Collectors - a word of warning

John -Melb · 09-23-2005, 07:49 AM

Hi folks,

A word of warning for any collectors out there, whilst old guns circulating within the collectors field are normally very safe, the same can not be said for "sleepers"

I called into the local shop today for a browse and the fellow behind the counter said he had something to show me. It looked like it had spent the last century hanging in a farm shed, but under all that grime, a very pretty lady winked at me.

She's a single barrel 14 bore percussion gun marked "J Manton", It needed a bit of work so a price was negiotated and the old girl come home with me.

Got her home and started cleaning he up to find, yep, whilst there was no cap on the nipple, she was still "loaded for bear". That problem has since been solved, but believe it or not, when I emptied out the powder and put a light to it, it ignited.

Folks, if you encounter and old percusion gun, don't believe it's safe, and don't play with it until you can prove it so. The charge in this old gun had probably been loaded a century ago, but if I had capped it and touched it off, it would have gone.

Regards to all

thegundude · 09-23-2005, 10:33 PM

Damn. That really gets you thinking, don't it.... :O

A hundred year old load... kinda sad you had to unload it, huh?

Ron Smith · 09-23-2005, 11:04 PM

John and Steve,

This is actually a pretty common occurence. I work in a muzzle loading specialty shop. The owner always runs a reach rod down the barrel of every long gun that comes in, to check it. He had an elderly man come in with an original 1951 Colt revolver. The man had found it in an old house that had collapsed 50 years ago. Every chamber was loaded. Three of them fired in the firing tube. And a forth flared but didn't go off.

Ron

G.W. Gill · 09-24-2005, 12:58 AM

I just bought a 1 lb. oval Dupont powder can for $8. I had to use a tool to get the cap off. Powder is good. It must have experienced a fire in its times as it had the telltale running residue marks. Wish it was a case. FF is what I use. Of course I ruined the label by cleaning. Now I have a nice can with a ghost label. Back to the discussion. These barrels and stuff we find are all real weapons that guys used to kill things with. Carefull!!

Doug G. · 09-26-2005, 10:24 PM

Quote:

The last time it had been off the wall, from the paint traces, had been in 1897 for Queen victoria's diamond jubilee.

Funny I thought she was well liked?

Lyn Islaub · 09-26-2005, 10:44 PM

There's a 1908 Navy floating around among my family members that I probably won't get to own before I'm 90, however it carries the distinction of shooting of my Great Uncles thumb. Seems he had disassembled it for cleaning after liberating it during WW 1 and depressed the sear bar just about the time he realized that there was a live round chambered. Guess it's true about all guns being loaded.
Lyn

09-23-2005, 07:49 AM	#1
John -Melb User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Melbourne, Peoples Republic of Australia! Posts: 145 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Collectors - a word of warning Hi folks, A word of warning for any collectors out there, whilst old guns circulating within the collectors field are normally very safe, the same can not be said for "sleepers" I called into the local shop today for a browse and the fellow behind the counter said he had something to show me. It looked like it had spent the last century hanging in a farm shed, but under all that grime, a very pretty lady winked at me. She's a single barrel 14 bore percussion gun marked "J Manton", It needed a bit of work so a price was negiotated and the old girl come home with me. Got her home and started cleaning he up to find, yep, whilst there was no cap on the nipple, she was still "loaded for bear". That problem has since been solved, but believe it or not, when I emptied out the powder and put a light to it, it ignited. Folks, if you encounter and old percusion gun, don't believe it's safe, and don't play with it until you can prove it so. The charge in this old gun had probably been loaded a century ago, but if I had capped it and touched it off, it would have gone. Regards to all

09-23-2005, 10:33 PM	#2
thegundude User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Western NC Posts: 1,137 Thanks: 3 Thanked 16 Times in 3 Posts	Damn. That really gets you thinking, don't it.... :O A hundred year old load... kinda sad you had to unload it, huh? __________________ Keep your knees in the breeze and your iron in the air. ~Steve

09-23-2005, 11:04 PM	#3
Ron Smith User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Orygun Posts: 4,243 Thanks: 118 Thanked 245 Times in 150 Posts	John and Steve, This is actually a pretty common occurence. I work in a muzzle loading specialty shop. The owner always runs a reach rod down the barrel of every long gun that comes in, to check it. He had an elderly man come in with an original 1951 Colt revolver. The man had found it in an old house that had collapsed 50 years ago. Every chamber was loaded. Three of them fired in the firing tube. And a forth flared but didn't go off. Ron __________________ I Still Need DWM side plate #49... if anyone runs across a nice one. What ~Rudyard Kipling~ said...

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09-24-2005, 12:58 AM	#4
G.W. Gill User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Southeastern USA Posts: 369 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I just bought a 1 lb. oval Dupont powder can for $8. I had to use a tool to get the cap off. Powder is good. It must have experienced a fire in its times as it had the telltale running residue marks. Wish it was a case. FF is what I use. Of course I ruined the label by cleaning. Now I have a nice can with a ghost label. Back to the discussion. These barrels and stuff we find are all real weapons that guys used to kill things with. Carefull!!

09-26-2005, 10:44 PM	#6
Lyn Islaub Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 435 Thanks: 3 Thanked 152 Times in 72 Posts	There's a 1908 Navy floating around among my family members that I probably won't get to own before I'm 90, however it carries the distinction of shooting of my Great Uncles thumb. Seems he had disassembled it for cleaning after liberating it during WW 1 and depressed the sear bar just about the time he realized that there was a live round chambered. Guess it's true about all guns being loaded. Lyn