Charlie Harley, #14153 2,961 Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 Not wanting to hijack the BFR thread, I’m curious how many Skeeter Skelton fans hang out in the Saloon. I devoured all his work. He and Bill Jordan were the two reasons I waited on the Shooting Times every month. Jug Johnson. Me and Dobe. Plus a whole lot of sound shooting advice and fascinating stories. A highlight was meeting Mr Skelton at an NRA meeting. He was just as nice as could be. And yes, one day I’ll own a Blackhawk in 44 special. 6 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DeaconKC 1,789 Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 Skeeter is the reason I love the 44 Special to this day. 1 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alpo 6,644 Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 (edited) You know there's a dozen or so of his stories at darkcanyon.net I just went and counted. There's 31. http://darkcanyon.net/skeeter_skelton.htm Edited December 16, 2020 by Alpo 1 5 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Utah Bob #35998 15,861 Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 Never met him, but I met Baxter Black. So that’s something. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Linn Keller, SASS 27332, BOLD 103 2,076 Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 Never forgot his description of the heater in his truck. It seemed to have inherited a .44 round by some odd happenstance, and his description of it sounding "like an armored packrat in a squirrelcage" is one I've used many times in describing rattling equipment that shouldn't! 2 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dantankerous 4,343 Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 My Skeeter book. Skeeter's son's book. My Skeeter 44 Special with Skeeter loads. Yes, I am a fan. 5 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Warden Callaway 4,634 Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 (edited) I have several of his books. Use to read all his work in the magazines. I converted a S&W 28 Highway Patrolman to 45Colt because of his influence. I really liked his "Me and Joe" stories. Reminiscent of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. I forgot to add that I saw him at the NRA convention in Orlando Florida years ago. I wanted to go up and shake hands but he was in what looked to be a serious conversation with another guy. I hung around close by for a good while but finally moved on. Edited December 16, 2020 by Warden Callaway 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brandon A Bovine SASS 27688 11 Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 Skeeter was always a good read, bought two of his books and really should read them again this winter. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 5,710 Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 59 minutes ago, Utah Bob #35998 said: Never met him, but I met Baxter Black. So that’s something. Oysters~! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Capt. James H. Callahan 1,576 Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 Read ST for decades, he was one of my favorites. JHC Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Yellowhouse Sam # 25171 571 Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 Ever since 65! Man was a master at costing me all kinds of money. Still does! 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Muley Gil SASS # 57795 106 Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 (edited) I started reading Skeeter in the late '60s. When he started writing about converting N frame S&W .357s and Old Model Ruger .357s to .44 Special and .45 Colt, I was at the new stands waiting for the next issue of Shooting Times, every month In 1976, I had a S&W Model 27 converted to .44 Special. I also bought .32-20s, a S&W Model 19, a .44 Special Colt New Frontier, a S&W Model 25-5, a S&W Model 24-3, a couple of 1917s-both S&W and Colt, and the list goes on and on and on, including a couple Ruger Blackhawks to .44 Special. I also have his books and his wife's book. When he died, it was like losing an old friend. Edited December 16, 2020 by Muley Gil SASS # 57795 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Utah Bob #35998 15,861 Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 1 hour ago, Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 said: Oysters~! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Trailrider #896 1,803 Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 It's been quite a while... Think I may have met him at the Gun Writers' Convention in Fairplay. Met Bill Jordan at a SHOT Show. Devoured everything Skeeter wrote, especially in Shooting Times...before it went blah! Met Bart several times. Like his dad a real gent, but boy you didn't want to shake his hand just before a shoot, cause your hand would be numb for a week! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
G W Wade 989 Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 Always liked the Jug Johnson stories, especially shooting the hinge off the gate with the 44 Magna. Had 2 of his books and used to loan them out to friends to read. Ended up buying 2 more when they didn;t come home. Every shooter should experience his life and stories GW Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Old Man Graybeard 335 Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 I always enjoyed Skeeter and Bart Skelton...along with Bill Jordan and of course Elmer Keith Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LawMan Mark, SASS #57095L 2,010 Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 Love Skeeter's stuff. Read his articles on line regularly. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Prof. Fuller Bullspit 45 Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 Absolutely! Skeeter was my favorite Shooting Times writer. I found the books that are collections of his work and continue to enjoy his work. Another good one, although a different time and flavor is the book, Old Man and the Boy which is a collection of Robert Ruark’s stories. I wish I could find a book of Townsend Whelen’s, and Bill Jordan’s articles. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Yellowhouse Sam # 25171 571 Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 12 hours ago, Utah Bob #35998 said: Never met him, but I met Baxter Black. So that’s something. Same here. Several hours after introduction he came back around to me and my colleagues and called each of us by full names. I was impressed! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chantry 1,219 Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 (edited) I have both of his books: Good Friends, Good Guns, Good Whiskey & Hoglegs, Hipshots and Jalapeños and he his one of the best natural storytellers I've read. On edit: If you have one of the books, keep it, the prices for either book on Amazon are very high. Edited December 16, 2020 by Chantry Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Widder, SASS #59054 7,643 Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 Always loved Skeeter, Bill Jordan, and especially Rick Jamison (hope I spelled that right). Shooting Times covered the best of the best. ..........Widder Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sixgun Sheridan 4,253 Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 I miss the old days when I used to look forward to the next issue of Shooting Times or Guns & Ammo on the news stands. Always full of good articles from gunwriters who actually knew how to write. I'm a bit young for Skeeter and Bill Jordan, but I believe they were still writing when I first got into guns and began reading gun rags. Unfortunately these days not only are most gun rags filled with nothing but cover-to-cover advertising and fake reviews of new firearms (which in truth are simply more advertising), but the people writing that stuff don't even seem to have a journalism degree based on the way they write. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Waxahachie Kid #17017 L 793 Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 I have several of Skeeter's books. Some of his original books are really expensive now. He was my favorite gun writer, back in the days he wrote for Shooting Times. His son, Bart, was a good writer, too. I did get to meet Bill Jordon, once at one of his book signing events. Awesome man, and very nice. He was one of Skeeter's best pals. There are a lot of good gun writers around, but they would all have to get up on top of Mount Everest, just to kiss the bottom of Skeeter's boot. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pat Riot, SASS #13748 22,437 Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 I have read lots of articles by lots of different gun writers. I liked Skeeter’s articles. Never cared for Bart Skelton’s. He tried hard but had no substance. I don’t really recall reading much of Bill Jordan’s stuff. If I had to pick a favorite it would be Mike Venturino, lots of technical and historical information on guns of the Old West. I have learned a lot from him. Another gun writer I really appreciate is Gary James. His knowledge is impressive. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Widder, SASS #59054 7,643 Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 Bill Jordan wrote an article in ST about accuracy of the 10/22 using aftermarket mods, etc..... His article differed in statistics and other facts written in the monthly 'American Rifleman' published by the NRA. So, I wrote Bill Jordan about the contradictions of both articles. He actually replied with a HAND WRITTEN 1-page letter back to me, with good information. My opinion of him was already very respectable but after getting his reply, my opinion put him at the top of the totum pole. He knew his stuff. P.S. - I think I still have that letter saved inside my trunk. ..........Widder Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mud Marine,SASS#54686 Life 763 Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 As a good Idahoan, Elmer Keith was my .44 guru but Skeeter Skelton reinforced that. I still carry a .44 S&W Special everyday and have hunted with a .44 Remington Magnum for four plus decades. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dantankerous 4,343 Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 How fitting for this conversation on this board... Charles Allen Skelton CAS 2 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DeaconKC 1,789 Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 Oh, I forgot...I LOVE the .44Special so much... 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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