We have a special treat for you! After our earlier From the Vault episode about legendary gunwriter Elmer Keith's "No. 5" Colt Single Action Army revolver, recently auctioned by Rock Island Auction Co., Brownells Gun Tech™ Steve Ostrem convened a panel of wheelgun experts consisting of gunwriter Tank Hoover, master custom gunsmith Bobby Tyler of Tyler Gun Works, and holster maker extraordinaire Mike "Doc" Barranti of Barranti Leather Co. to share their thoughts on how Keith influenced revolver development in the last 100 years. Our "special guest" is that No. 5 Colt built for Keith by Pennsylvania gunsmith Harold Croft in 1929 - sometimes called the Last Word in single action revolver design.
Thinking it could be a major game-changer in the handgun world, Keith wanted to send this gun to Colt for them to copy. Colt.... ignored him. Many years later, they came out with the New Frontier, which did have some of No. 5's features, but by then Ruger was challenging them with the Blackhawk. No. 5 really shows how far a gun can be refined by customizing, a tradition now maintained by folks like Bobby Tyler and his crew. A custom gun isn't just about ergonomics - No. 5 is easily a 100-yard handgun. Keith was not a handgun hunter per se; if he saw dinner on the hoof while he was out on the ranch, the revolver on his hip was the quickest means to bagging it for the pot.
What about Keith's famous 600-yard shots with revolvers, including one with a slip gun? (And what's a "slip gun"?) What were the technical limitations on custom gunsmithing nearly 100 years ago? What constitutes a "beautiful" gun? How was No. 5 reblued several times without damaging the engraving? Find out what The Panel has to say in this wide-ranging discussion. ENJOY!