I think I found my first gun!

Jul 7, 2020
504
774
Vermont
Detector(s) used
An old radio shack, simplex
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I had a pretty good dig at a dump today p, including finding what I think is my first every gun, which was a big bucket lister for me! If you can tell me anything about it, like if it’s real or not or what date range it might be, that would be greatly appreciated.
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The best find for me is definitely the gun. It is pretty small and very rusty and I have been unable to find anything about it. If you can tell me anything or tell me if its real o not, that would be great. I do not know so much about guns so I am not sure what to do. I am getting an electrolysis machine set up so I hope I can clean it up with that.
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Upvote 19

gunsil

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Dec 27, 2012
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lower hudson valley, N.Y.
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Toy. I don't really understand why so many people wish to find firearms. I can see if they were ancient and found on a battlefield, but otherwise a rusted out firearm is pretty useless and valueless. I have several dug rifles in my avatar photo, didn't do a lot for me when I dug them up, I much prefer the artillery shells in the photo. The rifles are Spanish American war and worth little, the artillery shells civil war and valuable, I sold a bunch of them.
 

OP
OP
Vermont treasure hunter
Jul 7, 2020
504
774
Vermont
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An old radio shack, simplex
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All Treasure Hunting
Toy. I don't really understand why so many people wish to find firearms. I can see if they were ancient and found on a battlefield, but otherwise a rusted out firearm is pretty useless and valueless. I have several dug rifles in my avatar photo, didn't do a lot for me when I dug them up, I much prefer the artillery shells in the photo. The rifles are Spanish American war and worth little, the artillery shells civil war and valuable, I sold a bunch of them.
Thanks! I have always just wanted to find one. I know it not valuable or anything I just think it would be cool.
 

thursdaythunder

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Aug 13, 2019
192
427
Maine
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I think I found it. It’s a cast iron cap gun from the 1920s.https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/1925-national-cast-iron-toy-cap-gun-pistol-509-c-c9a4fe5aca
I think you nailed it ! Cool find , nice research (that's half the fun).
 

BuckleBoy

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Jun 12, 2006
18,123
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Moonlight and Magnolias
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Toy. I don't really understand why so many people wish to find firearms. I can see if they were ancient and found on a battlefield, but otherwise a rusted out firearm is pretty useless and valueless. I have several dug rifles in my avatar photo, didn't do a lot for me when I dug them up, I much prefer the artillery shells in the photo. The rifles are Spanish American war and worth little, the artillery shells civil war and valuable, I sold a bunch of them.
We like to find firearms because they were valued prized by those who owned them. They were for self defense. For hunting. For putting food on the table. For wartime use on the battlefield. They kept their owners alive and safe, and they keep their families fed. That’s why. Value and functionality aren’t everything. Every item we dig has a past and tells a story.
 

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pepperj

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Feb 3, 2009
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We like to find firearms because they were valued prized by those who owned them. They were for self defense. For hunting. For putting food on the table. For wartime use on the battlefield. They kept their owners alive and safe, and they keep their families fed. That’s why. Value and functionality aren’t everything. Every item we dig has a past and tells a story.
If a person lost one, then it really changed the way they were able to provide and survive.
 

Coinstar magnet

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Apr 5, 2020
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5,135
Beverly Massachusetts
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I had a pretty good dig at a dump today p, including finding what I think is my first every gun, which was a big bucket lister for me! If you can tell me anything about it, like if it’s real or not or what date range it might be, that would be greatly appreciated. View attachment 2042004 The best find for me is definitely the gun. It is pretty small and very rusty and I have been unable to find anything about it. If you can tell me anything or tell me if its real o not, that would be great. I do not know so much about guns so I am not sure what to do. I am getting an electrolysis machine set up so I hope I can clean it up with that. View attachment 2042006 View attachment 2042007 View attachment 2042008
Very cool find...would love to know its history....
 

gunsil

Silver Member
Dec 27, 2012
3,864
6,207
lower hudson valley, N.Y.
Detector(s) used
safari, ATPro, infinium, old Garrett BFO, Excal, Nox 800
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
We like to find firearms because they were valued prized by those who owned them. They were for self defense. For hunting. For putting food on the table. For wartime use on the battlefield. They kept their owners alive and safe, and they keep their families fed. That’s why. Value and functionality aren’t everything. Every item we dig has a past and tells a story.
I said I understand about battlefield guns, they are history. The OP gun is a toy styled after a "sissy gun" a little .25 semi auto. Most dug guns not from battlefields I have seen are cheap "Saturday night specials" that were not keeping any families fed or used for hunting. I've been digging longer than most here, love my history, but a dropped 20th century cheapo pistol does not represent history to me.
 

eyemustdigtreasure

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Mar 2, 2013
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California
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I had a pretty good dig at a dump today p, including finding what I think is my first every gun, which was a big bucket lister for me! If you can tell me anything about it, like if it’s real or not or what date range it might be, that would be greatly appreciated. View attachment 2042004 The best find for me is definitely the gun. It is pretty small and very rusty and I have been unable to find anything about it. If you can tell me anything or tell me if its real o not, that would be great. I do not know so much about guns so I am not sure what to do. I am getting an electrolysis machine set up so I hope I can clean it up with that. View attachment 2042006 View attachment 2042007 View attachment 2042008
Cool!
Great find!
I found my first, a sawed -off. Shotgun!
What stories these guns have to tell us, eh?
 

BuckleBoy

Gold Member
Jun 12, 2006
18,123
9,688
Moonlight and Magnolias
🥇 Banner finds
4
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
2
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Fisher F75, Whites DualField PI, Fisher 1266-X and Tesoro Silver uMax
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I said I understand about battlefield guns, they are history. The OP gun is a toy styled after a "sissy gun" a little .25 semi auto. Most dug guns not from battlefields I have seen are cheap "Saturday night specials" that were not keeping any families fed or used for hunting. I've been digging longer than most here, love my history, but a dropped 20th century cheapo pistol does not represent history to me.
To be fair, your statement above wasn’t responding about toy guns, but guns in general: “I don't really understand why so many people wish to find firearms.” Firearms were always valued by those who owned them in the past, for the reasons I listed above. So I’m sorry you feel that way about them.

In that case please avoid my recent post of a 150 year old “sissy pistol” .22 Colt I dug last week. Those guns were used for real self defense on steamboats and at close range like on a boat they could do plenty of damage—and they were a deterrent against robbery, assault, or cheating in gambling.

I appreciate the history of everything I dig, and I’m not swift to dismiss anything that I find. Enjoy your big boy guns and exploding things, and have a nice day.
 

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