What follows was written by Ernest Langdon. It hit me pretty hard, and I appreciate him taking the time to put some thoughts down. Todd thought very highly of Ernest and always considered himself fortunate to call Ernest a friend. For anyone who doesn’t know Ernest (really?) here is a link to what Todd wrote about him some years ago. – SLG
Todd and I met back in I believe 1998 or 1999. I was working at Beretta and if I remember correctly we ran into each other at the NRA Range in Fairfax, VA. We hit it off as he was very passionate about shooting, training, and the true defensive use of a gun, not just competition. He came to a couple of my courses when I started teaching open enrollment classes and even brought Kimberly to one of the classes up in West Virginia. We soon became travel buddies for matches and later teammates for Team Beretta (after Todd took over my job at Beretta USA) and eventually teammates shooting for Sig. He was one of the most intelligent people that I have ever known. If you add on the fact that he was very well educated, he was quite simply a brilliant man. A deep thinker with a passion for argument. Yes, he loved to argue! Over the years I learned that if Todd was arguing with you about something, he was likely right, but sometimes, he was just in it for the sport and to test your intellect. Don’t get me wrong, he did not always argue. We would talk for hours about all kinds of things. Long phone calls or road trips to matches several states away, talking with Todd was always rewarding and I always learned from the experience.
His contributions to the shooting community will likely never fully be understood. Todd was very giving of his knowledge and well known as a great firearms instructor. But I think the part that will never really be understood is his contribution by starting the Pistol-Forum. He told me about it and I had no idea how it would grow and the influence it would have. As the years passed, I would find myself having conversations with people all over the country that had learned from the forum. Instructors from LE agencies would tell me about how they read it daily and tell me about what they had picked up from the forum or from one of Todd’s Blogs. His influence on this community is likely greater than most will ever know.
All of that aside, Todd was fiercely loyal. If he was your friend, he was your friend and had your back no matter who was around or who your enemy was. I know for a fact he stood up for me when I was not around on more than one occasion, and not because he told me, he never did.
Oh, what I would give for one more road trip, one more trip to the range, one more match, just one more conversation. My heart still hurts, I miss him deeply.
Ernest Langdon
Langdon Tactical Technologies
That was a great memory of Todd. Thank you Ernest
Thanks, Ernest. Todd always credited you with getting his career started in this industry. He valued your friendship deeply. I, too, wish for one more road trip or even one more argument!