Mini Revolver..maybe? Civil War Looking type Gun

[Mangogirl205]

Hi everyone,

I am new here so I'll thank everyone ahead of time for welcoming me :-)

Yesterday I was digging in my yard to do my vegetable garden for the summer as I always do.I dug deeper then usual because I was also removing some weeds and what not and my shovel hit into something. I dug it up and it looks to be a mini gun of some sort. I don't know If it is a TOY gun or a REAL gun so I will be descriptive as Posibble so you all can help me figure out what it is.

(How can I remove all the rust??)

My location:Maryland,AnneArundel County,House is about 100 years old,Before house was built it was farm land.

The gun is heavy about 1lb,Severely carroded with rust and dirt that is hard to remove,it is 5 1/2" long total length,the barrel is 2"long,from the bottom of the handle to the top it is 3" total length.

Hopefully we can figure out more about this little guy.

Thanks alot,
Christina

 

[Alchemy]

It's overall style reminds me of a an old Stevens CAL cast iron cap gun.
Real or toy .. It is a neat find!

.............I agree with Creskol on this one!!...Looks more like an old Cast Iron Cap Gun to me!!

I agree as well.
It's mighty small. For the style it is, child's cap gun makes to most sense

 

[mick56]

I have my own sandblaster, and have used it on many relics that really have no value such as old horse shoes. Wire brushing doesn't work that well on thick rust, tends to burnish it. Electrolysis is fine, if you have forever, and want to preserve the object. This old pistol will not really have any value after being cleaned up, and if it were mine I would sandblast it. Would take about 2 minutes.

 

[traderoftreasures]

if it was a cap gun it would be pot metal and i'm not sure that pot metal will rust that heavy without breaking but who am i and what do i know ?

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

if it was a cap gun it would be pot metal and i'm not sure that pot metal will rust that heavy without breaking but who am i and what do i know ?

I was thinking the same but someone said there were a couple of cast iron toy pistols.
http://www.upstatedetectors.com/pages/toypistols.htm

 

[Joe(TX)]

..............Not all toy cap guns were made out of pot metal.............Pot metals was popular in the making of these toys in the 1950's...........................but before that most of the toy guns were made out of cast iron especially if the toy gun is from the 1930's or before!!..........Anyway you do not have to believe me just pick up a copy of the Annual Toy Collector's price guide several will be listed in it!!.......Also many will be seen if one goes to a big toy collectors show!!

 

[Monty]

That pic by bigcyprus looks a lot more like the gun than my revolver does. I was just throwing mine out as an example of what it might look like if not rusted like it is. It just doesn't make me think Civil War when I look at it. Monty

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

..............Not all toy cap guns were made out of pot metal.............Pot metals was popular in the making of these toys in the 1950's...........................but before that most of the toy guns were made out of cast iron especially if the toy gun is from the 1930's or before!!..........Anyway you do not have to believe me just pick up a copy of the Annual Toy Collector's price guide several will be listed in it!!.......Also many will be seen if one goes to a big toy collectors show!!

we believe you

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

That pic by bigcyprus looks a lot more like the gun than my revolver does. I was just throwing mine out as an example of what it might look like if not rusted like it is. It just doesn't make me think Civil War when I look at it. Monty

I thought it was real. But maybe it is a cast iron toy. Either way it doesnt look CW like Monty says. Too bad it wasnt made out of brass.

 

[Joe(TX)]

........I have been to a lot of gun shows and also a lot of toy shows!! I have seen some cast iron toy guns that are so realistic that it probably would not take a lot of work to make them fireable!!......Anyway being a an old gun collector and with prices going thru the roof........sometimes a toy replica is the next best thing and besides it is a lot cheaper!!........LOL.......

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Mangogirl, a member posted this on another thread to show what electrolysis can do for an old rusted gun and Im posting it here. I highly recommend it. Are you still soaking it? Here are some before and after pics. http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,244244.msg1743841.html#msg1743841