Big Iron

Big Iron is a country song by Marty Robbins.

The song talks of an Arizona Ranger who travels to the "town of Agua Fria" (which, in real life, is in neighboring New Mexico) to apprehend (dead or alive) a 24-year-old outlaw named Texas Red. The townspeople predict the gunfight will not go well (Texas Red having killed 20 men previously, "21 would be the Ranger with the Big Iron on his hip"). However, at the somewhat odd time of 11:20 AM (instead of the traditional "high noon" time for a gunfight), the Ranger kills Texas Red with one shot before Texas Red had even cleared leather.

The title came from a custom firearm Robbins saw in a gun shop, which was a Colt .45 caliber featuring a Great Western copy of the Colt Single Action Army frame, Colt 1860 Army backstrap, grip frame and grips, and a cut down 9 1/2" Marlin rifle barrel. (The whereabouts of the gun are unknown.)