Gunsmoke: "Lost Rifle" (Original Air Date: July 29, 1956)

Podcast: Old Time Radio Westerns
Host: Andrew Rhynes
Release: August 26, 2025 | Source: OTRWesterns.com

Episode Overview

This episode of Gunsmoke, titled "Lost Rifle," delivers a taut tale of suspicion, justice, and redemption set in the ever-dangerous streets and prairies of Dodge City. Marshal Matt Dillon finds himself in the center of a murder investigation when Frank Paris is killed while fishing, with initial suspicions falling on Ben Tipple—a known hot-head and old friend of Dillon. As the mystery unravels, the episode explores small-town tensions, guilt, and the hope of second chances.

Tone: Taut, suspenseful, emotional.
Setting: Dodge City, Kansas; riverside; alleys and saloons.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Breakdown

Tensions Boil Over in Dodge City

• [04:08–05:28]
  • Ben Tipple and Frank Paris have a heated altercation at the crowded hitching post.
    • Paris accuses Tipple of being hot-tempered; Tipple threatens violence.
    • Marshal Matt Dillon intervenes, defusing a would-be gunfight.
  • Quote:
    • “I'm not protecting anybody, Paris. I'm stopping a gunfight. Now you get moving.”
      — Matt Dillon ([04:56])

Discovery of Paris’ Death

• [05:50–07:12]
  • Chester and Dillon find Paris' corpse, shot in the back while fishing.
  • They stumble upon Andy Spangler, a young boy, hiding nearby.
  • Andy claims innocence, says he was scared and saw nothing.
  • Suspicion tentatively turns to Ben Tipple, given the recent argument.
    • Quote:
      • “You don't suppose Ben could've did it, do you? I know he's a good friend of yours and all.”
        — Chester ([07:58])

Matt Dillon Asks Tough Questions

• [10:24–11:52]
  • Dillon confronts Ben Tipple about his whereabouts.
  • Ben has no alibi but staunchly denies shooting Paris, especially “in the back.”
    • Quote:
      • “I might have shot Frank Perry someday, Matt, but never in the back.”
        — Ben Tipple ([11:47])

Small-Town Suspicion and Grief

• [12:15–14:19]
  • Joe Spangler, Andy’s father, pressures Matt to arrest Ben Tipple, accusing him openly.
  • Spangler insists his boy saw something and tries to coerce a confession from Andy.
  • Matt and Kitty discuss the weight of public opinion versus actual evidence.

Andy’s Struggles at Home

• [15:22–16:51]
  • Joe Spangler is seen physically abusing Andy, furious with him for losing his rifle.
  • Matt intervenes, warning Spangler to stop or face jail.
  • Andy reveals his mother is gone, and hints at domestic unhappiness.
    • Quote:
      • “He won't beat me. Cause I ain't going home. Not ever.”
        — Andy Spangler ([16:38])

The Climax: Truth and Tragedy

• [19:13–22:21]
  • Andy alerts Dillon that his pa has Ben cornered in an alley, intent on revenge.
  • Tense standoff; Andy demands to speak to Matt, revealing a crucial truth:
    • He accidentally shot Paris, mistaking him for an animal, using the lost rifle.
    • In panic, Andy disposed of the rifle in the river.
    • Quote:
      • “It was an accident. He saw something move and he thought it was an animal, so he fired at it... When he found he'd shot Paris, he got scared and threw the rifle into the river.”
        — Matt Dillon explaining Andy's confession ([21:37])
  • Spangler refuses to believe Andy, tries to shoot, and is killed by Dillon in self-defense.

Resolution: Redemption and New Beginnings

• [22:37–24:12]
  • Andy reveals Spangler was not his real pa; his mother made him take a new name.
  • Fears he'll be hanged for the accidental shooting; Dillon reassures him.
    • Quote:
      • “It was an accident, Andy. Nobody's gonna hang you.”
        — Matt Dillon ([23:09])
  • Ben Tipple, moved by Andy's courage and loneliness, invites him to live with him.
    • Quote:
      • “Andy, how'd you like to come home with me? I got a place for a boy like you.”
        — Ben Tipple ([23:32])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ben’s aversion to cowardice:
  “I don't hide from no man. You know me well enough for that.” — Ben Tipple ([05:28])

• Chester’s wistful longing:
  “Just think of laying on your back up there in the deep grass, drinking snow water and eating trout, listening to all them pretty birds singing away.” — Chester ([06:05])

• Matt on the burden of law:
  “Law sure isn't (getting rich). No, but the law keeps busy.” — Matt Dillon ([12:31])

• Andy’s innocence:
  “When are you gonna hang me? For shooting Mr. Paris?” — Andy Spangler ([22:58])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 04:08: Initial conflict—Ben Tipple and Frank Paris nearly come to blows
• 05:50: Matt and Chester find Frank Paris' body; suspicion begins
• 10:24: Matt questions Ben Tipple's possible guilt
• 12:15: Tension in the saloon—Spangler pressures Matt to act
• 15:22: Spangler abuses Andy over the lost rifle; Matt intervenes
• 19:13: Andy finds Matt; imminent violence in the alley
• 21:37: Andy confesses to the accidental shooting; resolution begins
• 23:32: Ben invites Andy to live with him, offering hope and family

Final Reflections

“Lost Rifle” is a poignant episode that delves deep into the quick judgments and dangerous tensions of frontier life. It offers a classic Western blend of action, moral ambiguity, and ultimately, the redemptive power of compassion. The story underscores how suspicion can cloud justice, but also how honesty and kindness can pave the way for healing, even among the most unlikely allies.

Classic Western justice, delivered with heart.