Memories of Elmer

[DARE]

My dad was a gun store owner and a gun writer. As a gun writer he went to the firearms trade shows for American Firearms Industry. He met quite a few notable folks including Elmer Keith.
Dad told me about meeting Elmer for the first time. Elmer said, "my name is Keith and I would like to buy you a drink." Dad said, "bourbon and branch water."
My father visited Elmer and Lorraine in Salmon, Idaho in 1977. He talked Mr. Keith into coming to Dallas. He took all of his Keith books with him to be autographed. Elmer was one of his heroes.
Believe his visit to Dallas was in 1979. Mr. Keith was born in 1899, so I guess he was about 80 that year.
We hung out at the gun store and then had a banquet at the Fairmount Hotel in downtown Dallas. Tickets were sold for the banquet. That raised the money for the trip. A meet and greet, dinner, a photo with Elmer and then Mr. Keith spoke for a while.
The next day we were at the gun store again and then headed out to the Winchester Gun Range. Can you imagine how cool it is to hang out with Elmer at the gun store and the range?
My dad and Mr. Keith shot 44 Magnums out to 300 yards. I went out and put up the targets. Normally you could not shoot handguns on the rifle range, but hey, he was Elmer Keith.
They shot only 44 Magnums. We had a connection with a guy that built a single action 44 Magnum called the "Grizzly." They shot that one. My dad had a 4-inch 4-screw S&W 44 Magnum.
Probably shot whatever we had laying around the gun store. We carried S&W, Ruger and Dan Wesson. One of my best memories. By the way, I was the photographer for the photos taken in Dallas. Dad took the Idaho pictures.

Elmer in Salmon, Idaho

Elmer and Lorraine. Mr. Keith is holding one of his 44 Magnums

Dad and Elmer at the gun store.

Mr. Keith and dad at the banquet.

Elmer being interviewed at the gun range.

 

[Farmer17]

I'm in the middle of reading his book Sixguns and the surprising thing is how much praise he had for the S&W M39! He said it was the most accurate centerfire pistol he ever shot and just as accurate at 300 yards as his beloved M1950 .44 Special with custom loads. He loved the grip and the DA and thought it would be the absolute perfect auto loading handgun if Smith would chamber it in .45acp.

 

[Barbarosa99]

Very cool story, thanks for sharing!

 

[Shotguncoach]

I suppose I need to put this here.....

I had no idea that the gun would letter this way when I bought it, and obviously neither did anyone else. It was part of a 2 gun lot with a post war transitional Heavy Duty. Here's a link to the auction from 2018:

Two Smith & Wesson DA Revolvers

The price for the pair out-the-door was $2,588.

Yes, I do shoot it....I'm pretty sure Mr. Keith would want it that way.

 

[JRB416]

Great story, thank you. I like reading stories and articles from writers that I enjoyed and was influenced by when younger.

The Library of Congress has a 1981 two part recording of Elmer that is definitely worth listening to.

 

[DARE]

Wow, Shotguncoach! For me, it does not get any better than owning an Elmer Keith gun.

 

[Alk8944]

It is interesting to me those went through Salt Lake Hardware. I often worked the patrol district they were located in while I was still on the SLCPD. Officers could buy guns direct from Salt Lake Hardware, others had to go through regular retail outlets.

The company no longer exists, but the building does.

 

[DARE]

A Keith book my dad had signed. Had some others, but something has happened to the photos. Out of town for a couple of weeks. Will reshoot the others when I get home.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Just checked-
My Elmer autographed book is -
Hell I was There.

 

[Modified]

My only Elmer Autograph isn't on a book.

 

[DARE]

Thanks, Caleb for showing that one to us. I remember that you bought it. How about a few more photos? And some more details on the gun.

 

[Modified]

Thanks, Caleb for showing that one to us. I remember that you bought it. How about a few more photos? And some more details on the gun.

A 1911 that was Elmer Keith's

I think pretty much everything I ever figured out about it was in there.

It's funny looking back on it now that this gun was a "consolation prize". I really wanted his double Triple Lock w/ Kearsarge Stocks rig. But alas that was not to be with the shallowness of my pockets.

I am glad though they went to a good home. And in the end I think all the heaps of Elmer Keith history wrapped up into this 1911 (and the King Modifications) fit better into my overall collection. I also find the history associated with the gun is less gun nerd more broadly appealing. Who doesn't like a good story about a war hero being murdered because he uncovered government corruption?

Also, while this is just speculation, it does seem there was some emotional attachment to the gun. Clearly from his writing Elmer was devastated by Bill's death, how could he not be? And this was (the only? I don't know) a gun he sold to himself when helping Bill's widow sell the guns. Which he kept the rest of his life. Plus the grips were a wedding gift to him!

I really like guns that have clear emotional weight. Elmer certainly had a few of those, but I'm not sure if any of his guns I've seen for sale had such a deeply personal connection as this one.

 

[mikerjf]

Point of interest - read middle paragraph for the Fitz/Keith connection!

 

[Jebus35745]

After Elmer’s passing there was an auction for some of his guns. At the NE Ohio Bunch we had 3 of his guns come to our meetings. It was fantastic to have a part of his life there on display, Larry

 

[30-30remchester]

A friend hunted with Elmer on the Flattops above Glenwood Springs. He has a photo of himself giving Elmer a haircut in their tent. He tells the following story he witnessed himself. Elmer on this hunt carried a 4" 41 Magnum on his hip. As they both exited the tent my friend noticed 2 circling hawks overhead. Chiding Elmer that he couldn't hit them, without a moment's hesitation Elmer drew, aimed and fired, and missed. My friend snickered at this point Elmer fired 2 more rounds killing both flying hawks.

 

[JKP099]

I have no fond memories of the man. He wasn't as great as he made himself out to be. He took credit for a lot of other folks successes.

 

[Venom6]

I recall reading a number of Dave Reynolds articles. He struck me as knowledgeable, down-to-earth, straightforward, and modest.

 

[Muley Gil]

I have no fond memories of the man. He wasn't as great as he made himself out to be. He took credit for a lot of other folks successes.

Would you care to elaborate?

 

[Wyatt Burp]

Great true story. When I was a kid I would ride my bike to the library and get “Sixguns By Keith”. Then I’d take it back on the last day and instantly check it out again. Later I got my own copy and later still I’d read it to my now 42 year old son at bed time when he was little. Except for ammo and semi auto improvements over the decades, the book is as useful now as it it was in the 50s.

 

[Modified]

Would you care to elaborate?

I would say one example I know of for sure is the "Keith No. 5". My 1920 factory modified "Keith No. 5" for example:



Is the job he described in the last word. The factory work order even talks about fitting an SAA front strap. Keith never mentions this gun even though it predates his timeline for development of the Keith No. 5 by ~ 5 years.


The concept goes back to to at least 1907 as far as I have been able to track: https://smith-wessonforum.com/141833641-post45.html

Outdoor Life 1907-11: Vol 20 Iss 5 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive


I don't know if he attached his name in such a way to other gun developments. But I can say in the case of the Keith No. 5 his history is at best incomplete.