Pistol found buried in a barn

[PPatch]

Perhaps some of you could help ID this pistol? Lock has "LONDON" stamped on it. The barrel is brass. The pistol was recently unearthed from the dirt floor of a barn in Indiana, it had been buried in a metal box which also contained some cloth from just inside the archway of a main door. I'm asking for a poster on another forum who found it while metal detecting (his hobby).















Just asking for general information on its possible origin and if anyone believes it might have been converted from flint to cap lock.

Thank you

dave

[FlintFan]

Yes, it was converted from flint.  The round drum, and filled holes in the lock plate give it away.

It is an example of a common trade quality pistol.  The brass barrel is a nice feature, and found on the slightly better quality guns, but this is still an export/trade pistol.  Most likely made in Birmingham, or possibly in Belgium.  There should be proof marks somewhere, maybe on the underside of the barrel?

If there are no proof marks it is possible it could have been assembled in America from purchased surplus parts.  The parts and style are too generic to pinpoint any particular place of origin.  Unfortunately, the word "London" stamped on the lock is meaningless.  

And oh yeah, there is a good chance it is still loaded.

[Feltwad]

Flint lock conversion to percussion using the drum and nipple principle .
Feltwad

[PPatch]

I suspected it was a conversion, thanks for the conformation. I have sent the new owner information on how to check if it is still loaded.

dave

[Shreckmeister]

Hmmm, buried in the barn.  I wonder what stories it's hiding.  Could the cloth give away the period it was buried?

[vtbuck223]

4th picture down...left side of the barrel....looks like there are proof marks right where they should be?

[JCKelly]

I notice trigger-guard is broken off. Buried in a barn will do it. Horse, or cow, urine will most thoroughly crack brass over time. Barrel might have some cracks in it as well.

I have an old brass framed revolver with well-cracked frame, likely stored in a Kentucky barn.

Rock Island Arsenal museum has a bunch of pieces that used to be a cast bronze bell. From a steamboat sunk in the Mississippi for quite some time. Guess it was sewage in the Mississippi that did it.

[WadePatton]

Does the digger know not to "clean it up"?

Awesome find.  I've swung a detector a few miles.  Not a lot finds, but truckloads of junk and plenty of modern coins-even with fancy discriminator machines.  Might be time to charge some batteries and do a bit more scratching around.

[FlintFan]

4th picture down...left side of the barrel....looks like there are proof marks right where they should be?

Yup, there they are.  With a close up photo we can tell you where at least the barrel was made.

[longrifle]

Very interesting pistol.

[mr. no gold]

It might pay for the finder, (or some interested party) to run a chain of title on the property to see who could have lived there. It might lead to a conclusion as to who originally owned the gun. Condition suggests that it was put there a hundred plus years ago given the metal condition. Wood looks pretty good for being buried in a barn. Funny how soil conditions can affect metals. A number of years ago, a fellow digging a privy up in the gold rush country found a brass frame for what had been a stunner of a ******. It was wonderfully engraved, but the wood and steel were completely gone. This piece is a nice find; one that would qualify for placement in a shadow box to protect it from any further insults.
Dick

[PPatch]

The owner hasn't answered e-mail as yet today, I linked him to the thread here this morning, perhaps he will drop by.

- He knows to check if it is loaded.
- I advised him against any sort of cleanup or scrubbing.
- His step-grandfather is the current owner of the property the pistol was found on. I'm sure a search could be made for past ownership.
- He hasn't described the cloth that was in the box with the pistol, I'll ask. The metal box was pretty rusted too btw.
- I will ask him for photos of those possible proof marks.
- I agree that it is a nice find and a fine mystery.

And yes Sherck it would be nice if these old guns could tell their tales. Really nice. They do try or at least drop hints with the location and condition they are found in. Imagine how little the relics of our modern throwaway society will reveal in a hundred to two hundred years. Zero would be my guess.

Thanks for everyone's input - you guys are great.

dave

[grouchy]

Great find! I that a staple holding the stock together? ned

[PPatch]

Ned;

Not that I can see. I do see a barrel lug pin forward of the lock panel area.

dave

[wattlebuster]

very cool find. If only it could talk