Gharial Productions has been given the green light to begin the filming of a television pilot for a series entitled “Guns of the West”. Part education, part entertainment, this new half-hour series will have everything from dramatizations of famous moments in history, in depth interviews with experts on historical firearms, as well as live fire tests to demonstrate the capabilities of the guns that won the west.

“When most people think of the guns of the old west they have this Hollywood image that’s been implanted: Marshal Dillon standing across a dusty street ready to draw his Peacemaker with lightning speed or John Wayne, reigns clenched in his teeth, firing his six shooter. And even though our knowledge of the west and its firearms has grown, the average person still only knows the guns that they see on Saturday afternoon westerns. We want to educate viewers and give them a chance to see the unique weapons that are a part of U.S. history, such as the Hawken rifle, and the LeMat pistol. It’s going to be amazing!” said Kip Shelton, writer and creator of the series.

Shooting on location in Pioneertown, California, the pilot completed filming in December. Each episode will cover several unique firearms; giving a brief history of each weapon, a test firing, overview, and historical re-enactments of the moment in time when each weapon was used to leave its mark. The series will be directed and hosted by veteran stuntman and video personality Tino Luciano.

Set to air early this year, the producers say the series shows great promise. “For those that want to see some real American history as well as some of the most unique firearms you’ll see anywhere, they should really tune in.” Dan Flud, Executive Producer.