First Time out in five years and i found a gun UPDATE

[Indyfan73]

OK I has been a disappointing five years since I have been able to go out thanks to a drunk driver and five surgeries on my back. Well I went out for about an hour yesterday and had a strange day. I went to a river that I have been looking at for some time now on the way back and forth to the hospitals. My father knows that I sold my last detector for the money because of what happened to my and decide that he was sick of me not going out and forgetting about my worries and brought me a new one last week. While becoming acquainted with it in the back yard again I finally decide that is was time to go out and try my river. I found the normal sinkers and beer cans not a big deal I pick them up for the scrap and didn't feel right leaving them on the ground. I decide to try an area that was hard for me to get to and after putting one foot in the water and then the other but not by my doing I got there. And right away got a strange very high pitch so I sat down and started digging with the hand shovel. Got about 2 inches down and found the coin (showed) it is a 1946 dime with massive toning issues. So I stood up and moved the detector over it again and it was still hitting so I knelt down this time and stuck my shovel in and hit this. I worked around it to free it not knowing what it was. Got it out and to my SUPRIZE it is an old gun.
I set it down and smoked a cigarette to think of who to call. I marked where I found it and didn't move it any more or attempt to clean it in any way. And went to my truck and call the local police nonemergency number and to be hold I had five cops show up with in minutes light and all going off. I explained to them what I was doing and that I was picking up trash that I dug and filled the holes back in they were happy about that fact. We walked about a mile to where the gun was and we worked a different was to the location (this direction I didn't get wet) and then the DNR showed up and we talked about it for a few minutes. They had me bag and carry the gun out. We talked a little more about it and discussed that this was a strange thing to be out here. They told me that they needed to take and check the gun for theft or crimes and I didn't have a problem with that. What am I going to do with it other that clean and mount it? They let me take some pics of it and they were off. This morning I had a detective show up and get me up at 7 am and we discussed the gun. HE informed me that the gun was reported lost out there back in 1951 by a man fishing with his grand kids. He informed me I can get the gun back as soon as they make sure the gun will never fire again and that I can pick it up at that point. I asked for the information on the original owner to maybe give it back to the family and he said he would get me there information if there are any still around. But still I Had a good day out for the first time in so long.

i think the police cleaned it to the point of finding the number but i know in Indiana that there is a data base of lost gun eather way i get my find back. what happens from their i don't know i will have to see when i get it back. and then decide what to do with it. I'm heading out to a park today with my daughter after she is out of school to see what we can find there. hopefully my luck is going to keep growing and i can get a partner to join me on my days out. anyway i need to get more in before the weather change for the winter.

with that said i got the gun back last night. The detective brought it but last night when got a little free time (must of been a slow night) but o well. what i have problem with is what they did to TO GUN. they scraped it up and took off a lot of the original patina and what the river deposited on it. what i am try to find out is should i just oil it the way it is to stop any rust or should i finish cleaning it and make it look all pretty for display. eather way i have already built what will be an airtight display box for it and will display it but i don't know on how to clean and if i should finish cleaning it. and i have found more coins from this sight and mostly pre 1950 silvers and wheat penny's. any suggestions on clean them but leaving the original finish or a way to clean them just to see them better

ANY HELP OR COMENTS WOULD BE GRATFULL SIENCE IT HAS BEEN FIVE YEARS SIENCE I HAVE DONE ANY OF THIS. AND ONCE AGAIN THANKS TO THE DRUNK DRIVER FOR TAKING FIVE YEARS AWAY FROM ME

O YA THE PENDENT WAS FOUND WHEN I FIRST TURNED ON MY DETECTOR ON THE WALK UP ON MY SECOND DAY AT THIS SIGHT

 

[Mr.Jody]

Im not a gun expert, but I wouldnt think that thing is worth any more than what scrap metal is??.Nice find indeed, but I dont think its worth anything.

 

[kg6yll]

Sorry to hear about your back. Glad to hear you got a new detector. I wonder why they wanted to make sure it would never fire again?

KG6YLL

 

[GL]

It looks like a Colt with the cylinder release shape. The grips look like Pachmayr.
I seriously doubt if that pistol will ever fire another shot.

 

[texan connection]

Might be able to get alittle cash for the grips, ool find anyway probaly a crime weapon

 

[extractor]

Wtg

 

[Bavaria Mike]

Do some research on electrolysis and iron conservation. Looks like it will clean up nicely. HH, Mike

 

[GL]

Looking closer it might be a Charter Arms. If it was lost in 1951 then it's an oldie and I doubt it will ever be a functional pistol again. It would be a neat thing to have though after electrolysis and sealing.

The frame has a serial number where my S&W has none. The frame is also raised with a ledge above the trigger guard. Un shrouded shell plunger under the bullish barrel.

Here is a Charter Arms 38 snubnose. The barrel is different but the rest is spot on, notice the cylinder release shape and the serial number placement.

The rubber grips would have been a fancy thing in 1951. It certainly looks old but that is a long time to be buried in mud and still look this good.

 

[lonesomebob]

It looks like the grips have an owls head on them that makes it harrington richardson. Bob

 

[shiloh_f2hunter]

I'd say a pistol but not sure? But that is an awesome find!

 

[allen]

wouldve been cool if it had been used in a murder and after that many years you helped solve it by finding that pistol...

 

[GL]

The frame doesn't have the shape of an H&R in my opinion. H&R made squarish frames with low grips and a lot of them had octagonal barrels. The Owls Head versions were typically 32s and break action. This pistol has a swing out cylinder and has a square shaped cylinder release. H&Rs had a rod under the barrel you used to release the cylinder. The hammer is different too.

These grips are Pachmayr Compac Grip #02523.

Heres a Charter with the grips installed.