Digging Iron Signals at a Relics Site

[Mason Jarr]

I dig iron signals (all of them) while I'm detecting at the Indian War sites I have. Yes, I dig lots of square nails and cans, but occasionally some really good stuff comes out. On my last trip I got a nice fragment from a mountain howitzer cannonball and my favorite, a Sharp's percussion rifle combination tool. The tool has two screwdriver blades and a wrench for removing the nipple. It's pretty rusty so I've included an image showing one in good condition. I believe if I keep digging iron I'm going to find a firearm one of these days.

 

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[Sandog]

Cool tool.

 

[Kona Koma]

I dig iron signals (all of them) while I'm detecting at the Indian War sites I have. Yes, I dig lots of square nails and cans, but occasionally some really good stuff comes out. On my last trip I got a nice fragment from a mountain howitzer cannonball and my favorite, a Sharp's percussion rifle combination tool. The tool has two screwdriver blades and a wrench for removing the nipple. It's pretty rusty so I've included an image showing one in good condition. I believe if I keep digging iron I'm going to find a firearm one of these days.

That’s a nice find.

 

[Mason Jarr]

Cool tool.

It is. I like it. Thanks!

 

[Mason Jarr]

That’s a nice find.

Thanks!

 

[Timbermaster]

Among the first multi-tools no doubt. A great find. I will dig iron too, and have found some nice relics because of it.

 

[TORRERO]

Years ago we hunted Napolionic sites in Spain and dug a lot of Riffle parts, but no barrels... someone said that because a gun firing heats the barrel up so much, they rust to dust supper fast and you won't find any barrels... I don't know if that's true, only that we did not find any... That being said, I find it hard to believe that riffle barrels would rust completely out in 200 years... considering the thickness.. we did find a lot of cannonballs and tons of fragments...
Basically meaning that LARGE iron targets were coming up, even though we were not specifically looking for iron.
from those exploding shells..

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Very nice !

 

[Digger RJ]

I dig iron signals (all of them) while I'm detecting at the Indian War sites I have. Yes, I dig lots of square nails and cans, but occasionally some really good stuff comes out. On my last trip I got a nice fragment from a mountain howitzer cannonball and my favorite, a Sharp's percussion rifle combination tool. The tool has two screwdriver blades and a wrench for removing the nipple. It's pretty rusty so I've included an image showing one in good condition. I believe if I keep digging iron I'm going to find a firearm one of these days.

Nice!!! Congrats!!!

 

[Gare]

Glad you could get out. I have detected near Pritchard and Murray Idaho I wanted to do the tailing pile out there but was warned i might never be heard or seen again. I understand people take prospecting out there very SERIOUS !!

 

[Mason Jarr]

Glad you could get out. I have detected near Pritchard and Murray Idaho I wanted to do the tailing pile out there but was warned i might never be heard or seen again. I understand people take prospecting out there very SERIOUS !!

I've never been up that way so can't say anything about your experience. I've had very good luck gaining access to private property, but have never tried to get on a mining claim. Maybe try tracking down the claim owner and asking if you can go through the tailing pile.

 

[mindcrime1988]

I don't mind digging iron signals myself if the area is not trashy.

 

[scruggs]

Hard to beat those nice old relics, nice hunting!