Everyone knows the scene…a lone, rugged cowboy trudges across a dirt road with a pistol or two strapped into a beaten leather holster riding low at his waist. The image of a western gunslinger is popular in the media, but did you know that it was predominately created by the media? The Hollywood version of a gunslinger is vastly different from what we know to be historically correct.
During the 19th century, America was expanding and industry was growing along with it. It was a time of much chaos, since law enforcement couldn’t keep up. US marshals and county sheriffs faced the challenge of watching their territories expand beyond reason. There was too much ground to cover and not enough law enforcement officials for the job. Outlaws and bandits could easily outrun law enforcers by crossing state lines, and jails were often corrupt and easy to escape.
Authorities began offering rewards for those who brought in wanted outlaws, dead or alive. This created the rise of the hired gun, or bounty hunter. And because they would receive a reward on a “dead or alive” basis, many bounty hunters would kill their targets to minimize the danger involved. Then they would deliver the body and collect the reward.
Being a sheriff, marshal, or hired gun meant that you were skilled with a firearm and prepared to face hardened criminals. Not everyone was up for the job. This meant that many individuals who had been hired guns were hired as law enforcement officers due to their fearsome reputation. It was common for a town sheriff and a gunslinger to be one in the same, though perhaps at different times throughout their lives. These gunslingers were also hired by businesses and individuals to protect shipments, guard cattle, and any number of additional jobs that required their expertise.
This historic notion of a gunslinger paints a picture quite different from the quick-draw pistol duels you’re used to seeing in front of dusty saloons. In fact, anything resembling a European duel was extremely rare in the American west. The term gunslinger wasn’t even used back then; rather, it was a Hollywood creation that emerged in 1920. Hired guns of the time instead referred to themselves as gunmen, shootists, or pistoleers. And most of these men favored short-barreled shotguns or rifles over pistols, because the first two options offered more accuracy than handheld pistols. As outlaw Wyatt Earp said, “Fast is fine. Accurate is final.”
Tell us about your favorite film, book, or TV series depicting the Wild West. Commenting below will serve as your entry for our May giveaway. But remember to keep it classy; inappropriate comments will be deleted and disqualified. Submit your comment (one comment only please) by May 20, 2018. One winner will be randomly selected on May 21, 2018 to receive a Gunslinger 1 oz silver round from our exclusive Prospector series.
Good luck and aim true!
The Outlaw Josey Wales, Open Range and Dances with Wolves are my favorite westerns!
Tombstone, with Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer and an amazing ensemble cast is by far my favorite.
Tombstone is a modern classic. So many great movie quotes as well.
“Go ahead and skin that smoke wagon”
Will Smith in Wild Wild West and all time favorite
“Courage is being scared to death…… and saddling up anyway. “
John Wayne
And my favorite……….
“Get off your horse and drink your milk”
John Wayne
My favorite has to be Tombstone. Val played Doc Holiday perfect. I must have seen it 25 times. Thanks for the give away Provident Metals.
Shanghai Noon with Owwin Wilson & Jamie Chan was probably my top western movie pick!
As lame as it is wild wild west with Will Smith is my favorite western movie, if you can call it that.
Open Range with Kevin Costner and Robert Duvall. Best part was when Costner nailed the bad guy between the eyes in retaliation for killing one of his range hands.
Beautiful detail, hope to get this coin to add to my collection.
Young Guns II with Emilio Estevez. Classic!
Hang’em High…. Badges? We don’t need no stinkin badges. Clint Eastwood at his finest!
In recent times, THE HATEFUL EIGHT movie directed by Tarantino
High Noon. It is a complex story told with so few words but one can understand all of it. It has personal and emotional elements which all people of all walks of life go through. It is the best and worst of America and Mankind. Timeless Epic! Every time I watch it I come away with more and more.
El Dorado featured John Wayne as a gunslinger, helping a drunken sheriff played by Robert Mitchum, so we get both gunslinger and lawman on the same side. 🙂
Any Clint Eastwood movie is great BUT Gene Wilder and Cleavon Little in Blazing Saddles has got to be my favorite.
I agree with Brian – Val Kilmer stole the movie! Tombstone is a classic. However, my favorite would have to be Deadwood
THE RIFLEMAN
13 shots out of a 10 shooter
Count em sometime!
“The Alamo” (2004)
Tombstone “Your a daisy if you do”
two mules for sister sara
The Outlaw Josey Wales. I always found it funny when Clint Eastwood would see the dog and spit tobacco juice at him and he would yelp and run away.
Now that is done I will have my breakfast Miss Kitty.
By far my favorite is Tombstone.
“Once Upon A Time In The West” was, for me, the best portrayal of what life may have been like. The railroad coming into play in the West. America starting to spread her wings!
True Grit.
Tombstone is a classic!
The good the bad and the ugly. With that music that is timeless
Clint Eastwood in Unforgiven! Awesome weastern.
I am not a big fan of westerns in general but I like the movie Westworld (the original not the remake). The western scenes were stereotypical which is what you would expect for a vacation resort but they did not go over the top or become too campy. The concept of a gunslinger vs an amateur has been played out many times before in movies such as Back To The Future III and Carry on Cowboy but they both played it for laughs. Westworld played it seriously and did a very good job.