Thanks so much, Mehul. I was fortunate to know and learn from an old-time Selway Wilderness guide and bush pilot named Erv Malnarich, who also happened to be Elmer's close friend. Erv was about 6'6" to Elmer's 5'? 4"maybe?, so the old-time pictures I've seen of them together are pretty hilarious. Erv had an early ivory-stocked S&W .44 Mag given to him by the factory, probably by sheer dint of his friendship with Elmer.

Once when Erv was teaching a bunch of neophytes the ins and outs of horse packing Elmer showed up with some new factory big bore offering and proceeded to touch one off from a prone position. He got whacked in the eye with the scope, stood up dripping blood, and without missing a beat announced that "anyone who thinks this gun kicks is wearing lace on his underpants." He and Erv then went off to scrounge up a bottle of whiskey, leaving the students to work out their own salvation with the offending rifle.

While Elmer did once suggest that the .30-06 wasn't good for anything, he did like the 6.5 Mannlicher. He recommended it be outfitted with the Lyman peep sight designed for the rifle, which I'm fortunate to have on mine. I'll be taking the rifle out again soon for deer and hopefully elk in the timber, and I'll continue to report.

Best,
Malcolm