gunslingers
Old West shootists
Gunslingers are people skilled with handguns, especially in the context of the American Old West.
The term evokes frontier lawmen, outlaws, and hired guns who settled disputes with six-shooters: The movie featured a showdown between two gunslingers.
Figuratively, a gunslinger is anyone bold and aggressive in their field—a corporate gunslinger, a legal gunslinger.
Edge of settlement
- cowboyMounted cattle herder
- saloonDrinking establishment, often frontier
- sheriffCounty's chief officer
- posseArmed group pursuing fugitives
holster · revolver · quickdraw · mainstreet · desperado · outlaw · bandit · showdown
Paid outside specialist
- bounty hunterProfessional fugitive capturer
- roninFeudal drifter-warrior
- soldadoSpanish word for fighter
- pistoleroSpanish term for gunman
enforcer · assassin · contract · lawless · drifter · loner · stranger · nameless
Expert precision shooter
- marksmanPrecision shooter
- quickdrawRapid weapon retrieval
- aimPurpose or direction
- accuracyDegree of correctness
precision · target · rifleman · trigger · revolver · sixshooter · Colt · Winchester
Decisive final confrontation
- quickdrawRapid weapon retrieval
- faceoffDirect competitive confrontation
- standoffUnresolved confrontation between opponents
- pistolsSmall one-handed firearms
challenge · rivalry · vengeance · grudge · antagonist · retribution · honor · seconds
Armed roadside thief
- highwaymanMounted thief targeting travelers
- renegadeDeserter of a cause
- fugitiveOne fleeing authorities
- desperadoBold, reckless outlaw
villain · rogue · rustler · stagecoach robber · train robber · Jesse James · Butch Cassidy · Sundance Kid
frontier
Edge of settlement
- cowboyMounted cattle herder
- saloonDrinking establishment, often frontier
- sheriffCounty's chief officer
posse · holster · revolver · quickdraw · mainstreet · desperado · outlaw · bandit · showdown · shootout
hired gun
Paid outside specialist
- bounty hunterProfessional fugitive capturer
- roninFeudal drifter-warrior
- soldadoSpanish word for fighter
pistolero · enforcer · assassin · contract · lawless · drifter · loner · stranger · nameless · cold-blooded
sharpshooter
Expert precision shooter
accuracy · precision · target · rifleman · trigger · revolver · sixshooter · Colt · Winchester · holster
showdown
Decisive final confrontation
- quickdrawRapid weapon retrieval
- faceoffDirect competitive confrontation
- standoffUnresolved confrontation between opponents
pistols · challenge · rivalry · vengeance · grudge · antagonist · retribution · honor · seconds · dawn
bandit
Armed roadside thief
- highwaymanMounted thief targeting travelers
- renegadeDeserter of a cause
- fugitiveOne fleeing authorities
desperado · villain · rogue · rustler · stagecoach robber · train robber · Jesse James · Butch Cassidy · Sundance Kid · bounty
- Old Westcowboy, cowboys, cowgirl, sheriff, sheriffs
- Westernscowboys, western, outlaws, sheriffs, western novels
- Wild Westcowboy, howdy, sheriff, giddyup, lawmen
- Southwest historySanta Fe Trail, frontier, Old West, Wild West, statehood
- Western folklorePecos Bill, tall tales, cowboy legends, jackalope, ghost towns
- tough guystough guys, tough guy, thug, thugs, enforcer
gunslingerslawmen
Official crime fighters
sheriffs · marshals · deputies · peace officers · Texas Rangers
gunslingerspacifists
Those opposing all warfare
peacemakers · mediators · diplomats · noncombatants · peacekeepers