Things you find, WHen you're not looking?

[Krag 1901]

I went down to change the scope on my .223. From a Simmons 3-12x to a Nikon 4.5-14 x AO. Cleaned up the Ruger a bit and went to put away the Simmons, when I noticed a plaid slipper case. I remembered that was where I had put my Grandmother's .41 Double barreled Remington and It had not been oiled in many years so I thought I'd check it out and reoil it.

Lo, also in the case was an Iver Johnson .32 S&W hammerless top break revolver! Where it came from I couldn't say.

My Dad told me that my Grandmother carried the Remington when she worked nights as a cook in Denver 100+ or so years ago. Denver was not a nice town in those days, I guess.

The IJ .32 was in pretty good shape, except for half the cylinder which was pitted and lacking all it's bluing. The cylinder locks up pretty tight, but the hand does not turn the cylinder??? it doesn't come out until late and may not be hitting the ejector star. It is one of the safety trigger types and has a 1895 Patent date, I think, hard to read the fine print on the barrel. It was showing some surface rust so I worked it over with some 0000 steel wool and Rem oil. Some bluing remains, (50+%) though faded with time and neglect.

It looks like it is a solid frame and held together with drift pins and one screw. I'm not sure I'll take it apart to see if I can fix the timing issue with the hand. Besides I'm not going to try to fire this anyway.

I'm curious how it came to be in my possession?

[Txcowboy52]

I usually find everything I’m NOT looking for !

[Scrounge]

I went down to change the scope on my .223. From a Simmons 3-12x to a Nikon 4.5-14 x AO. Cleaned up the Ruger a bit and went to put away the Simmons, when I noticed a plaid slipper case. I remembered that was where I had put my Grandmother's .41 Double barreled Remington and It had not been oiled in many years so I thought I'd check it out and reoil it.

Lo, also in the case was an Iver Johnson .32 S&W hammerless top break revolver! Where it came from I couldn't say.

My Dad told me that my Grandmother carried the Remington when she worked nights as a cook in Denver 100+ or so years ago. Denver was not a nice town in those days, I guess.

The IJ .32 was in pretty good shape, except for half the cylinder which was pitted and lacking all it's bluing. The cylinder locks up pretty tight, but the hand does not turn the cylinder??? it doesn't come out until late and may not be hitting the ejector star. It is one of the safety trigger types and has a 1895 Patent date, I think, hard to read the fine print on the barrel. It was showing some surface rust so I worked it over with some 0000 steel wool and Rem oil. Some bluing remains, (50+%) though faded with time and neglect.

It looks like it is a solid frame and held together with drift pins and one screw. I'm not sure I'll take it apart to see if I can fix the timing issue with the hand. Besides I'm not going to try to fire this anyway.

I'm curious how it came to be in my possession?

Wish I could find something like that! I like the old IJ break-tops. Never owned one in .32, and would like to. My ex got the one I had in .38 S&W, 39 years ago this month. And promptly left it unattended in her car to be stolen. I'm pretty sure she blamed that on me, too.

[slim1836]

Good find, I'm still looking for my 45-70 brass. Guess I'll quit looking, it might show up.

Slim

[Winger Ed.]

Usually the only old things I find when not looking is along the lines of bent screw drivers, and rusty pliers.

Or, something I previously looked for and couldn't find,,,,, until I bought a new one to replace it.

[Wayne Smith]

was that an NOE group buy, by any chance? I think he catalogs that one or one very similar.

[bakerjw]

There is a reason that I have 10 tape measures, countless pry bars, 2 Jaguar hub wrenches, a few caulk guns, etc...

[Shanghai Jack]

Looked for years for my grandfather's derringer. As a second hobby I repair antique radios. Went back home to visit my mother and she had two of my grandfather's Zenith transoceanics. I took them back home and opened up the back to see what I was getting into and there, wrapped in an oiled rag, was the loaded derringer.

[Minerat]

I found 2 chicken nuggets in my backpack that may have been there for a year. Beyond consumable even if starving.

[Scrounge]

There is a reason that I have 10 tape measures, countless pry bars, 2 Jaguar hub wrenches, a few caulk guns, etc...

Hmm. I resemble that remark.

Bill

[jdfoxinc]

That's why I own two or more of everything. I usually find the missing 8tem just after I open the packaging on the new item.

[jim147]

That's why I own two or more of everything. I usually find the missing 8tem just after I open the packaging on the new item.

Just had the same conversation on another forum.

[JM7.7x58]

Many years ago I was helping a friend clean out an old shed, on some property he had just bought. The family he bought it from had lived there for over 80 years. The grandfather was from the old country and this shed had stored his wine barrels. Well under one of these barrels was an Iver Johnson 38 Bulldog. It was frozen solid with rust. Well I ended up with it. I soaked it in kerosene for months and finally got it to rotate, and got it disabled. I ground off the firing pin just to be sure no one will ever get hurt. It won’t lock up anymore.

My friend died a few years ago. That old rusty pistol has some good memories tied to it.

[Mk42gunner]

I have a pretty good memory, but it is a weird feeling to find a gun you have absolutely no memory of buying.

And no it wasn't a duplicate of another purchase.

Robert

[samari46]

Was looking through my box of shell holders and couldn't find the box with all of the Lee cutters and lockstuds. Found stuff I had forgotten about. Almost like Christmas in June. Even found a box of 500 Winchester 30-30 I didn't even know I had. Frank

[Harter66]

5 yr ago a 7×57 barrel went missing in the house . I looked in everything , places it shouldn't have been , behind book cases I knew it had never been near , everything that looked even remotely like an 1-1/4" box or tube or a place one could get ....... I just resigned myself to it having ghosted away . That didn't keep me from looking as we packed to move 3 yrs ago .

My Dad passed shortly after we got moved to Arkansas . Last March ,Mom says go up stairs and clear out the closet there's a bunch of reloading and gun stuff up there . Sure enough there's a case of shot shells , a Handi 30-30 (still no ammo for that) , and a box of misc reloading tools including a probably unused Uniflow . I pull a couple of empty gun cases out and here's this paper tube that's only mark is 7mm .......... I grab it out and the top is sealed , Dad was big on the 25s so I have no clue , in about the read time the bottom of the tube falls out and this barrel hits me right dead in the middle of my left foot . I caught it before it fell or got dinged . I'm thinking "I know he never had a Savage , that's cool it's got a new nut on it ......WT 7×57 ? " . I have no clue how it got there , no memory of bringing from Nevada ever . Obviously I did at some point . The most confusing part though is why it was in that closet . Dad hadn't been up those stairs for most of 2 yr before he passed . He has left "Easter eggs" all over it seems like every time we find an unfamiliar box it's full of goodies that should have made memories . Most of it will make them with the kids and my grands I think so mission accomplished .

[Budzilla 19]

Lost a .45 for a year. Got frustrated, still couldn’t find it, started retracing steps, nothing! So, I gave up, two months later, went to get snake boots for a 4 wheeler ride into the woods, and, voila’ inside the right boot is said .45! ............."..................... it’s gonna happen again.

[Thin Man]

I used to have problems finding that "just right" tool I needed for a project, then found the reason for it. Our daughter's husband had a habit of "borrowing" my tools and forgetting to return them. Then came the day we were in my shop when he spied one of my most used tools and said loudly "Hay, I need that." I immediately replied "Yeah, I DO TOO." Seems that the borrowing has quit, hope it stays that way.

[gwpercle]

You wouldn't believe all the stuff that gets squirreled away in your sock drawer ... Shoved way ... way in the back ... where the socks you wore in high school reside
I found a Walther PPK that I had reported to the police as being stolen...about 6 years ago .
I must have hid it , went on vacation and forgot I put it there .
I called to report a "not stolen" firearm ... the Lady said it happens more often than you would think and I wasn't in trouble .
Gary

[Carbineone]

I usually find everything I’m NOT looking for !

That is my philosophy too..