There are rare guns and historical guns, but then there are firearms so one-of-a-kind with such amazing stories behind them that they’re nearly priceless. Note the “nearly.” At auction, these ultra-rare firearms have fetched prices from $860,000 to almost $2 million. These guns can command such...

A truly one-of-a-kind rifle is about to hit the auction block that represents an important transition in firearms design. This rifle genuinely helped shape and define an era. There are rare firearms—and then there are one-of-a-kind firearms with remarkable stories and undeniable historical...

“God created man. Sam Colt made them equal.” We’ve all heard this old saw a million times, because to many, Samuel Colt is the most important figure in firearms history. Even people who’ve never heard of Hiram Maxim, Eugene Stoner, or John Moses Browning know who Sam Colt is. While Colt is certainly...

Eugene Stoner is one of the most influential firearm designers of all time. While he was not as prolific as John Moses Browning, Stoner's inventions were a dramatic departure from traditional gun design in the post-WWII years, and they drastically changed the entire course of firearm design in the...

Movies directed by Joel and Ethan Coen characteristically include distinct atmospheres, quirky characters, witty dialog, and a good bit of cleverly executed violence. That’s why their works are some of Steve Rinella’s favorites. When gunplay is in order, the Coens, who write, produce, and direct...

In the years between WWI and WWII, the American public was enamored with sensationalized news about a vicious new breed of criminal. Unlike bandits of the Old West riding on horseback and armed with six-shooters and lever guns, these Great Depression-era outlaws rode around in powerful V-8 Fords...

As a child of the ’80s, I grew up hunting with a no-frills, break-action Savage 12-gauge from Kmart. Like many folks, my only exposure to old firearms was in film: Westerns with six-shooters and lever guns, or movies about mountain men with flintlocks. Flintlock muskets, rifles, and pistols conjure...

A rule of thumb concerning individuals and stories from the Old West is that you need to navigate a lot of bullshit to reach the truth. Generally, the more famous the event or its participants, the more embellished the narrative. It was an era that lacked trustworthy photography or reporting, and...

It’s hard to believe today, and even harder to explain to someone under the age of 50, that there was once a time when firearms were regarded as sporting goods by major retailers. They were basically treated like baseball bats or golf clubs—selling in huge department stores that appealed to the...

A firearm, when paired with the right character and actor, can become more iconic than the movie itself. Sometimes it’s a happy accident, sometimes it’s a carefully considered plan, but when it clicks, pop culture doesn’t forget. The character and gun become inseparable. These are some of the most...