Small finds below the snow line

[Ca70]

Headed up ridge and down into the canyon . I was going to try to get to an old quartz mine I hunt frequently .usually for neat relics. Lots of old picks, cart wheels, Old tools etc. Now and then we still find gold , in the right places. I have a deer stand out there and wanted to check on it . Perfect excuse.

Snow fall has been light this last month so I figured i'd give it a try.

After a mud ladened ride, and one winching operation , I arrived.

Today, I only brought the GMT, with a 2x9 Hot Foot coil.

First two hours , nothing , but square nails, and some old bullets . Even found an old 45-90 shell. 45-70's yes , but never a 45-90, in these mountains.

I had been hunting in an area I had success before . But , I was coming up short. So I headed down the draw below the old quartz tailings. I know this area had been claimed by a family friend years ago . They had not mined it in 20 years. I'm not sure if it's worth claiming still. it's very steep and muddy, and good water is far away.

But what the heck, it paid off today

I worked hard for these .Alot of muddy climbing .Two small nuggets and one quartz specimen, which was barely audible.

Overall , I'd say a good day.

 

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[Gravelwasher]

Good gold for sure!! Thanks for posting the pic, love looking at gold.

Good luck getting the other pcs in the area hopefully a pocket close by.

 

[Lanny in AB]

Sweet finds! Nicely done. A 45-90? That's an oddball. Originally didn't that designate in black-powder terms, 45 caliber with 90 grains of powder? I'm no expert, but that's a cool find regardless.

All the best,

Lanny

 

[Goldwasher]

Sweet finds! Nicely done. A 45-90? That's an oddball. Originally didn't that designate in black-powder terms, 45 caliber with 90 grains of powder? I'm no expert, but that's a cool find regardless.

All the best,

Lanny

Yep Lanny same payload different boosters...

 

[Gravelwasher]

I used to do black powder shoots and rendezvous all over the western states and had the privilege to shoot a 45-70 when I was about 13. Wow what a powerful gun, was told it was a buffalo rifle, had the octagonal barrel and was quite hefty. lol, sorry Hefty1 no pun intended. Can only imagine some old timer 49er using it as his sniper rifle to scare people off his patch as the noise from one would surely echo through the whole area.

 

[Ca70]

Sweet finds! Nicely done. A 45-90? That's an oddball. Originally didn't that designate in black-powder terms, 45 caliber with 90 grains of powder? I'm no expert, but that's a cool find regardless.

All the best,

Lanny

Thanks Lanny. You're correct. The 45-90 was / is a black powder cartridge back in the day along with the 45-70, and 45-120. These loads are now available in modern firearms that can fire these same straight case loads but with modern smokeless powders. main difference being modern cartridges produce much higher barrel pressures , thus a more potent round than their black powder cousins. I've had a Marlin in 45-70 for years that is a great mountain rifle. easy to reload , a very versatile load.

As mentioned, these three cartridges were very popular with the buffalo hunters back then. A time when the "Sharps" rifle made plains history.