Help ID Pistol Please.

[SoMdRelicHunter]

Hey guys,
Dug this pistol at the last DIV, mixed in with a bunch of Gardners, Ringtails, and Teardrops. (And a few Confederate buttons although not dug by me but I did get to watch my old man dig a nice little VA cuff) I tried like hell to find the barrel with no luck...I cannot seem to find a match for this anywhere. Checked all the books I have (admittedly not as many on guns as I should have in my arsenal I suppose) Also searched online to no avail...
I really like this piece a ton and would love to figure out what it is. Figured there's no one better at the gift of ID'ing things on the internet than y'all here!
Thanks a lot for your help!!

-JP

[Ads]

TreasureNet.com is the premier Treasure Hunting Forum on the internet. Registered Users do not see these ads. Please Register - It's Free!

[Diggit]

You might have to be a little more abstract than you think. I think what you have there is the bottom "trigger" group portion of something, and the actual profile of the original firearm would be much different.
It may be something that was dropped later at the location. It looks like the trigger guard is a separate piece from the frontstrap.. odd.

[SoMdRelicHunter]

Everyone is as stumped as me, huh? Lol

[Breezie]

It looks like a toy pistol; perhaps an antique cast iron water 'bulb' pistol. Actually it's hard to tell from the photos. How many inches long is it? Nice find, Breezie

[Gunrunner61]

Hmmmmmmmmmm...............The frame looks awfull narrow, and long too. Ok! I'll be honest, Not a clue

[pops9653]

Ok not sure but I don't think it is a pistol. Maybe the trigger housing for a black powder rifle. Maybe a flint lock. I would try and have someone familiar with old flintlock look at it. I think it is a trigger housing of some sort.

[SoMdRelicHunter]

It looks like a toy pistol; perhaps an antique cast iron water 'bulb' pistol. Actually it's hard to tell from the photos. How many inches long is it? Nice find, Breezie

Thanks Breezie!
It is roughly 6 inches long... It could very well be I suppose. We all have found things in camps that shouldn't be there! Lol. I think it to be period however. Do you have any pictures of the Bulb guns that I could compare to? Here's a picture hopefully it works from my phone. You can see where it would have had grips of some type and also you can see where the trigger sear comes up into the frame... I have never taken apart a Flint lock but I do own some percussion revolvers and the trigger guard/frame is similar in the factof how the sear comes up the middle... Anyhow, thanks for the input. Here's some pics hopefully.

[SoMdRelicHunter]

Thanks Breezie!
It is roughly 6 inches long... It could very well be I suppose. We all have found things in camps that shouldn't be there! Lol. I think it to be period however. Do you have any pictures of the Bulb guns that I could compare to? Here's a picture hopefully it works from my phone. You can see where it would have had grips of some type and also you can see where the trigger sear comes up into the frame... I have never taken apart a Flint lock but I do own some percussion revolvers and the trigger guard/frame is similar in the factof how the sear comes up the middle... Anyhow, thanks for the input. Here's some pics hopefully.

Pics!!

[SoMdRelicHunter]

Hmmmmmmmmmm...............The frame looks awfull narrow, and long too. Ok! I'll be honest, Not a clue

That makes two of us!! lol

[SoMdRelicHunter]

Ok not sure but I don't think it is a pistol. Maybe the trigger housing for a black powder rifle. Maybe a flint lock. I would try and have someone familiar with old flintlock look at it. I think it is a trigger housing of some sort.

I thought of that as well... Still think this is a good possibility but I can't find one with an assembly like this... The pistol grip lends credence to this being a boot pistol over part of a rifle as well... I am not discounting this theory however... Still looking. Thanks for the input!

[l.cutler]

Ok not sure but I don't think it is a pistol. Maybe the trigger housing for a black powder rifle. Maybe a flint lock. I would try and have someone familiar with old flintlock look at it. I think it is a trigger housing of some sort.

May be a trigger housing but not from a flintlock. They generally had just a trigger pinned through a small plate, or often just the wood itself. If it is a trrigger housing I would say it is much newer, maybe from the cartridge era.

[allen_idaho]

Could be some type of boot pistol. Those were usually single shot and very narrow.

[bdabney29]

I agree with breezie, I saw a toy gun on the History channel today and I saw this pic earlier today and it looked just like it. The very first cap guns were made of metal and were identical of the real ones.

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

I don't know pistols, but I do like looking for pictues of them. Below are two pistols that look similar to the one in question. (These are just examples. There are jillions of varieties).

1. Civil War era Boot Pistol. (Like Allen mentioned).

2. Revolutionary period Pistol. (I like the way the handle is angled).

3. SMRH's rusted relic.

SBB

[SoMdRelicHunter]

I agree with breezie, I saw a toy gun on the History channel today and I saw this pic earlier today and it looked just like it. The very first cap guns were made of metal and were identical of the real ones.

It may very well be. I just want to figure out what it is... Do you remember the show or maybe what they called the gun so i can mark this one solved?

[Stand Watie]

I'm stumped too.

It has an inordinately large trigger guard. If anything I'd have to go with some type of boot pistol as pictured above.

[SoMdRelicHunter]

I don't know pistols, but I do like looking for pictues of them. Below are two pistols that look similar to the one in question. (These are just examples. There are jillions of varieties).

1. Civil War era Boot Pistol. (Like Allen mentioned).

2. Revolutionary period Pistol. (I like the way the handle is angled).

3. SMRH's rusted relic.

SBB

Thanks for the input Bob. I am dying to figure this one out good or bad. I would love to see some of these boot pistols stripped down to the frame... I figured the ones posted had the barreled action sitting in the wood furniture... Mine seems to have a spot on either side for wooden grips.

[SoMdRelicHunter]

I'm stumped too.

It has an inordinately large trigger guard. If anything I'd have to go with some type of boot pistol as pictured above.

That was the first thing I took notice too when I dug it. Based upon where I dug it, it certainly should be period. A camp that's no where near much of anything else.... no other newer relics bit perhaps some farm equipage. (Though we all know strange things turn up in areas they shouldn't ) Whether it's a toy or not I certainly like it a lot.

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

Civil War era Boot Pistol ~ Rusted relic without wood. (Seems to be a typical style).

[Bigcypresshunter]

It looks as if the barrel is missing. With no cylinder it must be single shot or muzzleloading. I agree its just the trigger housing and frame but the grips look kinda small in your hand.

It would be cool to see it after electrolysis.