Rusty relic, was it a gun?

[fatelk]

A friend of mine dug this up digging a ditch. Any ideas what it might have been? He thinks it used to be a rifle, but I'm not entirely convinced. Maybe a single shot .22 with the front half of the receiver cut off? Either way it's rusty scrap metal but we were curious.

[TXGunNut]

Looks like part of a Mauser bolt, hard for me to say. Could be a bolt for a .22 rifle as well. I'll bet we have it ID'd by dinner time tho.

[thekidd76]

Mauser bolt was the first thing that popped into my head as well when i looked at the first picture.

[Wayne Smith]

Don't think Mauser, most of them had straight bolts anyway. I'm thinking .22 single shot of some type, that bend reminds me of the Remington bolts.

[missionary5155]

Good morning
My first though was a model 514 that got lost off a raft going down the Paw Paw River back about 1967.
The sad part is that items like these are not able to communicate the past.
Mike in Peru

[Blacksmith]

That would be a great candidate for some Electrolytic Rust Removal so here is a link to how its done:
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/andyspatch/rust.htm#intro

Google will show many more web sites and YouTube videos.

That is probably from one of my guns lost in the earthquake when they fell into the crack in the earth. The rest were lost in the boating accident.

[montana_charlie]

Comparing the size of the object with the hand that is holding it, I would say it is very large for a .22 bolt.

I think it might be the latch for a gate.

CM

[saint_iverson]

looks like a mossberg bolt, but the angles are deceiving in the shots

[runfiverun]

the shape of the knob say's arisaka to me.


it looks left handed.....

[TXGunNut]

Maybe left-handed, that would narrow things down a bunch. I was thinking the bolt handle was rotated and bent. Sure looks like a safety lever at the rear.

[Smitty's Retired]

I believe it is the bolt from one of the varients of a Berthier. I had a Berthier Mle 1907-15 Carbine with a bolt that looked very similar. Here is a pic of a berthier bolt.

64386

[LUBEDUDE]

I vote 22 - maybe Rem.

[fatelk]

I think it might be the latch for a gate.

Now that you mention it, I wonder if it could be some kind of deadbolt. I thought that the part sticking down didn't look right for a gun, and it really does look like a small bolt in a receiver, rather than just a bolt.

Yeah, the more I look at it, the more I think it could be a deadbolt or something off of a piece of equipment, with the handle bent down to resemble a bolt handle. I don't know, it does look like a bolt action something though, doesn't it?

[TXGunNut]

I think fatelk is right, could very well be a stamped steel receiver for a .22 rifle rusted solid around the bolt. Bolt handle is obviously deformed and bent. Underside suggests a single-shot but I suspect the safety lever will be the key.

[10x]

Now that you mention it, I wonder if it could be some kind of deadbolt. I thought that the part sticking down didn't look right for a gun, and it really does look like a small bolt in a receiver, rather than just a bolt.

Yeah, the more I look at it, the more I think it could be a deadbolt or something off of a piece of equipment, with the handle bent down to resemble a bolt handle. I don't know, it does look like a bolt action something though, doesn't it?

It does look like a locking bolt for a gate or a door. Boil in down in CLR (outside) or a bleach solution to lift the rust... See what comes out...

[fatelk]

Well, nix on the deadbolt idea. I talked to him on the phone (he's several hours away) and suggested it as a possibility, and the idea was not well received ("Are you calling me stupid? This thing is a gun part of some kind.") :)

Next time I get down that way I'll take a look at it. I'll forward him the link to the article about rust removal. That would be perfect for something like this. Thank you for the link!

[hithard]

What ever it is, if your in California you better register it!

Or take it to the gun buy back program and really come out ahead.

[WILCO]

I thought Smitty's retired had it, but I'm thinking single shot .22lr.