The .44 Spl. and The Scapegoat Mtn. Bull

[jubela#4]

Great story sir, I love reading tales like that.

 

[Abbynormal]

I grew up reading Skeeters exploits and adventures. Though time and circumstance, I've been able to meet a few that knew him "in the day". While I didn't get the chance to know Skeeter myself, reading every one of his writings and listening to stories about him; I think he would have wanted and would have pestered S&W in his writings for what I feel he would called his favorite handgun: A 5" Mountain Gun wearing his proprietary "Roper" style stocks with a Performance Center action job.

I think S&W missed a bigun' on there!

My 4" MG (629-4) wearing a set of Kurak's round to square butt Coke style conversions and a Verne Trester 3lb single action job is as close as I can come.

BTW: A great story with a very illustrative writing style, by the way!!!!

 

[jlrhiner]

Dave, that was great to reread. If you don't write a book, you'll be doing a disservice to all of us lowlanders that may never see a mountain or walk in a Lawman's footsteps.

 

[Iggy]

Dave can surely spin a yarn and that's plumb center.

 

[ditrina]

Dave can surely spin a yarn and that's plumb center.

Now you ain't too bad yer own self

 

[hannstv]

Thanks to the folks that revisit some of these older threads. Some of the best threads I have read are ones that have been brought back to life. Doesn't do much good to try the search option, you have no idea what will interest you until you start reading!

 

[29aholic]

I never get tired of this story, and actually heard it the first time in person from the man himself when we did a little swappin.

 

[Poohgyrr]

Great thread, and pics. Great six shooter too. Thanks.

 

[mball]

Yeah...I liked it a lot.

 

[Bill_in_fl]

I really enjoyed reading your story. Made me feel like I was there. Love your revolver, ivories and leather too. Wish I didn't live in Fl where it's usually flat and our woods aren't the kind of woods I'd like and are more often than not swamps full of mosquitoes and cottonmouths. No elk around here and the deer you see are usually kinda small to medium except for the rare occasional big buck. Best hunting around here is wild hog. Always wanted to live out west so I could poke around the beautiful countryside and hunt and shoot out there. Been there to visit, but never got to just poke around the countryside with a revolver and rifle. Sure would like to do that out west one day before my already bad knees go totally south on me or before I pass on.


.

 

[chud333]

Dave,
That's a beautiful sidearm and a great story to go with it.
Wished there was more stories of these kind of adventures.
The hunt is only a small portion of a camp experience as
evidenced by your writing.


Chuck

 

[TACC1]

That made some excellent reading, thanks a lot.
TACC1

 

[keith44spl]

Up again for all ya'll,

Christmas times a comin'


Su Amigo,
Dave

 

[DeathGrip]

Up again for all ya'll,

Christmas times a comin'


Su Amigo,
Dave

I don't think we had a Like button back then.

 

[Iggy]

That story brings back a lot of hunting trips.. I always enjoy reading it.

Remember one trip where a bear came through camp. The horses left right quick.
Had to hire a plane to find them. 5 miles from camp. Walked the 5 miles to get them then ride'm back bare back.
Got a bull though.

 

[rburg]

Well, I remember it from the last time or two it was up. But I still don't know if the darn fool mules and other horses came back to camp or ended up starving or becoming bear food. Stupid bear should have been sleeping. The darn mules would have been a big help getting the quarters back to camp. Just like them to lay low until the work was done.

Haven't seen Dave in a while now. Seems he's on a different schedule at the gun shows. Gotta figure out when he's showing up.

 

[Old TexMex]

Dave, you're a bard. I'm grateful you brought that tale back up for us to enjoy. I'm proud to call you friend.
Su amigo,
Jim

 

[keith44spl]

Well, I remember it from the last time or two it was up. But I still don't know if the darn fool mules and other horses came back to camp or ended up starving or becoming bear food. Stupid bear should have been sleeping. The darn mules would have been a big help getting the quarters back to camp. Just like them to lay low until the work was done.

Haven't seen Dave in a while now. Seems he's on a different schedule at the gun shows. Gotta figure out when he's showing up.

Dick,

Well the rest of the short story.....

Got ol bull skint and quartered, hunted up pack stock and
caught the mules, went back to camp saddled two of the
mules and got every thing back to camp shortly after midnight and nobody got kilt.

Su Amigo,
Dave

 

[boykinlp]

I can believe I missed this thread the other times it came up! Great story and pictures, but Dave's telling is so good that I could have pictured it all in my mind without his pictures!!!

 

[wbraswell]

This may very well have been the thread that made me notice Dave Keith on this forum. Glad you brought it back up, Dave.

 

[Dennis]

Damn... that was an excellent story. Brought back some good memories.
I got a big bull in 69 i think it was. Up in Idaho w my dad. But the story is nothing compared to yours. Great writing and a beautiful .44 that definitely earned that scratch-work and ivories. Beautiful work on the leather.
Damn... That made my week, reading that.
Thank-you.

 

[WPWarhawk]

I made one of those trips to Idaho, wish I'd done more.

Elmer and Skeeter made me want to go on that trip, you sir, make me want to go back.

 

[Hammergun]

Jeff Flannery

Sir,

Had that 27 re-chambered back in the 70s when that was the 'thing' to do...

The saddle tan rig I cobbled up here on the ranch in the saddle shop.

Jeff Flannery of Union, KY did the engraving in early '90 or '91.

The Ivories were made by Ajax in Dallas.

Flip side;

Su Amigo,
Dave

Dave,
My dad was a gun collector in Kentucky/Indiana and I remember seeing Jeff Flannery at the gun shows. He was a really nice guy to me as a kid going to the gun shows. I really liked your story as it brought back some great memories of me hunting elk in the nearby Middle Fork of the Flathead in Montana in 1976 with my late Father on Horseback and packing a 1958 Blued Colt Python 4" wearing leather chaps. I didn't shoot an elk with it or the 7mm Mag I was hunting with. But I still have some great memories from that trip camping in a teepee etc.

 

[kthom]

EXCELLENT!!

Somehow missed this until now. Glad I got the opportunity to read the whole thread at once. Great story, well told, and that .44 Special is dang sure special! All of this made me smile, and that's always a good thing (unless my wifemate catches me smilin' when she smacks her thumb or finger with the hammer!)

 

[Old Arkansawyer]

Great story and great 44. I'm sold on the 44 special myself.

 

[Poohgyrr]

I know I've read this thread before, and I definitely remember seeing pics of that 44. A great thread, and the story and pics are wow!

Thanks for sharing, awesome.

 

[Rustyt1953]

What a brilliantly told tale.

Nicely done, Dave.

 

[Frank V]

Great story, I'm a huge fan of the .44 Special. Maybe one day I'll have one as nice as that one.

 

[keith44spl]

Dave,
My dad was a gun collector in Kentucky/Indiana and I remember seeing Jeff Flannery at the gun shows. He was a really nice guy to me as a kid going to the gun shows. I really liked your story as it brought back some great memories of me hunting elk in the nearby Middle Fork of the Flathead in Montana in 1976 with my late Father on Horseback and packing a 1958 Blued Colt Python 4" wearing leather chaps. I didn't shoot an elk with it or the 7mm Mag I was hunting with. But I still have some great memories from that trip camping in a teepee etc.

Jeff Flannery as engraved several of my revolvers....

All of which, have seen back country service over the years.

Colt NF 44 Spl

Colt SAA 44 Spl

.

 

[walkinghorse]

Curious, what is the difference between the Colt FN and the Colt SAA.