Charles "Skeeter" Skelton: died 17 Jan 89

max said:
BruceV, are you sure about 8 grains of Unique? I have never heard of that much Unique?
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I believe he is confused.

In this article - My Friend, The 357, he lists loads, and in the "heavy load" section we find a 158 LSWC over 8.0 of Unique. If he gets 1400 in 357 brass with that, I surely can't see anyone shooting it in a 38 and having a hand afterward.
My Friend, The .357
 
He was quite the storyteller. :) I too learned a lot and got a lot of enjoyment from reading his various articles. One of the saddest things of growing older is losing those influential characters in one's life that helped make us what we eventually turned out to be. It does not seem like he has been gone that long... :(
 
My first mag subscription was at age 10 in 1977 to Shooting Times. It was to read Skeeter. My brother and Dad would tease me because I was constantly quoting him. Then they started reading him too. I have a mess of .44 Specials now, a couple of 5" M 27s and a few others he enjoyed and find the same enjoyment. Still have most of my Shooting Times issues from all those years ago. He definately put his brand on a lot of people.
 
Please be patient with me here. I can't concentrate for long anymore. So this afternoon I headed down into the dungeon, aka the basement. There are still dozens of boxes of stuff that hasn't been unpacked in the year and a half since we moved in. So I started looking at magazines my wife has piled up. She's helping me when she comes up with one.

So the first one I get is Guns, from 1962, then a few more from the same general period. This isn't going well. Then a Guns and Ammo from about the same period. So I got sidetracked. Moved across the basement to another box of stuff, and immediately found two red outline American Rifleman mags. One from '35 and another from '41. I didn't find what I was looking for.

I can't find one with the guy's name that started with a "Z". He wrote humor back in the 1980s, had the inside of the back cover. He was pretty sick in the mind, which is why I liked his writing so much.

And I want to find the Jeff Cooper article on how to avoid being a crime victim.

Not much to go on, I know. But then it'll be nasty outside tomorrow, so maybe I'll change tactics. A chair and better light would surely help.
 
Add to the list of admirers of Mr. Skelton. He could tell a story and it was as though you were at his side.

The "Me and Joe" series are among my favorites.
 
Reading Skeeter's stories was like listening to a friend that you wanted to hang out with. In contrast, reading Cooper was like listening to a sermon. You knew it was good for you, but it kind of grated. Reading Keith was like listening to the neighborhood blowhard but with the knowledge that he could do what he said. Reading Jordan was like listening to a favorite, somewhat goofy uncle, who was absolutely fascinating.

Just my thoughts.

ECS
 
Every so often I pull out one of his books, sit down and relax reading some of the best and most entertaining gun writing I ever encountered. His nonfiction articles were always good and his fiction tales (based on real people he knew?) were a delight. I really miss him, my reading of gun mags declined after his passing and I really can't find anything worth buying the gun rags for now....the writers around now just don't have it, too many of them are inflated blowhards I would have to be paid to read (if I could stand to)!
 
I cried the day Skeeter died.

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When I heard that Skeeter had passed away I sent his family a card.

He taught me a lot about shooting but he also passed along some useful information about being a lawman. I worked a one-deputy car in the back country; no shotgun (at least that the captain knew about) and very spotty radio reception. But I had Skeeter with me so it was all good.

One of the reasons that I like this forum is because you all know who Skeeter Skelton was. And Bill Jordan and Elmer Keith…

Rest in Peace Skeet.
Frank
 
rburg said:
I can't find one with the guy's name that started with a "Z". He wrote humor back in the 1980s, had the inside of the back cover. He was pretty sick in the mind, which is why I liked his writing so much...
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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.
 
M29since14 said:
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?
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"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.

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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.
 
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
 
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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

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