Using my Fisher F2 with the stock coil, I found this where an old barn once stood. The area is now a public park, and I detected there for a couple of hours last weekend. I was swinging near an old dry creek bed, and got a nice tone, similar to a dime signal so naturally I dug the target. About 5 inches down, under some tree roots I pulled out this artifact.

Trigger Guard Side 1

Obviously this is bent out of shape, but I didn’t want to break it by straightening it.

It’s obviously brass, and the patina told me that this could be civil war “era.” That does not mean that it is from the civil war, just that it may be from that time period.

Trigger Guard Side 2

My first thought was “Oh wow, this might be a trigger guard.” You can see from the photos this item is curved where the finger would have been placed, and I can’t think of any other item that would be designed like this.

Trigger Guard Bottom

Candle holder? I don’t think so, based on the weight of this, and the piece that appears to have a “screw” hole in it.

Trigger Guard Side Front

I’m thinking that maybe there was more to this at one time, but then again, it does not appear to be missing any part of it. I guess time will tell.

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Here’s one for a Muzzle Loader on Ebay that’s “similar” so you can see why I think it may be a trigger guard. 🙂

2 Hunts Total

Here’s a shot of the total finds from both hunts. If this turns out to be an old gun part, that will just be icing on the cake!

Youtube Video ScreenShot: Notice Trigger Guard bottom right.

I found this while watching a youtube video. This screen capture shows a very close example of what this trigger guard would have looked like. If the patina was buffed off they would also be the same color.

Trigger Guard Side 2

At this point, After having done further research based on design, I think it’s safe to say I believe that my find in the post IS in fact an authentic trigger guard from some type of rifle. Although, mine is an incomplete dug example.

I had fun, and at the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about

Thanks for reading my friends.

O