Road agent's spin facts for kids
The road agent's spin was a clever trick used by some people in the Old West. It was also called the "Curly Bill spin" (named after a person called Curly Bill Brocius) or the "Border roll". This move was a way to trick someone when you had to give up your gun to an enemy.
How the Trick Worked
In the Old West, if you had to surrender a loaded pistol, you usually handed it over backwards, with the handle (butt) first. A skilled gunfighter could use this moment to perform a secret move. As they offered the pistol, they would quietly slip their pointer finger through the trigger guard (the loop around the trigger).
Then, as the other person reached for the gun, the gunfighter would quickly twist their wrist. This made the gun spin around their finger, flipping it back into a position where they could fire it right away. This trick could also be done with the pistol held upside down.
However, this trick only worked if the person taking the gun was not very experienced or was too confident. A smart lawman or gunfighter would know about such tricks. They would often make the person surrendering throw their gun far away. Or they would tell them to put the gun back in its holster, then take off their whole gun belt and step back several feet. This way, there was no chance for any tricks.
Famous Stories About the Spin
- In his own book, John Wesley Hardin said he showed this trick to Wild Bill Hickok.
- The actor Clint Eastwood used a move like the border roll in his movie The Outlaw Josey Wales. In that scene, two buffalo hunters briefly get the upper hand on him.
See also
In Spanish: Maniobra del guardia de camino para niños
