An abandoned 1882 rifle
 

Abandoned 1882 rifle sparks archaeological quest in Nevada.

There it was, abandoned for the ages, propped up against a juniper tree in far-eastern Nevada's Snake Mountains, a Winchester Model 1873 repeating rifle: the gun, as legend goes, that won the American West.

For archaeologist Eva Jensen, it's something much more — a mystery that continues to baffle the staff at Great Basin National Park: Who owned it? A luckless hunter or miner? Maybe an outlaw on the run?


http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-...116-story.html

They'll find out something from the serial number; as for the circumstances ?
Things could definitely remain unfound for quite some time in that area with relatively little degradation .

Well Rick, they already have, dating the rifle to it's 1882 manufacture date. No telling exactly when it was left there though. A long time ago certainly, but it could be any time after 1882 up until who knows. Long enough ago to weather it as it is, but hard to exactly determine.
It's an oddity for sure, but hardly a very collectable one in it's current condition unless some provenance turns up out of thin air that ties it to someone of historic importance.
:shrug: