Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters "Skeeter" Skelton

Shooting Times had two special editions that were nothing but stories written by Skeeter. If I remember correctly, one was published while he was alive and one some time after his death. Every three or four years I will get them out and read them. "My Friend the 357" is probably my favorite Skeeter story.

I don't suppose that I could entice you to scan a copy of that to me, please? Never hurts to ask.

Henryseale,
I just saw your post. PM sent.

There is a Shooting Times special edition from 10/80 titled "Skeeter Skelton On Handguns" that regularly shows up on eBay for as little as $25. If you're patient, you'll find one in good condition for a reasonable price.

http://www.darkcanyon.net/skeeter_skelton.htm

Found this site years ago. Bill Roser started it and his widow has continued it.

His son writes too.

I too enjoyed his writings! In fact he is responsible for me buying and hording S&W model 24 spl handguns! I tell you he WAS onto something! Something about a 240 gr hardcast swc @ 1000 fps....

I enjoyed Skeeter's writings but never saw the great appeal of a 44 splc revolver. A 44 mag can do double duty IMHO

I have one each of the Lew Horton 3 inch round butt guns in 44 mag and 44 spl as well as the 4 inch sqare butt in 44 mag and 44 spl. The spl guns feel and handle better to me. While it is true the mag gets more power, 99.5 % of the time it is not required and I much favor the special for the reduced recoil and muzzle blast. YMMV.

I have one each of the Lew Horton 3 inch round butt guns in 44 mag and 44 spl as well as the 4 inch square butt in 44 mag and 44 spl. The spl guns feel and handle better to me. While it is true the mag gets more power, 99.5 % of the time it is not required and I much favor the special for the reduced recoil and muzzle blast. YMMV.

I agree with your assessment that the .44 Special will do the great majority of what the .44 Magnum covers and can do it with less recoil and muzzle blast in a lighter, more manageable, revolver. At least it does for me.

Although I have 8 revolver chambered in .44 Special, my favorite .44 Special is a .44 Magnum, the S&W 329PD. The 329PD is a great platform for the .44 Special size and weight wise, but is too light for most people to shoot well with full power .44 Magnum loads. The .44 that I carry the most is also the least expensive, a Rossi 720. Only a few years ago a person could find these nice little stainless revolvers in minty condition for between $250 and $300, but not so today.

my favorite writer, have all his books and magazine specials

Thank you very much for this link. It has some great articles and is a real treasure for those of us into the S&W products from the "Old Days".

+1

+2 Thanks you, some good reading.

To this day, whenever I am tempted to leave powder in the hopper of my powder measure, I think about "Skeeter Skelton Cow-Killer Loads" and I promptly empty the hopper!!

I can't remember how to set up and solve quadratic equations, but I remember that story from what...about 45 years ago?

If you were going to try to add one or two of Skeeters published books to your collection, which would you choose today. I am interested in both his fiction and non fiction work.

If I was going to have one of SS' books it would be GOOD FRIEND, GOOD GUNS, GOOD WHISKEY. If two, I'd add HOGLEGS, HIPSHOTS, AND JALAPENOS.

There are also a couple of soft cover Shooting Times compilations of his work, basically thick magazines.

I have both & they are both great reads !!

That’s where Lyman’s 358156 bullet design came into play for him. The lower crimping groove for loads with 38 Special brass and the top groove for the 357 gave about the same capacity for his loads with Herc 2400. Works like a champ. I have a hollow point version of it and a four cavity mold for solids after seeing Skeeter writing about them so many times.