# Is "The Broken Gun" by Louis L'Amour a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Broken Gun by Louis L'Amour (Bantam Books, 1966) is identified by: Bantam paperback original, 1966, carrying the Bantam catalog number J-3098 on the first printing. True first US edition; paperback original with no prior hardcover.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Bantam paperback original, 1966, carrying the Bantam catalog number J-3098 on the first printing
- A contemporary-set Western; this mass-market Bantam printing is the first appearance in book form, with no prior hardcover
- Publisher imprint reads Bantam Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Louis L'Amour |
| Publisher | Bantam Books |
| Year | 1966 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Bantam paperback original, 1966, carrying the Bantam catalog number J-3098 on the first… |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
Bantam paperback original, 1966, carrying the Bantam catalog number J-3098 on the first printing. A contemporary-set Western; this mass-market Bantam printing is the first appearance in book form, with no prior hardcover.

## Is this the true first?
True first US edition; paperback original with no prior hardcover.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Not applicable; paperback original. Later Bantam reissues carry different catalog numbers and cover art.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Broken Gun* by Louis L'Amour a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-broken-gun
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.