I've recently finished Elmer Keith's "Sixguns" on Kindle (Specifically, the 1961 edition) and I've got to say it was a great read and an interesting perspective on a firearm's expert at the time's view of the shooting world at large. Given Keith's hardened history as a cattle driver, a trapper, and a huntsman, I can see why he has his negative opinions regarding anything with a pointed, factory bullet in a non-rifle platform. Then again, Keith spent most of his life doing his best to get the cartridges (and Boolits) that he helped to design onto the market at large, so he certainly has an interest in the reader using the products that he helped put into the hands of the general public.
It was very interesting to see what was seen as cutting edge "Tacticool" at the time regarding holsters and handguns in general. If anything, it was an era before the widespread popularity of domestic semi-autos outside of the browning models, and well before polymer grew to cover just about anyone's need for an autoloader. Before the common adoption of defensive 9mm bullets, I can see why Keith was so distrustful to use any 9mm platform outside of competition shooting. Although, he did see the writing on the wall for 9mm as a cartridge to be the world standard for handguns well before the U.S army made it official.
In the book, you can both see how much has changed in the shooting world, with a handgun (or sixgun) for every budget and hand imaginable, but also, how much has stayed the same as well. As it turns out, deer and other four and two legged critters have not changed much over the years, so what was effective upon them back then are likely just as effective today.
It was a shame to look up so many businesses and companies that he had referenced and see that the majority of them, especially those based out of California and Oregon, and New York, were history. The rest of their products are now sought after collector's items, or their reproductions are up for sale at prices that make their niche audience quite clear. Newer products could likely do better or be more comfortable, but in some ways you can't beat the originals or the wild, experimental builds of yesteryear.
I think it was a great read. What have you fine people thought of the almost "Required Reading" of the shooting world?
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Originally Posted by gwpercle
