Description

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From Buffalo Bill to Wild Bill and from Chief Joseph to Geronimo, the most famous guns in the West and the history behind them

More than a few of the actual guns once in the hands of the heroes and villains of America's Old West still exist, housed in a dozen museums across the country--from the Model 1866 .44-40 that Chief Joseph famously surrendered to General Miles to Wild Bill Hickok's Colt Model 1851 revolvers; from Buffalo Bill's .50 caliber breechloading needlegun nicknamed "Lucrezia Borgia" to John Wesley Hardin's 1860 model .44 SA revolvers.

Famous Firearms of the Old West follows the life stories of a dozen actual pistols, rifles, and shotguns instrumental in shaping America's history--using them as entr es into the lives of the shooters themselves. This is a vivid portrait of famous Western characters, paired with the guns they used to make themselves famous or, as the case may be, infamous. It is a must for anyone interested in the history and lore of the Wild West, gun hobbyists, and tourists seeking a museum experience with a difference.

About the Author

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Hal Herring is a contributing editor at Field and Stream and an editor-at-large for the online news magazine newwest.net. His fiction, journalism, and essays have appeared in the Atlantic Monthly and the Economist.

Praise For…

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As Hal Herring says in his preface, 'America was a nation born yelling, and in a cloud of black powder smoke.' We have always been addicted to mayhem (albeit from a safe distance), and the most fascinating mayhem of all was that waged in the Old West. This is the story of twelve guns of that time and the famous and infamous people who used them, and if you can start Chapter One and put the book down before you reach at least Chapter Six, see a doctor. Great stuff from someone who is both a historian and a masterful storyteller.” Dave Petzal, Deputy Editor, Field & Stream