Shooting N Frames in Elmer Keith Country

[Lost River]

I did not want to hijack the other thread about the Model 27, so I started this one for the subject of longer range sixgunning with PRACTICAL, belt portable rigs.

I am a long time fan of the .44 mag, and the Model 29 Smith is my favorite of the various ones I own.

Last summer a friend came to visit and he brought his .41 mag along. I took my custom 5" M29 as well as my old 6.5" 29-2.

We set targets out on the the Mackay Reservoir, where the water had receded. We had targets all the way out to 500 yards and would spot for each other as we figured out the holdover and walked rounds onto target. GREAT FUN hitting a 5 gallon bucket sized target at 450 and 500 yards!

My 5" 29 and powder marks from bracing the revolver between the knees:



The flats of the reservoir:



Shady spot from which we launched lead:

I will note that you can get 550 rounds of .44 mag into a tall folgers coffee can.

[Lost River]

These were taken at HorseHeaven Pass on the Pahsimeroi Range, which was a favorite hunting spot for Elmer Keith, when out rolling big high desert Jackrabbits.



My 5" 29-2 at an old trappers cabin:




We ranged our targets out to the mid 400s here. There was enough dust raised when fired as to be able to quickly walk rounds onto target.

[Lost River]

This is my old 6.5" 29-2 that I have put untold amounts of round through. Still a favorite for purely handgun hunting:





Finding some shade at a spring fed stock tank:

[41magfan]

Cool pics of some great real-estate ..... is that a Weigand front sight on your 5"?

[Lost River]

Yes 41 it is and I am very pleased with the quality and ease of swapping front sights.

My friend who visited from back east was carrying his .41. He is a hard core .41 shooter and sings the praises of the often overlooked caliber.

He was so enamored with the country he is planning on packing up and moving to the area. A fine choice.

[Malamute]

Looks like nice country. I was looking around Salmon years ago, but settled elsewhere. Spent the night on Keiths old place up the North Fork, there was a hippy sort of guy renting it, this was in about '87 maybe?

I'm a long time fan of the 29, I've had a few different guns. I've mostly carried the 4". I (foolishly) sold a nice 6 1/2" nickel gun, and a 6 1/2" 4 screw.

Do you shoot any one handed? The guys in this neighborhood were doing it a bit when I moved here, I started messing with it some, doing most of my practice one handed for a few years. It adds some difficulty for longer distances, but makes you really focus on sight alignment and trigger letoff. I don't shoot full power stuff one handed, just medium loads and self loaders.

[GJM]

Beautiful area and pictures -- thanks for posting. I have hunted the Middle Fork of the Salmon multiple times for elk and flown back there a lot. N frame info -- shot a mule deer with my 329 back there, using the Garrett Defender load.

[Totem Polar]

Horse Heaven is some gorgeous country. I used to backpack out there as a kid. Awesome photos; thanks for posting.

[Drang]

I'm not sure if Will DeRuyter is still holding his Elmer Keith Memorial Shoot on the east side of WA or not. Haven't heard, but I lost touch with the gang from the Boeing Employee Rifle and Pistol Club a few years ago.
A good description from the 8th event here. You get 1000 points for hitting the hill...

[Totem Polar]

I'm not sure if Will DeRuyter is still holding his Elmer Keith Memorial Shoot on the east side of WA or not. Haven't heard, but I lost touch with the gang from the Boeing Employee Rifle and Pistol Club a few years ago.
A good description from the 8th event here. You get 1000 points for hitting the hill...

I know a couple of the guys in that write up; Terry Rogers still owns a friendly LGS that sucks money out of my wallet from time to time. I'll ask around.