Another wheel gun lives on:
Just picked up this up last Tuesday, hidden away in my deceased father's ranch house clothes closet, underneath the bottom shelf of a built in shoe rack. I fondled it numerous times as a youngster , knew he had it, and while going through his personal property for family distribution before probate, finally located it.
According to family lore, the pistol (the holster with it, according to Dad when he found it as a youngster in the barn loft some 85 years ago) had been left behind by a Confederate soldier hiding from Union troops around Breaux Bridge, Louisiana shortly after Confederates had burned the local bridge to stop the Union advance.
He had apparently been hidden by my family in a barn on their family plantation along Bayou Teche and had to hurriedly sneak out under cover of darkness. That story has been been told, in French and English, for a three generations in our family. I remember hearing my paternal grandmother, who didn't have much English, tell the story on a tape recording, in French, well over 60 years ago.
Difinitely a .31 or .36 caliber Colt, Serial #136332 on all parts ... I'm thinking a Model 1849 "Pocket" pistol?
As Executor, I guarantee its's going to my 33 year old nephew (Dad's first grandson) ... another one of us - a conservative, Christian gun owner, a strong 2A supporter, AR-15 builder, and 1911 lover to boot.
In any event, glad to keep a bit of history going and it'l be in good hands ...
ETA - nephew, who apparently lurks here, say's he's 33 ...
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Really really awesome. And if your nephew is lurking here, he needs to come in and introduce himself.