Who was the deadliest gunfighter of the Old West? Legends like Wild Bill Hickok, Billy the Kid, and Jesse James all have larger-than-life reputations, but the truth is often a lot messier. Join me as we break down the facts and attempt to separate myth from reality on the West’s most notorious shootists. We’ll talk confirmed kills, unverified stories, and the wildest rumors around names like Johnny Ringo, Butch Cassidy, Clay Allison, Jesse James, Bass Reeves, Deacon Jim Miller, Tom Horn, and John Wesley Hardin. And along the way, you’ll get a closer look at who really deserves the number one spot on this list. Got an opinion? Drop your picks in the comments. If you think someone should be added or taken off, let me know who and why. Make sure to stick around to the very end for a bonus gunfighter most folks have never heard of.
Johnny Ringo - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6glLij_YCY
Billy the Kid - https://youtu.be/J3yBXIa7ZuQ?si=VTHTr-JpT30wT2Cu
Jesse James - https://youtu.be/mUK8HWd53Z8?si=Pv2EVBcuH3P768Ic
Wild Bill Hickok - https://youtu.be/i-1Jgn4lrXU?si=-XCS4lQXwHj9ik_R
Clay Allison - https://youtu.be/7ozJkHNtmzc?si=k-mLFEcRut_RTIiD
Bass Reeves pt 1 - https://youtu.be/2lN-fRmjg6g?si=D_mjPt2X4Q5YCj9z
Bass Reeves pt 2 - https://youtu.be/YByfhYo_7as?si=_xOj_XjwDttx7al0
Deacon Jim Miller - https://youtu.be/i_sXfXiDjDw?si=9IuhsixsdTiRuLZt
Tom Horn pt 1- https://youtu.be/Bp7q97-ctlE?si=4XNuEn8yApVcypCH
Tom Horn pt 2 - https://youtu.be/2yF3Qr9_SFA?si=wuAPD1Ul_PMyFWGz
Tom Horn pt 3- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmuN4PME8NY&t=50s
John Wesley Hardin - https://youtu.be/MiPA_9R2mys?si=OIO2hSydV7I2JETZ
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22:40
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22:40
Billy Dixon & the 2nd Battle of Adobe Walls
On June 27th, 1874, a handful of buffalo hunters found themselves surrounded by hundreds of Comanche at a place called Adobe Walls. Outnumbered more than twenty to one, the odds of survival looked slim. Nevertheless, it was here that Billy Dixon stepped forward and made what’s become known as the “shot of the century,” dropping a mounted warrior at nearly 1,500 yards. Join me as we examine the life of Billy Dixon, from his hardscrabble childhood to his time as a buffalo hunter, scout, and Medal of Honor recipient. Also discussed are how Dixon and his companions survived the siege at Adobe Walls, what really happened in the infamous buffalo wallow fight, and how these events helped shape the final days of the Southern Plains tribes.
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41:25
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41:25
Outlaw or Ghost? The Search for Jesse Evans
What really happened to Jesse Evans, the outlaw who once rode with Billy the Kid and helped ignite the Lincoln County War? He shot up dance halls, rustled cattle, and left a bloody trail from New Mexico to Texas, only to vanish without a trace. And to this day, nobody knows his true fate. Was Jesse Evans really a childhood friend of Billy the Kid? Did he spend his final years as Joseph Hines in Florida, or die hiding out on a Texas ranch? Join me as I attempt to separate fact from fiction and explore every wild theory about Jesse’s origins, his crimes, and his legendary disappearance.
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Billy the Kid - https://www.wildwestextra.com/billy-the-kid-compilation/
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30:22
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30:22
Grave Secrets: Where Is Billy the Kid Really Buried?
For generations, rumors have swirled that Old West outlaw Billy the Kid’s grave at Fort Sumner was swept away by a massive flood. But is there any truth to the legend, or does Billy still rest beneath his famous gravestone? Also discussed are fellow Lincoln County Regulators Charlie Bowdre and Tom Folliard.
Chasing Billy YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@chasingbilly
Billy the Kid’s Grave by David G. Thomas - https://www.abebooks.com/9781542404723/Billy-Kids-Grave-History-Wild-154240472X/plp
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13:33
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13:33
In the Days of Billy the Kid: Featuring James B. Mills
Was José Chavez y Chavez really part Navajo? And what about Billy the Kid’s famous escape from Lincoln? Was that Young Guns 2 scene with the pistol in the outhouse true, or did he overpower his guard? Who actually killed Deputy Carlyle at White Oaks? These are just a few of the questions I discussed with historian and author James B. Mills. His book, Billy the Kid: Bandido Simpatico, is one of the most definitive biographies on William H. Bonney, and his new release, In the Days of Billy the Kid, explores the lives of Chavez y Chavez, Juan Patron, Yginio Salazar, and the underrated Martin Chavez. We cover everything from the Society of Bandits to the Battle of Lincoln, whether Billy and Jesse James ever met, John Chisum, and even the White Caps uprising.
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The Wild West Extravaganza is a weekly history podcast exploring the real-life people and events of the Old West and the American frontier. Each episode explores the true stories of outlaws, gunfighters, lawmen, cowboys, Native Americans, and frontiersmen (and women) who shaped the Old West. From famous legends like Billy the Kid, Wyatt Earp, and Geronimo to forgotten tales of shootouts, cattle drives, and frontier towns, this show delivers the grit, drama, and truth behind Western history.
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