Gun-toting means carrying a gun, usually out in the open, as if it is part of who you are. We almost always put it in front of a person: a gun-toting cowboy, a gun-toting guard. It does not just mean “has a gun at home in a drawer”; it paints a picture of someone walking around with a gun, ready to use it. The word is a little colourful and a little judging — newspapers use it when they want you to feel the danger, not when they are being careful and official. “Tote” is an old informal verb meaning “to carry.” You will see the hyphen most of the time: gun-toting. It is an adjective, not a job title and not the fight itself.