Famous Firearms of the Old West: From Wild Bill Hickok's Colt Revolvers To Geronimo's Winchester, Twelve Guns That Shaped Our History - Paperback

by Hal Herring (Author)

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

Back Jacket

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 entrées 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.

Author Biography

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.