The fastest man with a handgun this side of Abilene, middle-aged marshal Dan Blaine (Glenn Ford) is about to have his reputation tested...again. Riding into town is Lot McGuire (Chad Everett), a young gunman of blinding speed who doesn't want to live his life thinking he's second best. And while Blaine's girlfriend (Angie Dickinson) would rather he avoid a showdown, the marshal refuses to back down, knowing a gunslinger who's not the best at what he does is a dead man anyway.

In this western, a town sheriff contends with his reputation as the "fastest gun in the West." When a young gunslinger calls him out for a showdown, the sheriff is struck by the fellow's resemblance to himself and unsuccessfully attempts to talk him out of his foolish career choice.