Buried war badges with gun photos.

[Emily]

Great finds there Emily,
You haven't found Fred's old uniform have you?
Clint

If I have, then he fulfilled his duties in the buff.

[Doug]

These badges seem to contradict themselves, all being from different locations Gloucestershire, Warwickshire but found in Oxfordshire...and the badges are for ordnance and supply, and one for the infantry....do you think he was promoted or just moved around??

Just maybe a collection that may have been stolen?

I have several military badges from within the family, 2 sons 4th generation miltary.

[Oxgirl]

Hi Emily,

I know this sounds ridiculous, and your tiny gun is probably a cigarette lighter or spud gun but tiny does not mean it isn't a real gun. There are plenty of very tiny guns from the past and present chambered for the short .22 round. Before you go poking around or scraping off the rust please double check, or even post more pictures if you like. I would much rather it's me who ends up blushing!

Please don't worry and I don't want to make much of this but for everyone else:

If you find a gun (pistol or rifle) that obviously looks like a real one you need to tell the police as you can't own it, or have it in your possession, until they say so - and they will almost certainly say no.
Even if it's rusty and you think it won't fire it's still considered a firearm and needs handing in.
Even rusty guns may still contain live rounds!

There are plenty of rules around this but the simple advice is, if you find a gun in any condition that looks real - call the police and let them pick it up from you - preferably from where you found it.

Emily, apologies for hijacking your post - good finds by the way.

Very good point Dave It’s very possibly a spud gun and the badges might be a child’s hoard but worth checking. But a child’s hoard would make sense wouldn’t it? Collecting old uniform badges in the 50s would have been easy and common.

There again I might be just using my over active imagination as I like to think lots of things involve kids rather than boring adults Great finds Emily, get back there

P.S. please do post more photos of the gun though please. Don’t think it can’t be real. Assume it till you know it isn’t

[Pete E]

The "pistol" has a passing resemblance to the old pocket pistols such as the Colt .25 auto or the"baby" Browning .25auto..this style of pistol was produced in quite a few variations, plus it was copied/cloned by other makers, which means their appearance varied somewhat....Because of this popularity, they was also copied by toy makers of the era and even in more modern times, a Google search shows bb guns which are obviously styled after this style of pocket pistol.

From your pictures I can't really say if it's real or not, but would urge a degree of caution as already suggested by others...It's worth noting that some of the makers of lower quality firearms even produced this style of pistol using cheap zinc based pot metal, which again could lead to some confusion when trying to ID it...

[Bors]

Emily can you try and clean it up more to try and get some detail or writing that`s possibly under the grime to give the merest clue to a make or model its supposed to represent.. A Brillo pad or scouring pad should do the job. Myself, I seriously doubt its anything other than a Toy and even if it `was` real its in no state to do any firing now. From what I can see in your picture ,my tuppence worth says its a Diecast toy gun from around the 60`s era by the look of it. Sadly I was around when those type of diecast toy guns were a popular toy and some were even commonly used to fire "caps" or even some were made to fire plugs of potato , known as a "Spud gun.".

[Pete E]

Emily can you try and clean it up more to try and get some detail or writing that`s possibly under the grime to give the merest clue to a make or model its supposed to represent.. A Brillo pad or scouring pad should do the job. Myself, I seriously doubt its anything other than a Toy and even if it `was` real its in no state to do any firing now. From what I can see in your picture ,my tuppence worth says its a Diecast toy gun from around the 60`s era by the look of it. Sadly I was around when those type of diecast toy guns were a popular toy and some were even commonly used to fire "caps" or even some were made to fire plugs of potato , known as a "Spud gun.".

That would certainly be my guess also, but given what the guys magnet fishing regularly pull out of canals, there is a slim chance it's something more interesting....I am just trying to work out the likely significance of it being with the cap badges??? Child's collection that's been buried? Or something else?

[Emily]

That would certainly be my guess also, but given what the guys magnet fishing regularly pull out of canals, there is a slim chance it's something more interesting....I am just trying to work out the likely significance of it being with the cap badges??? Child's collection that's been buried? Or something else?

Only the badges were buried together, the gun and other bits were spread over the garden.

[Emily]

For all of you out there wondering about the gun. Here are a couple of photos. To me, it has the appearance of a die cast toy gun and there doesn’t seem to be any mechanism for the trigger or loading, but I’ll let you be the judge.

[Dave The Slave]

Second photo clearly shows some writing; A RUBER ( ) ?
Can you see more letters, Emily ?
Hopefully we can find some info from this clue.
Cheers,
Dave.

[DaveP]

.To me, it has the appearance of a die cast toy gun and there doesn’t seem to be any mechanism for the trigger or loading, but I’ll let you be the judge.

I think I would agree - I tried to search the name but no luck - except for two points. 1. The top section looks rusted suggesting iron compared to the casting of the rest and 2. It was buried with other military stuff. That said, I don't think I would be concerned but it's your call.

As for a mechanism; if the top is/was a retractable slide then thats how perhaps a cap or strip of caps was put in. Top loading .22's are also known and the derringer loaded by hinging the barrel. Not every gun loads through the handle.

I raised the concern because folks do find guns and this is one case where size doesn't matter but the law does. Attached are a couple of pictures of little guns. One gun you could own once declared and the other nobody in the UK can even have in their possession. Take your pick.
[/attachment]

[Bors]

Quote dave... " Take your pick " . Oooooh Bogs me the pink un.

[Emily]

Second photo clearly shows some writing; A RUBER ( ) ?
Can you see more letters, Emily ?
Hopefully we can find some info from this clue.
Cheers,
Dave.

All I can make out is: A ROBERT

[DaveP]

Oooooh Bogs me the pink un.

Bors, that gets you a free 6 month stay with room and all meals in one of her Majesty's finest hotels - you might not want to pack the lipstick

[Blackadder43]

Some good and helpful information given here and shows the community spirit we all have

[Bors]

All I can make out is: A ROBERT

I think were getting there slowly.