I suspect many of us liked his writing.
I prefer my N frames in a caliber that begins
with the number 4. But I popped for this one.

"The story".

I set up for a local show this past weekend.
Sunday morning a gent stands before my table a few minutes
and says " You have a gun and a knife I like...you do
any tradin".
When I replied yes he pulls out the pictured Smith.
He advised the "wooden box guts had busted" so he
pitched them and he now uses the "wooden" part for
small screws and such.
He said he added the "slick handles" a few years ago after
the originals were lost while he tried out some rubber ones
for a while.

We made the trade.
1970-71 vintage 27-2 5".

Yep, that is definitely one of Skeeter's (and my) all time favorite revolvers. The only fly in the ointment for me is the Target Hammer and Trigger. Just a matter of personal preference I guess, but I prefer the Service ones. I don't know what you traded for it, but that's one purty revolver. Congrats.

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Retired Dep Sheriff & Armorer

Great looking revolver and I like the grips a lot.

I got one back in the day, because of him. That M-27 was great for everything but carrying. Not only was it heavy, its barrel was a tad to long to be comfortable in a patrol car seat. I reverted back to carrying 4" K-frames, as there was no difference in performance between the M-27, and a M-13. I know those are great guns, but from a practical point, I'll stick with something a little lighter and more comfortable to carry. Skeeter did influence me a lot when it came to Ruger Blackhawks. I find them very pleasant to use and carry, still doing so a fair amount of time nowadays. Yep, K-frames, Blackhawks, and 1911s for me, and I wonder what he'd think about Glocks?

I have his Shooting Times special magazine "Skeeter Skelton on Handguns," published October, 1980.

Back in his earlier days spring kits didn't exist like they do now and one of the articles is how to tune a DA Smith, such as thinning the hammer mainspring and clipping coils off the trigger return spring. And he also advised you can turn the strain screw out a quarter turn at a time to get the trigger you want.

Obviously, these practices are not encouraged today.

Nice Roscoe!

I have the same thing with service hammer and trigger, but I prefer yours with the target. I have the TT & TH on a 19-3 and thought about swapping, but I'll leave them be.

Skeeter was the MAN!

He had to be my all time favorite gun writer. You could fall into his stories and feel like you were there, and he was funny!

Got the 44Spl bug from him too. Bought Lyman moulds on his recommendation and they serve me well to this day.

Everyone knows the 5" 357 N frame may be my favorite revolver. Both TT & TH are fine by me, but I don't like one without the other. I swapped on smooth triggers on most of mine.

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No life story has happy end.

Great revolver. Skeeter was hands down my favorite gun writer, I still have copies of everything he wrote. He considered the M-27 the "flag ship" of the S&W 357's. I was heavily influenced by his opinions on K & N frame 357's, 41 magnums, 44 specials,45 colts, Colt 45 auto's and Browning Hi powers. I have a number of 27's, and the 5 incher is one of my favorites. Enjoy your "new" M-27.

"I have the TT & TH on a 19-3 and thought about swapping, but I'll leave them be."

The same trigger fits the K, L and N frame, but the hammers are frame specific.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Hard to beat a Model 27, and the 5 inch is one of the best. Like you, Skeeter was a big influence.

If you think about it, Skeeter's choices in handguns in the 1960s would get you through most anything these days, 50 years later - despite the so-called advances in technology.

See if you agree:

Skeeter liked the following:

N frames in 44 special and .357 Magnum
Walther PP or PPK in .32 or .380
Colt 1911s in .45, both the 5 inch and the Commander
Ruger Blackhawk in 44 Magnum (didn't he have a special one in 6.5 inch instead of the now standard 7.5 inch?)
Colt Single Action revolvers in various calibers


I don't know about you, but for the most part, any of us could get along just fine with guns that Skeeter liked.



Col. Evan Quiros on left, son Bart, Skeeter on right:

Attached Images

Skelton, Skeeter with Evan Quiros L, Bart, Gleason, Blankenship, Skelton.jpg (48.9 KB, 267 views)

"Ruger Blackhawk in 44 Magnum (didn't he have a special one in 6.5 inch instead of the now standard 7.5 inch?)"

The original flattop 3 screw .44 Magnum Blackhawk came with a 6 1/2"
barrel. Skeeter had a 7 1/2" barrel put on his.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Does anyone here remember the story he wrote about a round-butt M&P in
.32-20 WCF that he or a friend carried in a shoulder holster?

That's why I got this little popper---

After trying several different handguns and various hand loads I found if I stuck with Skeeter's suggestions my groups and chances of putting meat on the table were much better.
Hard to argue with success.....

Love that 5". I have its sibling.

I too read every word Skeeter wrote each month in Shooting Times. Then I reread them over and over again. To say he influenced me would be an understatement. I wanted a gun like every one he wrote about. One day in the early 70s I was in Mashburn Arms in Oklahoma City and there in the consignment case was a 27-2 in 5". Cost was $325. It appeared new but wasn't. I bought it and still have it. Wonderfully balanced and accurate, it is my favorite Smith.

Skeeter ended up with, and favored, one of the rare factory original 7 1/2" Flattop .44s that he bought used.

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Good shooting.

I had a copy of that magazine also. I read it until it was dog eared and the cover was falling off.

At that point, my then nine year old son started to read it, and he literally read it until it fell apart.

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John 3:16 .

On another note about Skeeter, he got me interested in the possibilities of high performance 32 revolvers. I've often mentioned that I had the privilege of chatting with him at one of his last public appearances about building a 32-20 TC Contender. He steered me toward the then-new 32 H&R instead, having immediately recognized its reloading potential. I would love to chat with him about the 327 FM. He loved the 38/357, but there was a special place in his heart for the 32 as well.

Froggie

Yep, I was another gun-mag devouring teen that looked on Skeeter as bigger than life. In my mind, a blend of safari guru, Marlboro man, Sheriff Matt Dillon, and Elmer Keith.
He influenced much of my gun choices and I'm sure even influenced my decision to go into L.E.

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Ret'd LEO
SWCA #2275

Saw one like it go for $2275.00 recently on GB-Yow!

I looked forward to every issue of Shooting Times. His column was
first thing I read. Have his books and a Colt SAA first gen 38 WCF
that he owned.

I especially remember the stories about Dobe Grant and his childhood in Texas. Good reading for me......

I'm a big fan of Skeeter too, after discovering him in 1978 when I bought my first issue of Shooting Times. After that, I became a subscriber, bought both of his books, his Shooting Times special editions, and the compilation book his wife Sally put out after his death.

I've also bought the Shooting Times edition with his first article/column, and many other editions through the 60's, it was a kick to see how his writing style progressed from a novice to a polished expert.

His influence is evidenced in my accumulation of .44 Special SA & DA handguns, and my love for the 5" barrel N-Frames.

The void his death created has been partially filled by capable writers like Brian Pearce (Handloader Magazine) and John Taffin's "Campfile Tales" and gun reviews in GUNS Magazine... I like reading both of those gentlemen because they have attitudes, writing styles and knowledge that's reminiscent of Skeeter, but he's still missed.

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Conrad
SWCA #1830 SWHF #222

He lived for quite a few years over by Deming NM . His wife had a little shop in town . He is really missed for sure and I agree that his loads have always worked for me too . His 357 mag load and his 44 spl are the two I use the most .

"Does anyone here remember the story he wrote about a round-butt M&P in
.32-20 WCF that he or a friend carried in a shoulder holster?"

Oh yeah, that story is what got me started on my .32-20 kick. After reading that, I found a 5" square butt .32 WCF Smif and made my first crude attempt of roundbutting a revolver. I've owned a bunch of .32-20 revolvers and rifles since then.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

I met his 20 something Grandson on a movie set a couple of years back. I heard him say his name was "Skelton" and I knew the crew on the set had Deming natives in it. So I walked up to him and said, kinda serious, "Are you Skeeter Skelton's Grandson?" He said yes. Then I said, "You're Grandfather caused me a lot of trouble." He kinda looked at me like he was thinking, "Oh no, law trouble." Then I told him, "Ever since I started reading your Grandfather's stories I have always had to have a .357, .44 Special, and .44 Magnum around." He smiled and we had a nice visit.

I actually think I saw Skeeter about 1978ish in a toy store in a mall in Albuquerque. The man I saw was "Skeeter" from the boots to the iconic short brim western hat. And he saw me looking at him and gave me a direct look as if he was thinking, "Ball's in your court." I was too bashful to walk up and ask so I walked on.

I quit Shooting Times when Skeeter no longer wrote for them. I too have a copy of the special 1980 "Skeeter" issue and his first and maybe second tomes in hardback.

I do have a 5 inch M27-2 but must admit I prefer my 3 1/2 inch.

As to .44 Specials...I have 7 and a bunch of .45 Colts.

His type will never exist again because our PC society does not allow "salty" men to bloom from boyhood.

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Have guns...will shoot'em.

With the passing of Skeeter, Elmer and Bill Jordan, magazines lost their flair. I read Rifle and Handloader for a few years after, but I haven't even read them in a long time. I used to really look forward to the arrival of Shooting Times back in the day.

I think Skeeter Skelton and Jeff Cooper influenced more handgunners than all of the other writers put together.

I only met Skeeter once, at the NRA national convention when he was awarded the Outstanding Handgunner trophy. He's taller than he looks in photographs.

Francisco Bustamonte I hate you was one of Skeeter's stories that I still remember. Frank

When I read this thread a week or so ago, I was forced to remember that 1980 magazine "Skelton on Handguns" or whatever the exact title is and I went hunting. Sure enough I found one. I will not tell you what I paid for it, but I've enjoyed it as much now, as I did back then.

Maybe more. Some things they don't make anymore are just worth it.

This one will be better taken care of. If my son wants to read it, he can go find his own.

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John 3:16 .

Another Skelton fan here. Even at the time, I considered him to be the most well rounded handgun writer of all. He had been in the Marine Corps, he worked as one form of lawman or another most of his life, he hunted and he shot in competition on the side. That about covers the field.

I appreciate the .44 Special - shine it's light for me! - and have two revolvers, both S&W in that caliber. I also have a couple .44 Magnums in both Ruger and S&W flavor. The late Elmer Keith is probably as responsible for that, but Skeeter didn't discourage me any. (And some M27s as well as a couple M19s...)

Nice revolver there, Xfuzz. Long may it shoot.

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Yeah, I could thumb cock an S&W revolver, but why bother?

Skeeter could spin a tale like no other.
Never missed Shooting Times during his tenure there.
And, to this day, I have a passel of .44 Specials he inspired me to acquire.
There will never be another like him.
Skeeter's passing left a hole in my heart that will never be filled.

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

Had this one set up like Skeeter's 27: 5" barrel, standard hammer & trigger, Herrett's Skelton-style Ropers in nice walnut.
Bob

Yep, I too was/am a huge fan of Skeeter's, his influence persuaded me to buy this M27-2, 5", new in the wood box in 1981:





The only thing done to it is the obvious - I cut down the target stocks to fit my hand. It's wonderfully accurate, has been lots of places. I hold Model 57s in high regard, maybe the best fit for the N frame; also keen on the K-22 and K-38. But Skeeter had it right about the Model 27, the Cadillac of the Smith and Wesson line.

I have to say I was influenced By Skeeter as in his writings he loved the 44 special. Took me many years before I found one of three I now own. two purely by accident and one I made a effort to find. Frank

Skeeter owned a 7.5" SAA in 32-20 with a spare 32 Long cylinder. He bought it in Chicago to have with him on his ride home to Texas from his stint in the Marines. He later put a 45 bbl and cylinder on it and then sold it but lamented it so much that he mentioned it in numerous articles by serial number in homes it would one day get back to him. The number is 345858 if anyone runs across it.

If Skeeter were here today... He would be packing a Glock 19 gen 4, carried in a Blackhawk Serpa holster, but would regret trading off his gen 3 to Jug Johnson.

Don't count on it!

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Skeeter is the reason I carried a handgun on a combine and baler in my youth.I was the only one I knew that did that but had some fun with them.

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Front sight and squeeze

"Long live the "Mama Mia Mishap"."

He wrote a lot of funny stuff but that may have been my favorite. He took some flack over what the gun's manufacturer's name meant ("Sons Of Garbage" but in Spanish) but just from some sensitive soreheads that didn't catch that he wrote the whole article self-deprecating himself. Some people just can't laugh.

I guess I end up joining the fan club. 5" pre-27 with Herrett's Ropers.

Stu