In 1929, Elmer Keith wrote of a sixgun he called No. 5—a Colt SAA built into a state-of-the-art revolver. He also called it The Last Word. It stands even today among the finest in existence. In 1955, Keith wrote “Sixguns.” This is a must-read for students of the sixgun.

In my view, the caliber of the usin’ gun ought to begin with the number “4.” It ought to be loaded with at least a 200 grain bullet, and that bullet ought to be driven at 900-1000 feet-per-second. This gives one the choice of a .41 Special, .44 Special, or .45 Colt. And there’s no point in arguing about which one of these is best; a crook or critter properly punctured with any of these won’t be able to tell the difference.

Rob is aware of my background in gunsmithing. He knows I enjoy bringing the best out from my sixguns. But I am not sure he wasn’t pulling my leg when he presented me with a Single Six that was about as beat up as it could be. Like, professionally beat up. This thing not only had scars, scratches, and scrapes, the main frame was a tiny bit warped.

Jim starts off with a comical gunfight story about Texas Ranger Charlie Miller. Shane talks John Wootters and how he pioneered whitetail deer hunting. More about grip frames and how to pick one that doesn't bust your knuckle. Their favorite carry and hunting ammo. Things that Jim and Shane disagree on. Opinions on 9mm 1911 guns.

Now to the part that seems to draw attention. The brass grip frame. Ronnie Wells’ RW Grip Frames does everything from building laser-accurate custom revolvers to manufacturing sights, hammers, triggers, and yes, grip frames. Hundreds of variations of grip frames as a matter of fact.

Officer Bill McLennan, now a detective, was appointed as an official member of the committee while I acted in an advisory capacity only, without a vote. As longtime fans of Elmer Keith, we adhered to his advocacy of large caliber heavy bullets at moderate velocity for man-stopping purposes.

This gun was a .45 Colt SAA that was fully scroll engraved. It had a silver finish and a beautiful, cream-colored set of smooth ivory stocks on it. Besides that, the barrel and ejector-rod housing had been shortened to 4 inches and it had a dovetailed front sight.

Of course, I had the 44 Magnum I call “The Hammer” with me. Doc clobbered a fantastic buck at 104 yards with it. Doc Barranti and Nick Rukavina did have 44 Specials. Shane Jahn was carrying a 41. I know...I will do my best to help him. At least it was a very beautiful 41…

One way we can shoot more for less is by utilizing firearms chambered in 22 LR that are similar to the centerfire guns we are hunting with. A variety of twenty-twos can be had in a multitude of configurations to mimic our big guns. Bolt action rifles, lever actions, pumps, semi-autos, single shots—they are all out there. Same goes for the handgun hunter and that’s what we’re focusing on today.

It may seem laughable to call the venerable 45 ACP a forgotten cartridge, yet in the realm of single action revolvers it remains almost totally eclipsed by the mighty 45 Colt. Tradition and nostalgia play a large part in this, to be sure, and there’s simply no denying that the larger case is capable of much greater performance, especially in the larger-framed guns like the Ruger Blackhawk.

From the time in high school when I discovered Skeeter Skelton’s articles and his admiration for the Smith & Wesson Model 27, I wanted one. The big N-frame chambered in 357 Magnum made sense to me. I think it’s one of the best-looking double action revolvers ever made. Of course, Skeeter’s editorials infused a need for a five-inch gun that still eludes me to this day. I stumbled onto one at a gun show many years ago.

There was a time, back in the olden days, when point shooting was taught in just about every police firearms academy. The only reason that it wasn’t taught in citizen defensive schools was because there were no defensive schools for citizens. All of that changed when Jeff Cooper founded the American Pistol Institute, that we now call Gunsite, in 1976.

Back around the air-conditioned comforts of the coffee table, we continued our dissertations on packing guns. We both came to the consensus that the mid-frame Ruger Flattop is surely one of the best, especially when it comes to building a custom gun. I just happened to have along one such custom specimen that we handled and shot during our visit. It furthered our position on the subject, and we can find no reason to change our opinion.

Just as I got in sight of the house where the dice game was being held...and all the squad cars were parked...I saw the back door open and one of our local characters come running out, clearly making a break for it.

Every serious sixgunner prefers accurate sixguns. I expect sub 2-3 inch groups at 50 yards, handheld. But sometimes a sixgun barrel does not perform its best due to tight spots in the barrel rifling. Sometimes I turn to a custom barrel for best results. However, even custom barrels will sometimes have restrictions in the bore and require firelapping. It should be noted that our custom sixgunsmiths do not manufacture custom barrels, they install them.

One of the things that facilitated this whole concept was the invention of the Hollywood fast-draw holster. I truly don’t know who first came up with the idea, but it appears to me that Arvo Ojala was right there when it happened. The main feature of the concept was that the holster had metal in the area that held the gun’s cylinder.

One of the most overlooked and important cartridges in our collection is one of the smallest and oldest. I’m referring to the 5.7x15mmR that made its debut in 1887. You’ll recognize it by its American name, the .22 Long Rifle (.22 LR). Not to be confused with the .22 Short, .22 Long, and a few others of the .22 genre, the .22 LR is its own man. Along with the .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire (WMR), it is undoubtedly the most common of the .22 rimfires out there today.

For a long time, I ignored the concept of the Bisley grip frame. It didn’t look like the traditional plow handle of the sleek Colt Single Action Army. Nor did it share the similar graceful silhouette of the classic Ruger Flattop, so it couldn’t be as good. Same can be said of the curved lever versions found on some lever action rifles. You don’t know what you don’t know.

Elmer Keith and Skeeter Skelton were both fans of the 32-20, and both used the 32-20 as a field sixgun. Both chose the Colt SAA in 32-20 and used heavy loads for that time and platform. Back in those days, some 32-20 factory ammunition was designated “For Rifles Only,” and while Skeeter wrote that he shot the Rifle Only loads in his Colt SAA, they were definitely not for use in the other lighter-framed and thinner-cylinder 32-20s of the day.

By now it shouldn’t surprise you folks to learn that I like single action revolvers. And, while I revere the classic Colt Single Action Army, my real love is the original Ruger Flat Top in .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum. Great guns and cartridges right there, but they are also perfect vehicles for the various custom projects that might come to mind. A good example would be my recent project of converting a Flat Top .357 to .41 Special.