Gunfighter and gunslinger /ˈɡʌnslɪŋər/ are literary words used historically to refer to men in the American Old West who had gained a reputation of being dangerous with a gun and had participated in gunfights and shootouts. Gunman was a more common term used for these individuals in the 19th century. Today, the term gunslinger is used to denote someone who is quick on the draw with a pistol, but can also refer to riflemen and shotgun messengers.