Gunslinger

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This article is about the Old West profession or avocation. For the 1956 Roger Corman film, see Gunslinger (film). For the Stephen King book, see The Gunslinger.

Image:Great train robbery still.jpg Gunslinger, also gunfighter, is a name given to men in the American Old West who had gained a reputation as being dangerous with a gun.

Often the term was applied to men who would hire out for contract killings or at a ranch embroiled in a range war where he would earn "fighting wages." Others, like Billy the Kid, were notorious bandits and still others were lawmen like Pat Garrett and Wyatt Earp. A gunslinger could either be an outlaw, a robber or murderer who took advantage of the wilderness of the frontier to hide from, and make periodic raids on, civilized society. Or, the gunfighter could be an agent of justice, sometimes a lone avenger, but occasionally a sheriff, whose duty was to face the outlaw and bring — or likelier, personally wreak — justice upon him.

Gunslingers frequently appear, along with cowboys, as stock characters in Western movies and novels. In Western movies, the characters' gun belts were often worn low on the hip and outer thigh, with exposed trigger and grip for a smooth fast draw, shot and reholster. They would sometimes spin the gun along their index finger prior to reholstering. Fast draw artists can be distinguished from other movie cowboys because their guns would often be tied to their leg. Long before holsters were steel lined, they were soft and supple so they could be comfortably worn all day long. These old rigs molded themselves around the wearer and almost became a part of the person using them. Tie-downs were used to keep the pistol from catching on the holster as it was drawn.


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List of famous fictional gunfighters

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See also

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