Abraham Lincoln and the Peacemaker

[david680]

Done a little river wading today. Metal detector found some junk, but the two eyeball finds are kind of nice. Seen what looked like a label laying in about a foot and a half of water. Ran my detector over it and it swirled up and back down through the coil. Caught my eye and when I bent down and took a closer look, I seen 'Ole Abe looking back at me. Scooped that up, I'll take $5 bills over 500 zinclons any day. Next eyeball find was in a foot of water, a revolver. Large heavy hawgleg. Picked it up, figured it was a modern repro of a old sixshooter. Could read Frontier Sixshooter on the side. Searched that when I got home, and its a Colt. Once I knew where to look could even see the old Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company label line on top. Found the serial number on the butt, its either a 81,XXX or a 87,XXX number, which on the Colt SAA is 1882-3 range. Made for a short hunt trying to lug a detector, a scoop and the hawgleg around, but made this a short hunt and was happy with it!

 

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[jewelerguy]

wow that pistol is sweet

 

[dirtlooter]

the ole bucket list has finding an old gun, at this point any old gun but that one is like jewelerguy said, sweet!

 

[Red James Cash]

which on the Colt SAA is 1882-3 range.

You might have a problem,yours isnt a SAA...SAA stands for "Single Action Army",yours is definitely double action.

 

[david680]

You might have a problem,yours isnt a SAA...SAA stands for "Single Action Army",yours is definitely double action.

Well, its not a problem, but it may be a mis-ID. Too stoked about it to be disappointed. If so this would appear to be a 1878 Frontier Model, and I am wrong on the serial number, as they were discontinued at 51210. My initial thought was that the serial number began with a 3, but the first two digits are worn. However, 3 would make sense, and this would date between 1892-7. Probably need to get some feedback from someone who knows old Colts, as that whole arena is kind of confusing. Give me a Mauser, I can figure those out.

 

[huntsman53]

It looks like an early Colt Bisley to me and if so, then I am pretty sure that it should be a Single Action. I had 22 Colt Revolvers at one time and 16 of them were made from 1860 to 1884, one (a Colt Bisley) was made in 1903 and the remainder were made from 1960 to 1972. The two best were an 1873 (production) Colt SAA Army .45 Colt with 4 notches in the grip that was found under the mattress of a shot and killed Marshall in Tucson, AZ and the other one was an 1875 or 1878 (production, I can't remember which) Colt SAA .44 Henry (.44 Rimfire) which is extremely rare.


Frank

 

[vpnavy]

Great find! Thanks for sharing...

 

[I-DIG-IT]

Nice finds.

 

[beez0404]

Great finds. Congratulation.

 

[huntsman53]

I would recommend that the O.P. determine the exact Serial Number and contact Law Enforcement concerning the revolver. The revolver is in too good of shape to have been in the water for 100 years or more or even 50 years. Therefore, I would imagine that it was either used in a crime or was stolen or both. While there may be no Laws concerning reporting a found revolver or pistol, it is the purdent thing to do to protect one's self! Once Law Enforcement takes possession of the revolver, they will or attempt to determine if it is connected to any crime or whether it was stolen or both. If nothing comes back on the revolver, then the O.P. should be able to get it back. If the Serial Number shows that the revolver was produced in or before 1898, then it is considered an Antique and the O.P. will have no problems getting it back, bar any Local or State Laws of which I am unaware. However, if the Serial Number shows that the revolver was produced after 1898, then the O.P. will have to go through the Background Check and fill out the Firearms Transaction Form (ATF Form 4473 / OMB No. 1140-0020) and it be approved before they can again take possession of the revolver.

Before contacting Law Enforcement, the O.P. may be able to find out if the revolver was stolen ahead of time, as a search on the Make, Model, Caliber and Serial Number may turn up information that the revolver was stolen. There are a few websites where Collectors and owners of Colt revolvers and pistols can list their' revolvers and pistols as having been stolen and the Serial Numbers are usually listed.


Frank

Also and I almost forgot this. Before turning the revolver over to Law Enforcement, if the O.P. decides to do so, I recommend the following: The O.P. should only try to remove any debris or other material that is easy to remove and which could do more harm to the condition of the revolver. They should then dip the revolver in motor oil, remove and wrap it in an old towel, then seal it in a plastic Zip Lock bag. This should arrest (stop) any further damage (rusting) of the revolver from it being in the water for a fairly long period!

 

[Red James Cash]

This may be yours David, A colt M1878.There are some subtle differences though,it could be a late model.

 

[huntsman53]

This may be yours David, A colt M1878.There are some subtle differences though,it could be a late model.

View attachment 1019094

While the O.P.'s revolver find looks a lot alike to a Colt Bisley, I believe that you are correct that it is a Colt M1878! If it is not an M1878, then it is a Model that is very similar.


Frank

 

[david680]

I would recommend that the O.P. determine the exact Serial Number and contact Law Enforcement concerning the revolver. The revolver is in too good of shape to have been in the water for 100 years or more or even 50 years. Therefore, I would imagine that it was either used in a crime or was stolen or both. While there may be no Laws concerning reporting a found revolver or pistol, it is the purdent thing to do to protect one's self! Once Law Enforcement takes possession of the revolver, they will or attempt to determine if it is connected to any crime or whether it was stolen or both. If nothing comes back on the revolver, then the O.P. should be able to get it back. If the Serial Number shows that the revolver was produced in or before 1898, then it is considered an Antique and the O.P. will have no problems getting it back, bar any Local or State Laws of which I am unaware. However, if the Serial Number shows that the revolver was produced after 1898, then the O.P. will have to go through the Background Check and fill out the Firearms Transaction Form (ATF Form 4473 / OMB No. 1140-0020) and it be approved before they can again take possession of the revolver.

Before contacting Law Enforcement, the O.P. may be able to find out if the revolver was stolen ahead of time, as a search on the Make, Model, Caliber and Serial Number may turn up information that the revolver was stolen. There are a few websites where Collectors and owners of Colt revolvers and pistols can list their' revolvers and pistols as having been stolen and the Serial Numbers are usually listed.


Frank

Also and I almost forgot this. Before turning the revolver over to Law Enforcement, if the O.P. decides to do so, I recommend the following: The O.P. should only try to remove any debris or other material that is easy to remove and which could do more harm to the condition of the revolver. They should then dip the revolver in motor oil, remove and wrap it in an old towel, then seal it in a plastic Zip Lock bag. This should arrest (stop) any further damage (rusting) of the revolver from it being in the water for a fairly long period!

Yeah, I will if I can. Its guesswork on the serial #, not because of rust, its just worn. Any # I read, along with the suggested models, shows it to be pre-1898 though. AS far as preservation, I blasted it with the garden hose to knock any mud, snails (there were several), moss and such out, dried it the best I could, and poured the motor oil to it when I got home. I'll probably give it a couple other dousings in oil, as there are some areas that are hard to get it into.

 

[NOLA_Ken]

Well, I certainly agree that it hasn't been in the water too long, if it had I'd expect the mainspring and ejector spring to be long gone. To me it looks in good enough shape for a restoration. It may never be a shooter, but with a good cleaning and a set of grips it would make a really nice display. Get some Break Free or CLP and let it soak for a few days to get all the moisture out....

As far as contacting law enforcement.... let your own conscience guide you, but I can pretty much guarantee you'll never see it again. A gun that old, it's unlikely that the serial number is even on record anywhere, and the police will likely destroy it. They are not big on returning guns these days, working or not.

Another thing to consider, not all guns that are tossed in ponds lakes and rivers are stolen or used in a crime... I once heard a story of a girl who inherited her fathers guns and tossed them in a canal because she was one of those people who think guns are evil. I found out where and pulled them all out a week later. I managed to save all of them, which was lucky because there were a few really valuable ones.

 

[cashole]

Nice save, hey I hunt the surronding property to the battle off the washita an find many shell casings from the battle itself an come across Alotta iron an skip a lot off it cause it's a farm field an most off it is farm implements my question is what does a gun ring up as on your machine if you have a vdi display??

 

[Msbeepbeep]

It was your day to make the unusual finds, congrats!