I live in Gold Country, Mariposa CA. the Mother of Counties back in the 1850's.
I bought my Minelab, Eureka Gold some years back, I've pittle with it here and there but never got to get serious with it because I own my own business and you know how that goes, (married to your job) anyway, I semi retired and live on what was known as "Sherlock Camp" back in the hayday of the Gold rush, I was told that the land I live on had a "house of ill-repute... I've been told that the town of Whitlock was just right down the road and it was a blustering mining town with about 3 Stamp Mills going 24-7... I heard a story from an elderly man that grew up here back in the 1930's while digging a garden down by the spring, they dug up a couple of cowboys, still wearing their guns...
I decided to go out the other day with my Minelab and check around a China rock wall that has been here since the 1850's or later, anyway I'm walking around and I got this really good signal, I dig about 8" down I see something, is it what I think it is, before I pull it out of the ground I run to the house and tell my wife to get her camera, she's excited I'm excited we get to the hole and I pull it out of the ground, it's a close to the period Hand Gun... After researching the gun I find it is a Victor Young America Double 7 Shooter and was first made in 1913.. I was happy to find something that dates back to the Whitlock mining capital era... It's going in my collection...
Lonnie - California, USA