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Western movies are great and all, but sometimes, spending an extended amount of time with your favorite Old West heroes is exactly what Doc Adams ordered. Whether you prefer classic Western TV shows or modern neo-Westerns, the genre features some of the best gunslingers in the business. With many cowboys, gamblers, lawmen, and bounty hunters to choose from, we've put together a list of the best Western gunslingers on the small screen.
As usual, this isn't an exhaustive list, but we've been sure to hit the highlights. From some of the longest-running Western programs in TV history to contemporary neo-Western crime dramas, there are plenty of great TV gunmen who ought to be cemented in the genre canon. So, load your six-shooter and ready your trigger finger, because these are some of the best Western TV gunslingers out there.
The Maverick Brothers (‘Maverick’)
Admittedly, Bret (James Garner) and Bart Maverick (Jack Kelly) are not the best shots on the list. These two aren't terribly quick draws, and Maverick always put them into tough situations that they needed more luck than skill to get out of. Even though Bart claims that Bret is a better gunslinger than he (perhaps a bluffing tactic to get his foes to underestimate him), the two were generally pretty well-matched with a gun. But although they were far superior card players than they were shooters, they were still quite capable with a firearm.
While Maverick initially portrayed the Maverick brothers as subpar gunmen, that began to change as the series continued. By the height of the series, they had proven themselves as excellent shots. Though neither Maverick was ever thrilled about getting into a fight of any kind (they generally avoided them, for all the good that did), they were each efficient marksmen when duty called.
Bat Masterson (‘Bat Masterson’)
Another Western hero who generally preferred other means of resolving conflict beyond gunplay, Bat Masterson (Gene Barry) was better known for his cane (which contained a secret sword) than his gun, but that didn't mean he couldn't shoot. Having been everything from an Army scout to a lawman, the fictional take on the real-life Western icon could shoot just as well as his historical counterpart (who was well-known for his expert marksmanship). He may not have preferred to exchange bullets, but he would if it came to it.
A gentleman at heart, Bat traveled about the Old West trying to outsmart his opponents rather than gun them down. He had done enough of that previously. Bat Masterson may not be the first Western you think of when you hear the word "gunslinger," but when you consider how quickly he could draw out his Colt Peacemaker, well, there's a reason we rarely ever saw him reload.
Adam Cartwright (‘Bonanza’)
Another Western hero you may not traditionally associate with the hot iron on his hip, Pernell Roberts' Adam Cartwright was easily the best shot on the Ponderosa Ranch, though he (like many sensible Western heroes) often tried to evade any sort of violent conflict. Not only was Adam a quick draw, but his moral code meant that he only ever used his guns in self-defense. Thus, he often grew frustrated with those who would fly too quickly to the trigger. Still, it wasn't often that he missed.
While the Cartwrights all lived by the same self-defensive code when it came to firearms (and each of them spilled their own fair share of blood), Adam stands out as the best marksman of the troupe. Even when shot, injured, or at a disadvantage, Adam always came out on top. It was a shame he left Bonanza midway through the program.
Sheriff Walt Longmire (‘Longmire’)
Although not an Old West lawman, this contemporary Wyoming sheriff can shoot with the best of them. No matter if Sheriff Walt Longmire (Robert Taylor) is facing down an SUV headed straight for him or forced to quick-draw on one of his oldest enemies, he is as excellent with a gun as he is at detective work. Even better, his understanding of human psychology goes hand-in-hand with his marksmanship, giving him an edge on anyone who dares cross his path.
Be it a handgun or his trademark Winchester 1894 rifle, Walt knows how to take care of himself (and others) in ways that few with a firearm can. What's better is that Walt never relies solely on his gun to solve a problem, and he can just as easily talk down an attacker or find some clever way to outsmart them. A lawman with a genuine conscience, it's his honesty and integrity that direct his need to see justice done and lives saved. It's because of Walt that we still miss Longmire today.
Lucas McCain (‘The Rifleman’)
As the leading man in a show called The Rifleman, it would be a bit embarrassing if Chuck Connors' Lucas McCain didn't find his way on this list. Arguably, McCain's most notable quality is how handy he is with a rifle. An expert marksman whose proficiency with a firearm earned him his famous nickname, McCain only used his rifle in self-defense, but when he took a shot, you know he meant business.
With remarkable speed and accuracy, McCain could take the breath out of his opponent before his hand even touched the holster. He was that good. Even in his old age, as seen in The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw, he could shoot the pistol out of the hands of armed men from some distance off. He's certainly one of the most impressive on this list.
Cheyenne Bodie (‘Cheyenne’)
Although Clint Walker's Cheyenne Bodie would rather tackle his opponent in a fist fight, he could certainly beat most men in a draw. His calm demeanor made him an excellent marksman who could pick off villains one by one as easily as shooting fish in a waterless barrel. Considered by some to be the fastest draw of all the classic Western TV stars, the Cheyenne leading man was nothing short of impressive.
Like many on this list, Cheyenne was an honorable gunfighter. He didn't prefer to shoot a man, and he certainly never wanted to kill anyone. Still, you put a gun in his hand, and all those skills he learned from living with the tribe that gave him his name would be brought forth. If part of being a gunslinger is one's imposing nature, then Cheyenne is certainly up there with the best of them.
Josh Randall (‘Wanted: Dead or Alive’)
It would be difficult to leave the "King of Cool" off this list, considering how Steve McQueen played one of the most famous bounty hunters on television. As Josh Randall, he wasted no time blasting through villains and outdrawing anyone who got in his way. An expert gunfighter with a background fighting for the Confederates during the Civil War, Randall used his signature Mare's Leg to save the day as effortlessly as he breathed.
Although Wanted: Dead or Alive only ran three seasons in its day, Randall made an impact because of his quiet confidence and high proficiency with a firearm. He certainly wasn't the kind of bounty hunter you'd want sent on your tail. With some of the best few minutes in Western TV under his gunbelt, Randall is the type of gunslinger you can't help but root for, no matter what sort of trouble he winds up in.
Raylan Givens (‘Justified’)
Although he pulled his gun enough times as Seth Bullock on Deadwood, Timothy Olyphant's best quick-draw role goes to Marshal Raylan Givens on Justified. Although some wouldn't even consider the FX series a neo-Western, we would due to Raylan's clear Western sensibilities, not the least of which includes his exceptional skills as a gunfighter. With a quick draw and dead-eye accuracy, Raylan is a modern embodiment of the "Wild West" that lives up to the hype.
Although Raylan sometimes found himself wounded in his Old West-style shootouts, he typically egged his opponents on so that they might draw on him first, giving him the justification necessary to quickly take them out. If Josh Randall was the coolest gun in the Old West, then Raylan Givens may just be the coolest 21st-century gunslinger on television. His methods may be questionable, but his results speak for themselves.
Paladin (‘Have Gun — Will Travel’)
Although Paladin (Richard Boone) was admittedly a slower draw than some of the gunmen on this list, that's not all there is to gunfighting. In addition to his expertise with a hot iron, we also need to remember that his entire business model is predicated on his ability to handle a firearm. Paladin was not the sort of man you'd want to mess with, and while he would just as soon outsmart you as outgun you, make no mistake, he could do either with ease.
As the name Have Gun — Will Travel suggests, Paladin is formidable because he's willing to get his hands dirty. To keep up his elite California lifestyle, the Man in Black travels across the Old West to use his gun to solve conflicts that the law itself can't or won't. As a gentleman himself, Paladin never had an itchy trigger finger, but you could bet that he was just as versatile as the knight chess piece that decorates his calling card.
Marshal Matt Dillon (‘Gunsmoke’)
Even if Marshal Matt Dillon (James Arness) isn't the quickest gun in the West, speed isn't everything. Sure, Dillon is a quick draw in his own right, but as the opening of Gunsmoke proved for 20 years on CBS, it's the accuracy that really counts. There's no doubt that Dillon was as accurate as they come; it's no wonder that he put more men in Boot Hill cemetery than most of these other characters combined. In the end, being a lawman is a tough gig, but nobody tackled frontier justice better.
Although Dillon loses in the very first episode of Gunsmoke ("Matt Gets It"), instead of giving up and allowing a dangerous gunman go free, the marshal returns with his wits and good sense. He still doesn't outdraw the outlaw, but his deadly aim kills the man dead with not so much as a fuss. For over 600 episodes, Matt Dillon proved himself to be not only the most capable lawman in the Old West, but also the best with a gun.
