Elmer Keith’s Guns Sell for $1.9 Million

In February we announced that the firearms collection of famed gun writer Elmer Keith would be sold at auction. The Keith Estate auction, conducted March 11-16, drew interest from around the globe, and bidding was strong. When the dust settled, and all the individual lots were totaled, Keith’s remarkable collection sold to various bidders for $1,905,458!

High-priced highlights from the auction are shown below. NOTE: You can see more than 60 other Elmer Keith firearms, along with a list of final auction prices. The Guns & Ammo website has a detailed, illustrated report on the Elmer Keith auction with dozens of high-quality photos.

CLICK HERE to see dozens more firearms from the Elmer Keith Estate Auction.

Lot 1038: Colonel Jim Corbett’s .450/.400 “Tiger Rifle” (Sold for $264,500.00)

Dangerous Game Rifles in Collection
The legendary “Corbett Tiger Rifle”, a Jeffery boxlock .450/400 was used by famed hunter Edward James “Jim” Corbett. This rifle was featured in Corbett’s book Man-Eaters of Kumaon. Two of the man-eating tigers Corbett hunted were believed to have killed over 800 humans in the Kumaon Hills of India.

Lot 1005: Colt SAA No. 5 .44 Special “The Last Word in Sixguns” (Sold for $80,500.00)
This famous revolver started as a Colt SAA, but then was heavily modified. The top strap of the frame was welded up into a flat-top target configuration, with an adjustable rear sight added. The hammer was modified with a Bisley-type target spur. The unique grip of the Number Five was created by marrying a modified Bisley backstrap to a Single Action Army trigger guard. His most famous pistol, Keith called this handgun “The last word in fine six-guns”.

Lot 1041: Westley Richards Droplock .476 NE (Sold for $69,000.00)
Used by Elmer Keith on safari in Tanzania, this was Keith’s preferred Elephant Rifle.

Lot 1020: Smith & Wesson Triple Lock Target Revolvers. (Sold for $39,100.00)
This rare set belonged to Gerrit Forbes and Ed McGivern before being acquired by Elmer Keith.