I am actually supprised that there are this many of us that even remember who Elmer Keith was, much less have such high regard for his contributions to the shooting world. Ya'll have restored my faith. Swamp, there should be a sticky post of the entire books of "Sixguns", "Sixgun Cartridges and Loads", "Big Game Rifles", "Hell, I Was There!" and a few others. Ya know I honestly believe that the reason that they aren't .pdf'ed all over the internet is from genuine respect for the man.
Woodchkhntr, I'm willing to bet that everyone who has posted on this thread knew exactly what you meant. I sometimes wonder when it is "big enough"? I truely believe that a well placed shot with a 500 Smith would very possibly stop a scharging cougar or bear quicker than the same shot with a 44 Mag, but, ya know I'v been in stressful situations enough times to know that the first well placed shot is more of a pipe dream than an actuality. I think I would much rather have the quick recovery time of a well balanced 44 for a second chance if necessary.
I admit to being a 45 junkie but Elmers reasoning for advocating the 44 is irrefutable. Thicker walls in the same metal has to be stronger. I can't take anything away from the 44.
Since you folks have provided much needed sentiment on this post, I would like to add another thought and a short bit of light reading. Let's not forget that the ol' boy was as interested in the bullet as much the rest of the load:
"Many years ago I began to look about for the ideal shape of sixgun bullet to suit my own ideas and needs. I was in search of a bullet that would not jump its crimp from recoil and which would also give the revolver its maximum killing power. With all this in mind, I first designed the Belding & Mull #454260 bullet, which proved a very good missile for the .45 Colt. My objection to this desigh was that I could not get as good long range acccuracy with it as I wished. Later, I worked a similar design in .44 Special, of 260 grains weight. Harold Croft and I together then worked out still another variation of this .44 bullet which weighed 280 grains, and retained the Belding & Mull blunt, round nose. On all three we had a good crimp groove and one large, deep lubrication groove. Croft paid for the cherries for these last two bullets. We used these for some time, but the crimping grooves proved hardly deep enough. By that time I believed that I could greatly improve on their desigh, both in accuracy and killing power, so I worked out the first of my bullets for the Lyman Gun Sight Corporation.
I wanted this new bullet to seat out of the case as far as the length of the cylinder would permit, the same as I had done with the Belding & Mull bullets, but I also wanted a wide, heavy band in front of the crimp grove to help true-up the cartridge in the cylinder and so keep the bullet in perfect alignment with the bore while firing. This band would also act as a wad cutter for target and game shooting, rather I wanted the front band of my bullet to finish the work of its flat point and to cut full wad cutter holes in anything it struck, and with its square sholder it does just that. At the same time I wanted a long, flat-pointed bullet whch would be better balanced for long range accuracy, yet give maximum killing power and cut full size holes in anything it struck. At that time (1928) Harold Croft was visiting me and we spent a month, all told, experimenting with the .44 Specials. He did not think much of my design then, as he watched me make a rough sketch of it. The lyman folks decided the bullet had good possibilities, and their Mr. Pickering had the steel model turned out and sent me for examination. This first Lyman-Keith bullet was in 250 grain weight and is listed in the catalog as #429421.
Tests with #421 on jack rabbits and similar game soon showed that it was the best killer we had so far tried; that it would not jump its crimp, and was the most destructive bullet we had then used on game. Next, I had Lyman make up another bullet exactly like it, but with a hollow base to weigh but 230 grains. Mr. Pickering again worked out this model for the new bullet from my own crude drawings. This lighter weight permitted the use of still heavier charges of #80 powder and, owing to its higher velocity and flatter trajectory, proved and even better bullet for long-range game shooting. It is catalogued as #429422 in the Lyman Hand Book...." *note 1
*note 1: Sixgun Cartridges and Loads by Elmer Keith copyright by Thomas G. Samworth December, 1936
Isn't it amazing that even in 1928 it was understood by some that a well made bullet of good design propelled by a significant charge of an appropriate powder resulted in a cartridge that kills quickly and humanely! It is my opinion that for this to be regulated by the results of frivilous lawsuits by those who have no concept of what they are regulating is a travesty and itself should be punishable by prison sentence. You can regulate till you are blue in the face and you can not save a fool from himself. So give me back a true 44 Magnun and allow the idiots to sanitize the gene pool by trying to make a 44 into a 444 out of an old Saturday Night Special.
Elmer For President!!
