Jeff Hoover
Blackhawk
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2009
- Messages
- 919
Being a student of Keith, an admirer of Skeeter, and Dobe Grant being one of my favorite characters of Skeet, helped me decide on something that has alittle bit of everything, to honor and remind me of these great mentors.
We all know Elmer Keith was the catalyst of the .44 Magnum. The 4" S &W was his gun of choice for everyday carry. Not a handgun hunter by nature, Keith considered the handgun a tool of opportunity,when confronted with large game animals, or pests. It was always on his hip, ready at a moments notice.
Now Skeet always liked a 4" barrel for carriability, also. And like his fictional character, Dobe Grant, wasn't unknown to do a little workshop gunsmithing of his own, swapping barrels and cylinders, to create new calibers from the same old gun.
My local shop had an interesting S & W 5 screw Pre 29 in the display case, or so it seemed. It was actually a Pre 25 that someone had actually put a .44 barrel and cylinder on it, in place of the original .45 acp. The bluing was gorgeous . It had that hypnotic, deep, black pool bluing, that only hand polishing and age can bring out. It left the factory in 1956,with a 6 1/2"barrel, target hammer, trigger, and stocks. I've always wanted a 5 screw, one of the originals that first left the plant, as when Elmer first designed the .44 magnum. An original would have cost me 4 to 5 times what I paid. So it was within my budget.
When we popped the stocks off, which weren't original, by the way, I saw the darndest main spring. It was shaped like a "W". My first thought was what cockamanny gunsmith concocted such a strange thing. A little research thru this site, and it was identified as original, and rare, by Stephen Webb. Having found some relief, and pondering about such a hybrid of parts, I was reminded of my heroes from above. Heck yeah, let me have it. A deal was struck, and this Hero gun resides in my safe, among his brothern of oddities I have been able to accumulate over the years. It sure ain't original, but I think it oozes character, and personality. Best of all, it is a conglomeration of all of my favorite mentors.
We all know Elmer Keith was the catalyst of the .44 Magnum. The 4" S &W was his gun of choice for everyday carry. Not a handgun hunter by nature, Keith considered the handgun a tool of opportunity,when confronted with large game animals, or pests. It was always on his hip, ready at a moments notice.
Now Skeet always liked a 4" barrel for carriability, also. And like his fictional character, Dobe Grant, wasn't unknown to do a little workshop gunsmithing of his own, swapping barrels and cylinders, to create new calibers from the same old gun.
My local shop had an interesting S & W 5 screw Pre 29 in the display case, or so it seemed. It was actually a Pre 25 that someone had actually put a .44 barrel and cylinder on it, in place of the original .45 acp. The bluing was gorgeous . It had that hypnotic, deep, black pool bluing, that only hand polishing and age can bring out. It left the factory in 1956,with a 6 1/2"barrel, target hammer, trigger, and stocks. I've always wanted a 5 screw, one of the originals that first left the plant, as when Elmer first designed the .44 magnum. An original would have cost me 4 to 5 times what I paid. So it was within my budget.
When we popped the stocks off, which weren't original, by the way, I saw the darndest main spring. It was shaped like a "W". My first thought was what cockamanny gunsmith concocted such a strange thing. A little research thru this site, and it was identified as original, and rare, by Stephen Webb. Having found some relief, and pondering about such a hybrid of parts, I was reminded of my heroes from above. Heck yeah, let me have it. A deal was struck, and this Hero gun resides in my safe, among his brothern of oddities I have been able to accumulate over the years. It sure ain't original, but I think it oozes character, and personality. Best of all, it is a conglomeration of all of my favorite mentors.
