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real "hot" gun story

dpmule
yesterday while making a big loop up high looking for elk, we dropped into a protected saddle out of the wind, where we knew there was a old sheep camp.
While tying his mule up, my buddys boot snagged on something in the snow and low and behold a gun barrel popped up, he pulled it out of the snow and it wasa Ruger M-77 stainless in 22-250 with fiberlite stock? The forearm was gone and the beavertail burnt off to the pistol grip, action worked fine, scope was totaled. As we were having lunch around the fire, we noticed bits of evidence of a ground fire in the area, don't know if the herder caught his camp on fire or a lightening strike burnt up to and engulfed his camp while he was out with the sheep.
Anyway we threw it on our pack mule and brought it out, my buddy is going to have our local gunsmith check the barrel and action for warping, etc. I think it looked okay and told him looks like he got a new coyote gun on the cheap.
I'll try and post a pic later.
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Comments

6 comments

Date Votes
  • pickenup
    I don't think I'd keep it without making an attempt to find the rightful owner. It's your buddies (found) gun, and he can do what he wants.
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  • competentone
    A lot of States actually have very specific laws regarding "found" guns. Usually involving advertising to attempt to find the original owner before the finder is allowed to keep it legally.
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  • AZEX
    The bbl is most likely warped and at very least, all the springs would need to be replaced.

    I've not been able to save a single gun brought in here which was burned in a structure or vehicle fire.

    D.
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  • nyforester
    You might want to check to see if it was stolen also. Stranger things have happened.
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  • brier-49
    You might want to check further for human remains,could be the fire did the owner in to.
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  • dpmule
    quote:brier-49 Posted - 10/21/2007 : 05:52:35 AM
    You might want to check further for human remains,could be the fire did the owner in to.

    Doubtful, most sheepmen usualy report losing a herder even if he is/was a mexican/peruvian/or chilean
    Have to wait till spring now, as we got another foot up there yesterday so now there's two feet up there and more on the way

    quote:pickenup Posted - 10/20/2007 : 9:55:45 PM
    I don't think I'd keep it without making an attempt to find the rightful owner. It's your buddies (found) gun, and he can do what he wants.
    We are pretty sure of whose sheep range that is and planned on asking, but what if they don't know. what would you do then throw it away?

    quote:AZEX
    Junior Member



    470 Posts
    Posted - 10/21/2007 : 12:18:17 AM

    The bbl is most likely warped and at very least, all the springs would need to be replaced.

    I've not been able to save a single gun brought in here which was burned in a structure or vehicle fire.



    No loss if it is, it'll get hung up on the garage or barn as a conversation piece along with assorted busted horse and mule equipment.
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