1830s Pistol!

[Guest 1551]

My best find ever just came out of electrolysis! I found it the other day at a Second Seminole War fort i've been hunting at here in North Florida. At first I thought i had just a regular old pipe but then i realized that it was octangonal shaped and that there was a "lip" near the end of the barrel! I could even feel a tiny sting of tears in my eyes upon realization of what i had. I've wanted to find a pistol since I was 5 years old. It is truly amazing to finally have this dream fulfilled.

 

[Ahab8]

Great find and great story! So happy for you. You're obviously very passionate about this item and the fact that it's a dream find for you is awesome. I found a beautiful hexagonal brass pistol barrel and I consider it one of those "once in a lifetime" type finds. Congrats to you

 

[villagenut]

Congrads on the nice one you got there, donneybrook. I know the feeling you got, happens when you bring to light something special that we connect with. Living in Florida as well, Indian Wars artifacts will do that to us. I often tell people who ride me for having such a passion, "Its not a matter of ...If this relic could talk...., IT IS talking and IF you are listening to it , you will understand." Not many folks ever get that, but I am certain that you do, great save there...vn

 

[bootybandit]

Congrats on the amazing find!

 

[treblehunter]

Nice save.

 

[TNGUNS]

An awesome relic from our past no doubt. Congrats on the find and an even bigger one on achieving the goal.

 

[slowwevo]

wow.I have pulled some cool stuff from my war sites but nothing of this caliber(no pun intended)

 

[wheatfinder13]

That's a really cool find. Congrats

 

[Tony in SC]

Great artifact!! You don't find one of those everyday. Tony

 

[I-DIG-IT]

Nice digs.

 

[WheatWaffle]

Nice find!

 

[hbeaton]

Maybe difficult to pin down exactly the make of this barrel but it almost looks like an 1836 Colt Paterson Model 5 (.36 caliber, they made a .28 caliber too in the first year of production, though this one looks a bit bigger in the barrel) Colt sold the Paterson revolver to the US Army and it saw limited use in the Second Seminole War. Only about 2800 of these made (including the .28). Very cool find!

 

[Guest 1551]

Great find and great story! So happy for you. You're obviously very passionate about this item and the fact that it's a dream find for you is awesome. I found a beautiful hexagonal brass pistol barrel and I consider it one of those "once in a lifetime" type finds. Congrats to you

Thank you so much Ahab. Congrats to you on your pine tree shilling by the way!

Congrads on the nice one you got there, donneybrook. I know the feeling you got, happens when you bring to light something special that we connect with. Living in Florida as well, Indian Wars artifacts will do that to us. I often tell people who ride me for having such a passion, "Its not a matter of ...If this relic could talk...., IT IS talking and IF you are listening to it , you will understand." Not many folks ever get that, but I am certain that you do, great save there...vn

Stellar post my friend. I know exactly what you mean about the feeling of pulling something like this out of the ground after all the years its lain there. It's incredible to think that 175 years ago some soldier in some foregin territory he probably didnt want to be in, shot at something and his pistol blew up in his face! (At least, i think its blown up)

An awesome relic from our past no doubt. Congrats on the find and an even bigger one on achieving the goal.

Thanks TN! The 11 years it took me to find this make the discovery that much sweeter.

Maybe difficult to pin down exactly the make of this barrel but it almost looks like an 1836 Colt Paterson Model 5 (.36 caliber, they made a .28 caliber too in the first year of production, though this one looks a bit bigger in the barrel) Colt sold the Paterson revolver to the US Army and it saw limited use in the Second Seminole War. Only about 2800 of these made (including the .28). Very cool find!

Thanks! I'll look into it. That'd be awesome if that is indeed the exact model.

 

[Guest 1551]

This place i've been hunting has been bizarre. Before the pistol i found a couple heavily deteriorated bayonets. (here's an overlay of one of them) Also pictured is a pic of the pistol pre-electrolysis.

 

[Guest 1551]

i showed it to a blacksmith at our church yesterday and he said it is indeed a pistol!