Just one of Elmer Keith's S&Ws for sale...

[RevolverRob]

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/835548964


Offered here is one of the crown jewels in S&W collecting: the well-documented .38/44 Outdoorsman (Pre-War) Revolver used by American shooting legend, author and inventor, Elmer Keith during the development of the .357 Magnum cartridge. According to the accompanying S&W factory letter, this very historic revolver was ordered through S&W vice president of sales, Douglas B. Wesson, on May 10, 1932, for Elmer Keith of Salmon, Idaho, shipped out under the advertising account indicating it was to be used for evaluation, and shipped to Keith on June 3, 1932. Factory records list the revolver with a 6 ½ inch barrel in .38 S&W Special, target sights and blue finish. As stated in the letter by S&W historian Roy Jinks, “It is my opinion that based on some of the hot loads [Elmer Keith] used in this revolver and reported back to Doug Wesson that it helped the factory realize that a more powerful cartridge and revolver could be developed.

Paging Lost River Dagga Boy Sidheshooter Tamara Stephanie B Malemute

'Scuse me, I've got to go run to the store and buy some lottery tickets.

[Stephanie B]

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/835548964

Paging Lost River Dagga Boy Sidheshooter Tamara Stephanie B Malemute

'Scuse me, I've got to go run to the store and buy some lottery tickets.

44279

Maybe I'm overly cynical, but I don't see Elmer Keith collectibles being of enduring value. He's going to pass into the "who was he" category.

[LittleLebowski]

Optimistic pricing.

[Bushytale]

Elmer Keith will not be forgotten in the realm of powerful revolvers!!!

[Poconnor]

I think I would have much rather met the man and gone shooting and hunting with him.

[Tamara]

I agree that the pricing is a bit optimistic (although given what a garden-variety Outdoorsman of that vintage fetches these days, probably not as optimistic as I'd think) but Elmer Keith will be remembered for as long as anybody collects S&W revolvers.

[Dagga Boy]

I have a couple beautiful Pre War Outdoorsmen that don’t even rattle from those test loads for a WHOLE lot less money. If I was spending that kind of money that wouldn’t be the gun. With that said, I am not an Elmer Keith fanatic.

[Totem Polar]

"That a K-frame?"

"No, more like a 22K frame..."

[Hambo]

He's going to pass into the "who was he" category.

As a writer, probably. As one of a few people that pushed S&W into the .44 Magnum, never. Like him or not, institutional memory is important. I hear and read a lot of people for whom firearms appear to have appeared spontaneously around Y2K.

[oregon45]

I'm not in the market for this type of S&W, but I think the price is about 2x too high. It is worth a substantial amount of money--likely $3,000 for the gun, grips and box alone with no special provenance beyond the factory letter. The grips, if verified as to maker, could easily be worth $6-800 on their own. With the provenance, documentation, and Keith-memorobilia this particular gun would be a great candidate to sell for around $6-8000.

[oregon45]

He's going to pass into the "who was he" category.

Along with almost every gun writer of that era. How many young shooters know who Jack O'Connor was? When he passed his obituary appeared in the New York Times; today, you rarely read his name unless a writer needs an extra 50-words for a blog-post on the .270 Winchester.

[Scal]

There’s a really significant premium for P.O. Ackley made barrels and rifles in the single shot rifle community, so I imagine that this kind of stuff is not likely to lose a ton of value over time.

I’m also not sure if that’s necessarily the best example, as I am significantly younger than most of the other enthusiasts of this type of gun, and I’m 40.

[RevolverRob]

I'm not in the market for this type of S&W, but I think the price is about 2x too high. It is worth a substantial amount of money--likely $3,000 for the gun, grips and box alone with no special provenance beyond the factory letter. The grips, if verified as to maker, could easily be worth $6-800 on their own. With the provenance, documentation, and Keith-memorobilia this particular gun would be a great candidate to sell for around $6-8000.

6-8k? No, that's too low. Think of it this way - Registered Magnums are now $6-8,000 without any kind of provenance. This is the gun that was used to determine if the N-Frame could handle high-pressure proof loads. It's the pre-Registered Magnum test-bed. That alone makes it one of a kind with respect to Smith & Wesson history.

I agree it's too high at 20-23k, but I could see this gun selling for 12-15k without an issue. If this was listed for $8,000 you'd be an absolute fool to not run out and buy it.

[358156hp]

No, no, thanks. I wanted to buy Elmers revolver, not his house...

[okie john]

I agree it's too high at 20-23k, but I could see this gun selling for 12-15k without an issue. If this was listed for $8,000 you'd be an absolute fool to not run out and buy it.

Caliber is the issue. One of Keith’s 44s would be a different story.


Okie John

[358156hp]

Caliber is the issue. One of Keith’s 44s would be a different story.


Okie John

It could be the one he developed the 358429 bullet in...

Elmer also had a reputation of buying, selling, and swapping guns. With the passing of Ted Keith, there's probably nobody left who can tell how long Elmer had any of his plainer grade guns.

[SecondsCount]

A gun like that is an investment and I'm thinking that it has peaked in value as the market seems to be getting smaller and smaller.

It is still a very cool piece of history.

[Poconnor]

I think the market for many collectibles will shrink as the boomers age. Let’s face it. We often spend too much for something we wanted years ago but couldn’t afford. But rich people will keep paying too much for cool stuff so who knows.

[Borderland]

Along with almost every gun writer of that era. How many young shooters know who Jack O'Connor was? When he passed his obituary appeared in the New York Times; today, you rarely read his name unless a writer needs an extra 50-words for a blog-post on the .270 Winchester.

I have a bunch of his books. Jack O was a pretty good writer. I believe he was a journalism professor at U of A and actually could write.

Elmer, eh, not so much. Kind of a blow hard.

I could buy a new Honda Civic for that price.

[358156hp]

I think the market for many collectibles will shrink as the boomers age. Let’s face it. We often spend too much for something we wanted years ago but couldn’t afford. But rich people will keep paying too much for cool stuff so who knows.

I dunno, Skeeter Skeltons books are still climbing in value. Holy Smoke!

[Baldanders]

Along with almost every gun writer of that era. How many young shooters know who Jack O'Connor was? When he passed his obituary appeared in the New York Times; today, you rarely read his name unless a writer needs an extra 50-words for a blog-post on the .270 Winchester.


Occasionally, his Complete Book of Rilfles and Shotguns sits on my supplementary bookshelf at work to expose the youngins to the master.

[KellyinAvon]

I have a bunch of his books. Jack O was a pretty good writer. I believe he was a journalism professor at U of A and actually could write.

Elmer, eh, not so much. Kind of a blow hard.

I could buy a new Honda Civic for that price.

And stop at the gun store on the way home.

[RevolverRob]

Anyone can buy a new Honda Civic, and thus everyone can own one.

Not everyone can own a .38/44, let alone one owned/used by Elmer Keith.

[mtnbkr]

I dunno, Skeeter Skeltons books are still climbing in value. Holy Smoke!

From a sheer reading pleasure standpoint, I prefer Skeeter's works to Elmer's. I may actually divest myself of my EK books as I just don't have much interest in re-reading them, but my Skeeter Skelton books will remain as I still thumb through them periodically.

Chris

[358156hp]

From a sheer reading pleasure standpoint, I prefer Skeeter's works to Elmer's. I may actually divest myself of my EK books as I just don't have much interest in re-reading them, but my Skeeter Skelton books will remain as I still thumb through them periodically.

Chris

I sold of my Skeeter books many years back, I had read them so many times that the idea of reading them again made me feel a little queasy. Fast forward to today and I'm looking for a replacement set.

I've re-read "Hell, I was there!" almost once a year since I got it. My copy is losing pages now, and I'm looking for another copy. I re-read this book around the time we get our first real snow fall. Tradition, I guess.