I submit the following:
In
Sixguns, on his chapter of "Revolver Versus Auto Pistol," Keith writes back in his day that the only cartridge worthy of serious consideration for carry is the .45 ACP.
Keep in mind this was written in 1955.
The most powerful of all automatic pistols is the Colt Model 1911 Service pistol loaded with a 230 grain bullet at between 800 and 900 feet velocity.
Later on, he opines on the 7.65, 9mm and .38 Super:
The Lugers 7.65 and 9mm. and the Super .38 Colt have a much flatter trajectory with their high velocity ammunition, but deliver almost no stopping or killing power. Their light bullets slip through game or man with little shock effect and cause little hemorrhage. We have already told of one negro cow-puncher taking a gun full of Luger ammunition in the back and still being able to turn around and kill his murderer. We have also known of a treed cougar taking a gun full of Super .38's in the chest and still remain on the limb of a tree slowly bleeding out inside. One or two heavily loaded .44 Specials would have knocked him out, and the same will floor any man for the count.
Keith wasn't opposed to light weight guns that weren't 100% steel. He often praised aluminum as an alternative building material for service guns. Had plastic frames as revolutionary as the Glock been introduced in his time, he might have written as glowingly as this (when writing about a double action S&W model in 9mm that he wanted released in .45 ACP):
While the New Smith & Wesson is about the same size as the Colt Commander, it has better sights either for military or civilian use... Frame can be had in light alloy metal to reduce weight. This new Smith & Wesson, if made in .45 caliber, would be the ultimate in a compact, powerful, military auto loading pistol.
But... the reason in particular that I bring up the Glock over any other plastic fantastic...(be prepared for a shocker in this one):
The sixgun, either double or single action, points much better from the hip, or in instinctive night shooting, than does any auto pistol with the exception of the Luger and most of the .22 calibers.
WHAT'S THAT?!?! Elmer doesn't like the grip angle of the 1911? Say it ain't so! You're obviously reading that wrong, Red!
All large caliber automatics, with the exception of the Luger, point too low for fast hip shooting due to the fact that their grips are placed at too great an angle. Years ago the .45 Colt model 1911 was greatly improved in this respect with an arched housing, but it still points far lower than the Luger or a good revolver. One has to consciously pull the muzzle up to get it high enough to hit from the hip.
Just to hammer it home, he continues:
When we turn to the .22 caliber automatics, the story is different. Many are excellent pointers, but they are useful only for small game and target work. The Colt Match Target and Woodsman, the High Standard models and the Rugers, all point well and are more on the line of the Luger, but our big caliber auto pistols have far too much drop for any instinctive gun throwing or night fighting where the sights cannot be seen.
The big complaint against Glocks (aside from tupperware comments) is the grip angle. It points too high. Heck, I even said it with my Glock 21.
That "high" grip angle is what makes it possible to shoot by feel rather than via the sights.
While Elmer favored DA shooting for combat purposes and would certainly rather favor something like a CZ-97 or S&W 4506 in an aluminum frame, he would like the grip feel of the Glock over that of the 1911.
Been playing with his point recently the last couple nights with my (unloaded) Commander. Yeah, it comes up to eye level like a dream. But it doesn't snap to an assumed COM of a bad guy 5-10 feet away without a deliberate adjustment.
Redhawks, SP-101, even Taurus 94 "snap" to attention on a close in target without needing sights. Wish I had a Glock handy still to play with his notion. I'll probably get an arched MSH for my Colt to see how that affects the pointability from the hip.
Seems Elmer might have liked the Glock model 21 or 30. Even more he would have liked the model 20 in 10mm, given his penchant for a .41 caliber law enforcement revolver... but that's multiple levels of supposition.
So... what do you guys think?
