Pretty good scam.
I saw a crappy old pistol on display in the public library recently with a card telling some ridiculous story that it was Jesse’s. Some farmer claimed he came across the James Gang camping overnight on his farm, and many years later, his grandson plowed up this POS $2 pistol. Combine the two tales, and you’ve got “Jesse James” pistol”. I’d like to think most people have more sense than that.