subs. phr. (common).—A gun or revolver.
1847. W. T. PORTER, ed., A Quarter Race in Kentucky, etc., 135. He said his old SHOOTING IRON would go off at a good imitation of a bear’s breathing!
1848. W. E. BURTON, Waggeries and Vagaries, 175, ‘The Old Dutchman and His Long Box.’ This antique SHOOTING-IRON had not been visible on board the boat.
1871. DE VERE, Americanisms. His rifle … he loves it with almost tender affection, cleans and caresses it, and speaks of it as a SHOOTING-IRON.… The more recent revolver, now quite common in the West, is, on the other hand, his FIVE or SIX SHOOTER.
1887. CRADDOCK, His ‘Day in Court,’ in Harper’s Magazine, lxxvi. Dec., 78. Timothy hastily vaulted over the fence, drew his ‘SHOOTING-IRON’ from his boot-leg, and cocked it with a metallic click, sharp and peremptory in the keen wintry air.
1888. BOLDREWOOD, Robbery under Arms, xxx. Hev’ ye nary SHOOTIN’ IRON?
1894. To-Day, 21 April, 351, 1. Say, what’s that for? you’ve emptied yure SHOOTING IRON into him; what’s he done?
1897. B. MITFORD, A Romance of the Cape Frontier, II. v. We’ll just get out our SHOOTING-IRONS and go and see.
1899. KERNAHAN, Scoundrels & Co., xxiii. Keep your SHOOTING IRONS, Mr. Hall…. I’ve got a brace of my own in my pocket.
