This look like a bullet hole to you??

[doublet2a]

Found close to old RR tracks
Only writing I can find is the # 74 on the shackle part
Made of brass, appox. 2 & 1/4 In, tall
Could this be an old train robbery victim


Tim

 

[Fast_Dave]

I'd guess more than likely a switch lock rather than a strongbox. Also, when I look I get the impression the damage was done after the lock had been corroding for a while. Good metal tends to bend rather than break like that seems to have done.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I'd guess more than likely a switch lock rather than a strongbox. Also, when I look I get the impression the damage was done after the lock had been corroding for a while. Good metal tends to bend rather than break like that seems to have done.

Im only guessing, but who would shoot an old lock? ...I say bullet hole.

 

[aa battery]

me thinks bullet

 

[DD-777]

me thinks bullet

Agreed - very cool...

 

[aa battery]

i do know there was some train robberies in 2 a' s area.

 

[Fast_Dave]

I'd guess more than likely a switch lock rather than a strongbox. Also, when I look I get the impression the damage was done after the lock had been corroding for a while. Good metal tends to bend rather than break like that seems to have done.

Im only guessing, but who would shoot an old lock? ...I say bullet hole.

Much as I hate to admit to a misspent youth, I remember wondering if a bullet could really open a lock like you see on TV, and doing my own experiment to find out with a padlock that was old and rusty. And yes, it does open, upon application of a bullet of sufficient caliber, lol!
I do agree that it's bullet damage, I was just doubting it was done when the lock was still in use.

 

[Mobes]

I'd have to agree bullet hole.

 

[doublet2a]

I was just doubting it was done when the lock was still in use.

I don't understand, does the damge look newer to you


Tim

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Much as I hate to admit to a misspent youth, I remember wondering if a bullet could really open a lock like you see on TV, and doing my own experiment to find out with a padlock that was old and rusty. And yes, it does open, upon application of a bullet of sufficient caliber, lol!

Much as I hate to admit to a misspent youth, I once knew somebody, that knew somebody, that would shoot payphone telephone booths lockboxes and out would come the quarters. ....quite a few I heard....back in the day.

Its also possible that they just lost the key. Myself, I would be afraid of a possible richocet.

 

[Fast_Dave]

If you take a coffee can out in the back 40 and put a couple of slugs through it, you'll see the metal bending, distorting, stretching and tearing. What you won't see is the metal cracking like it appears to have done on the lock. If you take something that's sat out in the elements a number of years, something that's oxidized to some extent and shoot that, you get the cracking effect. I've illustrated in the picture the areas I mean, particularly the lower right edges and right next to the damaged area. To my eye, the lock had already oxidized before someone shot it, producing the cracks. Whether it lay beside the rails or hung on a switch, it had been exposed to the elements, something you wouldn't see in a strongbox lock.

 

[Fast_Dave]

Much as I hate to admit to a misspent youth, I once knew somebody, that knew somebody, that would shoot payphone telephone booths lockboxes and out would come the quarters. ....quite a few I heard....back in the day.

Its also possible that they just lost the key. Myself, I would be afraid of a possible richocet.
[/quote]
LOL, I still have the scar to prove your caution is well founded, something about trying to put a .22 Stinger round through a clad quarter.

 

[doublet2a]

OK,, I see what your saying now
You just burst my bubble LOL


Tim

 

[ivan salis]

humm I wonder if there was / is a track switching switch around there ? if so these were locked as well to prevent folks "playing with them" and causing a wreck -- if a weather beaten rusted shut lock wouldn't open ( a fairly common event) often the pick headed end of rail hammer was used to bust em off -- with a mighty blow by a strong arm* --( that would cause the type of damage seen on the weathered lock in my veiw) if there 's a near by track switching area -- I think thats it most likely.

with that said --however of course if theres no switch around to be locked -- a strong box with a lock could have been shot off (maybe)-- but normally aren't the key holes of the lock to the front when put on a lock box -- hard to hit the back of the lock with it sitting in its normal postion* it would have to be in a rather abnormal postion to hit the lock rear --- and if so there should be lead inside the lock * as soft lead would go inside the hard iron /steel lock's body as it smashed into it with great force .

just thinking out loud

 

[trikikiwi]

I am not an expert but, I can imagine if an old padlock was shot at, over the years of it lying around, the seriously stressed 'stretched' metal would be further stressed by perhaps extreme temperatures and fracture.
The oxidation on the surfaces and in the fractures looks to my old eyes to be very similar -
so my vote is an awesome bullet hole

In fact I would love to have it, just send me the bullet hole, you keep the lock

Mike

 

[NGE]

Pay phone, coin boxes, quarters? I had a cousin a few years ago the tried getting into pay phone coin boxes with a 30.06! At great distance from booth, and all he managed to do was fill the keyhole with lead. That's when he found out that the little silver box was made from hardened tool steel. What was your friend using, a .50 caliber? Or, Full metal jacketed something or another? lol........NGE

 

[Marc(NB)]

I would believe a bullet hole on impact would of made a round hole and it would of had a shattered hole on the front of the lock.My 2 cents worth which is at times just that

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Pay phone, coin boxes, quarters? I had a cousin a few years ago the tried getting into pay phone coin boxes with a 30.06! At great distance from booth, and all he managed to do was fill the keyhole with lead. That's when he found out that the little silver box was made from hardened tool steel. What was your friend using, a .50 caliber? Or, Full metal jacketed something or another? lol........NGE

Pistol. I dont remember the caliber because I wasnt interested in becoming his partner in crime. He wasnt my friend, truth is he was my landlords boyfriend from whom I was a boarder. I didnt witness it but im sure he did it many times. BTW Hes prob in prison or dead.

Later in life, I found an old payphone, tried to bust it open myself and it is very tough, I agree. I dont know how he did it. At the time he tried to recruit me by showing me all the money he had obtained each night but I turned him down flat. I was about 21 at the time. (early 70's)

 

[NGE]

Well, I didn't mention that my ex-cousin is in a prison somewhere down south for fraud, sure glad I never accepted any of his practices, but I thought it was interesting about what he did to Ma Bell......

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Well, I didn't mention that my ex-cousin is in a prison somewhere down south for fraud, sure glad I never accepted any of his practices, but I thought it was interesting about what he did to Ma Bell......

LOL
There are many paths to travel on in life, all we can do is hope to choose the right way.