Something we dug up

Does indeed appear to be a CSO (Colt-Shaped Object). Presumably an 1849 Pocket if it's a 5-shot. Brass trigger guard, which has survived somewhat better than the rest of it.
 
Be great if you can find a letter, diary or claim on losing that Colt. Then (with the provenance established) it would be worth quite a bit.
 
Two great pieces of history

JBar,

Nice detecive work on a nice find. (Another gold strike in Helena).

All,

My only hesitation is what to me is clearly a dragoon style barrel on Indy's find.

Perhaps a replacement barrel?

You historians:

Am I off base here?
 
I dunno Hawg..

I think I can clearly see a transistion between the front (round part) of the barrel and the lug.

I think it is visible on both sides of the barrel.

Perhaps Indy would share his opinion as to whether it appears the barrel started out round or octagonal.

This is a reeeeeal long shot but how many of the original Leech and Rigdons are accounted for?

Ooops Wait...No...five shots
 
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That apparent transition on each side is pretty odd alright...

I kind of vaguely remember reading about having the barrels cut off at the lug, drilled, and tapped for a replacement barrel... but I don't remember why.
 
ha ha more likely some guy on his way home from a Local bar, tried to shoot a rabbit with it, missed and said "Can not hit anything with this old piece of sh*t" and threw it into the woods.
 
What kind of detector? I found this 92 Winchester made in 1907 with a White's 6000 Di/Pro SL.

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That is beautiful HH.. That is Just aching for a rifle stock ... Can you read the caliber??

Per the detector, I do not know, I picked it up 30 years ago.. and got rid of it years ago..
 
32-20. I soaked it in kerosene for about three months and got it freed up but it's too far gone to try to do anything with.

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WOW That is so cool you got it to move .... It is practically alive again..

I really like the dent in the feed tube...

How about where you found it and the details????
 
I had a lead on a little known Civil War skirmish. I was in deep woods with no sign of a house ever having been anywhere nearby. That was all I found except for a few fired rifle cartridges and shotgun shells. The rifle was empty, The dent in the feed tube came several years after I found it. I searched for the butt plate but never found it. I suppose a hunter could have kicked it up. My question has always been why empty, way out there in the middle of nowhere? I didn't find any fired cartridges. Nothing to explain it being there. I didn't find the skirmish site either. I always intended to go back but never got around to it.
 
Fantastic tale

moocho thanks for sharing... I did not know about the soaking in kerosene to remove rust, I have some bullet molds that could use some cleaning up..
 
Given enough time kerosene will soak thru just about anything metal. Once kero soaks thru a metal bucket it won't hold kero anymore but gas won't leak from it.
 
That's some neat stuff. I need to drag out the metal detector and do some looking at one of my farms in Kentucky. It was reportedly the site of a log fort of sorts during the Civil War that had cavalry stationed there. It is unclear whether it was Union or Confederate, due to location it could have been either or both, as we know Confederate Colonel John Hunt Morgan arrived in the county with a brigade August 29, 1862. There could be some interesting things to find, especially if I can determine the location of the fort.
 
Mystery solved ??

The topic of the 'dug relic pistol' really caught my attention. I have been to the post looking at it many times. Like one of the other posts, I had the idea it might be a composite built conferderate piece. Especially the round barrel and early style latch, but the small 31 cal.? and 5 shot cylinder do not fit any known scenarios. Then this week, I was looking through my research material related to Conferderate revolvers and ran accross a photo of a 1849 Colt Pocket pistol with a Dragoon style barrel. It seems collectors have seen some of these but they are very rare. Apparently, Colt, either made these as a marketing test or unknown experimental piece. Another pausible reason, they were made as a short run for a specific company or military outfit. The photo and detailed explanation can be seen in 'James D. Julias', March 15 & 16, 2010 sessions 2 of 2 aution catalog, page #166. These are pretty neat looking and am thinking of making one.
 
Dug up guns

Hi there. We own and operate a smal museum here in Cody, Wyoming, called Cody Dug Up Gun Museum, and are always lookin for more relic guns and related items to add to our exhibits. We always welcome donations and also will purchase them as well. Check us out at www.codydugupgunmuseum.com Thanks!
 
Cool find:cool:

My uncle gave me a 3 band Enfield for Christmas when I was 13. It was found in (very) southern Indiana beneath the floor of his father in laws barn in a wooden box some time in the late 50s, when the barn was being torn down to build a new one. It had been cut down to Musketoon or artillery carbine length. It's still in pretty good shape save for a small chunk of the stock missing right behind the hammer. Working lock and somewhat working trigger. The crown, date and TOWER are still clearly visible on the lock. When it was found it had a mini ball loaded....which my uncle had a gunsmith pull and disposed of:( well before I received it.
 
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