History Main / FastestGunInTheWest

The Fastest Gun In The West has the ultimate QuickDraw. Nobody can draw and fire a gun faster than this guy. As a result, he wins every duel he ends up in, and others tend to be reluctant to fight him.

* Ryo Saeba from ''Manga/CityHunter'' is so fast that he once won a duel by ''throwing his gun at the enemy faster than he could draw'' (they had exchanged guns because the opponent was convinced Ryo's superiority was owed exclusively to his incredibly accurate gun and had slipped him an empty pistol, so Ryo, noticing it, decided to have some fun).

-->'''Lucky Luke:''' (one-shot derringer in hand, four bullets in the other) It's over Daltons, you know I reload faster than you can shoot.

* Texas Red in "Big Iron" by Music/MartyRobbins is convinced he's this, having killed 20 men sent after him in various duels. Unfortunately for him, the nameless Ranger with the "big iron" proves to be his better.

* ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'', one of the companions, Raul Tejada, if encouraged to return to the life of a vaquero, becomes a quicker shooter than pretty much any one else in the Mojave.

A {{subtrope}} of TheGunslinger. Compare WorldsStrongestMan and FastestThingAlive.

* Jotaro Kujo of ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders'', being partially based on the likeness of John Wayne, has this trope as his primary set of powers, and even namedrops it in his final battle with DIO. His default pose when manifesting Star Platinum is with his hand at his hip, and indeed he is capable of striking from a neutral position faster than most villains can even perceive. [[spoiler:This is taken even further once he discovers his ability to stop time, at which point he can strike in literally no time at all.]]

[[quoteright:350:[[ComicBook/LuckyLuke https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/LuckyLuke_6757.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Lucky Luke proving the rumor about him outdrawing his own shadow is NotHyperbole.]]

* The Ranger in "Big Iron" by Marty Robbins.

* ''Franchise/TheLoneRanger'' is also noted for being a faster draw than any one opponent, and a big fan of BlastingItOutOfTheirHands. However, the radio and early TV series kept it somewhat plausible by not having him try to outdraw multiple people at once.

* One of these appeared during a montage of various gimmicky hitmen sent to kill ComicBook/ThePunisher. Frank just gets behind him ad pushes him into a subway train.

* ''Justice Riders'', an {{Elseworld}} with Western versions of the ''JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'', had, of course, [[ComicBook/TheFlash Wallace "Kid Flash" West]] as the fastest gun in the West.

* Jim the Waco Kid in ''Film/BlazingSaddles'' is a [[ExaggeratedTrope ludicrously extreme]] version. He can draw, fire six shots, and reholster his gun before anyone else even draws. He can even take an object in front of him without seeming to move. His backstory also parodies the "unwanted attention from every two-bit thug with something to prove" aspect; Jim describes how he lost faith in everything when he was challenged by a seven-year-old; disheartened, Jim dropped his guns and turned away... and "the little bastard shot me in the ass."

* Britt in ''Film/TheMagnificentSeven'' is fast with both guns and knives. Early in the movie, he shows just how fast he is by using a thrown knife to kill an opponent who has a gun.

-->'''Lucky Luke:''' (one-shot derringer in hand, four bullets in the other) It's over Daltons, you now I reload faster than you can shoot.

It should also be noted that being the fastest gun in the west is rarely much help if said character is somehow caught off guard. It hardly matters if one can draw faster than one can blink, it's of no use if one never sees the threat coming. Many a lightning fast gunslinger meets their end by a bullet InTheBack rather than a ShowdownAtHighNoon.

* ComicBook/JonahHex has this reputation. Jonah himself allows that USMarshal J.D. Hart (an occassional ally of Jonah's) ''might'' be a fraction faster.

* Jim the Waco Kid in ''Film/BlazingSaddles'' is a [[ExaggeratedTrope ludicrously extreme]] version. He can draw, fire six shots, and re-holster his gun before anyone else even draws. He can even take an object in front of him without seeming to move. His backstory also parodies the "unwanted attention from every two-bit thug with something to prove" aspect; Jim describes how he lost faith in everything when he was challenged by a seven-year-old; disheartened, Jim dropped his guns and turned away... and "the little bastard shot me in the ass."

* A discussed trope in ''Film/{{Unforgiven}}'', in which Little Bill debunks various legendary quickdraw artists. He denies that quick-drawing is a particularly useful skill and asserts that accuracy often decides who lives ans dies. William Munny later says he was simply lucky during his career of gunfights, when the writer Little Bill had talked to asked how Munny managed to gun down a group of men.

* Dusty Fog from ''The Floating Outfit'' novels of Creator/JTEdson has this reputation. In reality, Doc Leroy is a hairsbreadth faster with a single gun versus Dusty's ambidexterous pair; but Dusty is the one whose name always gets mentioned. Mark Counter is a fraction slower than either and Waco a similar distance behind him; none of the four have ever been beaten
* Used jn many of Zane Grey's novels, and may have invented the trope. Examples are numerous, including Lassiter in "Riders of the Purple Sage". In "Lone Star Ranger" both Buck Duane and Ringo are seen as competing for this designation [[spoiler:: Ringo wins, briefly]].

* In the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' episode "A Fistful of Datas", the bridge crew (minus Data who is linked into the holodeck) is trapped in a wild west, where everyone is Data, with his superhuman speed and reflexes. So they are all the fastest guns in The West, and the crew must NOT get into any gunplay, as, per usual, the safeties are off.

** John [[spoiler:later, Jack]] Marston, the player character. In the dueling sequences, you can either shoot your opponent in the face, or shoot the gun out of his hand. You get the most [[KarmaMeter honor points]] if you can shoot your opponet's gun and hat without killing him.