Reading Skeeter

[bigmuddy]

Been reading a lot of my old Skeeter books lately. That can get expensive!

A couple of weeks ago I finally found a gun that had been eluding me. Either I could not find one, or I could not afford one, but have wanted a 5" Model 27 since the first time I read anything by Skeeter. He was probably for me the first gun scribe to have a real influence on my handgun interests.



Yesterday I was at a gun show and found another of my "holy grail" guns, one I really had given up on. I found a 1957 mfg. 2nd generation Colt SAA in 44 Special. I knew there was no way I could leave that one on the table.



I think I need to put some different grips on the Colt. It has some imitation ivory, but I think I want one piece walnut.

Had them both out today and they shoot TERRIFIC! Of course the 44 special was loaded with a very familiar bullet powder combo.

Here they are together:



Just had to show 'em off a little.

Dan

[hairy]

Dan,

Back when I was earning living cutting hair at my barber shop SHOOTING TIMES was one of the staples in the magazine rack. Skeeter's writing was the reason I subscribed. That is not to say others that showed up on the masthead were not worthy of reading. I read every one of those monthly offerings cover to cover when they arrived. But, to me, Skeeter was the heart and soul of SHOOTING TIMES. While my shooting library is very well stocked and my retired librarian wife needs more bookshelves to keep them all organized, when it comes to handgunning and story telling, Skeeter is still my favorite. Whether it be an article about a particular shootin' iron or a story about Dobe, Joe or Jugg I never tire of his literary works ... no matter how many times I read them!

I like that 5" S&W, I am glad to see you were able to find one.

[vonfatman]

Dan,
I'd show off too! What a nice pair of revolvers. Congrats! You did good.

Bob

[jayhawker]

Great guns. ST was really special when they had both Skeeter & Bill Jordan. I have Bill's personal Colt SA. Bought direct from him. Used in his act, chambered for .357 so he could use the same brass as in his S&W.

[robl]

Nice guns. I agree w/ Hairy re Shooting Times. I really enjoyed Rick jamison's articles. He was ling in Prescott, my home town, at the time, and while I was in the Army I could see pictures of the mountains where I grew up in his articles.
I read the covers, off the first copy of Skeeter Skelton on Handguns. I was gifted a pristine copy a few years ago.

[whitworth]

Those are very nice! Nice scores!

[gjn]

I always loved reading Skeeter Skelton and was certainly influenced by his choice of favorite firearms. Finally had a 5" S&W Model 27 converted to 44 Special as a tribute gun and of course had to add a pair of Roper style grips. The old Shooting Times with Skeeter, Rick Jamison, Bob Milek,et al was always something to look forward to.

[bigmuddy]

Thanks guys for the comments. I have had 4" and 6" mod 27's and now I see what Skeeter (and others) meant when they said the 5" was just right. I also have had a 7 1/2" Ruger 44 FT for several years. Probably would not have known it was any different had I not read about Skeeter's preference for that one. The dealer I got it from didn't. I know Elmer is the one that gets credited the most for writing about the 44 special, but in my era it was Skeeter. Others have carried that torch as well, but for me it was Skeeter that lit the fire.



Dan

[nolongcolt]

I too have had both those guns largely due to Skeeters writings. Both are gone now to finance other "must haves" but the 5" N frame is favorite. Wish they were more common in other calibers too.