A MAN OF THE GUN PASSES

I first met Reeves Jungkind in 1976, at Dr. Robert Burgess’ first Shoot For Loot match in Laramie, Wyoming.  Long since a Texas state champion, Reeves was still a helluva good shot with his trademark Colt Python .357 Magnum.

Reeves passed last week at age 86, in the Lone Star State where he spent a long career as a Texas highway patrolman.  My friend Grant Cunningham offers an excellent eulogy.

Reeves was your quintessential Texas lawman.  Laid back and easy going, but not someone in front of whom you’d want to try to harm an innocent person.  A wry sense of humor.  And an absolute mastery of his particular skill set.

Many years ago, I was attending a national firearms event where several people were lamenting the recent death of Reeves Jungkind.  I took it at face value and wrote a eulogy in one of the gun magazines for which I did a regular column.  When the magazine came out, I got a call at home from Reeves.   I told him how glad I was that he was still alive.

“Yeah,” he drawled, “but not as glad as I am.”

I will cherish all the more two guns he did for me, a short barrel Python .357 and a Colt Official Police .38 made into a PPC gun years ago, with a heavy barrel and sight rib installed by the late Austin Behlert and of course, the incomparable Reeves Jungkind action job.

Reeves was a giant in his world, and he will be missed.

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