There can't be anyone out there who hasn't heard of a MAGNUM - so that means that you should have heard of Keith - as he's the man who invented The Magnum revolver rounds and shot them well too. Keith worked-up high power loads during the 1920s and 30s by handloading (overloading!) .38"Special cartridges beyond accepted limits by taking advantage of modern guns much improved metallurgy and strength.
In 1935 Commercial .357" Magnum cartridges were released being built with slightly longer brass cases (approx 1/8 inch) than the .38"Special so that they would not chamber into older guns that were not designed with the higher power and pressures in mind.
Elmer Keith did much the same process again with the .44" Special Revolver and the .44"Special Magnum was released in 1956 with a 1/8 inch longer brass case than the earlier .44"Special. - He had worked with S & W and Remington to bring-out the new hot rounds and guns - but according to Wikipedia's Elmer Keith page - Sturm, Ruger beat them by a couple of months by marketing their single-action 'Blackhawk' revolver in .44"Magnum first.
- Factory records show that the Ruger .44 Blackhawk was introduced November 1956. The M29 was released for sale early 1956 according to the 'History Of Smith & Wesson' by Roy Jinks, the official S&W Historian. - Me? - I've no idea, but it seems that in some States Rugers .44"Magnum was on the sales shelves first. - but Rod Woods who checks my facts knows his stuff - so thanks.
** Note: Do I detect a degree of sensitivity here about who did what first - (S&W or Ruger) perhaps this is further fuelled later by Glock getting their G22 .40"S&W on sale before S&W got their .40"S&W semi-auto out? - Rod?
The .41" Magnum was introduced in 1964 as intermediate between the big blaster .44" and the lesser .357" - aimed at the US Law Enforcement market, - and although Keith worked-up the concept as with the other rounds - the .41" Magnum was a completely new case and bullet - being a true .410 inch diameter bullet rather than the older .40" approx diameter earlier rounds.
Elmer Keith should also be well remembered for his 'Keith Style' Semi-wadcutter bullet designs that have a meplat ( That's the flat bit at the front) that is between 65% to 70% the diameter of the bullet dia. and convex sides to the "nose"
- that hold a greater percentage of the bullets mass sticking out of the brass case - thereby giving more space behind the projectile for extra propellant.
Just how much actual input came from Keith and how much development work came from the cartridge and gun makers will never really be known - but, Hell - He was There !!
A more typical shot of Elmer Keith -complete with cigar!
- Including a couple of African Hunting Safaris where he took elephant, using guns with bullets and cartridges that he'd helped design. - For a smallish guy, he was a Big Man.
I just watched and uploaded that very good "hickok45" youtube clip above. - and feel I don't need to write anything more about this huge character, - and I reckon that one day, hickok45 will deserve similar status as an ambassador of ballistics.
Elmer Keith -writing aged 76 in 'Guns & Ammo 1975 Annual' says that many folk, including himself griped about shooting his heavy .44" Special loads in narrow S&W frames and the pounding to the web of their hands - so he worked-up grip furniture wider and higher at the rear to ease it.
It is thought that Elmer Keith's well known hunting-shooting-macho persona resulted in the word FUDD coming from the Looney Tunes cartoon characterisation "Elmer Fudd" who used to chase after BUGS BUNNY in the late 1930 - 40's always trying to hunt bunny but always cocking everything-up and usually injuring himself.
-- My final, closing comment is that I still find that six full-house shots from a .44"Magnum S & W Revolver is more than enough, - like drinking Guinness stout - you need to be a real man - and try not to screw-up your eyes and mouth in distaste!
Marty K
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