This little cutie came in the mail

Doug's Uncle, who is only about 2 yrs. older than he, has always been prone to the high late life and long slumbering mornings. Doug has a little brother named "Wesley". One late morning Uncle Bruce awoke to find himself looking down the octagon bore of a 1849 .31 wielded by a maniacal grinning Wesley. He said he had to blink a time or two to make certain it was not a dream. He was had, and with the drop on him there was not much he could do. The little brass framed gun went "click" and a hysterical laughing 12 yr. old Wesley ran off to the next entertaining hi-jinks. Uncle Bruce grew about 5 gray hairs that morning, but had cheated uncertain death once more.

Later I found that a neighbor had given the "real" Italian 1849 Colt copy to him as a "toy". To my cringe he was gleefully running around snapping it on the dry nipples. After he had his fun I ended up trading him a very well functioning Crossman 454 .177 BB CO2 pistol for it. To Wesley that was infinitely more useful since it was a "real" BB gun and worked! The danger level was also attractively elevated, compared to the clicky-revolver that did not hold cartridges.

I was able to repair the nipples and tighten the timing a bit. After cutting open a couple 12 ga. OO buckshot rounds I had some fodder (or so I used it). In reality only pure lead balls would give any accuracy as the shotgun buckshot is "hardened" and about useless for BP rifling use. But it went BOOM with a lot of fire and drama. I was pleased. Later I sold it for about $80, upping my profits from the $20 used BB gun. Onto the next trade.