Elmer Keith's Legendary Number 5 Revolver: The Last Word
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- Опубліковано 22 лип 2021
- Elmer Keith's Number 5 revolver is cited by many as the most famous, influential, and recognized custom revolver of the last century, and perhaps ever. Working with top craftsmen of the era, Elmer Keith designed what he called, "the finest and best Colt in existence."
Elmer Keith would know. His knowledge and experience made him one of the godfathers of 20th century gun writers, and he played no small role in developing a number of cartridges such as the .357 magnum, the .44 magnum, the .41 magnum, and even the Winchester Model 70 bolt action.
Keith carried this .44 Special for almost 30 years before he was wooed away by the very .44 magnum he had helped develop. It was his favorite revolver and "the last word" in Colt revolvers.
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Fantastic video! The best video on Elmer's life to date. Bravo Rock Island.
Elmer Keith. Hell, he was there!
Hell, I was too...damn near! lol Born fifty five years later, I shared Elmer's ideology on big bores and stopping power, always bring enough gun to the party!
It sold for $253,000 One hundred thousand over the high auction estimates. What a legend I really hope it went to a museum for everyone to see.
I have the hardcopy of his book "SIXGUNS" best book I've ever read. Lots of great information and stories of his life.
Elmer Keith was a Legend and Still Is, I read many of his Articles growing up, I wish I could Afford that Ol Pistol it was Probably the BEST Single Action revolver EVER
I grew up reading everything that Mr. Keith wrote and it shaped the way I view firearms to this day I owe a lot to his writings and have enjoyed them immensely. What a beautiful revolver I wish that I could afford to have it but whoever gets that gun good for them I hope they enjoy it.
Elmer was truly a legend.
Went the range outside of Lewiston once and he allowed me to shoot his single shot pistol at 100 yards. Amazingly accurate and powerful.. Not long after that he passed. He was the best gun writer that ever lived!
Best info on Elmer so far! Well done. I've met and talked with him several times in the late 70's. Your one statement mirrors my thoughts exactly....."He was the real deal". He surely was!
When Elmer was writing a column for Guns and Ammo magazine, that was the first thing I read, in each issue.
Quite the story teller, thanks for the morning smiles.
I would give anything just to hold that gun for being able to say I did that. Yet another great video from Joel, thank you!
Ask n u shall receive
Always enjoyable to see a Joel video !
Thanks!
Joel IS Rock island auction.
Congratulations to its soon to be new owner. I hope they are deserving of that guns legacy
Hope they will take care of it.
Well they were rich enough to buy it. So they must be good people.
Elmer Keith wrote the book, "Hell, I was there." I have been working on my own book, "Hell, I wasn't there but, it feels like I was." I had an occasion of viewing and handling a blown up cylinder by Elmer at the Pomona Gun Show in the early 1970s.
❤️😄❤️👍
I’m working on my book, “I sure as hell won’t be there”.
"Yours, Not Mine."
-Elmer Keith.
""Yours, not mine." - Elmer Keith" - Shin Malphur
Very, very well done….sir!
Awesome gun....Thanks
Beautiful
Now HERE"S a fine weapon for the Italians to make a replica of!
Sadly - most may not have known or read Elmer's many articles - in G&A of the 70'-80's. Each month I walked down to the magazine rack and picked out my copy. One time the shop keeper walked over and was shooying us away - afraid we were staring at the men's - on the top shelf! I handed it to him and followed him to pay up. I recall one scribe - kind of telling his own sad shooting talent. He wrote that he never could even get close to Elmer's writings. The "Therefore" was that no one else could.
Once I had a drivers lic - I started shooting 22 handgun and rifle - and within a year - I was shooting low 90's at 25 yds. With rifle - I could shoot 100 and X's.
Cases of 22 lr- were then my fodder. The mind game gave me the final piece to my game.
One of Elmer's stories was about dancing lead off a boulder. Well - I had bought the only 44 Ruger in 50 miles. My practice was shooting 12 ga hulls off the line at 25 and 50 yds.
--- So - in the spring - I walked up the range - and from 400 yds - I danced 255's into a 10 ft snow bank at the backstop. You could see the snow fly. Any doubters could lay beside the snowbank and watch the incoming. No 5 - I hope the new owner enjoys it!
Thank you for that account! Very well done. As an aside, the "music" in the background was not needed and is usually used as filler by those who really don't have much to say. The music was an unneeded distraction.
Muy bueno tu vídeo saludos desde Argentina
What a legend !
My enfield 1917 has his stamp on it. E.K. Pretty cool and interesting gun
Thank you.
WoW! Gorgeous
The Legend.
Pretty impressive.
Is this gun going to auction? What's to stop a foreign buyer from winning auction and taking this gun out of the country? It could end up as a trophy for the rich in China or the Middle East! This historic gun should be crowd source funded for a museum to purchase and put on display never to leave America.
Plenty of foreign works of art and historical objects are in the US.
@@redcat9436 just because foreign countries and individuals are willing to let their treasures come to America doesn't mean we have to be stupid enough to let ours LEAVE America.
@elevator bernie, I agree and I think most of the people who watch this video would agree. It should stay in America.
Anyone know what the final price was on this legendary pistol?
Wasn't that up for sale 5 or so years ago?
Elmer taught me to shoot in "Sixguns".
I'm reading his autobiography "Hell, I Was There!" right now.
I wish I had bought one of the license copy that was offered
Wow.....
I kind of hope the next owner keeps it for more than a few years. I've seen this gun sell at least four times.
I saw it when it was in Cabela's around 2011/12, before first auction. I didn't know it had changed hands that many times. Hope it goes on public display again for the world to see.
@@pcb8639 Me too. It really needs to be seen by everyone. I'd love a reproduction but a company hasn't done that since 07 I believe.
Elmer Keith wow where do you start what a man equal to John Moses browning. I’m 61 now and because of Elmer over the years I have bought a multitude of 357 magnum 41 mag and 44 magnum‘s and shoot them regularly with my reloads that by the way I do Max out. I’ve only blown up to Guns so far nothing catastrophic. I realize that I have an advantage now they Elmer didn’t stainless steel and that’s what I shoot all my hot loads in now. There’s still a chance I may win the lottery between now and the auction and if so I guarantee I would own that gun👍👍
No, not Browning. Greater personal legend, though.
Elmer Keith,.. Real tough dude,.. Not some metrosexual girly-man.
Close ups of the gun instead of the long shot camera angles!
Btw, is there any attempt to make reproductions of this finest revolver? It would be fascinating handgun and collection piece even it was a mere reproduction...🤑
Power custom makes aftermarket grip frames for Ruger single actions that are patterned off the no.5
Check out Bowen Custom, they can make you a Number 5 clone.
There was a limited run made. Was in 1980ish Gun & Ammo
there was a company in Texas I think that had a number five. it even had a left hand loading gate. I saw one in a gun digest type catalogue about five years ago maybe. you should be able to track one down on the web. I'd be more for a custom ruler myself. I prefer the .44 mag or a 32 mag in a smaller frame. but to each his own. Elmer was an American original. I think that number five is a work of art. if I was super rich I'd buy that thing. then I'd pack it and I'd shoot the livin' you know what out of it!
Yeah, Keith was there, but either he or his editor exaggerated a lot.
If you haven't read "He'll, I was there" you missed a great read!
So this gun went from the auction house in Maine back in 2015 where it was bought. Somebody owned it for 5 years. Figured they didn't like it because it looked horrible to shoot when dude from forgotten weapon shot it. And now 5 years later here it is on the auction block. Again. Some guns are just meant for one guy. These were designed for Elmer. So if you ain't Elmer, you're probably not going to like shooting it.
I’m not a rich man, but if I was I would have bought that pistol out of respect for the man who designed it.
Tex Machinca
I suspect Bill Ruger might have seen that Colt...
Howdy!
Wish there was mention of who made the grips for this gun. I have a set of ivories that look near identical in design that came on a 38/44 Outdoorsman. Did Keith have these made?
Sold for $80,500
did it sell? How much did it bring?
Our competitors auctioned it in March 2015 for $80,500. At our September Premier it brought $253,000. 😲
@@RockIslandAuctionCompany thanks
never heard of him
At 5:37 freemason symbol engraved on top. 😮
Wonder How Many Rounds He Shot Thru It Joel It Looks Like It Was Never Fired 😮😲😮 I Know Elmer Keith Definitely Would of Used It If Only #5 Could Talk🔫😮 I Wonder What Ever Happened To The Gunsmith That Built #5 Dis He End Up Becoming Famous in His Own Right 😀
He carried it for about 30 years, so... I can only imagine.
If he said it it was true
So that's where Bungie got their name for their gun in destiny there's a hand cannon in that game called the last word LOL
Paul Mauser was probably a little more influential on the model 70 Winchester...........
And yes I would shoot it😁
I believe its a pipe not a cigar
Funny that he was a writer, from what I’ve read/heard he had terrible grammar. Guess his editor was top notch…
Keith was a legend, but not all that much of a writer. His editors had lots of work to do.
You can't film. Show the whole revolver zoomed in. You show it either too far away or too close with half a cylinder and half a hammer. Show the whole revolver over the whole screen. Both sides. Most people cannot film by the way.