In 1929, Elmer Keith wrote of a sixgun he called No. 5—a Colt SAA built into a state-of-the-art revolver. He also called it The Last Word. It stands even today among the finest in existence. In 1955, Keith wrote “Sixguns.” This is a must-read for students of the sixgun.

Another rifle I’ve always connected to Mr. Wootters is the Ruger No. 1 in 45-70 Government he used to collect the Nhamaruza Leopard in 1972 while hunting in Mozambique. From the first time I saw a photo of Wootters kneeling by the beautiful spotted cat with the No. 1 in his hand, I wanted one. I wanted one so bad that I bought three!

In my view, the caliber of the usin’ gun ought to begin with the number “4.” It ought to be loaded with at least a 200 grain bullet, and that bullet ought to be driven at 900-1000 feet-per-second. This gives one the choice of a .41 Special, .44 Special, or .45 Colt. And there’s no point in arguing about which one of these is best; a crook or critter properly punctured with any of these won’t be able to tell the difference.

Rob is aware of my background in gunsmithing. He knows I enjoy bringing the best out from my sixguns. But I am not sure he wasn’t pulling my leg when he presented me with a Single Six that was about as beat up as it could be. Like, professionally beat up. This thing not only had scars, scratches, and scrapes, the main frame was a tiny bit warped.

Now to the part that seems to draw attention. The brass grip frame. Ronnie Wells’ RW Grip Frames does everything from building laser-accurate custom revolvers to manufacturing sights, hammers, triggers, and yes, grip frames. Hundreds of variations of grip frames as a matter of fact.

The 308 Winchester has been the parent case for a lot of good rounds since its inception in 1952, including the 243 Winchester, 260 Remington, 7mm-08 Remington, 338 Federal, and 358 Winchester. There isn’t much a true hunter can’t bag with this assortment of cartridges pushing good bullets designed for penetration. We’ve used the 308 Winchester and 7mm-08 Remington to hunt a variety of critters at home in Texas and in South Africa.

Of course, I had the 44 Magnum I call “The Hammer” with me. Doc clobbered a fantastic buck at 104 yards with it. Doc Barranti and Nick Rukavina did have 44 Specials. Shane Jahn was carrying a 41. I know...I will do my best to help him. At least it was a very beautiful 41…

Whenever Jim, Shane, and I get together for evening coffee, the conversation often meanders back to how we can make Gun Tales a better place. How can we put our great Gun Tales family members first? How do we make newcomers feel more welcome? How can we get to know everyone better? How can we deliver that same anticipation that you used to have while waiting for the next issue of your favorite gun magazine?

Back around the air-conditioned comforts of the coffee table, we continued our dissertations on packing guns. We both came to the consensus that the mid-frame Ruger Flattop is surely one of the best, especially when it comes to building a custom gun. I just happened to have along one such custom specimen that we handled and shot during our visit. It furthered our position on the subject, and we can find no reason to change our opinion.

For a long time, I ignored the concept of the Bisley grip frame. It didn’t look like the traditional plow handle of the sleek Colt Single Action Army. Nor did it share the similar graceful silhouette of the classic Ruger Flattop, so it couldn’t be as good. Same can be said of the curved lever versions found on some lever action rifles. You don’t know what you don’t know.

Elmer Keith and Skeeter Skelton were both fans of the 32-20, and both used the 32-20 as a field sixgun. Both chose the Colt SAA in 32-20 and used heavy loads for that time and platform. Back in those days, some 32-20 factory ammunition was designated “For Rifles Only,” and while Skeeter wrote that he shot the Rifle Only loads in his Colt SAA, they were definitely not for use in the other lighter-framed and thinner-cylinder 32-20s of the day.

By now it shouldn’t surprise you folks to learn that I like single action revolvers. And, while I revere the classic Colt Single Action Army, my real love is the original Ruger Flat Top in .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum. Great guns and cartridges right there, but they are also perfect vehicles for the various custom projects that might come to mind. A good example would be my recent project of converting a Flat Top .357 to .41 Special.

What is a woods gun? Depending on where we are, what we’re doing, and what our anticipated targets are, a woods gun can be most anything. Handguns, handy rifles, and even a short-barreled shotgun can serve us well for woods bumming. My unofficial definition most often relates to a revolver worn while out and about in the great outdoors, because they are what I prefer.

My friend John Taffin wrote quite a few books and I have every one of them. The last time I spoke to his wife Dot, she related that there was yet another book on the horizon. I even have a guest chapter in John’s “Book of the Smallbore.” I learned a lot from that writing experience. If you are not careful this “gunwriter” thing can turn into a lot of work.

Bill Ruger’s original Blackhawk we now know as the “Flattop,” is one of the undisputed classic single-action revolvers. The XR-3 grip frame nestles in the hand like that of the famous Colt Single Action Army. Aesthetically the Ruger resembled the Colt somewhat, but it demonstrated a good adjustable rear sight and a ramped front, something Colt didn’t do until 1961 with the New Frontier.

The guys at Dodson Guns in Alpine, Texas are aware of my wheelgun affliction, especially when it comes to Ruger single actions. Occasionally they will notify me when a used hogleg wearing the famed Phoenix bird brand shows up.

A fellow once told me that, regarding feral hogs, there are two kinds of places...them that’s got ‘em and them that’s gonna get ‘em. Feral hogs, if they are anything, are adaptive. We even have them out here in this high, dry desert country of the Texas Big Bend. They are tough, prolific, and destructive...oh, and they’re really fun to hunt.

To some folks Claude Dallas was like a throwback to the days of old-time cowboys and mountain men, the ones who took care of their own business. Others just saw him as trouble looking for a place to happen. Regardless, he has become a part of the latter-day western legend.

It seems common these days that folks often name deer. I’m not talking about pets, although some wild deer become so predictable and accustomed to hunter activity that they appear somewhat domesticated, even on huge ranches. We feed a lot of corn on the ranch I hunt. It helps the wild game; deer, javelinas, quail, various birds, and so on, by providing a little extra nourishment and it helps the hunter to see animals that would otherwise go unnoticed in the masses of mesquite

I’d found a cozy little place on a Texas hillside. Sitting with my back against a cedar, with an agarita bush in front of me to break up my silhouette. I hadn’t been there all that long when a nice eight-point buck came out of the brush to get a drink at the stock tank that was about thirty-five to forty yards in front of me.