At a gun show a couple of years ago a friend mused while gazing over a jam-packed crowd; "Every one of these folks is the beneficiary of his legacy, but if we asked, I wonder how many would even know the name of Elmer Keith?"
I've told my story many times. It began when I read SIXGUNS, then HELL I WAS THERE. Then I sat down in my back yard and took aim at a rock in the field. I say, "took aim," because I didn't hit anything but dirt for quite a while. When I finally quit blinking and flinching and realized I was shooting way over what I was aiming at, my hits began getting closer. Then one day I hit it.
I told Mike Kotthoff about it and he made a steel target that "klanked" good enough to wake up the neighborhood. It was enough fun to invite 300 of my closest friends to enjoy it with me. About a dozen showed up. We shot a lot. I fed them well. A lot of lying and bragging went on into the wee hours. That was the first Elmer Keith Memorial Shoot. Oh yes, we collected a bunch of stuff, auctioned it off and sent $600 to NRA to commemorate the occasion.
Since then we've sent them a total of nearly $23,000, including over $10,000 to a permanent endowment fund with the NRA Foundation in Elmer Keith's name. These funds have been designated for the defense of our Second Amendment rights.
We're holding this event a couple of weeks later than usual this year, which will be more convenient for some, not so for others. Our chances for better weather should be better regardless.
Several exciting new sponsors have been added to our roster which I'll be telling you about in updates as we get closer. I can mention that Bob Baker of Freedom Arms has agreed to provide our raffle gun this year; not a new one due to their long lead times, but one from his stable of models taken around the world to various shows. All sticky finger prints and drool marks will be thoroughly cleansed.
Robin Ball will also be presenting the "Refuse to be a Victim" course, which will be of particular interest to the ladies.
Al Fernandez will undoubtedly be bringing his special ultra long range target for those wishing to stretch the barrels of their short guns unreasonably. Field conditions, however, will likely not be as conducive for ultra-long range shooting as last year.
Will
