15th annual 2015 shoot

Didn't do any posting last year, sorry about that, try to do better this year.
Updates:
Happy New Year Shooters!

As you search for the appropriate place to hang your new Dillon
calendar, please mark Friday and Saturday, May 29
& 30, 2015, for our annual confab and short barrel
stretching exercises.

Here are a few new attractions you can look forward to seeing at this
year's event:

    1.  A new target array.  The old
one has been fairly well beaten.  Bob Underhill and
Ed Parry have volunteered to apply their respective skills to
re-designing and building a complete new one.  Ace Fernandez
is working on the accessories.

    2.  The twenty-two event will be
completely changed.  There have been numerous concerns expressed about
safety.  Twenty-two's will be welcome in an event similar to the
center-fire.

    3.  Sandy Froman, NRA
director and former NRA President is scheduled to join us, thanks to the efforts
of Catherine Tubbs, our new NRA Advancement
representative.  I'm told she can be the life of a party.

    4.  Another array of prizes will be
gathered.  Contributions of good condition, operable items will be
welcome.  An exciting new grand prize that has been promised, but not yet
in the bag.  I'll keep you posted.

As another year begins, I wish you a good health, happiness and prosperity.

UPDATE 2

Hello again Short Gun Shooters,

It took considerable time and effort, but I was finally successful in
hacking into the super secret, military grade encrypted files of Ed
DiTunno's computer to discover what he used to shoot a record high
score at last year's event.  This is what I found:

He used a "box stock" blued Ruger
Bisley with 7.5" barrel chambered in 45 Colt.  We already
knew that.  What we didn't know is that he'd inletted a red plastic
insert in the front sight for better visibility and unhooked one of
the trigger return springs from it's post to reduce the trigger
pull.  He's never taken the grip frame off this revolver. 

The load credit goes to John
Linebaugh, and more specifically to his article
about the development of the load Ed used.  Linebaugh has
done extensive work on the .45 Colt in the development of his own
cartridges and deserves much credit for bringing the handgun into the hunting
world. 

It took considerable experimentation of his own, but Ed
finally settled on 22.0 grains (gr.) of H110 powder in Starline cases with bullets from
a RCBS
45-300 SWC mold cast from 50/50 linotype/wheel weights.  The
bullets fall out of the mold weighing slightly under 300 grs with
a BHN
(hardness) of about 14.  He uses a Saeco
Hardness tester so "slightly" means they are very closed on the Brinell
scale.  When a gas check is added, the bullets weigh 305
grains.  

He weighs the bullets prior to sizing and holds each batch used for
competition to +/- 0.2 grs. Usually, they run +/- 0.4 grs. 
He sizes the bullets 452" diameter for the gun he used last year, but
carefully matches the bullet diameter to the chamber mouth diameter of other
guns.

Ed uses uses Federal
150 primers because he stocked up on these during the 1994 Clinton primer
scare.  However, he uses CCI
350 Magnum primers interchangeably.   He choreographed this
load using both the Federal 150 and CCI 350 magnum primer. 
On a day when the ambient outside temperature was in the high 40's he
found the Federal 150 primed loads averaged 1294 fps whereas the
CCI 350 primed loads averaged 1289 fps. Accuracy was excellent
with both.  He's still puzzles by the standard primed velocity
averaging greater than the magnum primed loads. 

John Linebaugh lists several loads Ed still plans to try.
 However, a "comfort load" he likes is a 255 gr. cast bullet pushed by 8.0
gr. of W231 powder
lit by a CCI
300 primer.  It chronographs 949 fps in his 7 1/2" Ruger
Bisley.  He found it a pleasure to shoot and very
accurate!

Nowhere in his files could I find the over-all length (OAL) of his
cartridges, but assume he uses a roll crimp into the crimping groove of the
bullets he's using.

Those of you who are not yet into casting your own bullets have other
options.  The first is to contact Kelly Dick at TrueDogBulletWorks@gmail.com or
208 610-2455 after 4:00 PM PST anytime on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. 
Kelly is local commercial bullet caster turning out high quality hand casted
bullets from a collection of original "Keith" designed as well as other
molds.

Those of you who are not yet into loading your own can contact our long
time sponsor, Buffalo Bore
Ammunition.  They make premium products in a variety of calibers that
have been very competitive in the hands of several ELMER KEITH Shoot
participants over the years.

Now, back to the game.

Will    

Update 3:

Good Evening Handgunners!

200 inch typical whitetails may
be a bit wide of long range shooting with short guns; but assuming there are a
few aspiring deer hunters in our number, here goes:

A number of years ago, Donny Shride (Rainier Ballistics) and
I became acquainted with Doug and Karen Roberts when
we occupied adjacent booths at a SHOT Show.  Doug brought Karen
along as eye candy for his booth and Donny brought me along
for similar reasons, since it was my first outing.  Karen knew a
great deal more about their business than I knew about Don's as it turned
out.

Regardless, we enjoyed visiting during lulls in activities and learned
that the Roberts were in the business of selling scents, mostly deer scents that
they collected from actual deer; a whole herd of them, on their own farm! 
Deer farmers! I'd never heard of such a thing.

Over the years, we've kept in touch by trying out their products
locally as well as by bumping into one another at various shows.  At
the most recent event in Sin City, we learned the Roberts' had changed the
name of their business and hit the big time with their own show on the SPORTSMAN Channel.  It shows how
they do what they do as well as how they are breeding and raising 200 inch
typical whitetail bucks.

I watched the first episode and was hooked.  The whole season was
consumed in a single evening.  You may find it your favorite new series,
too.  Click the hyperlink and enjoy.

Keep Friday and Saturday, May 29 & 30,
2015, highlighted on your calendars for our annual barrel
stretching exercises.  A number of exciting new developments are taking
shape for this year's gathering.

Update 4:

Good Afternoon ELMER KEITH
Fans,

Last October, while attending the John Taffin Appreciation
dinner in Boise, I had the pleasure of meeting and talking with Ted
Keith, Elmer's son and sole heir.  I was saddened to learn that
Cabela's in Boise had asked him to remove the firearms that had been on
display in a museum there honoring his father, because they wanted to
use the space for retail use.  Ted said he was negotiating with an auction
company to dispose of the heirlooms.

Recently, James D. Julia
Inc, auctioneers, announced they will be selling Elmer's guns on March
15 & 16, 2015.  Here's a link
to the catalog.  The Elmer Keith collection includes the first 70
items.

Each of the items listed played supporting
roles in the articles and books Elmer Keith wrote for our
enjoyment.  If anyone of our number is fortunate to win one of these prizes
in the auction and bring it to our gathering on May 29 &
30, they will be undoubtedly be the star of the event. 

Good luck!  Nothing will be more
satisfying than to have several of these unique firearms land in our
company.

Update 5:

Happy Easter!

Heads up:  Those of us to whom this occasion means more than colored
eggs and chocolate bunnies need be especially vigilant in view of recent
events.

Good evening Shooters,

Attached is your invitation, including basic information about this year's
event.  Please read it carefully!  A number of important
changes have been made.

It will be a day-and-a-half event again this year for a number of
reasons:

    1. To accommodate the increasing
number traveling long distances.

    2. To take advantage of optimum lighting conditions
in the event of a sunny day.

    3. To complete the program earlier for those with
"kitchen pass" limitations.

Also, in order to facilitate planning, again this year I'm offering a
carrot and a stick. The carrot is shooters will be given their
choice in the shooting order based on the order by which completed
Official Registration Forms are received by US Mail, UPS or FedEx. 

If it's sunny, lighting conditions are best from 10:00 AM
until 11:30 AM.

The stick is a limit of 50 shooters.

The Official Registration Form will be sent to you by e-mail attachment on
Sunday, April 19.  It must be accompanied by a check
or money order in the amount of $50.00 or more.  Multiple entries may
be sent together.  Multiple donations may be made by a single check. 

Of course, donations from anyone not able to attend, but wishing to
support the cause of protecting our Civil Rights may be accepted anytime
and will be very much appreciated.

Anyone with a friend or family member interested in participating, but not
receiving this invitation must let me know pronto.  Only those on my Elmer
Keith Shoot Invitation list will receive Official Registration Forms on April
19.  I need complete names, addresses, phone numbers and e-mail
addresses.  Having complete information at the outset keeps the bookkeepers
happy.

Meanwhile, I'll be sending periodic updates.

Safe travels to everyone heading to Nashville for the Annual NRA
Meetings.  Take notes and share upon your return.

Good Shooting!  I'm looking forward to seeing you in May!

Update 6:

Good evening short gun shooters!

Random thoughts:

The 2015 Grand Prize has been donated by
Donny and Trish Shride of Rainier Ballistics LLC.  In
the past we've often had highly customized models in the Keith tradition. 
This one, a Smith & Wesson Performance Center Model 29 44 Magnum "Stealth
Hunter, however, is as good as it gets out-of-the-box.  It will be
complemented.  Larry McMillian is building one   

of his exquisite presentation cases for it.  There's likely a good
chance Tim Sandles of Buffalo Bore Ammunition will provide a
couple boxes of his super accurate ammunition for it again this year.  And,
it deserves a "Guides Choice
Chest Holster" from Diamond D Leather.  Anyone wish to
contribute?  Dial, tap, type or smoke signal me for details. 
Contributions in kind may be made in lieu of a cash donations for
registration.

Our target array has
been rebuilt.  A couple of weeks ago, Ed Parry and
Bob Underhill re-engineered, repaired and rebuilt the targets
as well as replaced the main beam.  The targets are now all hung by chains,
giving them more action and wonderful audible feed back.  Jeff
Desotel donated a 12" X 12" dia. tube to replace the 4" dia.
X 36" tube that befuddled many of us.  Ace Fernandez
is remodeling the end spinners in similar fashion.

I am now a Buffalo Bore Ammunition
dealer!  Anyone not rolling their own, or too busy to do so, may
check their website
for makes, models, cartridges and loads.  Then, let me know your
needs.

We'll have a fuzzy range again this
year.  Hal Meenach planted it last fall and the early
spring has the stuff growing like mad.  Anticipate some adjustments to our
target placement.

The 22 Event will be revised this year due to
safety concerns.  It will be conducted much like the centerfire event, but
at a shorter range and using a target array better suited to the arm.

Watch for your registration form attached to
Update 7, next week.

Shoot well and often.  I'm looking forward to seeing you May
29 & 30.

Update 8:

Hello again short gun shooters,

The registrations are arriving!  Twenty-five so
far.  Thank you very much.  Best negotiate those kitchen
passes and send me your registrations pronto!

I had a conversation recently about recoil
taming grips for Smith & Wesson revolvers.  I've noted
many of us deal with recoil in a variety of ways.  Some use custom grips
shaped to their hands.  Others use what our friend John
Taffin calls "comfort loads."  A few wear gloves.  Still
others like Jennifer Maakad step to the firing line with
a stock S&W Model 29 44 Magnum with max loads and
ring steel with the best.

          Jennifer Maakad (Photo by Shawn McMillian)

John Taffin told me during a recent conversation that he
long ago gave up shooting heavy recoiling guns due to wear in his
wrists.  He recruits strapping young fellows to do the shooting of the guns
for the tests he writes about.  One guy told him he "loves
recoil."  He spent one day on the range with John and was never seen
again.

Everyone feels and reacts to recoil differently.  I admit my tolerance
is fairly low, but with custom grips, gloves and reduced power "comfort
loads" I get along nicely.  However, I've found another solution.

A year or so ago, Hamilton Bowen wrote an article in
GUNS Magazine about refitting the ultra-lite scandium S&W 329 with
X-frame grips.  Prior to that, I'd been assured by several sources it
couldn't be done.  So, believing Mr. Bowen more than others, I placed an
order with S&W.  It turned out they were reorganizing their inventory,
so the delivery time was many months.  Meanwhile, I called Hogue, S&W's
vendor, and learned they too, were out of stock, couldn't sell to me a
proprietary S&W item and besides they absolutely wouldn't fit
anything other than an X-frame gun.

Well, the grips finally arrived, they fit my round
butt N frames perfectly, but also my round butt L and K frames
too.  Larry McMillian ordered some for his collection of S&W 300 series
revolvers and also found they fit.  However, I still had trouble convincing
others.

Now, lo and behold, a check of the S&W website finally settles the
matter.  Here's the link. 
Notice, dear friends, all ROUND BUTT K, L and N frame models are listed. 
Obviously, they tired of arguing with folks and
admitted what many suspected or knew all along.

You may not notice the difference in the photo, but X-frame
grips cover the back strap with a generous layer of squishy rubber,
whereas stock grips expose the back strap. 

Ruger and Colt shooters have long had access to Pachmayr grips to
take the sting out of single and double action models.  They re-define
"ugly," but work. Freedom Arms owners have a variety of options, as do 1911
and Hi-Power shooters.  Folks with plastic guns are on your
own.

G'night all.  See you May 29 &
30.

Update 9:

Good Evening Shooters,

My first order as a dealer of Buffalo Bore Ammunition will
be here tomorrow.  Thanks to those of you who helped make it a freight-free
order.   I do have some spare 327 Ruger, 44 Magnum, 45 Auto and 45
Auto Rim available.  And, there's still time for procrastinators to get
orders in before the Shoot, but PLEASE don't wait too long.

Like many of you, I've done a fair amount of experimenting with a variety
of cartridges, especially the 44 Magnum. Regardless how good the components and
the care I took assembling cartridges, the holy grail of a standard deviation
(SD) of less ten for a twelve shot string was elusive.  However, I found it
routine when sending Buffalo Bore rounds across the screens.  Some have
been as low as five and six.

The difference, I believe, is THE CRIMP.  I describe it as
swaged.  Others say it's a compression crimp.  In any event, it
Herculean and different from anything our store bought dies are capable of
performing.  Undoubtedly, it is the secret to consistent powder
ignitions.

So, I use my home rolled fodder for practice, but when serious business is
at hand, I use serious business ammunition.

I'm looking forward to seeing you on May 29 &
30, a short month from tomorrow.  If you have not already
done so, it's time to get your registrations in to me.