Elmer Keith’s 44 Auto Mag for sale
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Category: Auto Mag Pistol
Forum Name: Message Board
Forum Description: Message Board
URL: http://www.amtguns.info/forum_posts.asp?TID=3045
Printed Date: 27 Mar 2026 at 1:11am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.06 - https://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Elmer Keith’s 44 Auto Mag for sale
Posted By: Mtn_Eagle
Subject: Elmer Keith’s 44 Auto Mag for sale
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2026 at 5:31am
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Interesting. https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/pistols/auto-mag-pistols/elmer-keith-s-44-auto-mag-amp-provenance-box-more-99-.cfm?gun_id=103414904" rel="nofollow - https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/pistols/auto-mag-pistols/elmer-keith-s-44-auto-mag-amp-provenance-box-more-99-.cfm?gun_id=103414904
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Replies:
Posted By: Rumore
Date Posted: 04 Jan 2026 at 4:49am
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If Elmer sold the gun to Jimmy Alcorn, why is the check from Wade Kelley? Tony ------------- Run it up, until you blow it up, then back it down a bit. |
Posted By: BEEMER1
Date Posted: 04 Jan 2026 at 8:59pm
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Quote from the ad: " Positively the coolest Auto Mag available this decade for the advanced collector!" REALLY? I guess I don't agree.
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Posted By: golden24
Date Posted: 05 Jan 2026 at 3:35pm
 !" Positively the coolest Auto Mag available this decade for the advanced collector!" REALLY? I guess I don't agree. [/QUOTE]
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Posted By: edkel1
Date Posted: 06 Jan 2026 at 8:38am
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" Positively the coolest Auto Mag available this decade for the advanced collector!" Personally I would pass but, I don't get it ????? what's the big deal here ------------- " Right turn Clyde " |
Posted By: golden24
Date Posted: 06 Jan 2026 at 10:54am
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Just my own thoughts. We can all have our own ideas on what something might be worth, could even be very well in flatted & that's okay. It's just someones personal opinion of an item, someone might what it to be worth 25K or only $1200 ..........  Just like our DNA, there are no two of us the same.
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Posted By: Mark F
Date Posted: 17 Jan 2026 at 2:38pm
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I love that it is mag-na-ported like we did back in the day
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Posted By: XP001
Date Posted: 17 Jan 2026 at 10:59pm
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Buy the story! So many holes in that ad, no firm doc just a lot of guess to fill the holes as wanted. Nice firearm as all Auto Mags are.
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Posted By: Dances with AutoMags
Date Posted: 18 Jan 2026 at 10:49pm
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Celebrity
Guns So,
an Auto Mag once owned by Elmer Keith is offered for sale. Beyond the value of the gun by itself, what
additional value is justified because of the celebrity who owned it ? I
am not questioning that he was not a celebrity or if he really owned it or not. I am questioning as to where there is a
demand, or a market for celebrity guns. I
have never heard of an individual who collects celebrity guns. Is Mr. Keith's AM worth more than Buddy
Hackett's AM ? I would think that an AM that was owned by a
person with a very close association to the invention of the AM may command a
higher price than one with just a celebrity or a movie association. Unfortunately Harry Sanford made groups of
frames with his initials on them many times.
His initials were part of the serial numbers on these frames. He did this when he was in need of money and
they sold very quickly. I have said
before that Harry didn't have a personal gun, he had a factory full of them. The
factory guys were infamous in miss-marking guns and barrels so they could be
sold for a higher price. There are reports
of more recent miss-marking with questionable letters. I
knew a guy who collected Walther's. He
owned a Walther that was once owned by Goebbels'. He didn't own any other "celebrity"
guns. So I return to my original question,
where is the market for these guns ? There is no denying that a celebrity gun has a
higher value than a production gun. Where is the market beyond one who would
pay extra just for the bragging rights.
A limited market at best. Not an
easy sell. Just
saying,,,,,,Bruce Stark ------------- An armed society is a polite society. |
Posted By: Mtn_Eagle
Date Posted: 19 Jan 2026 at 12:17am
  Wildey Moore’s gun came with a certificate of authenticity but went close to the lower estimate at RIA in 2024. Strange that it is missing part of the gas system.
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Posted By: Mark F
Date Posted: 19 Jan 2026 at 1:56pm
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Bruce, I agree completely. I remember shipping my barrel out to have it mag-na-ported; were any sold with that included? Thanks. Mark
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Posted By: BEEMER1
Date Posted: 19 Jan 2026 at 2:30pm
Just about every custom 44 AMP that Jurras sold was Magna-Ported as were many 357's. Lomont also was a big proponent for Magna-Porting the 44's. Most all of his 44 barrels were ported except for the really long ones.
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Mark F wrote:Posted By: Mark F
Date Posted: 19 Jan 2026 at 3:17pm
| Thanks for the quick reply. I remember something along those lines but as I get older, I forget more. |
Posted By: Luc V.
Date Posted: 19 Jan 2026 at 5:17pm
Nothing to worry about, we all do... I keep thinking about a good saying: "The older I get, the better I was".
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Posted By: Rocketthon
Date Posted: 24 Jan 2026 at 6:12pm
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When my friend bought his from Harry at the gun show in Rapid City back in the day he had the choice of Magna porting or straight barrel, he chose the Magna port. Buying from Harry is about as close to a factory offering as you can get. ------------- When you are up to your neck in alligators it is hard to remember your original intention was to drain the swamp |
Posted By: Dances with AutoMags
Date Posted: 24 Jan 2026 at 9:31pm
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Hi Mark. The "Custom Model 100" guns were all Mag-Na-Ported as far as I know. It has been said that Mag-Na-Port did this for free for Lee as a promotion of the process. Besides the grips and the markings, only the Mag-Na-Porting was custom. These guns were built by the factory and were not tuned by Lee or Kent. Many were drop shipped from the factory and the case, etc., was sent later. Some people forget about the 11 .44AMP's and the 11 .357AMP's with 8.5-inch barrels. They were also "Custom Model 100" guns from LEJ-80 to LEJ-90. It has been said that if a barrel has been Mag-Na-Ported it has less barrel rise while shooting. If it was not done by a distributer or the factory, the collectability has been compromised.  Bruce
------------- An armed society is a polite society. |
Posted By: golden24
Date Posted: 24 Jan 2026 at 10:01pm
 !The "Custom Model 100" guns were all Mag-Na-Ported as far as I know. It has been said that Mag-Na-Port did this for free for Lee as a promotion of the process. Besides the grips and the markings, only the Mag-Na-Porting was custom. These guns were built by the factory and were not tuned by Lee or Kent. Many were drop shipped from the factory and the case, etc., was sent later. Some people forget about the 11 .44AMP's and the 11 .357AMP's with 8.5-inch barrels. They were also "Custom Model 100" guns from LEJ-80 to LEJ-90. It has been said that if a barrel has been Mag-Na-Ported it has less barrel rise while shooting. If it was not done by a distributer or the factory, the collectability has been compromised. Bruce
[/QUOTE]
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Posted By: Rocketthon
Date Posted: 24 Jan 2026 at 10:27pm
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Another one we shot with also had an Automag, un-magna ported, and I have shot both at the same time. Would put the ported gun in my left hand as it did reduce the recoil and especially the muzzle rise. Pulling 2 triggers together is an experience to remember. ------------- When you are up to your neck in alligators it is hard to remember your original intention was to drain the swamp |
Posted By: AMT addict
Date Posted: 25 Jan 2026 at 4:14pm
| Bruce, I sure hope that you are working on putting together a book of all of your knowledge of the auto mag. |
Posted By: Dances with AutoMags
Date Posted: 26 Jan 2026 at 1:05am
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An autographed copy of the book,
"Auto Mag the Pasadena Days" is $45 which includes USPS Priority Mail
shipping to anywhere in the USA. Also APO's and FPO's. Please send payment to my Pay-Pal
account number bestark@ix.netcom.com Please make sure I receive your
address as Pay-Pal does not always provide it.
Thank you.........Bruce
Stark.........(818)-988-5478 A second book is still in the works.....Bruce ------------- An armed society is a polite society. |
Posted By: Rocketthon
Date Posted: 26 Jan 2026 at 1:09am
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I would go with a second volume "The Story Continues" ------------- When you are up to your neck in alligators it is hard to remember your original intention was to drain the swamp |
Posted By: AMT addict
Date Posted: 26 Jan 2026 at 6:01pm
| Yes, I have the 1st book. Hoping for either where it left off or just a total history from the beginning to current. All the facts of production numbers, all the locations of production. All the different markings they went through. Info on all the Lee, Kent, Brian and others that produced barrels and accessories. And of course pictures of rare ones. Honestly, I wish there was a book (The History of Harry Sanford and His Gun Legacy) that not only told the story of how Auto Mag Corp and AMT/IAI/OMC/TDE played out, but also had production numbers. Wouldn't be great if you could look up your serial number and see what location it was produced at and the year it was made. Probably an impossible task to put together such a thing. |
Posted By: KMP
Date Posted: 26 Jan 2026 at 9:50pm
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Bruce, if you do a second book, you got to title it "Harry's the one in the Hat" (inside joke  )
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Posted By: Dances with AutoMags
Date Posted: 27 Jan 2026 at 12:31am
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That's a great story Eric. This story is included in the next book, in the "stories" section. I am going to use a title that you suggested. AUTO MAG GUIDE The book is written but I have to finish the page lay-outs and the picture placing. I work on it a few hours every week. Bruce ------------- An armed society is a polite society. |
Posted By: RangerJim
Date Posted: 27 Jan 2026 at 2:52am
| Can’t wait Bruce. Put me down for a copy! |
Posted By: Graydog
Date Posted: 27 Jan 2026 at 10:11pm
| Me too. |
Posted By: Mark F
Date Posted: 28 Jan 2026 at 1:44am
| Me too Bruce |
Posted By: golden24
Date Posted: 28 Jan 2026 at 3:28am
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!
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Posted By: TankMan
Date Posted: 28 Jan 2026 at 2:56pm
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Perhaps my AM pistols will be worth something extra one day when I become famous.. Why take a chance on missing out, buy mine now for $30k each ($32k for the 8 1/2" example) and you can say you bought them before I became famous! Jerry |