Guns of the Mountains, along with The Ghost with the Silk Hat and A Gent from Bear Creek, was received by Howard’s agent, Otis Kline, on November 8, 1933. It was published in Action Stories in May–June 1934. The story sold for $50, of which Howard received $42.50.

The Breckinridge Elkins story begins with an attempt to recover Uncle Garfield’s stolen watch. Howard later altered it slightly for use as Chapter 4 of the novel A Gent from Bear Creek.