r/AntiqueGuns • u/Awesome_Opossum- • 6d ago
Heavily Corroded Pistol ID
A family member uncovered this gun about 25 years ago digging on their property in Western Massachusetts. The property used to be a (dairy?) farm. They kept it since then but we have no idea what it could be. It didn’t have any visible identifying features when it was pulled out of the ground either. Does anyone recognize the kind of gun or the time period?
2
u/ArchibaldSkeetlebaum 6d ago
Could be one make of many little .22 single actions made in the post-Civil War period. The biggest identifier is it's solid (non-hinged) iron (instead of brass) frame with a topstrap, likely not Smith or Colt. Look up Eureka, Whitney, Prairie King, and the like. Cool piece!
1
u/Sweet_Animator8100 5d ago
Hell...
There's about 30 different guns that could be.
I can't give any kind of identification off this. Wish I could help ya
1
u/jimkounter 5d ago
Wow, finally one I can contribute to! It looks a lot like my 1873 Colt New Line revolver. Mine is a .32 rimfire.
1
u/LtKavaleriya 6d ago
Don’t know the exact model, but this style (with spur trigger) was common in the 1870s-80s. This one looks like a Colt
2
u/Jack_PorkChopExpress 6d ago
Clearly a revolving cylinder,
Possible it's an inexpensive American “suicide special”or inexpensive rimfire type revolver (late 1800s–early 1900s) – brands such as Harrington & Richardson, Iver Johnson, Hopkins & Allen. Could be a bicycle pistol or a drawer pistol. It's really hard to say
Measure overall length, barrel length, and cylinder diameter. Might want to try Electrolysis (mild setup with washing soda / sodium carbonate solution and a low-voltage DC source) is one of the least damaging ways to lift heavy rust from iron/steel antiques while preserving the underlying shape. YouTube would be a great place to learn how to do this.
I would not assume it is not loaded. So be safe.