As a kid of the fifties, THE RIFLEMAN was a particular favorite. I mean, there was a kid in it about my age doing things I desperately thought I wanted to do in that period. An honest to gosh cowboy, riding horses and everything.
Though I wasn’t aware of it at hat time, Sam Peckinpah was a young writer cutting his teeth on many western series during that period, one of which was The Rifleman. I’ve seen a number he wrote for the show since ME-TV has been running them twice a day. The two parter below, caught recently though, was written by actor Robert Culp.
The third episode is DEATH NEVER RIDES ALONE and guests future spaghetti western star Lee Van Cleef as an old friend of Lucas, a gunman who wants to retire to a quiet place.
Not The Baseball Pitcher 
I loved THE RIFLEMAN when I was a kid. The only downside for me was McCain’s whiny son, played by Johnny Crawford. I dreamed of the day when Lucas would use the little snot as target practice. Never happened, dang it!
Yea, he could be whiny at time. But I was just a child then. I wanted to be him.
I have a friend who still has has Rifleman rifle, and he still has the box it came in, too.
Loved his gun indeed. I’ve never seen all these episodes but have enjoyed the ones I have seen. I need to try to catch ’em all.