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Posted: 8/25/2017 2:20:39 PM EDT
My brother and I were fixing an old retaining wall and while working on it we found 3 rusted up guns(?). They were buried near the base of the wall(about 6 feet down)
I'm not sure if these are old toys or the real deal. They are heavy and made of some type of metal. The previous owner of the house was a cop who has long since passed. I'm thinking of cleaning these guns up to see what they are. Any idea on how the best way to do this? |
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Posted: 8/25/2017 2:32:58 PM EDT
[#1]
The top one looked like a piece of chicken when I first looked. Hopefully someone can chime in with a cleaning method.
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Posted: 8/25/2017 2:33:57 PM EDT
[#2]
Any sort of cleaning on those may result in a pile of rust. They may be too far gone. Great find though.
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Posted: 8/25/2017 2:37:16 PM EDT
[#3]
1. Fried chicken
2. Bad fried chicken 3. Worse fried chicken. |
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Posted: 8/25/2017 2:38:24 PM EDT
[#4]
I think I would try electrolosis (sp?). There are several youtube videos on how to do it.
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Posted: 8/25/2017 2:40:23 PM EDT
[#5]
Cool find, there is a story that you will likely never know and probably went to the grave with the previous owner that goes with those.
I'd metal detect the fuck out of that area(only because I don't have ground penetrating radar). |
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Posted: 8/25/2017 2:40:23 PM EDT
[#6]
Haha, I thought of fried chicken, too!
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Posted: 8/25/2017 2:42:04 PM EDT
[#7]
clean them up with chemical bath or electrolysis. Google/youtube seach for procedures.
A friend of mine cleaned up a revolver he found that looked like that. It came out looking great. Are neat wall hangers. I wonder what the story was with the cop who buried them there... |
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Posted: 8/25/2017 2:42:47 PM EDT
[#8]
Keep us updated if you do decide to clean them up.
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Posted: 8/25/2017 2:43:10 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Cool find, there is a story that you will likely never know and probably went to the grave with the previous owner that goes with those. I'd metal detect the fuck out of that area(only because I don't have ground penetrating radar). |
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Posted: 8/25/2017 2:58:18 PM EDT
[#10]
Bucket of distilled white vinegar.
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Posted: 8/25/2017 3:04:39 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Bucket of distilled white vinegar. Pretty cool. |
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Posted: 8/25/2017 3:08:33 PM EDT
[#12]
You have to wonder why they were buried like that. Murder weapons? Looks like they were there for a real long time.
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Posted: 8/25/2017 3:13:26 PM EDT
[#13]
Drop guns.
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Posted: 8/25/2017 3:17:29 PM EDT
[#14]
Dirty cop. Took them from crime scenes or the evidence locker and buried them to resell later down the road.
Chances are he just never got around to selling those particular ones and died, leaving them there. I would bet there are more there. |
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Posted: 8/25/2017 3:22:20 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
clean them up with chemical bath or electrolysis. Google/youtube seach for procedures. A friend of mine cleaned up a revolver he found that looked like that. It came out looking great. Are neat wall hangers. I wonder what the story was with the cop who buried them there... |
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Posted: 8/25/2017 3:26:49 PM EDT
[#16]
OST
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Posted: 8/25/2017 3:36:16 PM EDT
[#17]
Harbor Freight has a liquid rust remover that I've seen my cousin get good results with... sorry, don't know the exact name
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Posted: 8/25/2017 3:39:02 PM EDT
[#18]
Piece of shit unsafe German imports he didn't want anyone to try shooting?
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Posted: 8/25/2017 4:24:17 PM EDT
[#19]
Keep digging. Jimmy Hoffa is nearby...
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Posted: 8/25/2017 4:31:54 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
The top one looked like a piece of chicken when I first looked. |
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Posted: 8/25/2017 4:36:24 PM EDT
[#21]
Not much left there that's not rust or corrosion. Might be interesting to try cleaning them up, just don't expect much more than some interesting art for your man cave.
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Posted: 8/25/2017 4:56:46 PM EDT
[#22]
A little WD-40 and a few minutes with a wire brush, they'll be good as new.
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Posted: 8/25/2017 5:02:26 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Dirty cop. Took them from crime scenes or the evidence locker and buried them to resell later down the road. Chances are he just never got around to selling those particular ones and died, leaving them there. I would bet there are more there. |
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Posted: 8/25/2017 5:03:15 PM EDT
[#24]
Illegal to own, serial numbers have been defaced.
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Posted: 8/25/2017 5:03:54 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Keep us updated if you do decide to clean them up. |
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Posted: 8/25/2017 5:16:43 PM EDT
[#26]
Looks to me that they are so far gone that any acid or rust remover will likely leave you with a pile of mud.
I have seen reverse electrolysis do wonderful stuff. In this case they will not likely "clean up" but you might get them improved to the point where you might identify or at least determine if they are real or toys. My sugestion would be if identity is successful to mount each relic gun in a glass front box alongside a photo of the corresponding gun and then hang them on the wall. Like other posters I suspect a shady past . Yeah this is a tag for possible results |
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Posted: 8/26/2017 9:57:44 AM EDT
[#27]
I would definitely get a metal detector and search the area 3 guns buried very well may be more items. It may or may not have anything to do with the previous cop that lived there.
How old is the house and or the retaining wall? As for the guns I believe you'd be lucky to be able to get a identification as to what time frame they came from as they are in such bad shape. But who knows what you may have stumbled upon. Dating the firearms could link them to something that happened around that area and that time frame. |
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Posted: 8/26/2017 10:03:00 AM EDT
[#28]
Calling it now... middle gun is an Iver Johnson.
Was he a cop in the 60/70s? |
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Posted: 8/26/2017 10:07:13 AM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I think I would try electrolosis (sp?). There are several youtube videos on how to do it. |
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Posted: 8/26/2017 10:10:40 AM EDT
[#30]
I'd already have it soaking in Evapo-Rust.
https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/evapo-rust-rust-remover-32-oz.-er004/10182522-P  Attached File |
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Posted: 8/26/2017 10:17:39 AM EDT
[#31]
Tag to see how they clean up
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Posted: 8/26/2017 10:20:38 AM EDT
[#32]
another vote for plain old vinegar.
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Posted: 8/26/2017 10:27:08 AM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
You have to wonder why they were buried like that. Murder weapons? Looks like they were there for a real long time. I would place them each in a glass jar filled with Vinegar, stir up the vinegar every day to shake the rust loose, you may get them to where you can at least see what they actually are. |
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Posted: 8/26/2017 10:44:23 AM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Calling it now... middle gun is an Iver Johnson. Was he a cop in the 60/70s? |
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Posted: 8/26/2017 10:58:54 AM EDT
[#35]
I use electrolysis on stuff like that. Haven't had anything as far gone as that, but I've had some nasty rusted stuff that it cleaned up well.
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Posted: 8/26/2017 12:09:42 PM EDT
[#36]
Cool find. I'd be heading out to buy a metal detector for sure.
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Posted: 8/26/2017 1:50:43 PM EDT
[#37]
The bottom one looks like a Colt or Colt clone.
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Posted: 8/26/2017 2:18:23 PM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
The top one looked like a piece of chicken when I first looked. Hopefully someone can chime in with a cleaning method.
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Posted: 8/26/2017 2:43:01 PM EDT
[#39]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Tag to see how they clean up |
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Posted: 8/26/2017 7:45:59 PM EDT
[#40]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
The wall was built in 1952 or 53,. I believe he was a cop in the early 50s and retired in the 70s. From what I know he was an honest cop and was well liked and respected. |
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Posted: 8/26/2017 7:48:29 PM EDT
[#41]
Is this a dinner thread? Fried Chicken
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Posted: 8/26/2017 11:54:45 PM EDT
[#42]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
The bottom one looks like a Colt or Colt clone. |
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Posted: 8/27/2017 8:18:45 PM EDT
[#43]
In for results when finished.
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Posted: 8/27/2017 8:22:49 PM EDT
[#44]
I don't think anyone buries a gun just cause it seems like a something to do when your have time to kill. Those things were probably tied to a very bad act.
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Posted: 8/28/2017 10:10:32 AM EDT
[#45]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
You have to wonder why they were buried like that. Murder weapons? Looks like they were there for a real long time. |
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Posted: 8/28/2017 10:22:32 AM EDT
[#46]
I have a Colt SAA that was dug up not far from Little Bighorn and it's in better condition than those.
eta: those look old. Bottom one looks like a SAA |
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Posted: 8/28/2017 10:27:50 AM EDT
[#47]
OST
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Posted: 8/28/2017 10:50:27 AM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
OST |
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Posted: 8/28/2017 4:25:04 PM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
My thoughts exactly. Why else do you bury guns like that? If it was for long term storage much more care would have been taken. My first thoughts were the OP is in New Jersey... If the above is the case, the OP's firearms could have been drop guns that the officer decided he didn't need anymore (promoted? retired?) and wanted to simply dispose of them. |
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Posted: 8/28/2017 6:25:14 PM EDT
[#50]
Or it could be as simple as the guy's wife said to get those guns out of the house.
The only thing we know is that we will never know the real reason why they are there. |
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