I found these four guns in the basement of the new house I bought. I'm looking for somewhere to take them get them restored and/or appraised.

Also, they are all rusted to the point that I cannot move any parts and they are all loaded.

A link for a better view

http://uppix.com/s-IMG_0890543bcd170017d86d-jpg.htm

I'm assuming you're not a gun guy.

I believe your prime concern should be the fact that the weapons are loaded.

I believe you have at least two choices.

1. Phone the local police non-emergency line, and ask them what do do. It is possible that they will remove and dispose of the live shells for you. I found a box of shells with my father-in-law's shotgun, and it was obvious they were quite old. Our local police took them and disposed of them for free. Your situation is a bit trickier.

Of course, these weapons are not registered to you, so there may be legal considerations relating to possessing the handguns in the first place.

2. Phone a reputable gun dealer. No doubt they have frequent calls regarding your exact situation.

Sure if you want to be all sensible and whatnot.

Try some WD-40 - if that doesn't work - try more WD-40 and a rubber mallet.

Bullets last a long time and they are expensive and sometimes hard to find. No sense in wasting them if they are already in there.

When you are test firing them in the basement there, make sure to build a bullet catch against a wall. A few sheets of cardboard should do the trick. But not the thin stuff, the thickest corrugated you can find.

Paint a picture on the cardboard first - makes it more fun!

Now you are ready to rock and roll! But don't forget hearing protection - you only need one hand to fire a handgun, use the other one to stick your fingers in your ear. Make sure to stick it in the ear closest to the gun. That way your face can act like a sound shield before the noise gets all the way to your other ear.

Most people have to pay big bucks for that kind of advice. But heck, I am serving it up right here for free!

For your health!

(10-13-2014 01:26 PM)Eastside_J Wrote:  Sure if you want to be all sensible and whatnot.

Try some WD-40 - if that doesn't work - try more WD-40 and a rubber mallet.

Bullets last a long time and they are expensive and sometimes hard to find. No sense in wasting them if they are already in there.

When you are test firing them in the basement there, make sure to build a bullet catch against a wall. A few sheets of cardboard should do the trick. But not the thin stuff, the thickest corrugated you can find.

Paint a picture on the cardboard first - makes it more fun!

Now you are ready to rock and roll! But don't forget hearing protection - you only need one hand to fire a handgun, use the other one to stick your fingers in your ear. Make sure to stick it in the ear closest to the gun. That way your face can act like a sound shield before the noise gets all the way to your other ear.

Most people have to pay big bucks for that kind of advice. But heck, I am serving it up right here for free!

For your health!

Lush? Is that you?

(10-13-2014 07:52 AM)BeerCat Wrote:  I found these four guns in the basement of the new house I bought. I'm looking for somewhere to take them get them restored and/or appraised.

Also, they are all rusted to the point that I cannot move any parts and they are all loaded.

Call the police, tell them the situation. They will remove and destroy them for you. In that condition, those guns are worthless and restoration is not worth the money spent even if they could be returned to working order.

If rusted as described, likely their only value is cleaning them up, pulling the pin and using them as art in a glass case. Surface rust is ugly but internal rust turns them into conversation pieces and paper weights.

The ammo needs to be taken to your local sheriff for disposal. They will incinerate. I take old ammo of my own from time to time when I have ended up dunked in a river during duck season or I leave a shell or 3 in a vest and it goes through the washer.

(10-13-2014 03:35 PM)OneUChoopsfan Wrote:  

(10-13-2014 01:26 PM)Eastside_J Wrote:  Sure if you want to be all sensible and whatnot.

Try some WD-40 - if that doesn't work - try more WD-40 and a rubber mallet.

Bullets last a long time and they are expensive and sometimes hard to find. No sense in wasting them if they are already in there.

When you are test firing them in the basement there, make sure to build a bullet catch against a wall. A few sheets of cardboard should do the trick. But not the thin stuff, the thickest corrugated you can find.

Paint a picture on the cardboard first - makes it more fun!

Now you are ready to rock and roll! But don't forget hearing protection - you only need one hand to fire a handgun, use the other one to stick your fingers in your ear. Make sure to stick it in the ear closest to the gun. That way your face can act like a sound shield before the noise gets all the way to your other ear.

Most people have to pay big bucks for that kind of advice. But heck, I am serving it up right here for free!

For your health!

Lush? Is that you?

i wish i had hair that curly, then i wouldn't need to dress up for halloween

(10-14-2014 07:38 AM)Lush Wrote:  

(10-13-2014 03:35 PM)OneUChoopsfan Wrote:  

(10-13-2014 01:26 PM)Eastside_J Wrote:  Sure if you want to be all sensible and whatnot.

Try some WD-40 - if that doesn't work - try more WD-40 and a rubber mallet.

Bullets last a long time and they are expensive and sometimes hard to find. No sense in wasting them if they are already in there.

When you are test firing them in the basement there, make sure to build a bullet catch against a wall. A few sheets of cardboard should do the trick. But not the thin stuff, the thickest corrugated you can find.

Paint a picture on the cardboard first - makes it more fun!

Now you are ready to rock and roll! But don't forget hearing protection - you only need one hand to fire a handgun, use the other one to stick your fingers in your ear. Make sure to stick it in the ear closest to the gun. That way your face can act like a sound shield before the noise gets all the way to your other ear.

Most people have to pay big bucks for that kind of advice. But heck, I am serving it up right here for free!

For your health!

Lush? Is that you?

i wish i had hair that curly, then i wouldn't need to dress up for halloween

Actually, I was referring to the post from E J, but come to think about it...

From what I see there, they aren't worth restoring. Save the pearl grips off the one, if they are genuine pearl, you could probably get a few dollars for them, the rest of it is just scrap.

Edit: Forgot, do not attempt to cycle the actions on them, especially with rounds in them. Rust that extensive has seized them up and trying to cycle them could end up with a negligent discharge.

Thanks for the advice gentlemen.

Most banks and some liquor stores have gun trade-in programs.

Just in case they don't, it might be best to let them know you have a bunch of guns right when you walk in the door.

(10-15-2014 12:39 PM)Eastside_J Wrote:  Most banks and some liquor stores have gun trade-in programs.

Just in case they don't, it might be best to let them know you have a bunch of guns right when you walk in the door.

you would brandish them two in each hand or sometimes three (depending upon how big your hands are. my father said that baseball players have very big hands. did you play baseball? i can't even hold two beers in one hand. some drunk i'm) and bear witness such like, "i have these guns!" and proceed naturally to drop like willem dafoe in platoon

Periodically the cops will stage a gun buyback program, maybe a good way to get a couple hundred bucks for junk.

I really don't think they are beyond repair. My father in law really wanted to mess with them. After a couple bottles of WD40 and some methods I'd feel stupid sharing on the internet the one in the upper right is pretty much functional and not loaded of course. I really want to get the pearl handled smith & wesson working because I think it is an awesome looking gun. Also want to get the little Colt in the lower left working because I find it equally cool. We got the clip out of it and it was not actually loaded. It is a .25 caliber which I had never heard of before. I will probably take them to a local gun shop to get their opinions on them.

In case anyone is curious.

(10-15-2014 03:56 PM)BeerCat Wrote:  I really don't think they are beyond repair. My father in law really wanted to mess with them. After a couple bottles of WD40 and some methods I'd feel stupid sharing on the internet the one in the upper right is pretty much functional and not loaded of course. I really want to get the pearl handled smith & wesson working because I think it is an awesome looking gun. Also want to get the little Colt in the lower left working because I find it equally cool. We got the clip out of it and it was not actually loaded. It is a .25 caliber which I had never heard of before. I will probably take them to a local gun shop to get their opinions on them.

In case anyone is curious.

I for one would be interested in hearing about what you hear about these handguns. Also, the make and model of each.

They appear to be "pocket" and "purse" size, and more for up-close use.

(10-16-2014 08:44 AM)OneUChoopsfan Wrote:  

(10-15-2014 03:56 PM)BeerCat Wrote:  I really don't think they are beyond repair. My father in law really wanted to mess with them. After a couple bottles of WD40 and some methods I'd feel stupid sharing on the internet the one in the upper right is pretty much functional and not loaded of course. I really want to get the pearl handled smith & wesson working because I think it is an awesome looking gun. Also want to get the little Colt in the lower left working because I find it equally cool. We got the clip out of it and it was not actually loaded. It is a .25 caliber which I had never heard of before. I will probably take them to a local gun shop to get their opinions on them.

In case anyone is curious.

I for one would be interested in hearing about what you hear about these handguns. Also, the make and model of each.

They appear to be "pocket" and "purse" size, and more for up-close use.

Upper left is an "American Bulldog" made by Harrington & Richardson
Upper right is also a Harrington & Richardson. .32s with auto ejecting cartridges
Lower left is a Colt. .25
Lower right is a Smith & Wesson. .32s

That's all I have so far. I'll be taking them to a gunsmith next week probably.

The H&Rs were inexpensive pieces and were sometimes sold as a branded gun for places like sears and other department stores. I have a couple ilocked in a case upstairs somewhere passed down from someone up the family tree at some point 2-3 generations ago

Not much to them but they are nice pieces from a historical perspective.

The 5 shot breakdown is a neat little model. Most of those I have seen are from the first 3 decades of the 1900s.