The most recognized Old West sixgun was the 7.5-inch Colt Single Action Army. It was the version of the 1873 Peacemaker chosen by the U.S. government for its mounted soldiers. Likewise, it also inspired many revolvers that followed, like the Pietta “Last Stand” Great Western II. Setting the Foundation for
For fans of Western movies, 1973 was what might well be described as a pretty darned good year. Great Westerns just seemed to dominate the silver screen that year. I’ll admit, I’m old enough to have seen a few movies when they were first released in the theater. Don’t Forget
Last year marked the 50th anniversary of the Ruger Old Army. And even though the gun was discontinued by Ruger in 2008, black powder enthusiasts still consider it the best 19th-century percussion revolver that was never made! The Ruger Old Army .44 These hefty, six-shot, black powder wheelguns were produced
If you are a fan of the Old West—and I figure you are—you’re probably familiar with lawmen like James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok, Bartholomew “Bat” Masterson and Wyatt Earp. You might even have heard of Pat Garrett, Heck Thomas, or Bill Tilghman. Then there are famous Texas Ranger Captains such
If any group of lawmen in history is worthy of the moniker “gunfighters,” it’s the legendary Texas Rangers. Doug Dukes is a native Texan, and retired career Austin police officer turned full-time historian. He spent years analyzing thousands of historical records held at the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and
This Iconic Firearm Has Been America’s Choice for Over 180 Years Arguably the first lever-gun was patented by Samuel Colt in 1837 when he invented a revolving rifle actuated by a ring lever. Since that time the lever-gun has evolved from the primitive Volcanic Arms repeating handgun to the original
