Blown up 1876? - pics

[Grizzly Adams]

I thought our readers might find this relic interesting.  This is the remains of a 1876 that was found on a ranch at the south end of the Magdalena mountains in New Mexico.  The frame was unearthed by some natural springs.







Don't you wish this one could talk?

[OKDEE]

Makes ya wonder the story behind it.    Hopefully, it was a good ending.

Great pictures.

Oklahoma Dee

[Harve Curry]

Must have had a heck of a barrel obstruction. The barrel never showed up? It as the top rail for a dust cover.
There was alot of fighting in these mountain areas for decades. Neat find. Wild guess, was it near Portecita Gap?

[Grizzly Adams]

Must have had a heck of a barrel obstruction. The barrel never showed up? It as the top rail for a dust cover.
There was alot of fighting in these mountain areas for decades. Neat find. Wild guess, was it near Portecita Gap?

Hi, Harve,

I don't know, you have a better grasp of that country than I do!   I believe it was found on Joe Pound's ranch.

[john boy]

Interesting that the hammer is in the cocked position 

[Grizzly Adams]

Interesting that the hammer is in the cocked position 

Possibly, but with the lower tang and spring gone, the hammer would simply be free in the frame.  Did the tang damage occur at the same time?  Who knows....   The hammer spring stirrup is also still attached.

[Buck Stinson]

It appears to me that the gun may have been a throw away.  Notice that some of the screws, pins and internal parts, had actually been removed before the gun was discarded.  Very interesting.  I have one that was found in a dump on an old ranch here in Montana.  It too, had been dismantaled for parts before the frame was thrown away.  The breech bolt, firing pin and lever are still on the otherwise stripped receiver.  The lever screw is missing and in it's place is a nail which holds the lever in the frame.   This stuff is very cool.

Adios,
Buck

[Grizzly Adams]

It appears to me that the gun may have been a throw away. 

Adios,
Buck

I have thought of that possibility as well.  A lot of old rifles ended being used as pins or posts!  It could be that this one was stripped for parts and then driven into the ground, breaking of the tangs.  The twisted frame could be the result of just that - being twisted and broken off.

I know a fella that used to work on a survey crew.  He found a Sharps carbine that had been driven into ground to mark the corner of a property.  He pulled it out and replaced it with a proper survey pin!

[Hoof Hearted]

I have a '73 like that!
I found it in the foothills in california where I used to do day work. It was partially exposed in a gulley/wash. The rifle was broken in half at the same place although complete less the wood. I actually used some of the parts on a 3rd model that I put together as a shooter! Has lots of "character"

[evodude]

Wonder if that hammer would work in mine........!