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This one was found leaning against a tree in Great Basin National Park. It had been there ~132 years.
From the Great Basin National Park page:
Numerous questions surround the small piece of American heritage found and recovered by Great Basin National Park archaeologists in November. The 132 year-old rifle, exposed to sun, wind, snow, and rain was found leaning against a tree in the park. The cracked wood stock, weathered to grey, and the brown rusted barrel blended into the colors of the old juniper tree in a remote rocky outcrop, keeping the rifle hidden for many years.
“Model 1873” distinctively engraved on the mechanism identify the rifle as the Winchester Model 1873 repeating rifle. The serial number on the lower tang corresponds in Winchester records held at the Center for the West, Cody Firearms Museum in Cody, Wyoming, with a manufacture and shipping date of 1882. Currently, the detailed history of this rifle is unknown. Winchester records do not indicate who purchased the rifle from the warehouse or where it was shipped.
Darrell wrote:This one was found leaning against a tree in Great Basin National Park. It had been there ~132 years.
From the Great Basin National Park page:
Numerous questions surround the small piece of American heritage found and recovered by Great Basin National Park archaeologists in November. The 132 year-old rifle, exposed to sun, wind, snow, and rain was found leaning against a tree in the park. The cracked wood stock, weathered to grey, and the brown rusted barrel blended into the colors of the old juniper tree in a remote rocky outcrop, keeping the rifle hidden for many years.
“Model 1873” distinctively engraved on the mechanism identify the rifle as the Winchester Model 1873 repeating rifle. The serial number on the lower tang corresponds in Winchester records held at the Center for the West, Cody Firearms Museum in Cody, Wyoming, with a manufacture and shipping date of 1882. Currently, the detailed history of this rifle is unknown. Winchester records do not indicate who purchased the rifle from the warehouse or where it was shipped.
For something that's been sitting out that long, I'm surprised at how good a shape it's in.
one can be a Democrat, or one can choose to be an American.
Good acting requires an imagination; reality requires a person not getting lost in their imagination.
"It's better to have a gun if you need it". Felix's opthamologist
Well, the Great Basin is -- what-- three rainshadows from the Pacific Ocean?
The use of the word "but" usually indicates that everything preceding it in a sentence is a lie.
E.g.:
"I believe in Freedom of Speech, but". . .
"I support the Second Amendment, but". . .
--Randy
Shit. Yeah, it more than likely is/was still loaded. How would you deal with that without trying to work the action, which is most likely frozen solid, and would destroy the "as-found" value of the piece? Maybe braze a drill bit on an extension, and drill down through the front of the bullet to get the powder out? Which in itself does not seem really safe.
Cognosce teipsum et disce pati
"People come and go in our lives, especially the online ones. Some leave a fond memory, and some a bad taste." -Aesop
An x-ray will show any cartridges chambered or in the magazine. The bore is probably plugged solid with accumulated rust and debris from years of vertical position.
(As an aside, there was a cannon on display for many years at the Gettysburg NHS that was discovered to still be loaded as I recall, causing some small amount of consternation.)
Additionally the location of the rifle when found could/should be a start in a search for any other relics or possible remains; old missing-persons reports in the area checked, etc. Might be quite a good vacation or time-killer for a retiree.
Netpackrat wrote:Shit. Yeah, it more than likely is/was still loaded. How would you deal with that without trying to work the action, which is most likely frozen solid, and would destroy the "as-found" value of the piece? Maybe braze a drill bit on an extension, and drill down through the front of the bullet to get the powder out? Which in itself does not seem really safe.
That would probably be pretty safe. The bullet is most likely a lead bullet, which is non-sparking and the cartridge case is brass, which is non-sparking, so the danger of ignition is very low.
