Just started reading an interesting book called Sporting Adventures in the Far West by John Mortimer Murphy published in London in 1879. The book recounts Murphy's adventures hunting and observing nature in our West over a period of 7 years. Included are grizzly bears, black bears, cougars, gray wolves, prairie wolves, buffalo, moose, Wapiti (elk), mule deer, black tailed deer, white tailed deer, pronghorn, Rocky Mountain goats, bighorn sheep, and a host of smaller animals. Being a Brit, of course he mentions express doubles (and uses Brit spelling) but says that the Winchester (1873 I would guess) is quite handy and good for the second shot but had jammed on him enough times to make it questionable for constant use. He says it has recently been improved (1876 my guess). He then says, my emphasis added "THE MOST EFFECTIVE WEAPON THAT I EVER USED WAS A 50 CALIBRE SPRINGFIELD RIFLE WHICH WAS RESIGHTED SO THAT ITS POINT BLANK RANGE WAS 150 YARDS." He goes on to talk about bullets, including explosive ones which he dismisses as being possibly as dangerous to the carrier as the game, but has a good word in "favour of the hollow bullets" as they are "certainly superior to the solid in making a large wound  and in paralyzing the game." Then he adds "they have the fault of want of very deep penetration unless they are fired at short range and with high charges of powder, one hundred and twenty grains at least being required to give them force enough to kill large animals at a distance of one hundred fifty or two hundred yards." There you have it from an onsite reporter when every day was hunting season.

Sounds like a nice read Chauncey! I'll have to see if I can find a copy.

Yes I found both hardbound and paperback copies available at reasonable prices.

marlinguy wrote on Oct 15^th, 2019 at 10:41am:


This work is in the public domain.  If you don't mind reading it online, it's available from google books for free at (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

But remember, he was a Brit and was probably referencing express loads he was familiar with. He didn't have one of those with him on the frontier. He certainly didn't have hollow point 50-70 ammo with him.

When I read the paragraph I had assumed he was making a general statement about the exploding projectiles and not saying he was using 120gr of powder in the 50-70. Until i read the above comments I hadnt thought the statement odd. On the subject of Elmer Keith I tend to believe that he understated his exploits rather then embellished.

I would agree with Zack T, I met the man, and spoke with him at length. In my estimation, the man was the real deal, and then some. But, I must admit, I wanted to grab his hat and make a run for it!!!!!!, but thought better of it, as I figured he would let me get out there, four to five hundred yards, and then lay me out with his 44 Magnum Smith & Wesson. Even I can spin a good yarn. The year 1978, NRA convention, Salt Lake City.  Krag

yeah but as I understand it he was not shooting at a individual amimal at those distances but what we call flock shooting. and or course no mention of his misses.