I haven't felt this exposed since my last shower,” one character remarks, to which another responds, "You must have a long memory!” That feeling of vulnerability arises because sheriff Wyatt Earp (Will Geer) prohibits firearms within his town’s limits, forcing these men to leave quickly after they stole a brand-new Winchester rifle from its rightful owner. “McAdam” (James Stewart) had won the rifle in a shooting contest against “Dutch Henry” (Stephen McNally), who didn't appreciate losing and subsequently ambushed “McAdam,” making off with the gun. However, they lacked any other weapons or ammunition for their prize. Upon reaching a trading post, they run into “Joe” (John McIntire), who’s anticipating the arrival of “Young Bull” (Rock Hudson) and his tribe so he can sell them guns. Joe becomes interested in the Winchester rifle, and after some drinking and card games, ends up taking it to meet with a warlike chief, who also wants possession of it. The gun then passes into the hands of a failed raiding party, nearly returning to “McAdam,” but instead goes to someone involved with a group of unsavory characters soon besieged by law enforcement officers. When their leader escapes a coal-oil fire with the rifle and “Lola” (Shelley Winters), things finally seem poised to resolve as it’s revealed that “Dutch” and “McAdam” are brothers, and a harsh conclusion unfolds against a backdrop of rugged mountains. I thought the ending felt somewhat hurried, but otherwise, this is a skillfully assembled series of stories using the rifle as a link between narratives about raiding Native Americans, pioneering travelers, and some rather straightforward sibling rivalry. Shelley Winters avoided playing timid roles, and she brings considerable presence to her character as the story progresses; McIntire displays a touch of calculating slyness, and there’s even a classic circling-of-wagons scene as Stewart and J.C. Flippen’s “Sgt. Wilkes” defend themselves against shouting Indians. This western adheres to the genre's finest standards: it was well-made, written, and acted, demonstrating once again that Jimmy Stewart ranked among the greats in this kind of film.

Source on TMDB