mold making business, he would talk with me and I am sure many of you for longer than I felt a guy trying to make an income should. A good guy.

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Tom Acheson posted this 24 January 2025

Few years back I sold all of my .30-molds except one...an LBT 312-185 SP that I've used for years. I use his hardness tester frequently. His book, "Jacketed Performance with Cast Bullets". is referred to often.

He was a great mold designer and will be missed by many.

RIP

Tom

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pat i posted this 25 January 2025

A shame. His molds and shared knowledge were top of the heap. Rest in peace.

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Millelacs posted this 25 January 2025

"Old shoulders never die, they just fade away."  General Douglas Macarthur

Vern has gone on to another place, but not forgotten here.

 

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OU812 posted this 25 January 2025

I wonder why he became so disconnected from the forums and writing. People probably pissed him off.

I remember him being very patient over the phone. He was teaching me a little about shooting tapered 30 caliber bullets. He could either cut the mould tapered or straight so that i could run through taper die. All this was over my head at the time. I could hear his wife in background of phone call making or cleaning up after breakfast.

His book "Jacketed Performance With Cast Bullets" is one of the best.

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Bud Hyett posted this 25 January 2025

I wonder why he became so disconnected from the forums and writing. - Probably because Veral encountered slowly increasing health problems. This limited his time. 

Farm boy from Illinois, living in the magical Pacific Northwest

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OU812 posted this 25 January 2025

I heard his shop was an old horse trailer. I'd really like to have seen his shop operation before it burned. Also heard he recently built a new house.

I like the phrase " a celebration of life" more than funeral.

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pat i posted this 26 January 2025

I wonder why he became so disconnected from the forums and writing. People probably pissed him off.

That probably hits the nail on the head. I remember for a while a rabid pack of know nothing jerk offs from an unnamed forum that doesn't know how to spell bad rapping him any where and any time they got the opportunity. Nobody that could read and follow directions on how to fill his molds or use his lube would have a bad thing to say about them,. But then again people that wouldn't find any fault with his products arent a bunch of dumb arses who can't read or spell. IMO the best sprue plate design and bullet designs to come down the pike ever.

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John Alexander posted this 26 January 2025

Veral was a giant asset to CB shooters. He was one of a kind and will be missed by those who understood his contributions. RIP

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linoww posted this 26 January 2025

Yep, once I learned how to use his molds( by actually reading the instructions) I say that sprue is the absolute best ever.

"if it was easy we'd let women do it" don't tell my wife I said that!

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358156hp posted this 27 January 2025

I told a friend of mine who was planning on calling Veral to talk to him with all the respect you would give your Dads best friend. I've had a number on good conversations with Veral in the past and have great respect to his memory. The internet issue was almost certainly due to people who would ask him for his thoughts and advice, then belittle or argue with him over his answers. I saw a lot of this on "Graybeards" forum.

Like always, I wish I had been able to talk with him more.

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Eddie Southgate posted this 29 January 2025

Sorry to hear this .  I been hoping he would get back up and running on the lube since I have been completely out for the last year or so but I guess that is not gonna happen. Gonna miss Veral and the soft blue both.

Grumpy Old Man With A Gun......Do Not Touch .

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Eddie Southgate posted this 29 January 2025

I told a friend of mine who was planning on calling Veral to talk to him with all the respect you would give your Dads best friend. I've had a number on good conversations with Veral in the past and have great respect to his memory. The internet issue was almost certainly due to people who would ask him for his thoughts and advice, then belittle or argue with him over his answers. I saw a lot of this on "Graybeards" forum.

Like always, I wish I had been able to talk with him more.

 

Sounds right to me . 

Grumpy Old Man With A Gun......Do Not Touch .

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Premod70 posted this 29 January 2025

I spoke to him at the end of 23 asking about the soft blue lube and at that time said he was working on an improved version with hopes of it being on the market in early 24. He told me he had the hard blue in block form and to use Vaseline as a softener it I was in need at the time. Having a small supply I chose to wait for the new version, I guess his abilities diminished quickly with no product for the market. Great guy and another one that will be sorely missed. May he rest in peace.

Forrest Gump is my smarter brother.

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admiral posted this 30 January 2025

His handgun bullet designs were my favorites whether revolver or semi auto. He was a great source for smaller diameter rifle molds, .22 through 7mm. The LCFN is a great lever action bullet.

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OU812 posted this 30 January 2025

I've seen guys in forums belittle Mike Venturino. He finally stopped visiting the forums few years before he left the range.

Speaking of leaving the range. I read today in Fouling Shot that Ed Krasny left the range. I never seen him post in this forum...did he? I never knew him, but I kept up with how well he did in tournaments.

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mashburn posted this 04 February 2025

Sorry to hear.

Mashburn

David Cogburn

David a. Cogburn

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Eutectic posted this 08 February 2025

Veral was a GEM. I have reread his book a dozen times. Talking with him was great, he never talked down to me, even when my ideas were crazy.  His suggestions always had value.

He made many molds for my experiments. His molds were excellent. If I had any problem he said "send it back I will fix it" and by gosh he did! Try that with other mold makers.

He told me one time the lube business was a lot of trouble for little profit. However his lubes were top notch because he developed and tested them himself. The number of shooters using them in matches tells the story.

His pistol bullet designs are right up there with Elmer Keith.

I miss him.

Steve Hurst

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