I remember talking to my grandfather about shoot outs.... since he lived then. He said most people had no use for handguns, only rifles. Those that did own handguns usually owned only single shots. In Wichita, he only saw "one" (the area all the bars, etc of the time were and where Wyatt Earp patrolled) , 2 guys got arguing and went outside to shoot it out.... both had single shots. He showed me exactly where this occurred. They began shooting at each other and that went on for about 1 1/2 hrs with them ducking behind horse troughs, etc. until one of them finally wounded the other in the arm. Fight over.
Ironically, I did some research and found an article in the newspaper of those times and it described it just about like he did (but with names and more info), and at the same location he pointed out to me.
When in Tombstone at the museum they had a gun marked as Wyatt Earp's at the time of the OK Corral. My grandfather asked for the curator and told him that gun wasn't even made until about 5 yrs after the OK corral. They looked it up in a large book of guns and found out he was right. It couldn't have been Wyatt Earp's at the time of the OK corral.
Most lawmen at those times, played both sides of the law.
In some places, some of them still do.
