Great Read on The famous Six Guns by John Taffin

[Mark_Mark]

New to me, thought I would pass along these great read for people new to Single Action master Gun Smiths. They took there craft very seriously.

If anybody got any good reads on your favorite Gun Smith. Please post. Especially the history of Elmer Keith, Harold Croft, R.F. Sedgley, Neal Houchins, Skeeter, O’Meara, Bill Grover…
here’s a great aritcal:

The No. 5 Single Action

Probably the most soul-stirring experience when it comes to special sixguns was to not only handle all of Elmer Keith’s sixguns, but to actually unload his ol

gunsmagazine.com

 

[Jim Watson]

Alonzo Crull (or Krull) liked .22s. He converted a number of Colts to .22. Not too hard for a SAA, but when he completely rebuilt an 1877 Double Action Lightning .38 to .22 single action, foreshadowing the Ruger Single Six, that was a major project.

Shooting with Hobie

Pursuit of obsessive reloading, shooting, hunting, and other outdoor sports and related activities with the internationally known Hobie.

shootingwithhobie.blogspot.com

A pair for sale some years ago.

https://classic.gunauction.com/search/displayitem.cfm?itemnum=9450240

There was an article, I think in a Gun Digest, about the gun that Ashley Haines built for Gus Peret.
Gus Peret was an exhibition shooter for Remington. When he was promoting Remington pistol ammo, he preferred the handling of the SAA but found it slow to reload when the audience wanted to see more shooting.
So Ashley Haines buit him a gun. He made a receiver to take S&W M&P barrel, yoke, and cylinder, Colt grip straps and grips. Internal parts made from scratch, he had started with a SAA hammer but made a new one with the cylinder latch as a button below the hammer spur. The gun was stolen in transit and never seen again. There were rumors of a second one, but nothing definite.
Sorry, there seems no mention of it on the www.

 

[CraigC]

My favorite iteration of the #5 was the copy that Bowen built for Brian Pearce on a USFA flat-top frame.

 

[Jim Watson]

Looks like ol' Hamilton would rather mung up a Ruger to look like a No 5 now.
He says the basepin latch is more work than all the rest put together. I'd settle for a Belt Mountain base pin and latch.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Alonzo Crull (or Krull) liked .22s. He converted a number of Colts to .22. Not too hard for a SAA, but when he completely rebuilt an 1877 Double Action Lightning .38 to .22 single action, foreshadowing the Ruger Single Six, that was a major project.

Shooting with Hobie

Pursuit of obsessive reloading, shooting, hunting, and other outdoor sports and related activities with the internationally known Hobie.

shootingwithhobie.blogspot.com

A pair for sale some years ago.

https://classic.gunauction.com/search/displayitem.cfm?itemnum=9450240

There was an article, I think in a Gun Digest, about the gun that Ashley Haines built for Gus Peret.
Gus Peret was an exhibition shooter for Remington. When he was promoting Remington pistol ammo, he preferred the handling of the SAA but found it slow to reload when the audience wanted to see more shooting.
So Ashley Haines buit him a gun. He made a receiver to take S&W M&P barrel, yoke, and cylinder, Colt grip straps and grips. Internal parts made from scratch, he had started with a SAA hammer but made a new one with the cylinder latch as a button below the hammer spur. The gun was stolen in transit and never seen again. There were rumors of a second one, but nothing definite.
Sorry, there seems no mention of it on the www.

All that work and some stole it in transit, I bet the second was kept a secret so that the gun would not be stolen

very nice read!

 

[Mark_Mark]

Looks like ol' Hamilton would rather mung up a Ruger to look like a No 5 now.
He says the basepin latch is more work than all the rest put together. I'd settle for a Belt Mountain base pin and latch.

Basepin latch for newbies (me)

 

[Mark_Mark]

My favorite iteration of the #5 was the copy that Bowen built for Brian Pearce on a USFA flat-top frame.

is that the gun?

 

[Tall]

is that the gun?
No that one appears to be this one:

USFA 22 Rimfire SAA Flat Top

 

[CraigC]

is that the gun?
View attachment 1169887

That's the base gun but he started with a .44Spl. This is the finished product.

Looks like ol' Hamilton would rather mung up a Ruger to look like a No 5 now.
He says the basepin latch is more work than all the rest put together. I'd settle for a Belt Mountain base pin and latch.

I love the original #5 and it was part of the inspiration for some of my custom guns but I'd never pay the tariff on the basepin latch conversion. When he did my .500JRH, I had Jack make my front sight and a one off basepin from my own drawings.

Which is sort of an enlarged #5 basepin, cut in half. More like the original hourglass shape than the Belt Mt.

The engraved Cimarron Open Top .44Colt was the precursor to it. Both have the same carbona blue finish as the Bowen #5.

The ivory on both guns as well as this damascus bowie came from the same tusk.

 

[Mark_Mark]

That's the base gun but he started with a .44Spl. This is the finished product.

View attachment 1169997



I love the original #5 and it was part of the inspiration for some of my custom guns but I'd never pay the tariff on the basepin latch conversion. When he did my .500JRH, I had Jack make my front sight and a one off basepin from my own drawings.

Which is sort of an enlarged #5 basepin, cut in half. More like the original hourglass shape than the Belt Mt.

The engraved Cimarron Open Top .44Colt was the precursor to it. Both have the same carbona blue finish as the Bowen #5.

The ivory on both guns as well as this damascus bowie came from the same tusk.

DANG! you shoot that bad boy or just look at it?

 

[CraigC]

I shoot them all and they all find their way into a holster.

 

[amd6547]

Taffin gushed in a book about some smith. I found out he was local to me.
Well, I had a Model 19-3 that developed a timing issue, so I gave him a call. Told me to bring it over.
Old guy, seemed a little out of it, but I left my revolver with him. No contact for a month… Gave him a call at a month and a half. Told me to come pick it up.
Within about 200rds of factory 357, mainly American Eagle 158gn JSP, timing issue returned. I wanted to love that 2.5” Model 19, but I moved it on for a nice, reliable 3” GP100.

 

[Mark_Mark]

That's the base gun but he started with a .44Spl. This is the finished product.

View attachment 1169997



I love the original #5 and it was part of the inspiration for some of my custom guns but I'd never pay the tariff on the basepin latch conversion. When he did my .500JRH, I had Jack make my front sight and a one off basepin from my own drawings.

Which is sort of an enlarged #5 basepin, cut in half. More like the original hourglass shape than the Belt Mt.

The engraved Cimarron Open Top .44Colt was the precursor to it. Both have the same carbona blue finish as the Bowen #5.

The ivory on both guns as well as this damascus bowie came from the same tusk.

that engraving on that #5 is nutz! what did that set you back?

 

[CraigC]

that engraving on that #5 is nutz! what did that set you back?

The #5 belongs to Brian Pearce. The Ruger .500 and Cimarron Open Top are mine. The engraving was +75% coverage and about $1000 apiece.

 

[Mark_Mark]

The #5 belongs to Brian Pearce. The Ruger .500 and Cimarron Open Top are mine. The engraving was +75% coverage and about $1000 apiece.

PM sent!

 

[The Happy Kaboomer]

New to me, thought I would pass along these great read for people new to Single Action master Gun Smiths. They took there craft very seriously.

If anybody got any good reads on your favorite Gun Smith. Please post. Especially the history of Elmer Keith, Harold Croft, R.F. Sedgley, Neal Houchins, Skeeter, O’Meara, Bill Grover…
here’s a great aritcal:

The No. 5 Single Action

Probably the most soul-stirring experience when it comes to special sixguns was to not only handle all of Elmer Keith’s sixguns, but to actually unload his ol

gunsmagazine.com

View attachment 1169857View attachment 1169858View attachment 1169859

Your second pic is Bill Grover gun. Not a Keith Gun(maybe given to Keith). .........Note the ejector rod and loading gate on the left side of the gun.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Your second pic is Bill Grover gun. Not a Keith Gun(maybe given to Keith). .........Note the ejector rod and loading gate on the left side of the gun.

thanks! photos were from article showing the progression of guns that lead up to the Improved#5 . It’s a great read for people who are new to SixGuns

 

[I6turbo]

I love the original #5 and it was part of the inspiration for some of my custom guns but I'd never pay the tariff on the basepin latch conversion. When he did my .500JRH, I had Jack make my front sight and a one off basepin from my own drawings.

Which is sort of an enlarged #5 basepin, cut in half. More like the original hourglass shape than the Belt Mt.

All good-looking guns here, but that one takes the cake. I normally don't care too much for engraving, I often feel like it's too much like too many tattoos on a beautiful woman, but even the engraving on this one seems just perfect. Outstanding.

P.S. I also like the trigger shape and positioning. I'd love to know if it feels as good in hand as it looks like it would.

 

[Mark_Mark]

All good-looking guns here, but that one takes the cake. I normally don't care too much for engraving, I often feel like it's too much like too many tattoos on a beautiful woman, but even the engraving on this one seems just perfect. Outstanding.

P.S. I also like the trigger shape and positioning. I'd love to know if it feels as good in hand as it looks like it would.

agree! did you see the cartridge it in? .500 JRH! an’t playing around there