Tombstone Fact Check: Did Wyatt Earp Really Have His Name Engraved Onto His Gun

Tombstone's real-world Old West lawman Wyatt Earp has evolved into a nearly mythological figure in the decades since he wore a badge, and the weapon he wielded has taken on a similar legendary aura. Kurt Russell's ultra-cool, mustachioed portrayal of the famous gunslinger is perhaps the most famous version, but Wyatt Earp has been immortalized across various forms of media since the 1870s, when he first made a name for himself in Kansas. Many aspects of his life have been aggrandized, but perhaps none more so than the legendary pistol he used in Tombstone, Arizona.

Given how long ago it was, and how the Old West isn't particularly famous for its detailed historical record, there is very little evidence about what happened to Wyatt Earp's pistol. There is plenty of first-hand knowledge about what Wyatt Earp did after the events depicted in Tombstone, but none of the stories have confirmed exactly where his famous pistol wound up. Tombstone depicted his pistol as a specialty Colt Buntline Special, engraved in appreciation of his service in Dodge City, Kansas. With so much uncertainty around Earp's history, it's fair to question how accurate Tombstone's depiction is.

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Wyatt Earp's Gun Engraving Is Most Likely A Fabrication Made By Tombstone

It Makes For A Memorable Visual, But Likely Wasn't Real

Wyatt Earp used a Colt Single Action Army revolver in Tombstone's famous Gunfight at the O.K. Corral scene, which was engraved with his name and the gun's informal title of "Peacemaker". That isn't far off from the gun that Wyatt Earp most likely used, at least according to Earp's most famous biography, Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshal by Stuart Lake. Per the biography, Earp used a specialty Colt SAA pistol, created by Colt for writer Ned Buntline, who gifted five of the limited edition pistols to five of the West's most famous lawmen, including Earp.

However, there are reasons to doubt the accuracy of Lake's claim, and subsequently the accuracy of Tombstone's weaponry. Lake claimed that Earp's limited edition pistol was a 12-inch barrel, but at the time that length wasn't being produced. There is also no record or story indicating that Earp's regularly-used guns were engraved, indicating that the depiction of his primary gun in Tombstone may not be accurate to history. In reality, the engraving was likely added to the movie to add some gravitas to the scene in which Earp reluctantly takes his weapon out to lay down the law in Tombstone.

There's Doubt Over Which Gun Wyatt Earp Even Used During Tombstone's Era

There Is Precious Little Evidence About The Guns He Used

The bigger reason to believe that the engraving was a fabrication for the movie is that it almost has to be; there is virtually no hard, concrete evidence about what kind of gun the real Wyatt Earp wielded in the line of duty. Chances are very good that it was in fact a Colt .45 SAA due to the commonality of the weapon at the time, but it may not have been the standard issue due to the weapon's infamous lack of accuracy. Therefore, it's likely that Earp did in fact use a specialty pistol, and it may very well have been a Buntline Special.

With all of that said, there is still no way to be certain of which gun Wyatt Earp was carrying during the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, when he operated as a lawman in Tombstone. He likely used many different guns over time as advances in technology were made, and a gunman of Earp's caliber and fame would likely have had multiple pistols. With that much uncertainty around the gun, it's all but certain that the engraving shown in Tombstone was simple movie magic, and not an accurate representation of history.

Tombstone is a Western film loosely based on true events. When a group of outlaws known as the Cowboys ride into a town and slay several police officers for revenge for the death of two of their gang members, word of their misdeeds reaches the ears of a retired lawman. Gathering a group together, the new vigilantes will defend the town and aim to end the terror of the Cowboys.

Release Date December 25, 1993

Runtime 130 minutes

Director George P. Cosmatos , Kevin Jarre

Writers Kevin Jarre

Budget $25 million