Sixgun Memories and Meanings
Old Madbo, Mike Hutyra, would sarcastically state, “Guns are nothing more than pig iron and wood.”
But he knew better.
I had a friend who said sixguns were nothing but pig iron and wood, yet he was the best scavenger of cool old guns I ever knew. He had more storage bins full of vintage shooting irons than anyone I ever knew — and all his guns had a story. Wonderful stories! There are many things that make a gun more interesting than the garden variety. The age of the gun certainly makes them interesting; the older, the better.
Who owned the gun in its previous life may be the most important factor in a gun’s value. How the gun was used with its owner is another factor to consider for value and coolness status. Who made the gun is worth considering. Was it a renowned gunsmith? Whether the gun has fancy accessories like ivory stocks, fancy engraving, or gold inlay is also important.
If anyone walked up to the table with two guns like the ones in my second picture, they wouldn’t bat an eye. But once you hear the background on them, oh boy, the gun nerd in us all starts salivating, making us get weak-kneed as we experience the moment.
Two plain Jane looking guns --- until you learn the history of them.
The First
The top gun is one of the first, if not the first, .41 Magnums to leave the Ruger factory. Bill Ruger had it sent to Elmer Keith, who wanted the gun modified from its factory-issued condition. He wanted a 4 5/8″ barrel for easier carry, brass Super Blackhawk “Dragoon” style grip-frame and wide, serrated trigger. He sent the sixgun to Don Mihaljevic, his local gunsmith and friend, to complete the modifications. Mihaljevic also fitted and finished the gun with fancy walnut stocks.
The gun has changed hands a few times since Keith first had it, and it will continue to change hands over time, as they all do. When you think about it, we never own a gun; we are just its temporary keeper. Being able to see, hold and fondle one of Keith’s guns is always special.
Madbo’s Colt MK III Trooper, top, and S&W Heavy Duty, bottom.
Birthday Boy
The second gun in the picture is one Skeeter Skelton had built from a tired old Colt SAA for his son Bart’s 12th birthday. Skeeter wrote an article on the process, explaining how he used a black powder era SAA and replaced the barrel and cylinder with newer parts. His gunsmith, Bob Sconce, did the honors. Skeeter then sent the grip-frame to Steve Herrett of Herrett’s Stocks to make a pair of custom one-piece fancy walnut stocks for the sixgun.
I never knew Skeeter, but was friends with son, Bart. Having the chance to shoot Bart’s 12th birthday gun helped remind me of the good times we had during several visits to his home.
I admit, having the chance to handle one of Elmer’s guns and shoot Bart’s birthday gun is certainly a top-rated sixgun event.
King Custom “cockeyed” hammer.
Heavy Duty
The friend I mentioned at the start of this story is Ol’ Madbo, Mike Hutyra. When he died unexpectedly a few years ago, I was able to get a few of his guns. Not true collector guns like he had, but nice, affordable guns to remember him by. The guns were sold through an online auction house. Most of Madbo’s guns were out of my price range, but there were a few I could afford. As you know, once bidding starts, you never know what’s going to happen.
I ended up winning two guns. The first was a S&W Heavy Duty, the second, a Colt MK III Trooper. I was tickled to win the Heavy Duty, as I’ve wanted one for years, and this would be the perfect one to have, being Madbo’s. The MK III Trooper was a nice surprise, as it’s a solid gun.
Close-up of hammer.
Bonus Gifts
When I received the guns, I had a flashback of Madbo. The pistol rugs and guns smelled of him, a combination of gun oil and laundry soap, making me feel his presence.
Madbo always said many guns are not described accurately in their listings. This was one of the ways he got the bargains he was famous for. This Heavy Duty was a prime example of that, as it had a “King Custom” cockeyed hammer, and the front sight was reshaped and serrated by them as well. Boy, was this a surprise! I felt like Madbo personally gifted me those bonus extras, like it was meant to be.
I know we shouldn’t covet physical items, but in this case, it felt right. I’d gladly give all my guns away to have Madbo back or get another fruit cake sent from him instead, but having a few of his guns sure is a nice way to remember him.
Heavy 38/44 cast handloads.
The Murbach Gun
The gun showed holster wear and had seen better days. Also, the checkered stocks were practically worn smooth and wouldn’t impress most. But I wanted the old S&W from Terry Murbaugh’s estate because it was his. Murbaugh despised recoil. None of us like it, but we tolerate it. He made no qualms, shooting .22LRs or easy loaded .38 Specials which were more to his liking. He could shoot, “so why would I want to ruin it with recoil,” he’d ask? Murbaugh was full of bitterly honest statements like that.
The gun is a well-worn S&W Model 14 .38 Special. The price was low enough not to make too much of a dent in the grocery fund, so I bought it. The fact that it was well-used made it more attractive to me, as Murbaugh’s DNA oozing from it. I only shoot low-recoiling loads in it, the way he would want, keeping wear and tear to a minimum, on both me and the gun.
My “Terry Load” uses a scant 3 grains of Alliant Bullseye powder for 700 fps of recoil-free plinking perfection with a 130-grain Lee RFN cast bullet. It’s very accurate! Terry would approve of this load, but I’d raise his hackles a bit by powder coating the bullets in a gawdy fuchsia pink color. We’d have a good chuckle, but he appreciated the wonderful traits powder-coated bullets provide, as I’d shared some of them for him to shoot before.
The Murbach gun was beautifully well-used by Terry.
Terry’s gun with fuchsia pink powder coated bullets.
Special Indeed
Most people have special guns they hold close to their hearts. Some are from people they admired, others from people they personally knew. Others may have been family members. Either way, the guns hold a special meaning by keeping memories alive, the powder burning, and the stories to be re-told, every time the pistol rug is unzipped, and someone asks, “Nice gun, where’d you get that one? And we proceed to tell the tales of a great person we once knew or admired.
It’s special moments like these that we absorb, taking in every nuance of these extraordinary guns as we shelve the memories for later. Guns can’t bring them back, but it sure helps making reconnecting with them more real.
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