Elmer Keith Handgun Hunter & Firearm Enthusiast

[vette447]

Yep, I was looking for info on his Rigby 577 Farquharson rifles also

 

[NFA-Newbie]

Did anyone ever run down a gun list? I know he kept an indepth book. I have seen a single picture of it but that is all. So far no luck tracking it down. I ended up with a few of his not so well known guns from the auction and would love to learn more. Probably pretty likely I have the first .44 mag rifle that was ever made... Keith converted or had converted an 1892 that happened to come home with me along with 3 other things of his that I thought I would enjoy. Could not afford the better known stuff though I did bid on the No 5 the few times it has come up as well as Corbetts rifle. Did not get close on those...

 

[Wyatt Smith]

As a fairly new 357 magnum nut who is looking to get into bullet casting, I have been reading all the Elmer Keith, Skeeter Skelton, Bill Jordan, and other old timers material I can get my hands on.
They really knew their stuff.

 

[dgr416]

I just bought one of the special edition sw model 29 made in honor of Elmer Keith that only took 50 years to get one .I almost got two of them same guy that died had two of them .Elmer Keith also helped Bill Ruger develop the ruger 1 and the Ruger 77 and the Ruger blackhawk .He helped Winchester develop the model 70 too.I still have tl get some work on my Elmer Keith endfield p17 in 333 okh .The recoil pad rotted with age
And the scope mount will notbwork with almost amy scope made .The distance between the rings is too great .I am glad i snagged that model 29 EK model finally

 

[yamoon]

I was told he had Jim Corbett’s 450/400 at one time.
Mike

 

[PerH]

 

[HankBuck]

"Elmer Keith was the John Browning of our times with all his inventions" .

Old Elmer did good for the times and level of education he had, rancher and guide etc., but I dont think one can logically compare him to John Browning who was an absolute firearms genius. Elmer didnt actually invent any firearms as far as I know.

@sestoppelman: I certainly like what I’ve read about Keith and Jack O’Conner and especially their hunting stories/tales. I would need more specifics on Keith’s “inventions” to compare him to John Browning…Browning has always seemed to be in a class by himself (his Military weapon inventions alone rank him #1) but I’m Not as well versed in firearms as others might be on this forum so maybe he wasn’t the Firearms “genius” that I’ve regarded him to be??

 

[sestoppelman]

@sestoppelman: I certainly like what I’ve read about Keith and Jack O’Conner and especially their hunting stories/tales. I would need more specifics on Keith’s “inventions” to compare him to John Browning…Browning has always seemed to be in a class by himself (his Military weapon inventions alone rank him #1) but I’m Not as well versed in firearms as others might be on this forum so maybe he wasn’t the Firearms “genius” that I’ve regarded him to be??

I was quoting someone else who seemed to be overly enamored of Keiths inventions genius.

 

[PerH]

Most of the creations say OKH O’Neil, Keith Hopkins . They mixed together a lot of what others now take for granted .

 

[sestoppelman]

Most of the creations say OKH O’Neil, Keith Hopkins . They mixed together a lot of what others now take for granted .

My point being that in no way is Keith comparable to Browning where firearms design is concerned. Not even in the same universe, despite one member who seems to worship the ground he tread.

 

[PerH]

My point being that in no way is Keith comparable to Browning where firearms design is concerned. Not even in the same universe, despite one member who seems to worship the ground he tread.

Yes he took bits and pieces of many different parts and put them back together , with a twist .
Like the .280 of his
.280 Ross bullet in .300 HH case 180 grain , little bit more stability and range to buck the wind .

And .33s similar there also ,snd many other.

What the factories should have though up themself

 

[Neophyte]

I’m a Keith fan.

If you look at his .41 Magnum you will see that it was yesterday’s version of the .40 S&W in a revolver platform. I don’t care what the FBI says about the 9mm I think the 10mm/.40 S&W are better rounds for self defense.

Elmer and Jack didn’t like each other and played that up in their respective magazine articles. One I never met but use the rifle he championed. Although not legal it has been used to take Cape Buffalo and has no problem doing so according to the man that used a .338 Win Mag to kill a buffalo.

What Mr. Keith lacked was a formal education but had intelligence and probably a high I.Q.. His firearms designs show that. My own father only made it through the eighth grade but was one of the smartest men I’ve ever known. The other man championed a rifle for the recoil adverse. In short for men of the feline persuasion.

I’m thankful for men like Keith, and my father, but not so much for the other gentleman. The only thing he stated that I respect is that the 30-06 was a better cartridge than his beloved .270 Winchester.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a bronc, a fight, or a job. Suck it up and get it done.