Old West details

[seth.omorrow]

I'm developing a short story set in the Old West. A merchant arrives in a town and witnesses a gunslinger slaughter the entire populace. The thing is, the gunslinger has no guns, but instead makes pistol shapes with his hands.

Going for a lawless vibe. I realize that tales of the American Frontier are greatly exaggerated, but can anybody give me a rough estimate of where and when I might set this?

 

[X Equestris]

You're asking about time period and location, correct?

 

[T.Allen.Smith]

For the time period, right at the end of the American Civil War.

Lots of westward expansion & plenty of violent men having a hard time assimilating back into civil society.

 

[X Equestris]

Your time frame could range anywhere from post-Civil War 1860s to the 1890s.

 

[K.S. Crooks]

what you could do is use the type of guns you have in the story determine the time frame. Do you want the characters to load powder, pellets and have only one shot or have bullets in a six-shooter? This is a major difference between the setting for Zorro vs. the setting of the Lone Ranger. If you look at the different wars that took place, (Revolutionary, War of 1812, Mexican-American, Civil, Spanish-American, and many others in between). You can get a picture of the level of gun technology and how far European expansion into North America had gone. Generally the farther west you go in the U.S. the later in time you can place the story, to have a frontier feel. Hope this helps.

 

[seth.omorrow]

what you could do is use the type of guns you have in the story determine the time frame. Do you want the characters to load powder, pellets and have only one shot or have bullets in a six-shooter? This is a major difference between the setting for Zorro vs. the setting of the Lone Ranger. If you look at the different wars that took place, (Revolutionary, War of 1812, Mexican-American, Civil, Spanish-American, and many others in between). You can get a picture of the level of gun technology and how far European expansion into North America had gone. Generally the farther west you go in the U.S. the later in time you can place the story, to have a frontier feel. Hope this helps.

Very good point. Thanks.