Old Pistol found in woods today

[p2c]

I know little about antique firearms, so any ideas? My buddies in the Illinois forum confirmed my suspicion that this is both real and really old (when I first found it in the woods I thought it was a toy until looking closer).





The handle was wood, there is still a little bit of rotten wood in there. The side plates are some sort of metal that did not rust and formed a patina. The barrel, hammer (rusted away), trigger (rusted away) and revolver (rusted) are some sort of Ferrous metal (steel or Iron), so at least 2 different metals. The amount of rust prevents me from of course see if the revolver is separate from the gun body, but it appears as if it once was. Lowbatts in the IL forum suggests this may be circa 1840-60 Smith and Wesson Model 1 or similar type firearm. I really don't know anything about this, so comments please.

Also, I don't know what to do with it. I am best leaving it as is? Getting Electrolysis done on it? Or what?

Thanks much!

 

[Newt]

Cool!
Newt

 

[PAPPYGOL]

best thing to do with that, soak it in 50/50 kerosene and used motor oil. about 2 weeks. then clean it with a soft wire brush. blow it out with conmpressed air. and put it on your mantle

 

[willie d]

Without finding any makers marks, I would be inclined to agree with Lowbatts.

http://www.johnnyg.westhost.com/cwg66-SW-32-os-s.JPG

Cool find

 

[birdman]

I would say that electrolysis would be the way to go .Awessome find for sure. I thought I found one one time and it turned out to be a toy.

 

[haylen]

Be smart and don't get in a hurry to clean it up, do it the right way it might be worth a little something
Great find

 

[DigginThePast]

Very cool find.

How long is the barrel?
How long is the cylinder?

The front of the barrel looks to be in slightly better condition.
Is the barrel round or octagon?
Can you tell what the caliber is or an approximate measurement of the bore?

Compare it to this pic. Are the details the same or similar?

 

[DigginThePast]

Very cool find.

How long is the barrel?
How long is the cylinder?

The front of the barrel looks to be in slightly better condition.
Is the barrel round or octagon?
Can you tell what the caliber is or an approximate measurement of the bore?

Compare it to this pic. Are the details the same or similar?

It looks like you beat me to it!

In my bext Maxwell Smart voice "Missed it by that much".

Cool find plehbah .

 

[p2c]

Here's some more info,
Like Plehbah's piece, there is a serial number on the base of the handle. It is 1832 (unless its a date). There is another number on the left side of the handle, near the base, near the back, but on the side -159. The barrel (I'm not an expert in measuring these things), looks to be 3 - 3.25 inches long. The Cylinder measures (this is hard due to rust) roughly an inch top to bottom and slightly more than 3/4 of an inch along the length of the gun.

Barrel looks round, but it is really difficult to tell due to the rust.

Thanks for everyone's input. And trust me, I am not doing anything to clean it until I learn what I have and what should be done (I may need to find an expert).
-Jon

 

[Shortstack]

Please don't take a wire brush to this piece. It will only decrease it's collectability and value.
VERY nice find and I'm envious as heck.

 

[DigginThePast]

Barrel and cylinder dimensions indicate a .22 which would be correct for the Rollin White. Year of manufacture is circa 1860.

The image I posted, I pulled off the web. That piece is listed for $635 (not by me, this is not an offer to sell) so value is not astronomical. Still a very cool find that I would like to make.

Keep in mind that there were many gun manufacturers in that era and that many of them had various partnerships. With the condition of your piece you may not be able to 100% ID it.

Just for giggles I'm attaching a pic that shows manufacturer and address of the Rollin White. I sincerely doubt that you would ever be able to get any info off that barrel but even if just a few letters match this pic, you'd know for sure.

 

[davebien]

WTG.... based on my experience as a weapon instructor (modern, not antique) and evidence tech if there is a number on the butt it's usually real. Of course I've been wrong in the past, lol. But I will go along with the advice NOT to do anything to it until you verify it. I'd put it it an airtight container with a moisture absorbing bag of silica to keep it from rusting more since it's now exposed to air. Look to see if there are "openings" in the cylinder and look down the barrel.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Ima Swinger]

Very cool find p2c.
Good luck with the id. I wouldn't clean it up at all. That may take some value away if it's worth anything.

Ima

Keep safe...

 

[itsmymind]

never look down the barrel of a gun.

 

[dfx willy]

very cool find! id probley use Electrolisis. please keep us informed. willy

 

[Dman]

Looks like a boot pistol. Congrats.
Dman
Dman
Dman
Dman

 

[Giant056]

Awesome find for sure Electrolysis will work for cutting the rust from the cylinder, barrel and all iron on the pistol. I've heard that soaking in fuel oil will dissolve the rust too but I've never tried it myself.

 

[John (Ma)]

Very nice find

 

[pepperj]

Very neat find, looking forward in seeing a picture of it clean up in the future.

 

[1235CE]

It looks very similar to one I found, although I am not very good with gun ID based on corroded examples.

Here is a picture of mine , hopefully it will give you some direction.

Mine was identified by Montana Jim as a Rollin White revolver manufactured circa the early-mid 1860s for Smith and Wesson.

Nice old gun plehbah, and you trumped his Kennedy Half with a Morgan......too funny.

HH all!

Greg