Sixguns: A Vital Reference Work

In this 1955 work, noted firearms authority Elmer Keith tells the colorful story of the sixgun, from the earliest Colt revolvers that made their reputation in the Mexican War to the latest Smith & Wesson magnum revolvers and everything in between.

Born in 1899, author Elmer Keith was a child of the old west, his lifespan bridging the gap between the lawmen and desperadoes that populated the area west of the Rockies and the modern, post-WWII era. Keith was long a respected gun writer with articles in such prestigious firearms publications as The American Rifleman.

According to Keith’s friend Judge Don Martin, who wrote the preface, Keith had “exceptional mental equipment,” and had “a post-dated, old West type of tough mindedness.” Keith wove tales “scented with the pungence of sage brush campfires, cold for more than half a century.” Elmer Keith is also considered the father of the S&W 357 Magnum and 44 Magnum cartridges. That is a credential that should speak to even the most casual firearms buff. Any firearms enthusiast, tinkerer, experimenter, or sportsman will love Sixguns.

Keith starts out with the history of the revolver, the first successful of which were the Colts, built at Paterson, New Jersey starting in 1836. Samuel Colt, it is said got his inspiration on a sailing voyage watching the tackle for piloting a ship and locking the steering wheel on course. Although the company failed for financial reasons, the Colt revolving pistols gained world renown by their exploits in the fledgling Republic of Texas and with the Texas Rangers, being highly recommended by such redoubtable figures as Captains Jack Hays and Samuel H. Walker. Walker was nominated by Gen Zachary Taylor to go East to induce Colt to reopen his factory and produce more badly needed revolvers for the untamed west. The collaboration of these two men resulted in the “holy grail” of Colt single action revolvers, the famous 1847 Walker Colt.

Weighing over four pounds, the Walker Colt was the first of the six-shooters that became known as “Dragoons” for their use by cavalry troops. A massive gun, the 44 caliber Walker was designed to be carried as a pair on saddle holsters as the old single shot pistols had been formerly. The Colt Dragoons had a scene of US troops pursuing mounted Indians handsomely engraved on their cylinders. Colt received $28 apiece for the Walker revolvers together with a powder flask for each pair of the total 1,000 guns the War Department ordered. By the time of the gold rush, a Colt Dragoon would bring as much as $500 in the gold fields of Californy. Sadly, Captain Walker did not survive the Mexican War, but his name lives on as the designer of the most famous Colt and the man responsible for putting Colt back in the arms business where it remains to this day. These early Colts underwent a process of refinement and improvement culminating in the Single Action Army Model of 1873, the famed Peacemaker familiar to everybody who has ever seen a western movie. Keith traces the development of all the other major handgun lines as well.

There is much more history and lore about revolvers contained in Sixguns, but it also contains much about selecting the proper handgun, learning to shoot, types of sights, quick draw, hip shooting, long range shooting, aerial shooting, revolver versus automatic pistol pros and cons, hunting, cartridge reloading, bullet types, care and cleaning, engraving and ornamentation, and more. The final chapter is a supplement updated in 1992 to include the later developments in revolvers including the redoubtable 44 Magnum cartridge which Keith played a large role in bringing to life.

The large format (8 ½” x 11”) hardbound book has 329 pages and is profusely illustrated with black and white photographs. This vital work belongs in the library of any firearms enthusiast.






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