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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[GL]

That is a Sharps 4 barreled derringer. In the third photo you can see the outline of the four barrels. The central hole in the breech was for a single firing pin in the hammer that switched barrels with each cocking of the hammer.
Probably a rimfire cartridge at that age. The coolest part is that this is a breech loading pistol in an age of cap and ball so someone had a little money for this fancy gal. The barrel unit slid forward for loading. There might still be traces of the iron barrel unit and grip strap with mainspring nearby. I imagine the wooden grips are long gone. In the other two pictures you can see traces of the trigger which was a small lever under the barrel unit on the face of the protrusion. When the hammer was cocked the trigger popped out in a ready position. There should also be a hole or screw in the front of the frame that allowed the barrels to slide forward and for disassembly so it could be cleaned. The iron parts are rusted but the brass(probably) frame is still okay...sort of. Definitely old, definitely cool.

I have no idea about the rest of what you found, but I do know firearms.

 

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[BuckleBoy]

All I can say is WOW! These are some GREAT finds!!!

The mouthpiece might actually be from a Euphonium (or Baritone Horn). It looks more like that size than a Tuba mouthpiece. The horn was a smaller version of the tuba in a reply above. Brass bands and Cornet bands were VERY popular in the CW era and later. So from this musician, I'm saying that it's a Euphonium mouthpiece. If you could place it by a ruler, I could probably give a positive ID.

Nice pistol! What I'd give to find a CW era gun. Nice work!


-Buckleboy

 

[KirkTN]

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.

Thanks for the info. I'm adding more pics of mouthpiece

That is a Sharps 4 barreled derringer. In the third photo you can see the outline of the four barrels. The central hole in the breech was for a single firing pin in the hammer that switched barrels with each cocking of the hammer.
Probably a rimfire cartridge at that age. The coolest part is that this is a breech loading pistol in an age of cap and ball so someone had a little money for this fancy gal. The barrel unit slid forward for loading. There might still be traces of the iron barrel unit and grip strap with mainspring nearby. I imagine the wooden grips are long gone. In the other two pictures you can see traces of the trigger which was a small lever under the barrel unit on the face of the protrusion. When the hammer was cocked the trigger popped out in a ready position. There should also be a hole or screw in the front of the frame that allowed the barrels to slide forward and for disassembly so it could be cleaned. The iron parts are rusted but the brass(probably) frame is still okay...sort of. Definitely old, definitely cool.

I have no idea about the rest of what you found, but I do know firearms.

I can see you know your guns, Man I am tickled with this little find. Thanks for the info!

All I can say is WOW! These are some GREAT finds!!!

The mouthpiece might actually be from a Euphonium (or Baritone Horn). It looks more like that size than a Tuba mouthpiece. The horn was a smaller version of the tuba in a reply above. Brass bands and Cornet bands were VERY popular in the CW era and later. So from this musician, I'm saying that it's a Euphonium mouthpiece. If you could place it by a ruler, I could probably give a positive ID.

Nice pistol! What I'd give to find a CW era gun. Nice work!


-Buckleboy

Well Hello Buckleboy, Man I am glad you looked, I look up to your knowledge on these kinda finds, I have added a couple more pics with measurement on the mouth piece. I hope you can pin point the ID on the mouthpiece for sure, That'd be waaaay Cool. If you get a chance check out the eagle pin I posted in the what is its title " Expert Stumpers?" I was hopein' you'd know somethin' on that one. Thanks for sharing Amigo

here's one

I think That's It, I've added another pic of the bottom sied showing the trigger area and the front hole you spoke of. Thanks for your research. KirkTN

 

[lockman209]

do a patent search if you can read all the numbers. Should tell you all about is.

 

[BuckleBoy]

Thanks for the photos! I would like to recant my Euphonium guess from earlier. It is a bugle or horn mouthpiece, as stated above by someone else in the replies. It's too small for a Euphonium or Tuba.

Nice find there!

By the way...the reason that I haven't commented on that mystery Eagle Button Pin...is that I don't have a clue Wish I did. I have never seen a relic like that before... so it's a real puzzler for me. But it's a pretty darned cool find--and it has to be a scarce one, judging from the fact that nobody seems to have a clue. Many, many Eagle Buttons are found each year...but that's the first Eagle Button Pin I've ever seen.

Regards,


Buckleboy

 

[Admiral de Salee]

Kirk, that's a great piece of pistol frame, and no doubt the type you posted a pic of.
It's an outstanding relic!!

So's the wind instrument mouthpiece. I've found mouth harp reeds, they're neat to find, but I've never seen a band instrument part found here.

Great stuff!! I hope you can bring up some more from that site.

 

[Lt1stone]

I bet the rest of the gun is there somewhere close by.

 

[KirkTN]

Thanks for the photos!  I would like to recant my Euphonium guess from earlier.  It is a bugle or horn mouthpiece, as stated above by someone else in the replies.  It's too small for a Euphonium or Tuba.

Nice find there!

By the way...the reason that I haven't commented on that mystery Eagle Button Pin...is that I don't have a clue   Wish I did.  I have never seen a relic like that before... so it's a real puzzler for me.  But it's a pretty darned cool find--and it has to be a scarce one, judging from the fact that nobody seems to have a clue.  Many, many Eagle Buttons are found each year...but that's the first Eagle Button Pin I've ever seen.

Regards,


Buckleboy

Thanks again Buckleboy, I do appreciate the fact that you'd take time to help a brother out. Learning solid tid bits and facts about ones finds truly makes the whole experience more rewarding. I have looked at the pin under a coin glass till I can see it with my eyes closed.
I had given the land owner all my best finds from the first hunt there including the 3 best Indian cents I've ever found. Got to pondering about it today and I believe The Good Lord has smiled down on me with a very special find (The Pin) My little Granny always used to say, "You Can't Out Give God" Thanks again.

 

[Admiral de Salee]

I just figured it out! You stumbled across the remains / clues from a historical vignette.

It's a case of art-imitates-life (a century later), the reference being Monty Python's "Will you stop that bloody bouzouki music!!" in the Cheese Shop sketch.

It went like this:
"Sirrah, if you do not cease and desist with that oom-pah-pah cacophony, prepare to face the consequences. I demand satisfaction!"
[oom-pah-pah]

BANG! BANGBANGBANG!

 

[KirkTN]

I just figured it out! You stumbled across the remains / clues from a historical vignette.

It's a case of art-imitates-life (a century later), the reference being Monty Python's "Will you stop that bloody bouzouki music!!" in the Cheese Shop sketch.

It went like this:
"Sirrah, if you do not cease and desist with that oom-pah-pah cacophony, prepare to face the consequences. I demand satisfaction!"
[oom-pah-pah]

BANG! BANGBANGBANG!

OK I don't know what you just said and it's still funny. Kinda Like if you're driving down the road in a canoe and you have a flat tire, how many pancakes do you have. (none, cause, there's no bones in icecream)

 

[Merf]

Very nice finds Kirk---A good hunt for sure

 

[wyattrr]

Nice finds...All you have to do is find the rest of that gun . Congrats and HH

 

[Monty]

KirkTN, it probably is a 4 barrel pepper box. I tried to find a schematic drawing but was unable to locate one. I am just wondering how it managed to fire all 4 barrels. The only way I can figure is that the firing pin rotated and the cartridge was a rimfire? I was imaging a pepperbox that had 6 or 8 barrels that rotated much like a revolver. As I said I am not up on those older firearms, but they strike my interest just the same. Great find and now if you could just find the rest of it. M nty

 

[dgaughan]

very cool congrats

 

[Colonial Zoyboy]

Kirk, you found yourself some great Civil War relics there! That gun part is definitely a cool artifact for the collection.

Keep on hitting that spot with your XL Pro! There are more goodies for you and your brother to find there.

Kyle

 

[treasurefiend]

wow sweet!!!!

 

[Natman]

Very cool digs, Kirk That Sharps pistol part is very cool..the hammer is forever locked in the fired position..makes you wonder what happened to the rest of the gun.

Nat

 

[Baggins]

Awesome finds!! I especially like the Sharp's piece! WTG!
Baggins

 

[The Seeker]

Those are some nice pieces you have there.....finding old gun part of anykind, are a nice addition to any collection. I'm sure there are more goodies mixed in with those old rusted nails. HH

 

[GL]

The hammer had a disc with a raised area for striking the rim of a cartridge. When it was fired and recocked, a cam moved the disc to the next position to fire a different barrel. Repeat 4 times for 4 shots. The firing pin was on the hammer like most handguns back then were. This one just rotated is all.

Neato pistol. Heres a picture of a similar(not exact) pistol and the hammer/rotating firing pin. You can see the cam that turns it. There is a lever doohicky that actuates that cam when it's cocked.