Someone asked If You ever found a gun

HiBucky

In another forum the question was posed "Did you ever find a gun " So I posted this..

TheGoonies1985

That is one way for the coyote to get the road runner or maybe not....BEEP BEEP!!!

emeraldATV

Found a safe at a scrap yard.
Inside was a Luger, alas it was a BB Luger. But it was cool trying to open it.

I like the true history a find like yours presents.
Thanks for the pics.

HiBucky

The scrap industry is a crazy industry, I know scrap guy who bought all the safety deposit boxes from a bank. They sat out side of his scrap yard for a year...... He found 2 boxes that were closed. He opened them this is all he would say. It was Canadian cash, Rolex, diamonds. They went on vacation for 2 weeks. Till this day he never really said what he found in them but it was big.....

ricko

Wow... I have often thought I may find an old gun, especially in the area the Mafia used to dump bodies here on the mountain. Have not found one yet though. Rough area, and very steep. I like the safety deposit box story though... found treasure, and good reason to not detail the finds... Just like cache hunters, never tell. Cheers, RickO

Bayard1908

Soak that Smith and Wesson hand ejector in white vinegar, or some other rust remover, replace a spring or two, and I bet it would shoot.

HiBucky

THE S & W was found on the shore line after a storm that removed the sand.... I was told that the gun was a Policemen's Gun because it had the stock handle with the rise of metal . The chain would screw into the raised metal and the other end was attached to the police officer . Could have been a motorcycle cops Gun.. Chain so he would not lose it.. what do you guys think?

Bayard1908

S&W hand ejectors that were military issue often have a lanyard ring on the butt. A cord, called a lanyard, hooks onto this ring and the other end of the lanyard hooks onto the user's body so that the revolver can't easily be lost. I don't see a lanyard ring on your revolver. The lanyard ring connects to a shallow socket in the butt and is held in place by a small cross pin. There is too much rust for me to see if your revolver has the cross pin. I don't understand the comment about a rise of metal on the handle. Years ago I repaired, or cannibalized for parts, over 400 S&W military issue revolvers of this general type.

HiBucky

In the bottom of the handle there is a little bump up of metal .. The guy who told me about the policeman's gun said that is the place the lanyard screwed into, so I was told..... .... I am so impressed with your knowledge, I depend on people like you for information. Can you tell me more about it, age, do you think it has a serial number and if it does where would it be. I was found below of a 200 foot cliff on the beach that does not see much traffic, on the Erie Shore Line.

Bayard1908

Smith & Wesson revolvers are all serial numbered, even those made in the 1850s. The serial number will be on the bottom of the butt. Revolvers from this era will also typically have the serial number on the bottom flat of the barrel and possibly on other parts, such as the cylinder. In addition to the serial number, there may also be an assembly number stamped inside the frame window and on the yoke or crane, maybe also on the sideplate. Handguns from this era required lots of hand fitting during assembly and mated parts were kept together using assembly numbers or serial numbers.

That design of S&W dates back to 1899 and essentially the same design is still in manufacture today. The thumbpiece style says it's not from recent decades. I can't see enough fine details to give you a more precise age. There's also a chance that this is a Spanish or Khyber Pass copy of a S&W.

As far as this being a police gun, I can't tell if part of the hammer has been rusted away, or, if the hammer has been deliberately "bobbed." If the hammer has been "bobbed," meaning that the hammer spur used for thumb cocking has been removed, then this probably was a police gun. Some police in the 1960s and 70s would convert S&W revolvers to double action only by removing the hammer spur and grinding away the sear notch on the hammer.

Exbrit

@Bayard1908 said:
S&W hand ejectors that were military issue often have a lanyard ring on the butt. A cord, called a lanyard, hooks onto this ring and the other end of the lanyard hooks onto the user's body so that the revolver can't easily be lost. I don't see a lanyard ring on your revolver. The lanyard ring connects to a shallow socket in the butt and is held in place by a small cross pin. There is too much rust for me to see if your revolver has the cross pin. I don't understand the comment about a rise of metal on the handle. Years ago I repaired, or cannibalized for parts, over 400 S&W military issue revolvers of this general type.

Did the military S&W's with lanyard ring use half moon clips for the ammunition like th colt .45s?

HiBucky

Bayard Thanks again// I think the gun looks pretty good as is. I may try to expose a serial number, and if I do what will the serial number tell me .. Owner, age ........ What will I learn and how can I get the information .. Thanks Jim

Jimnight

Those are some nice and very interesting pieces.

Bayard1908

@Exbrit said:
Did the military S&W's with lanyard ring use half moon clips for the ammunition like th colt .45s?

The S&W 1917 .45 ACP revolvers can be used with moon clips; however, those aren't the only S&W revolvers with lanyard rings. The S&W Victory model, .38 Special for U.S. and .38 S&W for Commonwealth, was made with lanyard rings during WWII.

Bayard1908

@HiBucky said:

I may try to expose a serial number, and if I do what will the serial number tell me .. Owner, age ........ What will I learn and how can I get the information .

If you had the serial number you could look up the age of the revolver. As a quick estimate of age, the older S&W revolvers will have 4 sideplate screws and an additional screw in the front of the frame near the triggerguard. S&W revolvers from recent decades will have three sideplate screws and no screw in the front of the frame. Although the markings on your gun are probably obliterated, older S&W revolvers of this type will have patent dates on the top of the barrel.

ricko

If you can determine the serial number, Smith and Wesson can tell you when it was made. They will not be able to tell you who owned it...You can call or write to them, go to the website. Cheers, RickO

metalmeister

Found old guns, along with Gold and mercury while dredging the rivers in California back when it was still legal.

HiBucky

Thanks ricko

rte592

Had a friend that was helping a friend clean out the fathers stuff after he passed.
Found 2 floor safes in a junk pile outside.
One was empty missing the top lid.
The other still intact and had stuff rattling around inside.
I cut the bottom with a cutoff wheel grinder and found what was left of a wad of bills (paper was disintegrated beyond recognition)
Moldy and heavily stained black.
About 15 cents in old pennies and a dissasembled rusty 1902 colt pistol.

1630Boston

@rte592 said:
Had a friend that was helping a friend clean out the fathers stuff after he passed.
Found 2 floor safes in a junk pile outside.

I cut the bottom with a cutoff wheel grinder and found what was left of a wad of bills (paper was disintegrated beyond recognition)
Moldy and heavily stained black.

Not sure, but the Government might replace the disintegrated money ??

https://www.bep.gov/services/currencyredemption.html

Namvet69

Only parts and pieces of guns like trigger guards, butt plates, barrel rings from early Springfield rifles. Peace Roy

Azurescens

S&W are such hot guns. I love my M2.0 Compact. 13+1 rounds, amazing grip, trigger, slide, front rail, all of it is stunningly hot.

I didn't hesitate buying one of their guns or lots of their shares. They are a damn fine company and create American jobs. I can totally get behind that.

ricko

@Azurescens .... I agree....I am especially fond of the S&W revolvers... My 29-2 is a treasure, purchased new in '75 I believe it was. A work of revolver art and an icon of movie history with 'Dirty Harry'. Cheers, RickO

metalmeister

My S&W is one nice looking gun. Nothing beats polished Nickle.

HiBucky

Once again... The Talent Pool and Knowledge Pool of this site makes me want to Stand Up and say Thank You .. we not only have people who are experts at coins but we have experts in many items... All we need to do is ask..... Jim

alifaxwa2

@HiBucky said:
Once again... The Talent Pool and Knowledge Pool of this site makes me want to Stand Up and say Thank You .. we not only have people who are experts at coins but we have experts in many items... All we need to do is ask..... Jim

Hydrant

Little Hydrant Joey who is 5 years old, found the rusted up remains of a rifle here on the ranch a few months back. It's a .22. Most likely belonged to his great grandpa or great-great grandpa. Joey is pretty sure it's from the big Indian battle his grandpa, me, was in. He asked me if I dropped it in the battle. I didn't tell him different.

ricko

But did you get scalped?? Cheers, RickO

Namvet69

@HiBucky Thought you'd like to see this brass triggerguard for a flintlock that I just dug. Resembles circa 1770's Lancaster Pa. style, it has strong file lines being handcrafted. Peace Roy

HiBucky

What a great find... !!! I can never get over the history that comes from the ground. What a great item.... Some times if you look over the item with a glass you may see numbers. Please tell us what else you found in the area ,,, Thanks

Namvet69

@HiBucky Good morning, Checkout "you know you like it raw" for more items dug at this property. Have a good day. Peace Roy