What model of Gun?

[BuckleBoy]

Hello All,

Eyeballed this brass barrel sticking out of the mud today. Would love some help in figuring out what it is.



best wishes,

Buck

 

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[Tony in SC]

Could that be the copper layer for nickel or chrome?

 

[BuckleBoy]

Could that be the copper layer for nickel or chrome?

It’s definitely solid brass

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Likely from a toy pistol. Brass was used for frames and blunderbuss barrels, but not modern pistols.

 

[BuckleBoy]

There are derringers and boot pistols with brass barrels. Could this be one of those?

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

I doubt it was a muzzleloader or screw-barrel. The top rib looks to be pretty modern (late 19th to 20th century) design.

 

[BuckleBoy]

Agreed. Not sure what would’ve been fired from a brass barrel in more modern times. Small caliber rim fire? Lack of any ornamentation seems to speak against it being a toy but honestly it’s not like anything I’ve seen before. I agree that the style of barrel and sight look more late 19th early to mid 20th c. Have dug many cap guns before, as well as pistols and weapons going back 250 years here in Louisiana, but no toy guns that were plain and unadorned. Found a hammer from a percussion cap musket in the same field today. It’s a mixed site.

 

[wainzoid]

Doesn't look like any boot or pocket pistol i have ever seen. The shape makes me think of a revolver or break open design. But i dont know of any with brass barrels. Some flare guns are brass but the bore is too small.maybe a starter pistol of some sort?

 

[roy2bears]

Ben Franklin air pistol barrel, but the bore looks too big

 

[ToddsPoint]

Clean the bore and check for rifling. If it has it, it's a real gun. No rifling, probably a toy. Gary

 

[Zartasha]

I am looking for some antique pieces for my restaurant like antique guns especially cowboy style. So, if you want to sell then let me know.

 

[BuckleBoy]

Clean the bore and check for rifling. If it has it, it's a real gun. No rifling, probably a toy. Gary

that’s a great idea... will clean it up tonight and post photos!

 

[Tpmetal]

toy pistol is my vote. any brass, bronze, or copper that thin for a barrel would go kaboom i would think

 

[villagenut]

I have dug many toy pistols and not all are decorated, so can't rule out toy.

 

[BAW]

The only revolver with a ribbed brass barrel that I have ever seen is the Spencer Safety Hammerless made by Maltby, Henley & Co in the 1890’s. If this is part of one it will be .32 caliber and should be marked by the maker.

 

[BuckleBoy]

Hello all,

update: the barrel appears to be rifled. It measures .32 cal. No markings that I could see, but it does appear that the metal is sheared off at the top (and perhaps the bottom too) by a plow. In addition to the Great ID of the safety hammerless above, after some searching I found another possibility, which is the brass barreled rim fire pistol manufactured by Otis A Smith. I’m going to check the rear end of the underside of this piece for the “O.” or the “O. A.” of Smith’s mark. There is a lot of rust in the area where the iron screw is in this example, so I’m hopeful. Also, note how thin the metal is both above and below the cylinder in the profile photo below. IMO this would be the likely spot for the barrel to be sheared off the rest of the frame by a strike from the plow. A letter or two of the maker’s mark would tell the tale.

https://www.ima-usa.com/products/or...-32-rimfire-serial-905?variant=18943905693765

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Does it have a hole for the cylinder pin? Both of the models mentioned would have that feature.

 

[BuckleBoy]

Does it have a hole for the cylinder pin? Both of the models mentioned would have that feature.

sure enough. I’m sold that this is what it is. Barrel length also matches the website link at exactly 3” long. Gonna go back and dig through the trash to try and find the rest of the brass frame.



shows faint traces of silver plating (as does the one in the link), and it also has some horizontal lines filed into the top of the barrel rib. I’m assuming that was to reduce glare. I’d imagine a brass frame would give off a lot of glare in the sun. I can’t see the makers mark, but at most I’d only be able to see one letter anyhow. Probably best to find the rest of the frame and see if I’m correct that it’s an Otis Smith rimfire pistol, rather than take some fine grit sandpaper to the crud looking for a mark.

 

[BuckleBoy]

Update #2: dug my butt off in the site looking for the rest of the frame yesterday for 10 hours straight and no luck so far. This tells me that it’s deeper than detection depth or broken into more than one remaining piece (I was digging only high tones that read 62 or above on the F75 due to the extreme amount of trash). I did make two good finds—a bullet mold from the 1860s and a rare railroad lock from the South Pacific Coast RR made between 1876 and 1887!

 

[Tpmetal]

Update #2: dug my butt off in the site looking for the rest of the frame yesterday for 10 hours straight and no luck so far. This tells me that it’s deeper than detection depth or broken into more than one remaining piece (I was digging only high tones that read 62 or above on the F75 due to the extreme amount of trash). I did make two good finds—a bullet mold from the 1860s and a rare railroad lock from the South Pacific Coast RR made between 1876 and 1887!

View attachment 1901301 View attachment 1901302

COrrect me if i am wrong, but if the last piece still has the cylinder, shouldn't you be digging all the funny iron tones too? Don't think the cylinder was brass and it could be making the signal real funny.