"Hell I was there" by Elmer Keith

[dale2242]

I went to the Hensley & Gibbs estate sale in Murphy, Oregon a number of years ago.
I picked up a copy of "Sixguns by Keith" for $2.
When I got home, I looked at the inside of the front cover and it was autographed by Elmer to H&G.
What a treasure.

[TNsailorman]

Elmer did have a little ego. So do a lot of people. Elmer was "the real deal". I swapped a few letters with him when I was just getting started in handgunning. I was asking questions/advice and he always answered my letters and questions from his own experience, not someone else's opinions or writings. I wish I had saved his letters and also the ones I had from PO Ackley. I had and still have a ton of respect for both Elmer and Parker. my experience anyway, james

[garbler]

My Brother knew Mr. Ackley fairly well in the mid to late 70's at his Salt Lake Shop. Parker built my brother three rifles during this period. Several people who knew Ackley couldn't understand how he and my Brother could get along so well. My Brother was a guide and wrangler for 15-17 yrs in Western, Wy and Idaho and twice took Parker antelope hunting in exchange for rifle work. He said there used to be stacks of letters on his shop desk and that Ackley often complained they were too much trouble as they were mostly guys looking for free advice and almost never a paying job. It's possible there was a lot of business strain on him during this time period, who knows. My Brother once said Mr. Ackley's best friend was his Monarch lathe.

Rick

[BoBSavage]

Most people that write their own biographies have an ego. Another great example would be Grep "Pappy" Boyington! Ya gotta believe every work he said....cause...Hell He Was There!

[relics6165]

For y'all that don't know it, Elmer wrote 10 books in all, I don't know how many articles and columns, and thousands of letters. His "last" book was "Keith, An Autobiography" by Winchester Press in 1974. He hated what the editors did with it (and believe me he NEEDED editors!). Sooo, in 1979 he came out with his for sure last book, "Hell I Was There", edited and published by friends of his, Petersen Publishing Company. It told his story the way he wanted it to be told.

Elmer disliked the Winchester Press book so badly he refused to autograph many of them, fortunately my copy was autographed to a good friend of his.

[Krag1902]

I was a far-gone Keith nut when I was in my Twenties. I wrote him letters just to get a reply, which I still treasure. When I was in Idaho for a bear hunt in the Spring of ' 74, I think it was, I dropped in to see him in Salmon. He gave me the better part of a Saturday afternoon, the tour of his trophy rook and a Hoffman .375 H&H that he remembered he had under the living room couch. I spent three hours with the guy and left just before supper time. I wrote it up for a PRECISION SHOOTING ANNUAL in the late '90's. That was one of the better days of my life, I'll tell you.

[elmacgyver0]

If I ever write a book, I think I will call it, "Hell, I don't care".

I did enjoy all the Skeeter and Keith stories and the other old gun writers.
I think it takes a bit off "ego" to write a book, perhaps that is a good thing.

[Lance Boyle]

Had that book when it first came out. Great reading, made the mistake of lending it out.

I so hate when people borrow books and don’t think they need to return them….even when you say I want it back….in one piece.

[Sbroadwell]

I met Elmer Keith in the early 70s. It was either 1972 or 1973, whichever year the NSGA show was in Chicago. I was introduced to him by a former co-worker who had gone to work for S&W. At the time I was not that much into guns, had heard of him but really didn't know his importance to the sport.

[hawkeye1]

I have been looking for a copy of “Hell, I was there.” Finally found one. Should be delivered to the house in next day or two. Really looking forward to it. I have read several of Elmer’s other books, all worth the time. Good stories and good information.

[fiberoptik]

I so hate when people borrow books and don’t think they need to return them….even when you say I want it back….in one piece.

I’ve learned that you don’t loan books/tools/$. Not worth the headache or loss.