SIXGUNS by Keith

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

   FN, Nice photo....I remember that cabin or work area very well...I had some photos from the same time but have long ago lost the neg...Elmer was the real McCoy...you have a real treasure there...several times since Elmer has passed, I have visited Salmon...it is interesting  to visit with the folks that remember Elmer around town....the ladies remember his big hats and stinking cigars....there was another tale they told me, I will have to see if I wrote it down some where...when I went in his home, he had the 476 he used in Africa lying on a chair...your photo stirred quite a few memories...what is the story with meeting Elmer....

[Merle]

  I was passing through Salmon in 1979, stopped and bought a couple of books direct from Mr. Keith. Thankfully I had the bains to know to have them autographed...though he simply asked me how I wanted them signed, before I had to mention it.

  I need to post the pics I have of his home and the Cabin out back where he did his writing. I think the regulars here would enjoy them.  The entire story of meeting him is amusing as well.



FN in MT

Thanks for posting.
I hope you post the additional material you mentioned!

 

[FN in MT]

  I'm currently very busy but will try to get the full story and the rest of my photos UP the next week or so.

  No doubt about it...He was the Real Deal! 

  We also corresponded over an old Sharps rifle I had and was trying to get shooting. THOSE letters are a hoot.  Elmer started typing and ended when he felt he had passed on all the information needed. Without any PUNCTUATION or corrections of misspells or mistyped letters!! Priceless.

FN in MT

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

   FN, those letters are priceless...I have maybe a dozen, maybe not that many...but wonderful old pieces...Elmer was quite a guy...no doubt..I read one time when he was younger he had about 30 old Sharps rifles...his mom I think got to complaining about them sitting around, so he sold all but the best ones..What a fortune he had in todays market, but I guess we could all look at that situation...when I was about 14 I loved to haunt little gunshops that abounded in those days....it seemed every little town, had at least one guy who traded and dealt in guns....one place in particular was a gas station...they guy must have taken guns in on tires, gas bills, etc...he had them grouped, Krags $15-25$, Springfields $25-45, Model 12's $60-65; Model 70's the same, If I would have only spent my summers earnings on those guns!!!!!!!! And I gladly would have if my Dad would not have stopped me...   

[FN in MT]

 WCH,

  I bought a really nice Sharps that had been rechambered to .45-120 .... originally a .45-90 gun.  Could NOT get that thing to shoot better than minute of 5 Gallon bucket.  Long story short....Sent Elmer a letter asking what my options where...as well as the proper way to load for that gun.

  His reply included some paper patching material and some properly sized and cut patches for the gun, as well as loading instructions.  Took me some time to gather the  PP slug mould, pure lead and tin, then cast some slugs, figure out how to patch them , etc.  My first groups were a ragged hole at 50 yds. At 100 yds it EASILY outshot even my young eyes. I was absolutely amazed.

  The data base of gun, loading and hunting knowledge he possesed was amazing.  I quickly learned that if he stated that "whatever would do...whatever' , It was true.

  Years later I recall knocking over a 6x6 bull with a 245 gr Keith slug out of a 6.5" M-29 at a silly distance that I wont even go into here. It was a bull wounded earlier by another hunter and I was the one to have the final shot at him as it was getting dark.  I sat in the snow, pulled my knees up, rested my elbows and after the shot I thought of Mr Keith.  As I watched the bull tip over I thought... "I wonder if he's up there giving me a little nod of approval"?  I tend to think he WAS.

 FN in MT

  

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

  FN, Great story...Elmers knowledge was something...Nice story about the Sharps and the elk....I AM sure Elmer was smiling...

[Frank V]

  I was passing through Salmon in 1979, stopped and bought a couple of books direct from Mr. Keith. Thankfully I had the bains to know to have them autographed...though he simply asked me how I wanted them signed, before I had to mention it.

  I need to post the pics I have of his home and the Cabin out back where he did his writing. I think the regulars here would enjoy them.  The entire story of meeting him is amusing as well.



FN in MT

Wow, I never got to meet Mr. Keith, I've read a lot of his writings. He was ahead of his time.
Frank

[coyotejoe]

I'd say he was both ahead and behind his time, he covered it all.

[Drilling Man]

I'd say he was both ahead and behind his time, he covered it all.

  Yup, especially when he said the 30-06 was too SMALL for deer, and the 7mm Rem. Mag. should have 175 grain bullets for pronghorns!!   

  DM

[Hank08]

Back in 1977, Fred Huntington of RCBS had a retiremant party and invited all the gunwriters & guns and accessories manufactuerers, just about everybody in the gun business.  Keith, Askins, Nonte, Jim Carmichael, Bill Jordan, the Nosler family, the Brownells, everybody,   it was an all day event so we got to BS with Keith quite a lot.  I took the tour thru the RCBS factory with Bill Jordan and his wife, was seated for lunch with the Nosler Bullet family and at dinner was seated at Keiths table, had a few after dinner drinks with Charlie Askins.  It was a heck of a day for this old boy, I'll never forget it.
H08

[Merle]

  I'm currently very busy but will try to get the full story and the rest of my photos UP the next week or so.

  No doubt about it...He was the Real Deal! 

  We also corresponded over an old Sharps rifle I had and was trying to get shooting. THOSE letters are a hoot.  Elmer started typing and ended when he felt he had passed on all the information needed. Without any PUNCTUATION or corrections of misspells or mistyped letters!! Priceless.

FN in MT

I would agree, those letters are priceless.

 

[Merle]

Back in 1977, Fred Huntington of RCBS had a retiremant party and invited all the gunwriters & guns and accessories manufactuerers, just about everybody in the gun business.  Keith, Askins, Nonte, Jim Carmichael, Bill Jordan, the Nosler family, the Brownells, everybody,   it was an all day event so we got to BS with Keith quite a lot.  I took the tour thru the RCBS factory with Bill Jordan and his wife, was seated for lunch with the Nosler Bullet family and at dinner was seated at Keiths table, had a few after dinner drinks with Charlie Askins.  It was a heck of a day for this old boy, I'll never forget it.
H08

You were one lucky guy to meet ALL of those folks at one time!!!