""Over the years, Keith had a number of Triple-Lock and 1926 Model Smith & Wesson .44 Special but these did not receive as much use as his Single Actions. This changed in the early 1950's when the Smith & Wesson 1950 Target .44 Special became THE sixgun. This was short-lived however as the .44 Magnum came along in 1956 and from there on, Elmer carried a .44 Magnum the ultimate sixgun.
I found four examples of Smith & Wesson double action packin' pistols in Keith's collection. Three of these were fully engraved and ivory stocked and fitted to flower carved holsters: A 4 1/2" .44 Magnum, a 4" .44 Magnum, and a 4" .44 Special. His everyday sixgun from the 1950's until his disabling stroke in 1981 was a 4" Smith & Wesson .44 Magnum, ivory stocked but plain blue and carried in a plain leather Milt Sparks holster.
I've never been able to handle the recoil of the .44 Magnum using the Magna or plainclothes stocks that Keith preferred. When I had the opportunity to examine the Keith sixguns, I found that all of his double action sixguns were fitted with ivory stocks that were expertly carved on the right side to fill in the hand perfectly and help control recoil. He definitely knew what it was all about!
Keith designed a series of bullets for the Lyman/Ideal Corporation that, with their distinctive semi-wadcutter shape, have come to be known simply as Keith bullets. Along with these bullets, Elmer came up with what have come to be known as the Keith loads. Some of these have been around for nearly sixty years and have still not been improved upon. The Keith loads are as follows:
.38 SPECIAL: For use in heavy-framed guns which today exist only as .357 Magnums, the Keith Lyman 173 grain bullet #358429 over 13.5 grains of #2400 with .38 Special brass. This load goes over 1400 fps. from my 8 3/8" Model 27 and is the most accurate load I have found for it. It will still go 1200+ fps. from a 3 1/2" Model 27 and makes an excellent small game load and defensive load.
.44 SPECIAL: Elmer's early load for his beloved Special was 18.5 grains of # 2400 with the 250 grain Keith bullet #429421 in balloon head cases. When solid cases came along, with less powder capacity, the charge was dropped to 17.0 grains. Both loads go over 1200+ fps. from a 7 1/2" Colt Single Action and are exceptionally accurate especially in a Smith & Wesson Model 24.
.45 COLT: Keith's early load was an extremely powerful 22.0 grains of #2400 again in balloon head cases. This was dropped to 20.0 grains and then to 18.5 grains in modern brass with all loads using the 260 grain #454424 Keith bullet. This is a 1150+ fps load and should be used only in modern .45 Colts. When the Ruger .45 Colt Blackhawk came along, Elmer upped the charge to 20.0 grains of #2400 again for nearly 1250 fps from a 7 1/2" barrel.
.45 AUTO RIM: Using the 238 grain #452423 Keith bullet or the #454424 .45 Colt Keith bullet over 7.5 grains of Unique in the stubby Auto Rim cases for use in Colt and Smith & Wesson revolvers gives 850 fps and 936 fps respectively and makes an excellent defensive six-gun/load combination when used in a Smith & Wesson 25-2 sixgun.
-44 MAGNUM: Keith early settled on 22.0 grains of #2400 with his #429421 bullet for 1225 fps. out of a 4" Smith, 1400+ fps out of a 6 1/2" Smith or 7 1/2" Ruger. These are hunting handloads pure and simple, with this load taking big game all over the world.
.41 MAGNUM: The .41 did not come along until the 1960's and Keith designed a new bullet #410459 for loading the Smith & Wesson and Ruger .41 Magnurns. His recommendation of 20.0 grains of #2400 clocks out at 1500 fps from either an 8 3/8" Smith or 7 1/2" Ruger Bisley. This is a very flat-shooting and accurate load and certainly adequate for any deer or black bear.
We live in a throw-away society. People are forgotten quickly, too quickly. Elmer Keith lived at a time we will never see again; it would be a shame if his guns and trophies are not saved for future generations. ""
