I recently bought a lot of "Guns & Ammo magazines....

by Harry O, Tuesday, January 24, 2012, 12:16 (4690 days ago)

from the early-1970’s to the mid-1980’s. I have been reading a few of them per week and particularly enjoy the “Gunnotes” articles by Elmer Keith. I remember reading some of them when they first came out, but they mean a lot more to me now while re-reading them. He originated much of what shooters “know” now. However, some of what he believed violates some of the “orthodoxy” of todays Internet poster. I have no doubt that if he was posting today, he would be flamed unmercifully.

Some examples: He had absolutely no use with wheeelweights for casting. He used 16:1 lead:tin for a wide range of loads. It had a similar hardness to WW, but leaded less. However, he expected at least some leading. As long as it did not noticeably affect accuracy and it could be cleaned out with a few swipes of a brass brush and some solvent, he considered it part of the cost of doing business.

He also had no use for gas-checks. I think that is because he spent most of his time with the .44 and .45 at moderately high pressures (up to 28,000psi). These loads did not develop as much pressure as the .357 Magnum or the .44 Magnum that was later introduced (35,000 to 36,000psi). I believe that if he had gone for full power loads with the .357 Magnum or with loads as powerful as the original .44 Magnum in his 44 or 45, he might have felt differently about gas-checks. In reading about the .44 Magnum load he settled on after it was introduced, he actually downloaded it a little bit and ended up with a velocity about halfway between his original .44 Special loads and early factory loads. Since then, the factory .44 Magnum loads have been reduced to very close to the load he settled on.

He was an advocate of heavy, powerful bullets, much more so than his contemporaries. He found the 30-06 marginal for coyotes and had a custom .300 Winchester made up especially for that. He used a .333 wildcat (similar to the later .338 Magnum) for deer. He used the .375 H&H Magnum for bear and elk and considered that marginal. He worked with several .400 to .450cal smokeless rifle wildcats and up to .50cal black powder cartridges. He also talked quite often about using a 10ga Magnum shotgun.

I now believe this is because of the distances he shot. There are very few stories about shooting at less than 200 yards (and they usually had to do with a handgun). More were about 300 to 500 yard shots he took at small to medium game with a rifle. The 30-06 that he said was marginal for coyotes was being used for that at over 400 yards. Many more of his stories are about 500 to 800 yard shots he took at larger game. I have no doubt that he actually took those shots. No wonder he needed such big cartridges. The power of whatever he started with would be a lot less at those ranges.

Anyway, it is thoroughly enjoyable re-reading his articles.