My first REAL Gun Find Sharps Pepper Box Pistol and More!!!

[KirkTN]

Hit the Iron Pit with my Big Brother, john37115 again today, this old site always inspires me because it's were I found my first 3 CW buttons and First Carbine Slinge Buckle. It's tough hunting due to all the Iron. Seems like old square nails are in or near every hole you dig. Anyway, the day started off kinda discouraging with nothing to show for the first couple hours of diggin' then I found a large tent grommet and a few feet away a piece of harmonica reed, I worked that area a bit more but the grass was too tall to work it good. With only about thirty minutes left to hunt I got a notion to move to another area up the hill. Just got started and had to take a pause to get the camera and take some pics of brothers SWEET half dollar find. Got back too it and got a strong signal and plucked out what I believe is a very old mouth piece off a wind instrument. CW era I wonder? About a foot away I got another good signal and uncovered an odd lookin' object, I paused a second and it hit me, that looks like part of an old gun. Had my camera at my side and took a quick pic. Walked over and showed it to John and the land owner, John began to inspect it and said "there's some writing on it", He said, "it says C. Sharps Patent 1859. I was Very happy to have found my first real gun/part of and for it to be that old. Used by a civil war Soldier or Officer maybe, I wonder. It was a great Day, If anyone has more Info on the gun, possible bugle mouth piece, or anything in the pic please respond. Thanks for lookin'
KirkTn

 

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[tymcmurray]

That is a GREAT piece for your collections!!!
Way to dig!!!

 

[robbuckalew]

that is an awesome find

 

[john37115]

Hey bro I would be working the crap out of that area where you found the part of the pepperbox. I would keep that 4 barrell cylinder in mind. Maybe you'll come up with it.
Great Hunt let's do it again soon shall we. LOL

 

[DCMatt]

Looks like a great spot. I'd fire up the weed whacker and head back there in a hurry!

Your mouth piece looks like it's from a Civil War era tuba. I've seen bugle pieces, but never a tuba. Pretty cool.

Union Army band 1861 - Arlington, VA

DCMatt

 

[kenb]

Great finds Kirk. Good luck finding the rest of that gun.

kenb

 

[Harry_Morant]

Fantastic finds - looks like you're in the right area for a few surprises.

 

[KirkTN]

Looks like a great spot. I'd fire up the weed whacker and head back there in a hurry!

Your mouth piece looks like it's from a Civil War era tuba. I've seen bugle pieces, but never a tuba. Pretty cool.

Union Army band 1861 - Arlington, VA

DCMatt

Tuba piece, that's interesting, The bugles the first thing that came to mind, thanks for the civil war band pic, That is real cool. Did you dig that horn in the pic? Yep, Brother and I weed whacked one area there some weeks back, it's time to see If the owner minds If we whack more.

Great finds Kirk. Good luck finding the rest of that gun.

kenb

I sure would like to find the rest, the barrel would probably be tough withouth digin every Iron signal, but hey digin' Iron has proved to be rewarding sometimes.

Fantastic finds - looks like you're in the right area for a few surprises.

Thanks Harry, I'm sure there are several more surprises there too.

 

[DCMatt]

Did you dig that horn in the pic?

No. Wish I had... I snagged the pic from a Civil War era music instrument restoration site.

I could tell right away that your piece is way too big for a bugle. At our last club meeting, one of the guys showed a bugle piece he found near Sterling, VA in February. He also had a drum stick holder.

DCMatt

 

[JimBeHuntin']

Nice recoveries Kirk ... good job ~ Jimmy

 

[RUDY2003]

Real nice diggins Kirk!
Excellent spot for CW relics.......
Love the pistol....

 

[Pepper2004]

Cool finds! It would be neat if you could find more parts of that gun. Thanks for sharing.

 

[dave in iowa]

great finds there kurt .

 

[Bavaria Mike]

Nice finds Kirk! HH, Mike

 

[Pentico]

Sweet day for you!
Congrads on the fantastic finds.
Chris & LeeAnn

 

[Gonehunting]

Cool find man...

 

[Monty]

Love anything to do with old Civil War era guns, great find. I was wondering how you determined it was a pepperbox? With the firing pin hole exactly in the middle of the frame I would have guessed it was a single shot derringer type pistol? But I am most knowledgible about modern day handguns, so don't take that to the bank. Monty

 

[KirkTN]

Love anything to do with old Civil War era guns, great find.  I was wondering how you determined it was a pepperbox?  With the firing pin hole exactly in the middle of the frame I would have guessed it was a single shot derringer type pistol?  But I am most knowledgible about modern day handguns, so don't take that to the bank.  Monty

Hello Monty, I really wasn't sure I did some researching by the writing on the sides (C. SHARPS PATENT 1859) and on the other side (C. SHARPS & CO. PHILA PA) here's a link to the closest one I've found on the net. I have found a few traces of silver/nickle plating on the piece, the one on this link mentions the same. This is also a brass frame. Derringer did cross my mind also. notice this link says pepperbox-derringer
http://www.antiquearmsinc.com/sharps-pepperbox-derringer.htm

 

[johnreb1980]

Hey Kirk ,nice finds. I looked in one of my relic id books for the mouth piece. I found it in Crouch's book. I took a quick pic of the page,sorry so crappy. It say's it is a bugle or horn mouth piece.

 

[Evolution]

Those are some great relics. Theres alot of history there.