
A park ranger stumbled upon a 132-year-old weathered, rusted Winchester leaning against a juniper tree on a rocky outcrop in Great Basin National Park. The gun, manufactured in 1882, was found during an archaeological survey in November 2014. Park officials say they may never know how long the rifle was there, but it is entirely possible it could have been left undisturbed for over a century. Herbert Houze, former curator at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming, believes that whoever left the rifle there simply forgot where they placed it. Winchester Model 1873 rifles sold for $35 to $50 in the 1880s and would fetch $15,000 in excellent condition today. The unloaded gun's wooden stock is cracked, but still intact, and its barrel is rusted. Nevertheless, Houze is thrilled with the rare find, and the rifle will eventually be on permanent display in the park.
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