"Fire early"

Uhhh, "cowboy duals" were on "draw," not "make ready, aim, fire." They had rifled barrels and six shooters by then not smoothbore muzzle loaded flintlocks with one ball that's likely to miss.

"There was 40ft between them when they stopped to make their play, and the swiftness of the Ranger is still talked about today. Texas red had not cleared leather 'fore a bullet fairly ripped"

This line means Texas Red was slower on the draw than the Arizona Ranger with the big iron on his hip, that's all. Texas Red reached for it (they stopped to make their play), but the Arizona Ranger was so much faster (the swiftness of the Ranger) that Red's gun never even fully made it out of the holster (Texas Red had not cleared leather) before the Ranger's shot connected ('fore a bullet fairly ripped).

BTW: These duals are almost entirely an invention of hollywood. They did happen but very very rarely and not exactly like the movies portray. I fucking love Marty's music but the music he made isn't based on historical fact, but rather hollywood fantasy. It's basically The Outlaw Josey Wales in song form, and there's nothing wrong with that.

https://hi-luxoptics.com/blogs/history/wild-west-quick-draw-duels-how-real-were-they

That said, by the hollywood rules, the dual was fair as all hell.

For your convenience:

To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day. Hardly spoke to folks around him, didn't have too much to say. No one dared to ask his business, no one dared to make a slip. For the stranger there among them had a big iron on his hip. Big iron on his hip.

It was early in the morning when he rode into the town. He came riding from the south side slowly lookin' all around. He's an outlaw loose and running, came the whisper from each lip. And he's here to do some business with the big iron on his hip. Big iron on his hip.

In this town there lived an outlaw by the name of Texas Red. Many men had tried to take him and that many men were dead. He was vicious and a killer though a youth of 24. And the notches on his pistol numbered one and 19 more. One and 19 more.

Now the stranger started talking, made it plain to folks around. Was an Arizona ranger, wouldn't be too long in town. He came here to take an outlaw back alive or maybe dead. And he said it didn't matter he was after Texas Red. After Texas Red.

Wasn't long before the story was relayed to Texas Red. But the outlaw didn't worry men that tried before were dead. 20 men had tried to take him, 20 men had made a slip. 21 would be the ranger with the big iron on his hip. Big iron on his hip.

The morning passed so quickly, it was time for them to meet. It was 20 past 11 when they walked out in the street. Folks were watching from the windows, everybody held their breath. They knew this handsome ranger was about to meet his death. About to meet his death.

There was 40 feet between them when they stopped to make their play. And the swiftness of the ranger is still talked about today. Texas Red had not cleared leather 'fore a bullet fairly ripped. And the ranger's aim was deadly with the big iron on his hip. Big iron on his hip.

It was over in a moment and the folks had gathered round. There before them lay the body of the outlaw on the ground. Oh, he might have went on living but he made one fatal slip. When he tried to match the ranger with the big iron on his hip. Big iron on his hip. Big iron, big iron. When he tried to match the ranger with the big iron on his hip. Big iron on his hip.

Fire quicker than your opponent is the essence of the duel. There's no way to "fire early" because they are watching for you to reach for your gun.

Although I always found the genre contrived. If they were an actual threat, you'd shoot them in their sleep.

For those that don't know the song Big Iron from Marty Robbins:

https://youtu.be/-NuX79Ud8zI

Guess it's back to patrolling the Mojave again.

It's not the first shot counts, it's the first that hits. Take your time kid.

Big iron on his hiiiiiiiip

The town of Agua Fria is safe once more.