MXT finds old Derringer pistol!

Submitted By:

Date:

July 2010

Keywords:

White's Electronics,

While hunting a yard in Springfield Mo. I dug a few bullets from the Civil War. The next chance I had I went back and dug an Artillery button along with a few more bullets. I went back again and was digging a bullet here and there when I got an overload signal on my MXT.

I switched over to prospect mode and decided that was a good target. Now when I am in a spot that has produced Civil War relics I will dig almost all the signals I get. The MXT said it was only about 3 inches deep, I dug a small plug out and there was a small pistol, derringer size!

At first I thought it was toy gun, I have dug several old toy cap guns before. As I cleaned off a little dirt I saw the nice green patina, I now thought it could be the real thing! I stopped by my friend Pats house that lives nearby, he thought it looked Civil War period as well.

By the time I got home Pat had sent me an email showing my exact derringer on an antique gun website. This was the first pistol produced by John Marlin Firearms Co. circa 1863! It was a popular gun those days and was nicknamed "The Baby 22 ".

I have dug a few Civil War gun parts and pieces but never a complete gun. As an added bonus I cleaned the rest of my finds and discovered one of my buttons was a script P Police button! This button was from the 1880's or 1890's I believe. My MXT never lets me down, thanks again White's for making a super relic hunting machine like the MXT!

Tim in Southwest Missouri