[Darksheare]

They will likely destroy it as they are terrified of even nonworking relics left in the elements for decades.

[IronJack]

Oh, so THAT’S where I left it ...

[samtheman]

interesting

[yldstrk]

Is the orange tape 137 years old too? I am betting someone either ditched it or left it when they were frightened away from their marijuana field....

[Alex Murphy]

Is the orange tape seen around the stock 132 years old, too?

[DJ MacWoW]

Donate And Keep The Lights On

[SampleMan]

I wonder how many people that rifle killed while it was left unattended all this time?

Seriously though, that metal is in remarkable condition compared to the wood. By the metal I’d say it had been out there 6 months. The wood looks like its been there 30 years or more.

[Paladin2]

It was in a Twilight Zone episode I saw a couple of times.

[Paladin2]

Has the BATFE been alerted?

[CrazyIvan]

If it was an AK it would probably still work.

[CrazyIvan]

I, Hatchet Jack, being of sound mind and broke legs, do hereby leaveth my bear rifle to whatever finds it. … It is a good rifle and killed the bear that killed me. Anyway, I am dead. Yours truly, Hatchet Jack.

[uncitizen]

Cool story.

Btw, totally unrelated, but what ever happened with that time capsule they found and were gonna open? Remember it supposedly had an item of pewter made by Paul Revere and some documents. Anybody heard?

[GregoTX]

Great story, thanks for posting

[US_MilitaryRules]

Should be on Pawn Stars next week!

[IronJack]

It is a MODEL 1882, which does NOT mean it was "manufactured in 1882." I highly doubt any wood-and-steel contraption would have survived in the elements for 120 years and still be in that shape.

But this is from the Washington Pest, so don't expect firearms literacy.

[rfreedom4u]

If I had found it you wouldn’t be reading about it.

[Duckdog]

I was wondering if the feds are going to destroy it just because they can?

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

1873 Winchester, one of the most beautifully designed rifles ever made.

[IronJack]

You're correct. It's a Model 1873. The octagonal barrel fooled me. And I didn't remember the 1873 having a sideplate on the receiver.

My mistake.

So it appears to be an 1873 manufactured in 1882. But that doesn't mean it's been sitting against that tree since 1882.

[colorcountry]

I doubt if there is any mystery. It’s a hunting rifle. The guy (or gal) got a muley, had to drag it out, set his gun down, then couldn’t remember where in the tarnation it was when he went back to get it.

It happened before the National Park was created on October 27, 1986, and hunting was still allowed. The gun even old at that point, probably didn’t shoot well, didn’t have a scope, and didn’t have a lot of monetary value therefore not a great deal of time was spent looking for it. My dad let me use his rifle just like that in the 70’s so I could hunt. Of course Dad had a newer 30.06 with a scope - the relics were used by kids and for plinking.