doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Elmer Keith's 280 O.K.H. Custom Rifle

I just purchased Elmer Keith's 280 O.K.H. Custom Rifle. I was wondering if any of the Forum Members might have any of Elmer Keith's rifle books that might show this rifle.

In the May 1960 issue of GUNS, Elmer mentions this rifle. (Eagles?)



Here is what the rifle looks like: It is built on a GEW98 action with a 26-1/2" heavy barrel with a Lyman Alaskan Scope.



Anyone finding a reference, please respond.

thanks

Is it pictured in his book "Guns and Ammo for Big Game?" I think the book came out in 1965.

Thank you ... Do you have a page number?

Sorry, I'm away from my books and just going on a memory.

OK... Thank you. I'd like to know for sure so I can buy a copy to go with the rifle. If you get a chance, could you check for me?

Yes, I'll check tonight in my Keith books.

That's really interesting. I can't find any references to 280 OKH, just the 285 OKH. Can't find a drawing of the cartridge. It's a long one - what is it based on?

Prior to WWII, Keith and two of his associates Donald S. Hopkins and Charlie O'Neal, designed several wildcat rifle cartridges called the OKH (.280 OKH, .285 OKH, .333 OKH and .334 OKH) series.

The 280 O.K.H cartridge (O'Neal, Keith, Hopkins) is a .300 H&H Magnum necked down to .280 with no change to the shoulder angle or length. It was loaded with a custom (at that time) 180g bullet. You might call it a .280 H&H Magnum.

Keith developed it about 20 years before the 7mm Rem Mag was introduced in 1962.

It is nearly identical to the .280 DuBiel, another wildcat developed sometime during the time of Keith's 280 O.K.H.

On page 269 of Keith's "Rifles For Large Game" there is a picture of a very young and slender Elmer with "a record antelope killed at 450 yards with the .280 DuBiel Magnum...." There are numerous references to the .285 OKH in this book, but none I could find to the .280 OKH. The DuBiel rifle appears to be a heavy barrelled Mauser in a nicely checkered stock, fitted with an 8X Lyman Targetspot externally adjusted target scope.

Does the rifle have a recoil pad and look anything like the one in the first picture?

NEVERMIND ... I see you said a "checkered" stock ... this one is plain.