Frank T. Hopkins was a cowboy who became the subject of the 2004 Disney film “Hidalgo.” The movie recounted the tales of the long-distance rider who at one time starred in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show and was the first American to ever compete in and win the Ocean of Fire, an endurance horse race that crossed thousands of miles of Arabian desert.
While many of Hopkins’ claims have since proved to be untrue, the movie also featured the gold-plated single-shot handgun shown here, which was used in a cameo role by a performer who represented an undisputed legend of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. This legend was an international star who performed before heads of state and royalty.
While this gun was one of many owned by the sharpshooter, it was a personal favorite. Click here to learn more about the firearm and the exhibition shooter who owned it. The original gun and its cinema counterpart, both shown here, are among the many fascinating treasures on display at the NRA National Firearms Museum in Fairfax, Va.
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