Relic 1911

[highpower]

In 1961 a gentleman was fishing in Big Bear Lake in California. After casting out, he began to slowly retrieve his line when it suddenly felt as though he had hooked a fish. Imagine his surprise when he pulled it in and saw that instead of a fish he had hooked a 1911.

While it was pretty rusty, he took it to a gunsmith to see if it was salvageable. Turns out that even though it was really pitted on the outside, the inside was in pretty darn good condition and all he had to do to make it shoot again is replace the barrel, trigger, safety, recoil spring and mainspring.

What is so cool about this gun (besides the story,) is that it is one of the 60,615 1911's that were produced under license from Colt at the US arsenal at Springfield. While it is rather heavily pitted, the rollmarks are still largely visible as is the serial number. That number makes it one of those produced in 1914.

 

[bannockburn]

highpower

Very cool story! Would be interesting to see how well it shoots with the new parts installed.

 

[highpower]

I intend to shoot it on the Fourth of July.

 

[VetPsychWars]

You know what? Got the original barrel in that? Let the local police test fire it, who knows, you might help solve a cold crime.

Tom

 

[horsemen61]

I agree with Tom why else would you throw a original 1911 in a lake :banghead:

 

[highpower]

According to the fellow I got it from, the original barrel was so pitted that there was no way it would ever leave traceable rifling on the bullet.

 

[Farnorthdan]

I like it, sure wouldn't have to worry about dinging it up.

 

[tarosean]

need to age that thumb safety to match...

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

I'd still let the police TRY to get forensics. A fired case might also tell a story.... and a crime story might even be better than the "gun-in-the-lake" story.

 

[Cherokee]

Now that is a real find...the fact it will work is amazing.

 

[beeenbag]

wow... those mysterious boating accidents DO happen!

Talk about the end all be all torture test...

 

[sgt127]

I would imagine any possibility of a ballistics match is long gone. Those comparison marks are very subtle and shallow.

 

[royal barnes]

Ballistics matching would be virtually impossible. That gun has been in the water longer than records have been kept. There are several plausible reasons for the gun being in the water. It was stolen, used in a crime, brought back from a war and discarded because of fear of being caught, or it was being carried as a tackle box gun and was lost overboard. Take your pick but it's still a neat find. Just keep in mind that the steel of that time was not very strong and all that corrosion wouldn't help. It would make a great display piece.

 

[Hondo 60]

My guess is it was used in a crime as others suggested, and/or it may be stolen.

The RIGHT thing to do is contact the police.
If it's not stolen or traceable, they will give it back, as long as you make it clear up front that you want it, should it be untraceable.

 

[ldsgeek]

Kind of interesting that you can still see the marks from draw filing on the slide, even with all the rust damage.

 

[kBob]

You guys forget one possibility.......it could have been dumped in the lake by a law enforcement agency attempting to dispose of it and other guns. There was a time when folks actually did that sort of thing. Despite Florida Law to the contrary supposedly Dade County/Miami used to dump guns in the Atlantic.

I would find it unlikely that matchable tool marks could be extracted from the original barrel, breech face extractor or ejector in the first place on this gun. Further as it was found in that shape in 1961 I would find it remarkable that the bullets and shell cases in evidence for a crime before that time were cataloged in any meaningful way to seek a match with.

I think offering it to law enforcement would merely be a PIA likely to result in loss or further damage to the gun.

-kBob

 

[jmr40]

A gun made in 1914, recovered in a lake in 1961 ain't going to solve any crimes committed 50-60 years ago before forensics were as advanced as they are today. Been watching CSI too much

Looks like a tragic boating accident to me.

 

[LemmyCaution]

Apparently, some people take the 'tragic boating accident' trope far too seriously, and/or completely miss the spirit of it.

 

[pardiniman]

Even though the gun is heavily pitted I think it looks great! Almost Damaskus like. Who knows it might start a trend

 

[rondog]

Man, that is way cool! I'd be SO proud to own a pistol like that! I'd load up a bunch of lead powder-puff rounds and shoot it like I stole it. No full-power rounds though. And I'd display it in a shadowbox too.

 

[highpower]

Ballistics matching would be virtually impossible. That gun has been in the water longer than records have been kept.

^^^^^^^^^^^^
This is how I see it.

Bear in mind that is was pulled up in 1961, that was 52 years ago. Then consider how long it may have lain under water, 10 years? 20? Longer? I very seriously doubt that ANY records from 60-70 years ago have been put on a computer disc. Even if they had, in what jurisdiction would a possible crime have been committed?

Remember, the original barrel is long gone having succumbed to rust by the time it was exhumed from the lake. I didn't mention it in my first post, but the gun had a loaded magazine in it and no round in the chamber, making it very doubtful that the police threw it away. I am in the process of running the numbers on it and if it turns out to be stolen, I am sure I will hear from the cops.

What I am NOT going to do is give it to them to run an open ended investigation on, as I am reasonably sure I would never see it again.

 

[Tomcat47]

What I am NOT going to do is give it to them to run an open ended investigation on, as I am reasonably sure I would never see it again.

My thoughts exactly......

With full mag ... gun overboard is very plausible to me.....

And what a great day fishing and an awesome "It did not get away"

 

[Got_Lead?]

I think the police would just confiscate it. Probably wind up as a Toyota.

 

[Jaymo]

^
More like some cheap Chicom product. And, I agree that they would just confiscate it and dump it into another body of water.

So, THAT'S what really happened to Natalie Wood. J/K

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

I'd still let the police TRY to get forensics. A fired case might also tell a story.... and a crime story might even be better than the "gun-in-the-lake" story.

Not a chance, were it mine. Whether it was involved or not in a crime, I can imagine major issues in getting it back from California DOJ or San Bernardino County.