So what do we have here?
It's a gun.
I don't know much more than that.
Yes, it's a gun.
So I got some more parts in here.
Just dump them out.
OK.
Needless to say, it's in very rough shape.
Where did you get it?
I just bought a farm.
It has a 1780s side of it that was owned by the same family up
until the 1940s.
And I found this just in the basement.
That's cool.
You found it with all the pieces like this?
Yeah. And one has a date on it.
This one just says 1758.
OK.
Yeah, that sounds about right.
That's when they started making like this Pattern gun.
I'm pretty sure-- I think I know what it is.
It's a British gun.
You can tell it's British by the proof marks.
Mm-hmm.
And just a good overall weapon.
But remember, it's only a single-shot weapon.
You hear the term like armed to the teeth,
like a brace of guns.
They would go into battle.
They would have like four, five, six
of these all over the place.
They'd have strings tied to them.
So they would just fire it, drop it, and then fire another one,
fire another one, fire another one.
And their last one they'd pull out,
and that would just be a club. [laughs]
Yeah.
I'm serious.
That's why they had the brass right here.
It looks like someone took it apart because they thought
they were going to refinish it.
It's like one of those guys, like you go to his house,
he's got a Harley, but it's in a bunch of crates.
So how much you want for it?
I mean, I know it's old.
Like $1,200?
Like I said, it's just really, really rough shape.
I mean, we might have all the parts here.
I'll give you 500 bucks for it.
I mean--
What--
We're buying a bag of parts, OK?
Well, yeah, but it's still, I mean, over 250 years old.
What about $900?
I'll give you 700 bucks because I'm 90% sure that it's
actual British military.
Well, I mean, I did just find it.
So I think that sounds fair.
All right, sweet, 700 bucks.
Just go right over there.
We'll get you paid. - All right.
OK?
Thank you.
- Alex, how's it going? - Good, Rick.
How are you?
I am doing great.
So I'm here in DC, and I bought this.
Wow.
I know it's a little rough.
I have a bag full of parts.
[gun parts clinking]
I think what happened was at one point someone
thought they were going to refinish it
and never finished the project.
It's dated 1758.
I mean, it looks like it's all here.
It's in rough shape, but I think it's one of those guns
that if it does get restored, it might be worth it.
Well, what I believe it is is a Pattern 1756 Dragoon pistol.
Tell me, does it have a belt hook
the opposite side of the lock?
No, the plate--
it's just a standard plate on the side of it.
There's no belt hook.
That's interesting because that means
it's most likely a Marine Dragoon pistol,
which is quite rare, actually.
Usually, those pistols have been converted to sea service,
and they threw belt hooks on them.
The fact that it's not means it's early.
It's unmolested, although it's in pieces.
But those things rebuilt and functional, that's
a $5,000 to $7,000 pistol.
OK.
So do you think you can restore it?
From what it looks like, most of the pieces are there.
So yes, I can restore it.
The question is, are all the little pieces there?
And if they are, are they worn out,
or do they need to be replaced?
And the thing about replacing pistol parts from the 1750s
is I can't go to the hardware store and buy them,
so I have to make them.
The answer is yes, I can do it.
The question is, how much time and how much money?
I mean, what's your best guesstimate
to get the thing restored?
I can give you a range for restoring it.
I think it'll be between $1,000 and $1,500.
OK, that sounds amazing because I
only paid $700 for it.
That's a good deal.
All right, I'll get it in the mail to you today,
and work fast.
[laughs]
I will.
All right, see you later, man.