Young Guns is a 1988 semi-historical Western that purports to tell the real story of Billy the Kid. The film stars Emilio Estevez as William H. Bonney, aka "Billy the Kid", who was taken in under the wing of the rancher, John Tunstall (Terence Stamp), along with other 'wayward' young men. During the Lincoln County Wars of 1878, several groups warred over diminishing land for their cattle herds. When Tunstall is killed after being ambushed, Billy the Kid organizes a group who called themselves 'the Regulators' to avenge the death of their benefactor. Despite being officially 'deputized' at the time, Billy does not arrest the suspected killers (men allied with Rancher Laurence Murphy), Billy just killed them, resulting in him and his 'gang' becoming the hunted fugitives. This film and its sequel did a very interesting job of hypothesizing what happened in the short life of Billy the Kid and offered its own explanations of why real historical characters did what they did (and how they did it). The film's cast includes Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips, Dermot Mulroney, Casey Siemaszko, and Charlie Sheen. Most of the cast returned for the 1990 sequel Young Guns II.
The following weapons were used in the film Young Guns:
William H. "Billy the Kid" Bonney (Emilio Estevez) starts carrying a Colt 1877 DA Lightning/Thunderer revolver with a 6" barrel towards the start of the film, and uses it along with a Single Action Army in some scenes. Billy takes Sheriff Brady's 4½" Lightning and thus wields two Colt Lightning revolvers by the end of the film. The real Billy the Kid carried a Colt 1877 DA Thunderer revolver in .41 Long Colt, but since this is an uncommon blank round, the similar Colt 1877 DA Lightning in .38 Long Colt was used for simplicity.
All of the Regulators carry at least one Single Action Army Quickdraw as a sidearm. Billy the Kid (Emilio Estevez) is also seen using one for the start of the film.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingColt Single Action Army 7½" Cavalry - .45 Long Colt.Error creating thumbnail: File missingTwo posse members searching for Billy the Kid are armed with Cavalry Single Action Armies.Error creating thumbnail: File missingA braggadocios gun fighter claims his ornate Cavalry SAA is going to kill Billy the Kid, unaware he's talking to him.Error creating thumbnail: File missingBilly unloads three rounds from his SAA and hands it back to him, then tells him he's The Kid. The gunfighter's gun clicks empty three times before Billy kills him. this was one of the many tricks Billy The Kid used in real life to win his gunfights.
Single Action Army Artillery
The Single Action Army Artillery revolver is also used throughout the film.
During the opening credits (processed to emulate 19th century style film), one of the Regulators is seen firing two Colt New Service revolvers. These are highly anachronistic to the era, but were likely used because the Single Action Army couldn't be fired with the speed required.
Several characters in the film are seen using Winchester 1873 saddle ring carbines. Of the Regulators who use the gun, "Dick" Brewer (Charlie Sheen), Billy the Kid (Emilio Estevez), and "Charley" Bowdrey (Casey Siemaszko) are of notable mention.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingWinchester 1873 - .44-40 WCF.Error creating thumbnail: File missingOne of Brady's men with a Winchester 1873.Error creating thumbnail: File missingOne of the thugs outside the bar fires his Winchester 1873 at the regulators.Error creating thumbnail: File missingDick aims his Winchester '73.Error creating thumbnail: File missingA Native American with a well-worn and tribally decorated '73 rifle.Error creating thumbnail: File missingBounty hunter Buckshot Roberts (Brian Keith) shows up at the Tunstall Ranch armed to the teeth, including a Winchester carried in his right hand.Error creating thumbnail: File missingRoberts pokes his rifle through the timbers of an outhouse and kills Dick (who overacts his death a lot).Error creating thumbnail: File missingSheriff Brady (Daniel Kamin) reaches for his Winchester before being killed by Billy the Kid.Error creating thumbnail: File missingBilly the Kid poses with his Winchester rifle for his famous photograph. The actual photograph is shown for comparison, showing Hollywood's often inaccurate portrayal of the 1870-1890 Western "Cowboy" and his clothing and style compared to the real Wild West. This was one of the top topics discussed between analysts in the late 1980's when the original photo was enhanced, manipulated i.e. color or shade alteration to increase clarity or visibility and then studied intensely by top experts from the relevant professions; all types of film experts, computer experts, Wild West historians, etc. The theory that Billy was left handed was disproved when the same panel of experts proved that the famous photo of Billy the Kid was a reverse ferrotype and therefore was flipped-so the movie is right on that).Error creating thumbnail: File missingBilly with a Winchester rifle while holed up in the house.Error creating thumbnail: File missingCharley unloads both his Winchester rifles on the US Army.
