I was looking at this rifle and it was a custom by Paul Dodge from Yreka California. It did not bring much @ auction which surprised me somewhat.Poulin confirmed I was the high bidder.I now own an Elmer Keith rifle which for me is the highlight of my gun collecting.Elmer was a great writer and followed his sixgun endeavors for years.The improved #5 was always my dream gun although I could never own his. Now I own his 52.

This gun was part of the Cabelas Elmer Keith Museum in Idaho.Does anyone remember it or know of it.I have not seen it yet as I won't have for a couple weeks.

The gun has a very heavy bull barrel 1 1/4" (Winchester factory blank) and what looks to be a custom trigger(Paul Dodge).The polishing records for #2871 indicated YOM as 1921.When I receive it i'll post pictures of the rifle.The rear sight looks to be a Wittek-Vaver #35 & the front a custom globe sight with barrel band.





Description: Cal. 22 LR. S# 2871. Bbl. 28 7/8" custom by "Paul R. Dodge, Yreka, Calif". Barrel band mounted globe target front sight with Vaver Sight Co. target receiver sight. Barrel is fitted with goat blocks. Original band attached walnut target stock is customized with added hand checkering & aluminum cheek rest. Leather military sling on original swivels. CONDITION: 90% blue. Stock has lightly worn finish with small marks. Very good bore. MAG: 1- 10 rd. mag. PROVENANCE: Elmer Keith Estate Collection. (14-7902/DS). CURIO. $1000-1500.

I do not recall it from the display in Boise.

If anyone would know for sure it would be Idahosharpshooter; Rich.

at one time or another he had handled most of those guns before they went to Cabela's.

Bloody hell! Elmer Keith using a 22??

I thought he thought the 30-06 is a minor caliber

It is a "pre-A" and maybe not a "speedlock", probably made in the middle 1920s, unless the describer left the letter suffix of the SN. Elmer Keith was a serious competitive smallbore shooter from the 20 & 30s. My question is barrel weight. The rifle has a very heavy barrel & Keith was not a large person. A rifle with a lighter barrel may have produced better scores, if one's ego permitted such actions.

In looking thru the list of guns that sold and what they sold for; many of them were not on display at Cabela's.

In the 1920's and 30's Elmer shot on both the Montana and Idaho State HiPower teams at Camp Perry. He got his start writing for the Rifleman reporting on those matches.

My last visit to the Keith residence was just before he had his first stroke, I think I counted about 100-120 rifles, and maybe 40 shotguns. Handguns? Maybe a hundred.

He was such an easygoing gentleman, when I expressed interest in shooting his rifles, mostly the British doubles, and a few of his handguns, he simply had me load some up in his Bronco and we drove out to his gunsmith Don Mijalovic's (I have no clue about the spelling) place about 5 miles south of Salmon and let me shoot them. I got to see him hit a plastic gallon milk jug full of frozen water (with red rit dye for coloring)at a surveyed 500yards on the third shot with the 4" barreled 44 Magnum. I also purchased a copy of "Safari" from him that week.

Several times, I would be there enjoying some stout coffee and some of Mrs Keith's fresh baked cookies (oatmeal raisin or chocolate chip for those who care) and some total stranger would knock on the door. Mr Keith simply asked them if they were NRA members. A "Yes" was all it took to gain entrance.

We are definitely the poorer for his and Bill Jordan's passing...

Rich

quote:

Originally posted by waterman:
It is a "pre-A" and maybe not a "speedlock", probably made in the middle 1920s, unless the describer left the letter suffix of the SN. Elmer Keith was a serious competitive smallbore shooter from the 20 & 30s. My question is barrel weight. The rifle has a very heavy barrel & Keith was not a large person. A rifle with a lighter barrel may have produced better scores, if one's ego permitted such actions.

I guess I'll have to wait and see. Though it looks to have been converted to a "speedlock" The action was in the polishing room in 1921. Paul Dodge was one of the gunsmiths that Elmer trusted and sent his Lancaster double rifle to him for sight work. They were also shooting buddies. Dodge for the few that knew about him,his light pull triggers were very good.

The rifle has a 1.25 full bull Winchester barrel and I expect the gun weighs 16lbs or so. There was a article written about it or Keith mentioned it in his writings. I would love to know the reference.

Thanks Rich for the anecdotes,Keith's bigger than life personna will live on.

Wow- what a rifle! Congrats!

quote:

Originally posted by waterman:
It is a "pre-A" and maybe not a "speedlock", probably made in the middle 1920s, unless the describer left the letter suffix of the SN. Elmer Keith was a serious competitive smallbore shooter from the 20 & 30s. My question is barrel weight. The rifle has a very heavy barrel & Keith was not a large person. A rifle with a lighter barrel may have produced better scores, if one's ego permitted such actions.

Back then it seems "the bigger, the better" was in vogue. You wouldn't see a barrel band like that on a modern .22 target rifle either. I don't know how long Winchester made 'em like that, but we know better now- the most accurate .22 target rifles I see have barrels in the .8"-.9" diameter and 24" length range.

I had one like it only both my clips were flush with the stock. As I recall, mine weighed 12 and a half pounds.

Rich,

Good for you. The man was a legend in my mind... him and Jack O'Conner.

Wish I would have been with you.

Nice piece of history you've got there. Congrats!

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:

Several times, I would be there enjoying some stout coffee and some of Mrs Keith's fresh baked cookies (oatmeal raisin or chocolate chip for those who care) and some total stranger would knock on the door. Mr Keith simply asked them if they were NRA members. A "Yes" was all it took to gain entrance.

We are definitely the poorer for his and Bill Jordan's passing...

Rich

I never visited his home but I was lucky enough to be at the Border Patrol firing range on Montana street near my home in El Paso, Texas when Elmer, Skeeter Skelton, and Bill Jordan were there shooting after a business meeting with the folks at the Weaver scope co. I was friends with a lot of Border Patrol officers and often shot at the BP firing range and that was my lucky day to be there when those three guys were there as well.

They were very friendly and even let me shoot a cylinder full with Jordans S&W Highway Patrolman .357! Skeeter also shot my Ruger Blackhawk .41 mag. I still have that .41 Mag Blackhawk and it is certainly not for sale.
................Memories!