Longtime American Rifleman contributor Charles Emory Petty, Jr., passed away on Nov. 30, 2022. He was 83 years old. Petty was born in Mecklenburg County, N.C., on June 11, 1939. After a stint in the United States Air Force, where he worked in the gunsmith shop for the USAF Marksmanship School and competed in matches as part of the pistol team, Petty returned home, working as a chemist and a reserve police officer in Charlotte, N.C.
He first began writing for American Rifleman in December 1981, penning the definitive article on High Standard’s centerfire pistols. A noted expert on handguns, Petty continued to write extensively for the magazine during the ensuing decades and, notably, became a leading voice in the adoption of the .40 S&W cartridge. He also provided an expert voice for NRA members as a contributing editor, answering questions from members across the nation.
Petty is survived by four children, six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
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