Found a gun while digging today

[Monkeyman2500]

This is the hottest story on TGO right now. What's Spots gots.

[RED333]

I say it is a repop, I will give a dollar 2.98. :rofl:

JK, cool find no matter what it is.

I have a lever action that was in a house fire, barrel and mag tube has a nice curve.

Locked up tighter that a drum.

[Cherokee Slim]

Looking at my fake and repro book, the 6 numbers you posted would put it as a Ruger old army reproduction manufactured in 1976. The 6 numbers posted are the last 6 of serial number beginning with 142 or 143 and a dash. Still cool nonetheless. I wouldn't take my word for it however I know someone who could definitely confirm it or not.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk 2

Link me to a source for this book.  Thanks Cherokee Slim

[Guest TankerHC]

Its actually several books. Im on my way to ms so you will have to look them up. First is gun digest How To spot a fake and reproduction". Which is why I changed my mind from repro to real. Great book for learning and as a reference. If you would like ill send it tou you. Read it and pass it on. On MSGO we had a sticky for passing books on. The second reference was Civil War pistols b6 John McCauley. Be glad to send that one as well. The third was Henry Hollands list of Civil War revolver. Which I would also offer to send but would need that one back. I have probably 20 detailed books on CW ERA firearms. This is in none of them. Im pretty sure Spots will know soon because I stole his picture (sorry spots) and emailed it to a friend of mine. A curator at the Museum of the Civil War in Gettysburg and I will be there talking to him on the 15th of October. Should know soon. Next day or so. Sorry to spots again but I see something like this I want to know what it is. Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk 2 Edited September 29, 2013 by TankerHC

[vontar]

Spots, if you do any metal detecting, that might be an interesting place to try.  There might be some other goodies in the area.

 

That is a hobby I would have liked to have got into but never knew good places to check.

[Spots]

Its actually several books. Im on my way to ms so you will have to look them up. First is gun digest How To spot a fake and reproduction". Which is why I changed my mind from repro to real. Great book for learning and as a reference. If you would like ill send it tou you. Read it and pass it on. On MSGO we had a sticky for passing books on. The second reference was Civil War pistols b6 John McCauley. Be glad to send that one as well. The third was Henry Hollands list of Civil War revolver. Which I would also offer to send but would need that one back. I have probably 20 detailed books on CW ERA firearms. This is in none of them. Im pretty sure Spots will know soon because I stole his picture (sorry spots) and emailed it to a friend of mine. A curator at the Museum of the Civil War in Gettysburg and I will be there talking to him on the 15th of October. Should know soon. Next day or so. Sorry to spots again but I see something like this I want to know what it is. Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk 2

No problem at all. I could send it to you to show to him if it would help?

Tapatalk ate my spelling.

[Guest TankerHC]

Up to you but if you want to do that ill take it to 2 museum's and The Armory and let some experts that I know look at it.

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[Cherokee Slim]

Cool Beans!  I just found one on EBay.  I'd never heard of it.  Maybe all those years in the jungle.  I'm behind on a lot of books, music & TV.  Thanks for the help.

Cherokee Slim

[Guest TankerHC]

When I started looking I thought Holy Crap he found one "The Original 100".. Wrong cylinder. DANG.

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[Jonnin]

The condition, to me, screams "recent" burial.  As in, buried in 50's to 70's roughly, possibly even more recently.   Logically it does not make a ton of sense to have buried it if it were a genuine antique... even in the 50s,  the owner should have / would have known  better.   Could have been in an old shed or something that collapsed, though, stranger things have happened, and 15 min with that shovel would verify if it were in a collapsed building.    I dunno what to think but the condition to me makes me wary of delcaring it an antique "at a glance".  

 

While it would be cool if it were ancient, its cool either way.  It almost looks like enough TLC could restore it to shooting condition. It would certainly be fit to hang on a wall with just a little bit of work -- electro off the rust, cold blue, and a set of grips would get you close.

[Spots]

The condition, to me, screams "recent" burial. As in, buried in 50's to 70's roughly, possibly even more recently. Logically it does not make a ton of sense to have buried it if it were a genuine antique... even in the 50s, the owner should have / would have known better. Could have been in an old shed or something that collapsed, though, stranger things have happened, and 15 min with that shovel would verify if it were in a collapsed building. I dunno what to think but the condition to me makes me wary of delcaring it an antique "at a glance".

While it would be cool if it were ancient, its cool either way. It almost looks like enough TLC could restore it to shooting condition. It would certainly be fit to hang on a wall with just a little bit of work -- electro off the rust, cold blue, and a set of grips would get you close.

Im not worried about it being real. I was pretty excited to find something lol. I think Im gonna send it to tankerhc just to make sure and if its a repop Ill electro off the rust and do a wall hanger job on it like you said.

Tapatalk ate my spelling.

[Jonnin]

yea it is neat to find things.   Real is probably the wrong word.  I think you have a (probably functional) real gun.  It just may not be an 1880s production real gun. 

[DaveS]

The condition, to me, screams "recent" burial.  As in, buried in 50's to 70's roughly, possibly even more recently.   Logically it does not make a ton of sense to have buried it if it were a genuine antique... even in the 50s,  the owner should have / would have known  better.   Could have been in an old shed or something that collapsed, though, stranger things have happened, and 15 min with that shovel would verify if it were in a collapsed building.    I dunno what to think but the condition to me makes me wary of delcaring it an antique "at a glance".  

 

While it would be cool if it were ancient, its cool either way.  It almost looks like enough TLC could restore it to shooting condition. It would certainly be fit to hang on a wall with just a little bit of work -- electro off the rust, cold blue, and a set of grips would get you close.

I have found Civil War Relics with my metal detector that was in equal and better shape than his pistol. If this pistol was lost by someone on horse back, the owner would have no idea where it was lost, until such time as he determined it missing, then he wouldn't try to determine where! I'm a Civil War Historian, and that's how we find relics every day! The fluted cylinder screams 1851 Colt Navy 3rd Model. We'll see!

 

DaveS

[DaveS]

yea it is neat to find things.   Real is probably the wrong word.  I think you have a (probably functional) real gun.  It just may not be an 1880s production real gun. 

Keep in mind that in 1873 Colt was not producing 1851 Colt Navy's. 1873 Colt Peacemaker took it's place. My research shows that 1863-1864 was the last production years for the "Navy" style revolver. Contracts may have been different. Still researching that. Barrel and frame scream .36 Colt Navy!

 

DS

Edited September 30, 2013 by DaveS

[Mike.357]

I am still curious to know why you chose to dig where you did?    Maybe there is a reason that spot was previously chosen to make a hole.

[Spots]

I am still curious to know why you chose to dig where you did? Maybe there is a reason that spot was previously chosen to make a hole.

Because it was a straight line off the city water line to the house, and there were no trees or obstacles to go around. It was just the best place to dig to install the new water line since there were no trees in tbe way and it was the shortest distanc point a to point b

Tapatalk ate my spelling.

[Mike.357]

was there ever a previous structure with a water line on that site?

 

I am a firm believer that things are not a coincidence.  Do you think it was buried or dropped?

 

Any previous structure?   There is something in common as to why that gun was there.

[Spots]

was there ever a previous structure with a water line on that site?

I am a firm believer that things are not a coincidence. Do you think it was buried or dropped?

Any previous structure? There is something in common as to why that gun was there.

No way there would have been a previous water line as there has only been county water there for 5 years. Old water lines would have came from the well out back.

I dont know about buried or dropped. Its unloaded and uncapped so I'm thinking buried possibly. No previous structures that I know of. Its verh possible that the gun could have been pushed around the property by a tractor bucket or a dozer when doing the yard or even the foundation, and an old habit used to be to have the county haul in the top soil from the ditches and spread that around the yard. It could have been throw in a ditch, then buried when the top soil was hauled in.

Tapatalk ate my spelling.

[Guest Bonedaddy]

That's purdy cool. I never have that kinda luck. I did dig up a live .50 cal. cartridge when I was a kid behind the house my dad bought from my grandfather but that was the best thing I ever found. No one had a clue as to why one .50 cal. bullet was back there. It mighta been 6-8" down where I was diggin' right next to the foundation, probably lookin' for worms. The pistol would make an awesome wall piece.

[gregintenn]

                                http://rprca.tripod.com/ModelsColt1851Navy.htm

 

Third row down, first picture on the left looks a lot like what you found to me.

[KahrMan]

                                http://rprca.tripod.com/ModelsColt1851Navy.htm

 

Third row down, first picture on the left looks a lot like what you found to me.

Nice find.  After enlarging both pics, I think you are correct.  The screw holes, fluting, hammer, it all looks like  a match to me.

[JAB]

Late to the party but cool find, Spots!  Some months back, a guy on another forum posted a link to yet another forum (confused yet?) where a fellah was attempting to restore a 1911 pistol that had been found - oddly enough - buried in mud in a field in Tennessee.  He documented the process of his attempts to restore it so I thought the link might be of use to you in case you decide to clean up that old revolver:

 

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=500894

 

Included in that thread was a link to another thread on using electrolysis to clean rust:

 

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=476906&highlight=rust

[94user]

Dangit. I've dug a bunch of water lines. I only find rocks.

Edited October 1, 2013 by 94user

[atlas3025]

STILL green with envy!

[Spots]

STILL green with envy!

You have an M1A SOCOM I'm green with envy of too lol. This would look great in your safe lol.

Tapatalk ate my spelling.