Fanning The Hammer Is A Great Way To Lose

The Wild West Podcast dissects the mythos of the legendary gunfighter, revealing that the dramatic, Hollywood-style showdowns were rare and often misrepresented. Drawing from firsthand accounts in Wyatt Earp’s memoirs and Bat Masterson’s recollections, the episode exposes the brutal reality: true gunfighters didn’t rely on flashy tricks like fanning or hip shooting—they prioritized mental composure, deliberate timing, and precision. The episode debunks the idea that gunfights were planned duels at 75 feet with clean shots; instead, they were chaotic, close-range exchanges where misfires were common and bystanders often fell victim. A pivotal moment comes when Levi Richardson, a confident but reckless gunman, fanned five shots in rapid succession—only to be killed by Cockeye Frank Loving, who remained calm and fired three precise rounds. The episode argues that the real skill lay not in spectacle, but in the split-second decision to shoot with purpose and accuracy. Even legends like Wild Bill Hickok avoided showmanship in life-or-death situations, favoring controlled, single-shot precision over theatrical flair. The myth of notched guns—each notch representing a kill—was largely a fabrication, as proven by Bat Masterson’s own joke of carving 22 notches into a pawn shop gun to satisfy a collector.