the "44 Associates"

[DennisE]

Who were the ".44 Associates?" Was/is anybody here a member? Do they still exist? Thanks, Dennis

PS I think they were/are a bunch of .44 special devotees.

 

[cellar701]

Here's an article that mentions the group, dating back to Elmer Keith.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQY/is_2_51/ai_n8591513/

 

[pisgah]

The .44 Associates were a loosely affiliated group of handloading enthusiasts, most notably including Elmer Keith, who began 'way back in the '20s experimenting and developing load data for the .44 Special, and advocating for handguns strong enough to handle their souped-up loads. This is what Elmer was after from S&W and Remington -- a beefy large-frame .44 Special and a hot factory load to match it. They did him one better and made the .44 Magnum.

 

[2 dogs]

They published a loading manual of sorts. It pretty much addressed the powders available in those days but it was pretty comprehensive.

 

[yankee7809]

One of the S&W forums had a thread going a few years ago about the .44 Associates and it made for an interesting read.
Elmer Keith and a small group of like minded individuals corresponded back and forth during those formative years of the .44 Special / Magnum load development.
You could probably do a search on those forums and find out a lot more.

 

[Snake45]

One of the .44 Associates was John Lachuck, who was probably best known as the .22/Rimfire Editor for Guns & Ammo in the late '60s and early to mid '70s. I think he's still around--I believe I saw a new article from him somewhere not all that long ago.

 

[CraigC]

John Lachuk was heavily involved in experimenting with the .44Spl and even went so far as making his own solid head brass for his wildcat, the ".44Lancer". But he was not actually a member of the .44 Associates.

The tentative list I have is: Elmer Keith, Phil Sharpe, Townsend Whelen, Earl Naramore, P.O. Ackley, F.W. Mann, and Julian Hatcher.

 

[Three44s]

Wouldn't it be cool if those folks were still with us and on these same forums as we are?


Three 44s

 

[don44]

Sure would be a lot of knowledge from that group of guys I bet.

 

[DennisE]

Thanks guys! Was Skeeter Skelton a member? Dennis

 

[M'BOGO]

DennisE,

I believe that the .44 Associates predate Skeeter Skelton. IIRC they corresponded through the mail. I know that Mr. John Taffen has mentioned the printing total of their "load guide/manual", and the fact that he has one of the copies.

 

[Wyatt Burp]

In one eary article Skeeter Skelton wrote about the 44 Associates and how they looked down their noses at .357 magnums in favor of their souped up .44's. Skeeter said he sold most his worldly possesions to aquire a Colt SAA and had Christy convert it to .44 Special and had adjustable sights added to the gun. Then he started hot loading it. but I don't recall him saying he actually joined them. I don't even know if it was a group with official membership.
Reading him and Keith made me a fan of the .44 Special way back in high school in the early 70's. Here's my .44 Specials aquired in no small part to their influence. That .44 Special "Colt" conversion below is black powder only or it would surely blow up. Uh oh. Theirs no Ruger's here!

 

[cpti]

What a neat time in history. I love the romanticism of it. When my dad talks about reloading, it sounds almost like a trade. You didn't just start doing it, you had to know someone that did it. You were an apprentice.

Now days, anyone with an internet connection and some time can pick up reloading in a week. I'm a product of the new, but I think I prefer the old :wink:

 

[153]

Wyatt Burp,

That is a really nice collection of .44 Special handguns!

Thanks for posting the pictures.

 

[Snake45]

Wyatt Burp,

That is a really nice collection of .44 Special handguns!

Thanks for posting the pictures.

+1. Great pics, thanks! :wink:

 

[don44]

A real nice collection of 44 revolvers. :)

 

[mm6mm6]

Once you start down the .44 Special path, there is no going back, so run down the path directly to that stainless Flat Top!

Since I took the above photo, my Ruger .44 Special Blackhawk has been scratched up with 75% coverage American Scroll:

It now matches my S&W 624 and they make for a pair of Skeeter Skelton Tribute .44 Special revolvers:

Or course, if you buy that handsome Ruger for your collection, you will have to load up some Elmer Keith .44 Specials!

 

[chet15]

The tentative list I have is: Elmer Keith, Phil Sharpe, Townsend Whelen, Earl Naramore, P.O. Ackley, F.W. Mann, and Julian Hatcher.

Wow, that's early! I think Sharpe passed away sometime about 1950, maybe 1952.
Sharpe is the person who did the dope bag test on Ruger's .22 pistol when it came out. He died not too long after that.
Chet15

 

[Snake45]

Another set of GREAT pics, thanks SO much for posting those! :wink: :wink: :wink:

 

[CraigC]

Wow, that's early! I think Sharpe passed away sometime about 1950, maybe 1952.

It was a long time ago, really before Skeeter's time. Lachuk 'was' doing his work back then and having custom cylinders made for Colt SAA's in the 1940's.

Phil Sharpe died January 24th, 1961. His life was difficult and his death mysterious. Really not much is known about him, outside his writings.

 

[ArtCrafter]

Sorry for the necrobump, but I thought some here might be interested in this .

A recent post over on the Single-Actions forum shows the Introduction to the 44 Associates' compilation of .44 Special loads in its entirety.

Both photos and the transcripted text appear in the thread.

HTH 8)

 

[M'BOGO]

Since this is being resurected, here's some more information. Matt G on the Castboolits has gotten some information going here, http://www.goodrichfamilyassoc.org/44_Special_Articles/ . The most pertenant is a few pages of the .44 Associates load book, #160 of 200.

In the Thread on Castboolits http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=138205 , another poster, stbryson, posted some scans of the load booklets. I especially like the pencil inscription to Bob Nichols, of Field and Stream, dated August 15, 1945, VJ Day, or one day early, with the date line figured in... Good Stuff..

 

[CraigC]

Thank you guys very much for posting this update! I never go into the Handloading section of SA.com and never would've found that. :D

 

[flatgate]

Keith's "The Last Word" seemed to signal the culmination of the .44 Associates discussions......

The Last Word

flatgate

 

[Ken ONeill]

As referenced above, the loads published in 1945 by Lawrence Newton gave thanks to "several score" fellow .44 Associates including Gordon Boser, Eric Farr, Elmer Keith, JW Landon, FC Ness, RS Mosgrove, Phil Sharpe, JA Smith, Ray Thompson, Norman White, and OL Yancey.

Boser, Keith, Sharpe and Thompson of course all remain well remembered today for their contributions.