I've gotten a lot of pure enjoyment from Skeeters writing over the years, and I'm grateful.......

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dd884
JMHO-YMMV

As a rough measure of Skeeter's popularity as a writer, go to Amazon.com and check out the current prices on his books - all of them are over $100. I think it's time for some publisher to issue reprints!

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

Are you thinking of Bob Zwirz, or something like that. I remember his writings, but I can't recall him being particularly "sick." Wonder whatever happened to him?

Another Skeeter fan here. I recall sneaking ST issues into 7th grade and reading Skeeter stuff when I should have been studying.
Later he got me all interested in 'long range handgunning' and I was a new handloader. Got a 6" M28 and threw a many a Lyman #358156GC out of a mould shooting it.
Later, got a Ruger Super Blackhawk to continue learning what he and Uncle Elmer were writing about.
And I'm sure, without even realizing it, Skeeter was part of the reason I chose L.E. as a career.

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Ret'd LEO
SWCA #2275

"Exit Laughing", by Ed Zern? I think it was at the back of, Field & Stream or, Outdoor Life. Probably the former.

Bob Zwirz was a heavyset sometime gun writer. I think he was mainly in, Gun World.

I not only found myself getting into guns that Skelton really used. In one story he was given a bag of jerky by "Dobe Grant" for his long drive home. Later on the road Skeeter reached in the bag and pulled out the gun Dobe's dad carried. A nickeled Colt with pearl stocks. Being into flashy guns anyway, when I got this Colt here I put pearls on it and that Skeeter/Dobe gun was fresh in my mind. So, I even got influenced by SS's fictional sixguns.

Skeeter Skelton was a huge part of my love of guns. He was one of a kind.

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He who angers you,controls you

I've always been a huge Skeeter fan too. When I seen Lipseys release the Ruger .44 Special a couple of years ago my first thought was Skeeter would have loved this.

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Mike
USMCR 84-87, USAF 87-07

Quit ST in '88 and G&A in '06. Looked a long time to find the holster that Skeeter bought for his K22. Still miss him.

Regards,

Tam 3

After reading Skeeter's stories about the 5" 27 in "Shooting Times", I had to have one. I've since had several over the years-with Herrett's Ropers, like Skeeter preferred.
Bob

Knew him only in his writings. I made every effort to read everything he ever wrote, and maybe I did. I sat alone and cried when he left and I still miss him.

I am eighty now, and have read most of Skeeter's writings back in the day. Sadly I didn't buy his books when they were available, and am too old to wait for them to come back into print. The only writings of his that I have is a copy of Skeeter Skelton On Handguns. I would like to find some of his books to buy or trade for, but don't have any idea where to look. Anyone have any good ideas? one of the advantages to getting old is a bad memory, and one can read books that he read before, and they are new all over again.

Because of Skeeter Skelton I don't buy holsters with suede lining. I really really enjoyed reading his articles.

I grew up on Skeeter articles from my late father's Shooting Times back in the 70s, and other mags from the 60s. As a teen I idolized him, and followed in his footsteps in the Marines and in law enforcement. But this is what I wanted to share:

In January 1988 I was a new special agent in the Drug Enforcement Administration in Seattle. I started on January 20, I think, and we were in the District Office doing paperwork and awaiting our trip to the FBI Academy. There was a cloud over the office and many were somber because a good old friend of our Assistant Special Agent in Charge (ASAC), Travis Kuykendall, had just that week passed away. At the time, I had not read that Skelton had passed (no Internet) and back then mere readers knew very few details of such men's lives. I didn't know Kuykendall and Skelton were old buds, but learned this later. As I recall, ASAC Kuykendall was a large man with a deep, authoritative voice, definitely "old school," with an impressive affect and large mustache. I also seem to remember he wore custom black cowboy boots with his suit. His was an impressive visage. His well-appointed office was graced with memorabilia from his days in Texas, with plaques, other ephemera and a large, impressive bronze of an eagle. Even as a former police officer and army officer I was impressed by his office, and as a green agent I was somewhat intimidated by the man...not that he tried to be that way at all...the fault was mine. As I was only there a week before the trip to Quantico, I didn't get to know him very well, and he was gone shortly after I returned there to begin my new career (luckily they were out of transfer funds). Some time later I read a brief, passing remark of Kuykendall in one of Skeeter's old articles and put two and two together--they had been friends and worked together on the border! In hindsight, I sure wish I had known so I could give my condolences, and maybe get a personal sense of my old idol from a man who knew him very well indeed. Lost opportunity. I learned from that mistake and went out of my way to speak with legendary knifemaker Dan Dennehy back in the 90s. He was wonderful to speak with. Glad I did now. The 1970s were some of the best of Gundom, at least for me.

So, please excuse my catharsis. I've wanted to share that with someone other than my wife for years, and so few know who he was unless your amidst older men who cut their teeth on 1911s AND big sixguns. I know if you're reading this you understand.

I'm curling up with Henry McKenna tonight.

I had this old 1917 Colt done up just like in one of Skeeter's stories....



I have most of his writings......

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Only difference Fool/Mule-ears

I use to really enjoy Skeeter's stories particularly about buying up classic Colt's in better times down in Mexico. Here's one of my favorites "Bustamonte I Hate You"!
Jim

Bustamonte, I Hate You

Skeeter wrote in such a way that you felt he was there talking to you. he also had a good sense of humor. I recall his line in "The Mama Mia Caper"-"Mighty hunter in magazine, articles, dripping dud in wet forest."

So true. He's responsible for my M27 3 1/2", also a 5-incher, and an old late 50's M29 4" blue in the black box that's mint. Not to mention a Colt SAA or two...or three. One's a first gen 44-40 5 1/2 bbl that I got from my father, gunsmith tuned with a .44 spl spare cylinder. It is SMOOTH as glass and so well timed there's no cylinder drag mark. We used to shoot Elmer Keith's (and Skeeter's too) 2400 heavy load in it...was that 17 grains of 2400 over a 240 gr Keith? I always thought it was excessive, but that's what dad had on hand. He's also responsible for a large collection of vintage Bianchi, Safariland, and Lawrence leather from the old days--I've learned to hate verdigris. Still have my dad's old Charter Bulldog too that he bought in 1974 after reading an article. Can't recall if that was Skeeter or Nonte? He used to cast hollow-based wadcutters and load 'em upside down for it (lighter load of course) as his favorite carry gun. Ah the old days.

Only ever met one guy who knew Skeeter. He was the newspaper editor down at Deming, NM.
His newspaper backed up on an alley behind the MMC sight company.
Skeeter was buddies with the MMC guy and would park his pickup in the alley and go into MMC.
The editor would go to coffee with the MMC guy and sometimes Skeeter.
He did not know who Skeeter was and was amazed to learn that Skeeter had published several books and a number of magazine articles.
Not something he expected to find in Deming!

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

I can only echo everybody comments about Skeeter. Still miss him.
I think if the OP will double check he will find it was 1988, not 89, that Skeeter passed.

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CSM, U S Army(Ret) 1963-1990

As a young Cop in the early 1970's needless to say Skeeter Skelton's writings were a "must read". And they certainly influenced me.

He once wrote an article on converting a M-28 to .44 Special by buying a barrel and cylinder, or getting the .357 cylinder bored to .44 Spcl by David Woodruff. I bit on the idea and soon had a new M-24 barrel on the way from J&G Rifle Ranch in Turner, MT. Within a few months I had a very sweet 6 1/2" .44 special with unfortunately a badly mismatched barrel that was FAR shinier than the rest of the gun.

It shot just great and I killed a nice whitetail buck with it in PA that year. With a Keith #429421 Cast slug over 2400 in a WW .44 Special case. Made a believer out of me regarding slow, big bore handgun rounds.

Fast forward many years to last year. I get a call from one of Montana's most ardent S&W Collectors and the offer to take a look at a new pistol he just acquired. Turns out he has the four inch, .45 colt that Skeeter had built by the Factory.

Myself and MT Helo trekked up north and it was quite a day. Not only to handle, but to SHOOT Skeeter's revolver. Memorable occasion to be sure.

FN in MT

I had the honor and pleasure of meeting and talking to him at a gun show in San Antonio in the real early 80's,81, 83 or 84 at the convention center. He was there with another feller and they were trying to sell an original 1875 Remington. I listened in while the feller talked to the dealer and when the dealer offered like 125 or 150, Skeeter and the owner walked away. I caught up to them and asked several questions about the gun and since they realized I knew nothing about the gun, they filled me in. While they were talking, it dawned on me that I was talking to "THE SKEETER SKELTON". A true gentleman.

Afterwards I went back to the dealer and mentioned the gun and he was chipping his teeth about people who didn't know their guns.

I causally mentioned that the feller who didn't know guns was an ex-LEO and gun scribe named Skeeter Skelton.

I had to chuckle at that.

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Slim, U.S. Army, Ret.

Good point-according to the dust jacket blurbs on his books Skelton died on 17 Jan 88.

.........maybe some of our younger folks who never had the pleasure can be inspired to read the works of a man who influenced so many of us.

I had the opportunity to meet Skeeter one time at the SHOT show, and I treasure that visit to this day.Got a photo around here somewhere, will see if I can dig it up.

A few years back we were out running the junk and gun shops shops in Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico when I took a strange detour on to a back road. My wife asked where I was going and I told there was a place I had to see.

I stopped at a bridge on a county road and got out.I spent several long minutes looking at nothing, but really seeing two boys engaged in their adventures along Tierra Blanca creek.

I was glad Skeeter let me go along with him and Joe in my mind.

My wife is still wondering what drew me to that place.

His son, Bart, stops by here from time to time and if he does I hope he knows how special his Dad was to many of us.

We miss you Skeeter!

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LEX ET ORDO

Man I love good gun and outdoor writing.

Man I hate not good gun and outdoor writing.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

I just reread that article the othr day. What a great idea you had there. And you ended up with a vry practical defense gun in the process.

"We went to different schools together"
Jug Johnson

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NULLI SECUNDUS

Texas Star, what year was that?
I was good friends with the guy and his wife that owned that gun, camera store.
They were good people.

Count me as another who really misses Skeeter. At least I was able to get a "library" together, and a few pistols.

a few years ago i picked up a "skeeter" conversion, a model 28-2 to .44special. It has a six inch barrel labeled on the right side 44 s&w special ctg. Has a pinned in front sight with the red insert.
Has the trigger shoe on in, metal, and a set of pachmeyer grops.
It has a deep blue finish on it, that is the barrel, some difference in color between it and the frame.
I pulled up this thread cause i was kind of curious who did it, they did a good job. I probably will never know. Action is like butter, and i think that was done too in the process.
I know mmc in deming at the time did some of these but so did others.
Strange no identifying marks.
i should say that although it probably doesn't need to be said, it's a pretty good shooter.

That was his literary appeal to me. At times, he reminded me of a gun totin' Will Rogers, or almost a cowboy Mark Twain. I had the idea that if I'd met him, he would have talked exactly as he wrote. Plus, he looked the part of an old west lawman.

To say that he was a major influence on my shooting style, my handgun choices, and even the way I thought about guns would be an understatement.

He made his mark in a field that's often looked at askance, or even with hate and disdain, in today's politically correct world...but he will never be forgotten.

I am only in my 40s He had a friendship with my father who has also passed. Reading his books as a kid and hearing the stories are the reasons why I reload and also love revolvers today. Of course my father had a lot to do with it but Skeeter is the reason why I own a quiet piece of desert in Arizona where I can just go out and shoot without anybody ever bothering me. I have most of his publications all signed to my dad as well as a few of bill Jordan's and Elmer Keith's. Sometimes I feel like I was born in the wrong generation when I look at how kids and society are today But there are many of us young ones you still look up to these guys they never met and daydream about living a quarter the life they did.

sometime around 1980 I was almost out of Texas Tech Univ. in Lubbock & had a 4" HB ss Ruger Speed Six in 357. Liked it so much I found a short barrel one & sent it to Ruger for the 4" HB. Lo & behold my favorite all time writer comes out with an article favoring that very same revolver. I wrote him a letter detailing my experiences & thoughts regarding that revolver but I never heard back from him.
Still have one of the Speed Sixes as well as a 5" S&W M27-2.
Wish I could find that old article he wrote.
He certainly is missed.

El Bibliotecario, It is good to see that you are back. I haven't seen a post from you in probably 6 - 7 years. Hope all is well & that we'll be seeing more from you.
Regards,
Beruisis

Thanks for posting that link, Alpo. I came late to this party and immediately intended to post it myself. Lots of good reading there! I began to read Skeeter pretty much from the beginning. Always liked it that I was born and raised not far west of where Skeeter spent some of his growing up life and LEO duties. He was in far west Texas then and I was in far eastern New Mexico. I go back and read the stories listed in your link pretty often. He was my favorite of the gun writers, and I always appreciated his common sense solutions to problems and people.

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So long ... Ken

I have looked for I remember Skeeter for many years with several people telling me it was never published. I remember the ads for advance orders. Is this a file photo or one of yours?

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Front sight and squeeze

I am sure that Skeeter would be pleased to know how much his writings touched the lives of so many, myself included.

If anyone has a copy of the Shooting Times in which Skeeter wrote an
article on the 38 WCF, Please let me know. I own a 38 WCF Colt
Single Action first gen that belonged to Skeeter. There is a photo
of this gun in the article. I had the magazine when I bought the gun but cannot find
it. Thanks Jim

.450-

If you're still here, I just saw this. The year must have been 1977 or 1978, because it was before I had breakfast with that gun writer (Elmer Keith) in 1979. That was in San Antonio during the NRA convention then, and we were also treated to a nice lunch by Ruger, who was celebrating their 30th Anniversary. I remember that the wine was from Robt. Mondavi, a well known CA vintner. James Triggs, their art and PR man, invited me to that, and I got to meet several writers whom I admired. Add Col. Rex Applegate, not usually thought of as a gun writer, per se. He was amused when I told him that I'd read the 1944 edition of his classic, "Kill or Get Killed." He quipped, "Well, I was certainly thinner in the photos in that edition."

I think you were referring to a man named Dave R. I'm not sure if I should give his full name here. He had some nice guns and cameras in that shop.

I took photos of Elmer at the Fairmount with my own camera as well with a Nikon (?) of the camera shop man's. A couple of days later, I had lunch at another downtown hotel and left my Zeiss camera on a table while I stepped away briefly. Just forgot to take it. When I returned, it had been stolen, with the film from Elmer's visit! And I needed those pics for an article. The camera shop man graciously printed some photos of Elmer and Lorraine that I took with his camera and I used those and managed to publish my story. I think I also used one or two of those pics for a Dallas Morning News article.

But the photos that I took of Elmer shooting a Mikkenger Arms .44 at the Winchester range were just gone. I sometimes wonder if the thief ever printed my film and what he thought of that old man shooting that big pistol?

BTW, although Elmer Keith complained about the light and his aging eyes, you wouldn't want him shooting at you, even at that stage of his life.

Just returned from the CGCA show in Denver. One of the competitive displays featured S&Ws owned by notable personalities.

A fine display with some very important revolvers, to be sure. The Ed McGivern revolvers were outstanding, what a fantastic display of S&W and shooting history.

But the one that pleased me most was Skeeter's unique 4-inch Model 25-2. I'd read about it and seen the thread here linked below and to finally see it in person simply made my day!

45 Colt Made for Skeeter Skelton by Smith & Wesson.

The book indeed exists. They turn up on eBay occassionally.

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SWHF #448

It sure does exist, and like a moron I didn't buy one when they were $25.00 on ebay. I thought I had a good Skeeter library already--stupid me. There's one on ebay now for $85. I'll wait for the second printing...

Since this thread is resurrected I will add this.

About a year and a half ago I was an extra in a movie scene south of ABQ. a lot of the "background" folks working on the set were from Deming, N.M. where the majority of the movie was being filmed. It is called "Two Men In Town" and stars Forrest Whittaker and Harvey Keitel.

Anyhow I overheard one of the workers say his name was "Skelton".

So I approached him and said, "Are you Skeeter Skelton's grandson?" He said yes. I then told him his Grandfather caused me a lot of trouble. He looked a bit apprehensive. I then told him because his of his Grandfather I always had to have a .357, a .44 Special, and a .45 Long Colt laying around.

He was relieved that I wasn't an ex-felon and truly amazed to meet a fan of his Grandfather.

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Have guns...will shoot'em.

His son Bart (a member here) came to my little NM town as part of an ICE sweep of felonious illegals. At one house a gang-banger tried to make a run for it holding his 1 year old cousin in front of him. An ICE guy grabbed the little guy and I bounced the illegal off the hood of a car hard enough to make the windshield wipers jump, right in front of Bart. He later told my partner "that old guy has some moves". I loved it.

I grew up with Skeeter, and I believe I've read every published word he's written. I think he was probably a difficult guy at home, but as a writer and non-bragging gunfighter he was the best.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

I learned to read out of gun mags, Field and Stream, ect. When
guys like Skeeter pass, it's like knowing that the big fish in the
fishin hole. Has been caught by someone else. All the greats that
I grew up with are gone. I don't hardly buy gun mags anymore.
To many wantabees, Hell they were not there! I do read Bart's
articles, he was there. These new guys put on a Stetson, grow
a beard and drop names. This don't make them a Pistol Pro.

As I was not a member of this forum when this thread was started, now resurrected, I can chime in. I grew up on Skeeter too, remembering many times that the magazine articles didn't come fast enough. I grew up in a shooting family so it was only natural. The one article I remember the most was the one about shooting the .45 ACP's for ten thousand rounds. Fast forward a few years with my own children, reloading and shooting was a way of life again till they got out on their own, working and having children. Fast forward again to another generation of young ones coming of age to enjoy the shooting game. We are now digging out "Ol Skeeter's" books and magazines ( what's left ) and going again. I was in a gun shop the other day ( yeah, I'm starting to re-run the traps again ) and found an revolver made in 1911 chambered in 32/20. I remember all to well about Skeeter having a fondness for that caliber. Being older and starting to develop a likeness for the gentler calibers. This just may be it !! Don't get me wrong, I still have the big bores too !

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and everything Kentucky !!

Sorry, it's a lousy cell phone picture, but here are a few pistols for which Skeeter and I shared an affection. A couple of them are in my collection because of Skeeter ...

The Walther PP .380 is just about 70 numbers south of Skeeter's pistol - didn't know that when I bought it. The .45 is "dolled" up along the same lines as Skeeter's carry pistol ... but a bit more modern an interpretation. The Ruger flat top .44 is the Skeeter approved 7 1/2" barreled version. I added a Ron Power steel trigger guard and back strap, then very carefully polished and blued it to achieve what Skeeter pined for in one of his articles ..."an all steel fancy finished version". The S&W's, a 27 and 24-3 wear Bear Hug stocks of Skeeter's design. Finally the little Walther PPK/S .22, a pistol Skeeter favored for plinking about the campfire.

Skeeter's talent as a writer was considerable, that he wrote about handguns was a great bonus for those who appreciate both good writing and good guns.

Well here goes my little homage to Skeeter.I´m fortunate enough to have with me a copy of the second edition of " Pistol & Revolver Digest",edited by Dean A. Grennel and Jack Lewis.There on chapter 13 page 138, appears an article penned by Mr. Charles A. Skelton.it´s titled _ For The One Gun Man", in which , after discussing several handguns and calibers he reaches the conclusion that a .357 suffices for hunting.This is the caliber he prefers and in this case a model 27 wich he carries afield in a musette bag.The article is long and well written, full of photos and reloading info.He is using a Lyman 310 tool and also states his preferred bullet moulds and loads.
If anyone is interested I can scan it and email it.
Fell free to reach me at [email protected]
Regards, Ray

Skeeter always seemed, to me anyway, to kind of bridge the gap between the old west and the new west. His adventures as a LEO inspired me to give that career a shot, but after 11 years the pay was just not enough to raise 4 kids on. RIP Skeeter, I will be eternally thankful for your wisdom and knowledge.

What gaps did Jugs Johnson bridge together? That is the question

Never met Skeeter, but grew up reading his stories and have tried to connect with him through some research because I have walked some of the halls and ground he walked. I was just sitting here, hadn't thought of him in a long time, when he popped into my mind. Odd surprise when I looked him up and see it's the anniversary of his passing. Rest in peace, Skeeter, and thank you for your work. Sorry I never got to meet you.