Elmer Keith's ka-BOOM

[@phlodel]

Elmer Keith Skeeter Skelton, Ralph Jordan. They were my gurus. Back in the day, they opposed the use of hearing protection when practicing shooting. The theory was if you were accustomed to hearing protection you would flinch if required to use the gun "for real", since proven to be wrong. I learned to shoot with unprotected ears. If you ask me why in person, I'll answer "HUH?".

[@Lazarus0357]

Same here, mate! Back in my far away youth it was considered "not really manly" to use hearing protection. Regards

[@phlodel]

Could you type a bit louder, please?

[@Lazarus0357]

IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, IN THE SHOOTING CLUBS IT WAS NORMAL TO FIND THAT THE SENIOR MEMBERS WERE ALL A BIT HARD OF HEARING, GOING ON STONE DEAF DEPENDING ON AGE. REGARDS

[@phlodel]

THANK YOU.

[@nfsfanAndrew]

phlodel WHAT?!

[@robertmaybeth3434]

You have to be the nicest, and most well-spoken man out there making these kinds of videos. Unlike some of the ear-banging dummies making YT videos. You say what needs to be said no more no less, for that and for your interesting videos - thanks for putting a positive face on those of us fighting to keep the American gun world alive too.

[@demonstructie]

Right?? As a European and a person with an IQ over 60 points, I have a real knee jerk reaction to those loud, obnoxious American gun nut stereotypes. Apart from being a genuine and knowledgeable enthusiast, Ian seems like a kind person.

[@MichaelEdmond]

demonstructie I like this channel for much the same reason, I am not(likely) gonna own or handle any gun in my lifetime unless it's a wee shot at a range, but I like this channel for the stories and engineering behind some of the guns.

[@camelthegamer7165]

Yeah, this is the proper kind of gun owner. Speaks softly but carries a big stick. Best of all, he never endorses swinging it.

[@MrHenreee]

I can count on 350 fingers the number of nearly identical "GOD GUNS & FAMILY MAGA" firearms channels on YT lmao

[@theodorekorehonen]

@@jochenheiden really? What way are you fighting? My guns have stayed at my house and so far no one has banged on the door to take them. Really all that spreading the "thur gunna take are guns" does is make ammo and firearms manufacturers a boat load of money. It's all you heard about in the obama era and nothing happened. Meanwhile under trump, bump stocks got banned though frankly I don't really care much about that

[@Lazarus0357]

Lets be honest, my beloved Elmer Keith was really dangerous when reloading. I have several of his books, and at times I get cold feet just from reading the loads he used. I believe it is a miracle he didn't blow up more guns! Regards

[@wizardofahhhs759]

Lazarus0357 God looks out for fools and babies.

[@davekoenig9935]

I have his books and he filed off the top of a 45-60 WCF mold to lighten its slugs. It didn’t squeeze them down, but riveted them out at the forcing cone. I loaned out my 316 gr. 44 cal mold to a gun nut and told him to stick with wheelwright heavy alloy. He didn’t, and split his Ruger Super Bee’s cylinder in half, just like Keith’s Colt. Alloy hardness is what counts with longer slugs.

[@josephgioielli]

We went from black powder (where you just fill up the case) to smokeless, which used far less powder. The temptation of those big empty hulls must have been unbearable. Duplex and triplex loads, super heavy bullets, it is amazing more people weren't hurt. Skeeter Skelton (a contemporary of Keith's)used to have 38 special loads that were hotter than today's 357 magnum. Crazy time and wonderful to read about. But I'm glad we have reloading manuals today.

[@mercoid]

Great observation.

[@blamb42]

Powders back then weren't as "energetic" (per grain) as some of the powders of today. Trying something like that today could have worse consequences than blowing up a cylinder.

[@miksal26]

I could be wrong,but, I seem to recall someone telling me that they used to fill the empty space with oatmeal or some other filler to avoid the hazard of a void between the charge and the ball .

[@blamb42]

@@miksal26 - I definitely remember in the late 70s and 80s reading recommendations for using "kapok" as filler to keep the powder charge to the back over the flash hole. I had thought it to be an artificial material but just found this definition online: "the silky down that invests the seeds of a tropical silk-cotton tree (ka′pok tree`), Ceiba pentandra: used for stuffing pillows, life jackets, etc., and for acoustical insulation". I have no recollection of anyone using oatmeal as filler but that could be before my time.

[@mytech6779]

@@miksal26 The only issue with underfill is that the primer may not have enough contact with the powder. Top marksman will generally start by pointing the gun straight up and lowering the barrel to the target, specifically so the powder is always in the same position when ignited.

[@malevolentburrito]

Elmer Keith was definitely a "Hold my beer" kinda guy.

[@WineScrounger]

malevolentburrito some say there are still people holding those beers to this day

[@den2k885]

He was better/worst: he didn't do it to show off, he did do it... for science!

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

More like *_HOLD MY KEG...._* 😝😝😝

[@SomeJustice19k]

More like 'Hold my jug of shine/whiskey'

[@dandoubleday1728]

@@WineScrounger O

[@kennymoores3641]

if Elmer could fit a couch into a 45 colt he would try to fire it

[@CrizzyEyes]

The comfiest load ever designed.

[@JonatasAdoM]

+Crazy Eyes Depends on the couch used.

[@quentinking4351]

The "try" part woulda been for the gun. Keith would have undoubtedly pulled the trigger and held on for the ride.

[@outwhitu08]

Hahaha too funny! You can stash a half a stick of dynamite in a 45 colt case

[@ezekielglenn5009]

A couch made out of smokeless powder

[@brettd2308]

"He was out shooting anything and everything that moved, because it's just what he did." - this comment can be read two *very* different ways lmao

[@falloutghoul1]

"He also made hot loads for it, which is just what he did."

[@pokerguy2753]

If this hadn't blown up the .44 magnum likely wouldn't have been invented. Weird to think about.

[@pokerguy2753]

*magnum cartridges not just .44

[@paullytle1904]

Poker Guy 27 or we'd be shooting 45 magnum

[@wizardofahhhs759]

Isn't Keith the one who shot a .45 because they didn't make a .46?

@Rusty Highlander As long as you keep the pressures at or below the level of the BP loads, its a safe gun. Its when you try to "hot rod" the Colt that you'll run into trouble. Same goes for any other modern gun. That's why we have loading manuals, with pressure tested loads, and you don't exceed the maximum loads. Personally, I think the 250 grain bullet at around 900 fps. is plenty stout for the "old girl". If that doesn't get the job done, you need a rifle, not a pistol.

[@63DW89A]

The 45 Colt brass remnant in the cylinder is the old "ballon head brass" , common to 45 Colt brass in the black powder days. At that time in the 1920's, Remington still loaded a lot of factory 45 Colt with the full 40 grain black powder charge. This is because in the early cartridge smokeless days, the smokeless 45 Colt factory loads were very weak (255gr bullet @ ~ 730 fps), compared to the traditional 40 grain BP loading of the 45 Colt (255gr @ ~ 960 fps, 5.5" SA revolver). The early factory smokeless loads used a fast powder that at the BP pressures (14,000 psi), were more than 200 fps slower than the BP loads due to BP's longer burn time achieving higher velocity at the same 14,000 psi peak pressure. Today we have good progressive smokeless powders that can achieve the same velocity as BP at the same peak pressures. But that was not yet possible with the limited smokeless powders of the 1920's, when Elmer Keith blew up that cylinder!

[@bokachoy]

Grew up reading Elmer Kieth, Bill Jordan and of course Jeff Cooper articles in many magazines these guys were real characters, and we owe them a lot for their contribution to firearms. That's a great piece of history.

[@ErikNice]

I read about that blown up cylinder years ago and never thought I would get to see it. Thanks for the memories.

[@Snandra66]

The SAA may have been the gun that won the west, but Elmers SAA was the gun that made the .44 Magnum.

[@Snandra66]

***** You have? Well I'm very interested by guns, that might explain why.

[@Snandra66]

***** Cool!

[@Snandra66]

***** Cool, you like LEGO too? Tell me when it's up.

[@stevenbaker470]

Actually you would be wrong to say the single action army Colt was the "gun that won the west" there were more guns Available and Colt was really considered too expensive. Most sidearms in the west were historically leftovers from the civil war. Sometimes modified. James Butler Hickok (wild Bill ) Carried two thirty six caliber Colt Navy pistols. And Billy the kid was known to carry Smith and Wesson .38/40's. Pat Garrett usually didn't carry sidearms but a sharps buffalo rifle, and Bat Masterson carried a you guessed it, a bat. Dirty Dave Rudebah carried knives so and JJ Webb was known for his Volcanic Arms pistols. So to say that was basically incorrect. The saying came from movies and an advertisement for Colt pistols. Ian could never do a single Video on the real guns that won the west because it would take a few years and a lot of videos to put that MYTH to rest forever. There were many more manufacturers than Winchester and Colt.

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

@Queen Emily >>> If Keith had not been quite so lucky, it might have been known as _the gun that turned Elmer into worm food._ 😊

[@tucopacifico]

Besides reading Keith's "Sixguns", his other book "Hell, I was THERE", is an epic story of his amazing life.

[@u.p.woodtick3296]

Tuco Pacifico I looked on Amazon, it was over $200 !

[@mossranchoutdoors7249]

I had a chance to buy that book from a flyer in Shooting Times magazine years ago. Have read many Skeeter Skelton and Bill Jordan articles and learned about Elmer Keith and his many contributions to the firearms industry.

[@KathrynLiz1]

I remember reading Elmer's column in Guns and Ammo back in the very early 60s..... It was always the bit I read first in each issue, closely followed by Colonel Jeff Cooper's writings on pistol-craft. Halcyon days.

[@OldManMontgomery]

Sigh...

[@doornaildean9891]

We need more Elmer Keiths in the gun industry to push limits even higher

[@thetriode]

I'd give Elmer a lot more credit than that. Part of the issue is we have so much information that they flat out didn't have back then. When you have little information virtually everything becomes trial and error. I mean that may sound obvious at some level, but think about it we can research these topics with a ton of great resources. I truly wonder what people like Elmer Keith and other contemporaries like Tesla would have been capable of had they had the computational capacity and the access to knowledge we do today.

[@Idahoguy10157]

Love how as writer Elmer Keith and Jack O’Conner created their own opposing camps of readers. Read a story of a Winchester event where the two met. The Winchester marketing men worried the two would physically fight. Nope. They shared a drink and talked like old friends. They both understood they were good for each other’s writing careers.

[@tomallen6073]

Love jack o’conners writings, found an old book of his when I was a kid and learned a lot from it. Information was so much more difficult to get pre-internet.

[@FuriousFarmboy]

I have nearly an exact duplicate cylinder from an Interarms Virginian Dragoon .44 mag. I was loading on the light side with properly sized bullets. Inspection showed that the cylinder had been fractured for some time. It went off like a grenade and blew the top strap and rear sight off the frame and nearly took the barrel. I never found the pieces but I can still count to ten. If you purchase a used revolver, CAREFULLY INSPECT THE CYLINDER before putting it into service.

[@jenniferc2597]

As a tiny bit of oral history - c. 2001 I met an elder gentleman (Canadian as I recall) working at a small gunshop in Boise Idaho by the name of "Shapels." The gentleman said that Mr. Keith had done a fair amount of his development on the premises, in the smithing area at the back of the store. I hear that store closed years ago, and sadly it looks like the building itself is long gone. But for a a time at least, it was a remarkable bit of the Old West dragged into the beginning of the 21st century. Sic Transit..

[@doublel7337]

What an amazing piece of handgun history. I am old enough to have read gun articles by both Bill Jordan and Elmer Keith, and the awesome humor of Skeeter Skelton's work as well. I probably would have bid on that part up to a point, but it is really priceless, and good to hear many people will be able to enjoy it.

[@cherokid]

What an iconic piece of firearms history. I saw Elmers handguns get sold at auction and wished I would have had the money for one of them, Seeing this video reminded me every time I pick up my Smith & Wesson model 66, 357 magnum or my Ruger Redhawk 44 magnum, I do have something that was a direct descendent of Elmer Keiths efforts. I reload my own ammunition and tend to load towards the top of tolerances for 44 magnum. However I never go over the maximum and weigh every charge. I have no desire to follow in Elmers footsteps in revolver detonation. Thanks again Ian for another great bit of history.

[@quadsman11]

Fascinatingly educational ! Great perspective on something that would otherwise be extremely simple ! So fortunate that he wasn't critically injured during his "little experiment" ! As you had mentioned, we all have benefitted from those "little mistakes" ! There are quite a number of us who owe a HUGE thank you, to Elmer Keith, and his "experiments along the way !

[@PhiOpsAurelio]

Sure am gonna miss that cabinet full of nothing but Luger P08 pistols.

[@TheBigFriendlyBambi]

Doctor Nefarious What happened to them?

[@PhiOpsAurelio]

BakeCakeMake Fake They're just at the Rock Island Auction House, the location that Ian was previously presenting these videos from.

[@TheBigFriendlyBambi]

Doctor Nefarious Ohh he changed locations now? I remember seeing pictures from the Rock Island Auction in a gun book I bought

[@ForgottenWeapons]

BakeCakeMake Fake I work with both auction houses, it's just that RIA has about twice as many auctions as Julia. You will be seeing new video from both places in the next few months.

[@TheBigFriendlyBambi]

Forgotten Weapons Alright thanks!

[@danielmoore3056]

I know I'm a bit late to the party, but I have an original hardcover of Keith's book "Sixguns by Keith" I bought at a yard sale for 50 cents. A really great Read if your into firearms history or cartridge development of the .44. Great pictures of early guns and the stories of his early life make for a great read.

[@MysterySmell]

Thanks mate..... probably my favourite vid from you and I think I've almost watched them all.....thanks mate for your channel as a new Zealander es especially after the Christchurch shooting it's hard to learn about guns....

[@TheRogueWolf]

It's funny how often history is made and progress achieved by making a stupid mistake, and then learning from it.

[@JonatasAdoM]

That's how we got antibiotics. Lazyness also play a big role.

[@grizzlyblackpowder1960]

@@JonatasAdoM lol yeah no kidding it took two world wars to figure out that penicillin had combat applications.

[@den2k885]

If you read some sci-fi and fantasy books, it's what scares all the rest of the Universe. We saw a fire burning down the forest? Wow, that should really provide illumination. We had a perfect piece of raw meat in hand? Toss it into the fire, the one that burned down half the above mentioned forest! Geez, horses are so smelly... I wonder if we can bottle fire in thousand of explosions per minute and make a moving 1000 kg carriage with it. There is a nasty looking, growling, smelly beast out for my throat... let's domesticate it and call it "Fido". If there is other intelligent life in the Universe, it stays really clear of this madmen planet.

[@clutchpedalreturnsprg7710]

Also, shoe deodorant. KZbin video: The Secret To No Stinking Feet scene (Holes)(movie)

[@jimmyboredom3519]

Every man made object you touch is a product of trial and error.

[@techforhire7557]

As always you've expanded my firearms knowledge and what might have without your explanation just been viewed as a rookie's mistake and no more than a paperweight became a great example of experiment and observation, taking what's learned from a failure and used as a basis for a great forward leap in revolver safety and performance, thanks!

[@ericpewpew_rn5294]

I bought a .454 Casull this week; its a hot .45LC.So it is basally the completion of what Keith was trying to do. You can take a revolver chambered in .454 Casull and load it all the way from light .45LC cowboy loads up to .454 Casull. Really cool the work he did to create magnum rounds!

[@jwgfoto5419]

In 1991 my grandfather and I were reloading some .38 special cartridges late one afternoon. It was getting dark and at one point my grandfather couldn't remember if he had already put the charge in the casing. Since the casing is quite long he couldn't see any powder so he just added a charge. Talk about a hot load! I was the lucky person to pull the trigger on that one! The revolver had such a kick that it almost hit me in the face! The other people at the range immediately came over to see what had made such a racket. We found the rim had torn off the casing and the body of the casing was stuck inside the cylinder! Now many people asked why the cylinder didn't do the Elmer Keith on me. We believe it is the fact that my grandfather had replaced the standard Taurus cylinder with a Stainless Steel cylinder some years back. SS is much tougher. We had the cylinder inspected and no issues were found. It is still in use today. Thanks for a great channel!

[@RobertoDonatti]

What a great video! The empirical knowledge that Keith acquired is mind boggling. I've read most of his books and they are great, specially Sixguns. BTW I have witnessed two identical catastrophic revolver failures. A Colt Police Positive .38 and a S&W 629. No one was hurt, but the guns were utterly destroyed.

[@cameronjenkins6748]

That is fantastic. If I could, I would buy that. It also shows that even legends have to start somewhere.

[@mpccenturion]

Elmer - Peter Hathaway Capstick and a host of others, warped my teenage sensibilities. I was handloading at 17. Started breaking cases, but thankfully not guns. I had a healthy respect, especially after a local gunsmith, having just shot a 3 rnd group at 100 yds, that were touching. A 300 Win Mag. Unfortunately he picked up a 30-06, closed the both and squeezed. The resulting concussion left him with 2 black eyes. I saw him 4 days later, at a club shoot. I recall Kieth's written admission. His was sober wisdom after my own considerations. Cheers!

[@Rumblestrip]

That's amazing... He definitely blew up a few. Six guns is definitely my go to for anything revolver.

[@MrRedFox13Gaming]

those walls are so thin

[@gunsngeeks]

That is a wonderful testament to Elmer's ingenuity It's cool to see even the Guru wasn't always so. All I can Say is "Hell, I was there!" or wish I was anyway..

[@dalekidd420]

Keith was an icon. And the helluvit is, as savvy, as intelligent, and as experienced as he was, it wasn't any of these traits that allowed him to accomplish what he did in the gun world. Lots of dedicated shooters share those... but they never rose to the level that Elmer Keith did, because they lacked the most important trait of all. Elmer Keith was just plain mule-headed, ornery, STUBBORN! He would bug the hell outta the suits at Colt, Smith & Wesson, Remington, and Ruger until he wore them down and they agreed to make whatever crazy cartridge or revolver he had dreamt up, and wouldn't STOP bugging them until they caved.

[@johnstark5324]

Just cool the last spent shell is still in there! God speed Elmer!

[@napster7825]

A great little bit of history. Thanks Ian.

[@OldManMontgomery]

Elmer Keith was a pioneer of heavy loads. One of the reasons he seems so 'crazy' was no one had done it prior and bothered to tell others. Keith did blow up a six gun. He wrote in a column he used to write for either "Guns & Ammo" or "American Rifleman" confessing to blowing up 'several' revolvers in his youth. But he was working on relatively unexplored ground. He certainly wrote of his exploits as a warning and guide for others. Of note he did the same sort of experimentation with rifles, especially rifle for large, dangerous game. He used those rifles to bring home meat for use on the table. Without Keith, we would not have the .357 Magnum, the .41 Magnum or the .44 Magnum; or at least not as soon as they were developed.

[@kenibnanak5554]

It is my understanding that he did something similar a few years later and that time he did lose a finger. I believe that was the incident that led to his complaints about balloon head cases, which played a role in taking them off the market and replacing them with today's solid head design.

[@StonewallJackson304]

Ian you really should be canonized for all the work you put into this channel.

[@BingBongFYaLife]

great video Ian. Keep up the great work with your youtube channel. I always check out what you have going on, and i'm deeply envious of all the interesting firearms that you get to check out.

[@danieljob3184]

What struck me was how thin those cylinder walls are. I'm amazed more of those guns did not blow up!

[@johnmullholand2044]

It blew up because Elmer Keith was hotrodding the cartridge. From what I've read, he filled the case with fine BP, like maybe 4f, trying to get more power out of the cartridge. A standard load was perfectly safe, as the thousands of original, late 1880s guns still existing shows.

[@Idahoguy10157]

Elmer Keith’s gun used to be on display at the Cabelas store in Boise. 25-50 guns… Used to a room display of his guns and trophies in the Boise Cabelas. Long gone…

[@jackmoorehead2036]

I just now saw this, I always read Elmer's articals in old American Rifleman magizine and was impressed and at times scared by his loadings and caliber choices. His and Skeeter Skeltons idea of a big heavy bullet being the ideal for ending a serious social engagement is still valid fo a six gun. These men grew up and old in the days before the wonder 9s and high capacity mags, the only real automatics were the 1911 and P 35 Browning. They used wheel guns and they practiced with them and could hit a target be it paper, beast or man at ranges I would want a rifle. So one big heavy bullet makes so much sense.

[@joeguzowski9640]

I watch your videos because, currently because of a mistake i made many years ago i am no longer able to own or handle any fire arm. yes I'm a convicted felon. i never break the law concerning my relasonship with fire arms. if im at a hillbilly barbaque or somthing and someone tries to show or hand me a gun i aways politely refuse, saying im not allowed because of my felony. it is very sad for me...i grew up hunting with my pop...he still has the 870 i bought myself when i was 12 locked in his gunsafe...in case i can ever get expunged....its difficult, my stupidity was large, and effected many. to me, your videos are life saving knowlge...the world appears ready to turn ugly soon. i just pray that when it happens...and we can no longer look at these videos...ive learned enough to earn a spot among you guys. the rightfull american protectors of everything right. godspeed gentalman

[@fjb4932]

joeguzowski, The system is designed to prevent you from advancing...Unless, you grease the Legal System's skids. Meaning Only by employing a lawyer will anything happen in your favor. My hopes are for you. But if society collapses, then consider your record expunged and all rights restore. Addem, all State laws vary, sometimes it's advantageous to "temporarily " move to another State, establish residency, and then proceed. Federal charges preempt this... ☆

[@thefreese1]

Boy I would have loved to own that blown out cylinder wonder what that sold for ... what a piece of history.... I am a firm believer in the Keith bullet.... it is my #1 Deer hunting bullet in my 45 colt Buffalo Classic Carbine. It will Anchor a deer.. I own it in 45 44 357/38 .. That big meplat/ogive combo is the right combination...

[@Metalperse]

Thanks for sharing another facinating story!

[@seldonwright4345]

My late father was a hand loader and deer hunting man his whole life. Miss him terribly at times.

[@ChipmunkRapidsMadMan1869]

THAT’S WHY HE LOVED .41 SO MUCH!!!! I remember reading an article on him shortly after his death and one of the details they talked about was his love of .41 Magnum. I don’t recall them (American Rifleman) mentioning this story. But it was 35 years ago and I was a kid.

[@MaxSluiman]

I Really like that you just start the video without music.

[@michaelandrade1213]

I just read that page in the book last light.. wow what a treasure. thank you for sharing it for the world

[@missey316]

In the future if you have anything on or about Jack O'Conner I would much appreciate a review of it. Great piece of history on Elmer.

[@missey316]

In the future anything on or about Jack O'Conner would be much appreciated. Great post on Elmer.

[@Marshal917x]

I had this exact thing happen to me while competing in cowboy action shooting with a colt-clone single action army in .45 colt. I believe that one of two things happened, either I had inadvertently forced a second bullet over top of the first in the case, due to lube hanging up the first bullet up in the bullet seating die, or the cylinder was out of time, and upon firing, the round fired slightly out of battery because the bullet was blocked by the forcing cone, causing a detonation. It was NOT due to a double powder charge.

[@DoktorJeep]

When I see a cylinder like that I am reminded why I never handload ammo and drink at the same time.

[@mencken8]

I am reminded of my close friend, dead now these many years, who reloaded with a load “on,” and would have open containers of powder across the room from a molten casting furnace, coffee mugs full of loose primers, etc. Yes, there are the anecdotes- a huge box of .38 Special “blue pills” that were unshootable and had to be pulled, a bulged 1911 barrel…..but in the end, he died of congestive heart failure.

[@dorsetdumpling5387]

I saw the same thing happen, but with a .44 magnum!. The gun was a Ruger Redhawk, built like a brick….outhouse, and generally held to be pretty well unbreakable. The cylinder did a pretty passable imitation of a hand grenade, with fragments gouging bits out of the breeze block partition between firing points on the range; and the top strap punched a hole in the plasterboard ceiling, never to be found. The shooter, like Keith, unaware of the mayhem, was still trying to cock the pistol for the next shot!

[@misolgit69]

years ago the 'gunshop' at Bisley ranges in UK had a window display warning of the dangers inherent in careless hand loading it was a revolver I think it was a Webley but it was a long time ago well this pistol had the top 3 chambers and the topstrap blown off and suitable scarring to what was left

[@CrazyPetez]

Very cool story and artifact.

[@Idahoguy10157]

I think Elmer Keith's mantra was anything worth doing, is worth overdoing. That destroyed Colt SAA is one example

[@Whimpy13]

Mooore DAKKA

[@1anthonybrowning]

A great bit of history.

[@j.mangum7652]

Elmer Kieth among other things probably had the phrase coined after him "Go big or go home!" He didn't think the 30-06 was a sufficient game cartridge for applications that hunters today do in fact use successfully, but we have lots of different bullets now. And he had done more shooting and hunted things most of us will never come close to replicating. That's why people listened to him. Anybody with some good sense to appreciate experience would find Mr. Kieth was walking gold mine of experience to take hold of.

[@robsciuk729]

I've read a couple of Elmer Keith's books, and highly recommend "Hell, I was there", if you can find it ...

[@nickf9392]

"Turn it in till it breaks, then back off a quarter turn". Some one told me that a long time ago. Never forgot it.

[@tnekkc]

I blown up lots of 38 specials. And a few 32 S&W longs and CZ52s, When the cylinder splits sometimes 3 pieces, sometimes 2 pieces. Half the time the top strap breaks. Bigger bullets do not increase the pressure if they get to start moving before swaging, as Ackley pointed out about 8mm bullets in a 30-06.

[@josephlong7420]

That is one very cool piece of history.

[@permagrin8742]

Yep. I have tinnitus. Lots of hard headedness leading to this rather annoying condition. It still feels like closing the door to an empty barn but I now wear plugs or muffs grinding shooting or riding my Harley or streetbike. It’s never quiet at my house

[@drmaudio]

I am familiar with that story, but it is very cool to see the actual cylinder that started the magnums.

[@JGG3345]

love your videos, first one I have seen where your beard is sliding off! : )

[@scootergeorge9576]

Perhaps 40 years ago there was a firearms mishap reported in a Navy aviation safety magazine, Naval Aviation News, AKA Nav Air News. A navy pilot who was also a target shooter decided he could save a lot of money by reloading his own ammo. And that is often true. But attention to detail is imperative. Anyway, he took his revolver, a .357 as I recall, but not sure, and fired off a few of his reloads. One seemed to be less loud than normal but he had his hearing protection so it may not have been all that noticeable. Next shot, BOOM!!! His revolver blew up. The previous round had insufficient powder so the bullet did not exit the barrel. The next round hit the blocked barrel and...you get the idea. Fortunately, he was not injured.

[@paulbeck6410]

The case left in the cylinder is a "balloon" head. It's a weaker case than modern made. Holds more powder. They can be even overloaded even more.

[@jalan8171]

Through the persistence of wildcatters such as Keith and a few others the firearms manufacturers saw that there was practicality to make higher power pistols. It took years of experimentation and demonstration by these magnum pioneers for OEM's such as S&W, Winchester, Remington, etc., to establish standards and produce product to place on the market.

[@SnarkyPosters]

So, is that a "balloon head" 45 colt case?

[@ForgottenWeapons]

SnarkyPosters Yep.

[@rudolfyakich6653]

Elmer Kieth did a lot of his hunting and shooting in my old Montana neighborhood.

[@glenmartin2437]

I learned a few things. Thank you.

[@greenranger1983]

Another great video!

[@kaesees]

Besides using an old SAA as his test gun and using a very heavy and over-sized bullet, Keith also goofed the powder and the charge weight. The "normal" .45 Colt load at the time was 40 grains of FFg black powder. Per his own account, Keith started with FFg, but ground it until it was the consistency of flour (finer grains have a faster burn rate leading to higher pressure). He then stuffed as much into the case as he could fit.

[@johngroberts952]

Wonderful history lesson.

[@merlemorrison482]

Everybody is a newbie in the beginning!

[@gabe6849]

44 mag is one of my most favourite rounds.i have a Henry big boy in 44 love it.

[@Leverguns50]

I read about that one in One of his books, it’s really nice to see it though thanks for sharing

[@slick_slicers]

Odd as it may seem, that was one of your most interesting videos!

[@AdventureBrad]

Now that's true piece of history!!!

[@keithjurena9319]

The failed case still lodged in the exploded chamber is of the balloon head type, designed for black powder and low pressure

[@MrTruckerf]

What I find surprising is that the case head doesn't exhibit high pressure signs. I would expect the primer to be blown or at least flattened and the stamping on the head to be illegible. Also when a chamber blows it usually exposes the chamber on either side. I think the cylinder was defective.

[@travissmith2211]

This is why I take my time and research new endeavors. Goes back to the saying "fools rush in where angels dare tread"

[@greggv8]

Elmer Keith also contributed a lot to the development of jacketed bullets, along with new bullet shapes commonly called Keith bullets.

[@RandomJam666]

This is the kind of video your audience wants to see! :)

[@fuzztfork8]

Back in Elmer Keiths day, there wasnt alot of reloading information, so things were trial and error. Bill Ruger came out with his version of the Colt single action which had a larger diameter cylinder which made shooting the .45 long colt, safer with handloads.

[@TheSuburban15]

fuzztfork8 Even today, load data can vary pretty significantly from one book to another, and sometimes it's nearly impossible to find data for the type of bullet you have, with the type of powder you have. And then things get really interesting when you have a 1911 chambered for .40S&W, and you start loading rounds longer than will fit in a typical .40 magazine.

[@roadpanzir]

Thanks Ian, that was sure an interesting bit!

[@alexanderhorst2095]

Really cool video, with some good lessons!

[@da-ghoul2332]

Not a lot there to look at but one of the more interesting stories you've ever told

[@troy9477]

Interesting. Elmer was something of a pioneer. I think i heard that when he went to 44 Spl, he had some specially heat treated cylinders made. I believe his typical handloads in those exceeded 44 mag levels (which obviously came decades later) when pressure tested. Thank heavens for loading manuals with pressure tested data

[@voodoowraith]

I'm awful glad to hear that it's going to a museum. The whole time you were talking in the video I was trying to figure out what I could sell quickly to get up enough money to bid on it and hopefully buy it and loan it to a museum. A piece of firearms history like that should be out where people who understand it's importance can see it. Can you tell us which museum is getting it? I'd gladly make the trip.

[@johnndavis7647]

Lots of good ideas have unforeseen Difficulties.

[@green15838]

And 45 colt magnum also.Good video!

[@jonathanrogers9961]

Great vid, thanks!

[@maxsmodels]

Awesome story.

[@sotijas]

that thing is a real centerpiece for any collection how much are you expecting to get for it?

[@ForgottenWeapons]

sotijas Last I heard, it was not for sale - it was going to a museum.

[@sotijas]

Forgotten Weapons ah, good it'd be a waste to leave it in someone's personal stockpile

[@FuriousFarmboy]

@sotijas I have one just like it but it is worth nothing because my name isn't Elmer Keith.

[@kirkmorrison6131]

I have heard of that cylinder hundreds of times. I had no idea it exists.