Found a .22 pistol!!

[Route66]

I was hunting a permission in a neighboring town and this part of town was the "less desirable" part. I hadn't found much in the large side yard when I got a very loud signal on my Equinox. I figured it was just a large piece of junk but I dug it anyway. I found the barrel of a small handgun. I wondered if the rest of the gun was nearby and sure enough, the next signal found the body of the gun. I'm sure the owner didn't know anything about it otherwise I doubt if he would have let anyone with a metal detector in his yard. I didn't tell him what I found .. I just left. When I got home I cleaned it up a bit and I found that it still had a .22 round in the chamber! I'm not a gun authority but when I looked it up, it's a Jennings J-22 (.22LR) pistol. From what I've read they are pretty much junk so someone may have just got disgusted with the gun and threw it away but to be safe I think I'll take it to the local police station tomorrow.

Has anyone else ever found a real gun?

 

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[Inspector]

Not an everyday find. Just a thought but I would hope the gun wouldn't be tracked back to a crime or had been stolen. Myself I would take it back to the property owner for their disposable. You could tell them you had thought it was a toy until you cleaned it up and discovered otherwise. Maybe over thinking it. Good luck

 

[Ahab8]

Take it to the police. A guy I know here in Maine found a gun that had been discovered in a small river. He also found a cell phone. The police marched that gun to a triple homicide. 3 young adults shot inside a car then the car was torched. These 2 items were able to be linked to the murderer and his friend. They’re both spending life behind bars. You just never know with these things. In my opinion it’s always worth doing our due diligence. Best of luck in whatever you decide to do.

 

[CoinHunterAZ]

I agree with the above. Turn it in to the authorities would be the right thing to do. You just never know what it was used for, and why it was where you found it.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Nice find, congrats! Like the others said...turn it in to the police.

 

[RVRoamer74]

You just never know these days. Yeah, like everyone else says, I turn it in. Cool find though. Congrats!

 

[Kray Gelder]

I agree with the above. Cheap pocket gun, might be linked to a crime. Or not. Turn it in. with the exact location found. Good luck.

 

[TooManyHobbies]

Turn it in, but call the police first. Have them come to you. Just saying... walking into a police station with a gun may not be good for your health.
And get a receipt if you want it back.

 

[MrBlueSkyNM]

Looks like a Saturday Night Special! Yikes!

 

[Digger RJ]

Nice!!!!! Congrats!!!!

 

[Iggyks]

I have one of those. It functioned well for something that cost $65 new at a gun show but was really loud. If the round in the pic is the one you mention, i think it is in the top of the magazine rather than the chamber. Might make it less likely that it was thrown away after a shooting but i agree that letting the police take a look is wise. Cool find!

 

[Bob-E-Pin]

Turn it in, ask for property receipt. If you want back if all checks ok sit around one day and clean it and you got a free gun.

 

[tnt-hunter]

I agree turn it in, it is the right thing to do, but don’t expect it back. I turned in a gun I found in the river to the Maryland State police. I asked if I could get it back if it was not evidence in a crime. I was told that guns found and turned in would not be returned, but kept and destroyed. Don’t ask me why they do this, but that’s what happened to me.

 

[Trezurehunter]

That is a cheaper model .22, and since you say you were on an undesirable side of town, it probably belonged to a gang banger, and I'm sure the gun would have been stolen. I'm with all the rest, that say turn it in. If it was used in a crime, (and it probably was because it was thrown or buried, and you found it) you dont want it in your possession.

 

[Grizz12]

I used to be a licensed gun dealer, that gun is JUNK!

The barrel is attached to the frame, what you found is the slide

The round is in the magazine, to remove the magazine there is a lever on the bottom of the grip but that looks to be rusted in place so dont mess with it. Be very careful DO NOT bump the back side of the round or it could go off.

Let your LEO's deal with it.

 

[Dennis1209]

Yeah, a few years ago I took a little walk to the creek (about a mile) for a little exercise. Standing on the bridge looking down to see fish, etc., I seen something very shiny reflecting the sun in six inches of water. It looked like a real brand new gun? I thought about retrieving it myself and keeping it briefly. But to be safe I called the county Sheriff's office. No doubt finding a gun like that it was used in a crime or stolen? They immediately came out and walked through the brier's, mud and water and retrieved it. It was a Lorcin .25 pistol. Well, had it been anything other than a Jennings or Lorcin, I may have asked if no one claimed it, if I could have it? But I get more than my fair share of trash MDing. I wouldn't take either one even free with 1K rounds of ammo, a holster and a please accept this. If there were hurt feeling involved, I'd accept it; and immediately take it somewhere out of sight and bury it. Hey maybe I solved your mystery?