Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Elgin T. Gates

If any of you have read Ken Howells transcripts of the Gates articles you understand that he hunted everything. He died in 1988. Does anyone know much about him besides he won a LOT of boat races after the war, was the Mercury motor master dist. for the west, and went to trap and pistol shooting after he killed everything.

He was a pretty private person I think but is there a personal history on him anywhere? Would Jack Lewis know?

Lots of people out there that we need (honest) biographies on before those who knew them are gone.

I remember that Jack O'Connor mentioned Elgin Gates and Herb Klein as hunting companions a few times.
Elgin gates also has his name in the records of North American big game for taking B&C Wyoming Elk and Arizona Mule Deer.

Read his books, Trophy Hunting In Africa and Trophy Hunting in Asia. Both great books and both classics hard to find. jorge

I shot on the same squad for three days with him at an International tryout back in 1973. I was just 19 and had read a lot of his articles and was sort of star struck but he seemed to be an ordinary guy as he visited with me a lot between traps.

I really loved Elgin Gate's style and I literally grew up enjoying the international hunting scene through his words.

O'Connor never rang my chimes, not even a little bit; but Elgin Gates surely did.

Steve

I remember some of the crazy wildcat loadings that showed up on the line when I was shooting IHMSA back in the early 80s. I believe Mr. Gates was on the developmental end of many of those that went on to become fairly common and then faded into obscurity.

Elgin was a big time international hunter.Roy Weatherby had Elgin use his rifles for field testing plus promotional stuff-IIRC Elgin was quite fond of the 378 Weatherby.

I also seem to remember that the IHMSA sued his estate in the late 80's or early 90's,but I don't recall what it was about.

WB.

Interesting take on his Mercury Motors affilation.
Weatherby promoted Elgin's great hunting success in mid 50's. At that time,aquiring actions for his production fell in short supply. He had a design off the board, but could not afford the costs of tooling and production. Gates stepped up and provided the much needed funds. Weatherby gave him the honor of naming the action, which became the Mark 5.

During this period a very hot Mercury racing engine,class B 19.94 cu.,was burning up the outboard circuit. Mercury identified this engine as MARK 5. As they say,the rest is history.

You learn something everyday if you pay attention.

My recollection of Gates is he was the real deal. Trite expression, but true in his case.

Jorge: I have both of his books and loved both. I still have some old mags. from the 60's that have articles he wrote.

After Googling him and tracking hard enough you find that he was the parts service guy/partner in an outboard dealer/racing group in Seattle in 1948/49 +/-. Then Carl Kekaifer (sp) took a shine to him and let him and someone buy the Merc. Master distributorship and MONEY flowed. He had a house at Newport Beach that he sold in 1964 +/- to John Wayne when Johnss house in Holly Wood burned and moved back to Needles Ca. I think that was home. He also had a rare coin shop in Newport. He also served in the Army Air Corp in N. Africa in WW2.

If you will check Rowland Ward records he still has some #1 and 2 heads in some of the Asia/Africa classes.

I really liked his writing and would like to find a copy of his NRA obid. Anyone have a copy? A REALLY cool guy. He and W. Page were it for me.

Elgin Gates was an amazing shooter who mastered just about every discipline he took up. Here's a quick Bio: http://www.traphof.org/gates-elgin.htm

Elgin Gates created the SuperMag line of cartridges. The .357 SuperMag eventually became the .357 Maximum. He also created several other IHMSA cartridges like the .30 IHMSA that were based off of the .300 Savage case.

Elgin Gates was also the creater of the IHMSA.