1882 Winchester rifle found in Great Basin National Park

[churchmouse]

Now That's a cool story. Makes you wonder. What could happen to cause someone to walk off from their rifle and never return? Animal attack? Heart attack? If so, they may find some bones nearby. If a person was able to return to retrieve it - or a family member - surely they would have. $25 was a lot of money.

​"INDIANS"

 

[Titanium_Frost]

We could get a better theory together if we knew if it was loaded or partially loaded or empty...

 

[churchmouse]

Leaned there to go relieve himself. Snatched up by "INDIANS" ​ During the Pee-Pee process
Best I got

 

[Mauser-K98]

I'll bet they find a cowboy skeleton somewhere nearby eventually....might have had a heart attack or something, might have been a campsite

 

[Titanium_Frost]

I bet there is one round left and some petrified coyote poop in the nearby area. Wounded, saved one round for later and passed out against the tree.

 

[funeralweb]

Awesome find! And now....the REST of the story....:
Jeremiah Johnson eventually traded in his Hatchet Jack's .50 cal. Hawken for this more modern shootin' iron. Jeremiah finally met his match against 6 Injuns, who left his rifle as a monument to their victory. Forensic analysis of nearby coyote will reveal the last organic traces of Johnson.

 

[1861navy]

This is pretty interesting, though I doubt the reason it was left is interesting. Never know though. I don't see Indians being the cause, in the late 1880's in that part of the country, though I could be wrong. Like jamil said probably just some simple everyday occurrence that left the rifle there.

 

[Mark 1911]

Cool story.

 

[jbombelli]

Probably left by a sheriff or marshall taking a pee break by that tree.

 

[Bucky623]

132-year-old Winchester found propped against a tree in a National Park

132-year-old Winchester rifle found propped against tree in Great Basin National Park | WTVR.com

 

[Ericpwp]

Cool story

 

[Tydeeh22]

I could probably say, if I stumbled across this, there wouldnt be a news story on it.

 

[1911ly]

Dupe

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...er-rifle-found-great-basin-national-park.html

 

[hoosierdoc]

Was it loaded???

 

[nipprdog]

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...und-leaning-against-tree-after-130-years.html

 

[Shadow]

That was a awesome find , I hope they tell more info later ,as the find it .

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I can't imagine just leaning a rifle against a tree and walking off. I can imagine leaning it against a tree and unexpectedly kicking the bucket, via heart attack, unfriendly bear, etc. They should look for remains nearby.

(The article's headline is goofed up - it's an 1873 Winchester, made in 1882 according to the serial number.)

That's exactly what I told my wife as I was telling her about this story.

 

[Shadow]

That's exactly what I told my wife as I was telling her about this story.

LOL Have you ever found any animal remains after they have died --years latter ?
There are lots of stories of hunters shooting game and leaning their rifles up against a tree and gutting the animal and cut it up ,back it out ,to find they forgot their rifle , then go back and cant find the spot they were at .. Yes I know it sounds funny /strange , but stranger things have happen .

 

[mrjarrell]

Dupe

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...er-rifle-found-great-basin-national-park.html

This thread was first.

 

[Shadow]

This thread was first.

Does it really matter ? People are here and chatting ,, im sure if the mods didn't like it they'd merge them together ,of course this only my opinion