My Dad "hid" a pistol before he died, need some ideas guys... - Page 1

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - My Dad "hid" a pistol before he died, need some ideas guys... (Page 1 of 6)

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:15:18 PM EST

My parents have a house in AZ where they go for the winters. My Dad brought a 1914 Mauser with him one year. Before they came back North for the spring he hid the damn thing somewhere... my brother recalls it may have been in the attic under the insulation. My Dad was weird about stuff like this, he hid money and guns all over his house in ND... it took me nearly a year after he died but I found every single gun accept this one.

He died a year and a half ago, I haven't been to AZ myself for a while but I am here for the week of Christmas. I have already looked in the attic above the garage and crawled around digging through the blown in insulation with no luck. I looked in the cold air returns, behind furniture, under the bottom file cabinet drawers, behing access panels for shower valves... all his usual stashing places with no luck.

I think it is still in the attic, in a soft zip up case buried under 14" of insulation....

Thought of looking a for a metal detector, but the rafter clips would probably set it off all over the place. Same problem with a large magent.

Anyone got an idea on how to find it?

Need a Christams miracle.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:16:05 PM EST

[#1]

Metal detector and process of elimination.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:17:12 PM EST

[#2]

Get a metal detector and filter out the small stuff.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:17:58 PM EST

[#3]

Quote History

Quoted:
Get a metal detector and filter out the small stuff.

View Quote

This, won't be easy though as I believe those clips are steel.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:18:02 PM EST

[#4]

Pull out the appliances and see if he stashed it inside....

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:18:26 PM EST

[#5]

Step inside each closet in that house and look above the doors to see if it is on a gun magnet. Same for pantries.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:18:26 PM EST

[#6]

Have you tried a sounding rod, like they use for people buried under snow? Semi-heavy rod, just keep thumping it down through the insulation until you hit something? I’m no expert, but might be worth a shot.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:19:44 PM EST

[#7]

You know what you have to do.

Vacuum it all out.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:19:53 PM EST

[#8]

How weird was he with hiding stuff?
Old house with sash weights in windows?
Floorboards?
False bottom cabinets?

I think a decent metal detector would give you a different hit on a large chunk of metal like a gun that it would for a nail or wire.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:20:07 PM EST

[#9]

Aren’t there metal detectors that show the shape of the object?

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:20:07 PM EST

[#10]

Sounds like a stash I would leave be for a rainy day.

A semi-hidden gun with no link to you?

Except this thread.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:20:39 PM EST

[#11]

metal detector and thermal?

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:22:36 PM EST

[#12]

This may help you keep somewhat insulation free while searching.

Attached File

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:23:22 PM EST

[#13]

Sounds like you need a pokin' stick.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:23:51 PM EST

[#14]

Not today, Mr. ATF man...

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:24:06 PM EST

[#15]

Depending on how its positioned in the insulation, you may be able to see it with a FLIR sensor. Several products out there ranging from cheapo devices that can plug into your phone, to full on handheld kits.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:24:23 PM EST

[#16]

Metal detector, turn down the sensitivity

Use a pistol.the same size to where u can hear only at 18" and closer to the coil

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:25:09 PM EST

[#17]

Good lord another safe thread

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:25:16 PM EST

[#18]

Don’t give up. Mauser 1914s are cool af

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:25:32 PM EST

[#19]

Except.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:26:24 PM EST

[#20]

Ziploc bag in the toilet tank.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:27:12 PM EST

[#21]

I would look in the gaps behind the kitchen (and any other) cabinets. Check from the bottom. Also check above. Use a small mirror and a flashlight. Or use your phone.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:27:59 PM EST

[#22]

Quote History

Quoted:
Sounds like a stash I would leave be for a rainy day.

A semi-hidden gun with no link to you?

Except this thread.

View Quote

Not useful unless he knows where it is though.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:32:32 PM EST

[#23]

Burn it down you will find it in the ashes ??

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:33:29 PM EST

[#24]

Invite all the local Arfers. Provide Beer and Hammers.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:34:04 PM EST

[#25]

How convinced are you that it’s actually still there, or ever was in the first place? Couldn’t he have just gotten it later and either sold or traded it away for something else?

Could be a wild goose chase

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:34:10 PM EST

[#26]

I stored a firearm like that once... grab a dust mask, start at one end and feel between the rafters. You could probably use a rake or something to push the insulation to the side you are looking. Or you could pay some kid to look.

Hopefully he didn’t slide it down between two walls or put it between the rafters and nail a board over it.

You could also check behind the refrigerator and inside any duct work.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:34:46 PM EST

[#27]

Call in anonymous red flag order on yourself. Local Popo will come find it.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:35:27 PM EST

[#28]

Hire a crackhead. He will find it.

He’ll come back later and rip all the copper and appliances out when you are gone. But you will have your dads gun.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:35:38 PM EST

[#29]

You have hit most of the normal hide spots.

My father hid things in the tub access door.

In an ironing board storage area. He also had a small chalk board by the back door that he kept a pistol under.

The bottom of any grand father clock.

Check the boards in the bottom of any laundry cabinets. If they are marked he may have pried one up.

It also depends on how agile he was.

Return air boxes are always a favorite.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:37:03 PM EST

[#30]

Quote History

Quoted:
Pull out the appliances and see if he stashed it inside....

View Quote

@AKSnowRider
You have to have a criminal record!

That's awesome idea!

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:37:24 PM EST

[#31]

Light fixtures or ceiling fan trim ring
behind/under oven or refrigerator
Removable toekick on cabinetry

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:38:43 PM EST

[#32]

Metal detecting hand wand from harbor freight.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:38:52 PM EST

[#33]

Quote History

Quoted:
Ziploc bag in the toilet tank.

View Quote

Doubt it, a rookie would find that after the first day after learning about searches.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:40:59 PM EST

[#34]

Inside of #10 soup or tomato cans, inside of old paint cans?

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:41:20 PM EST

[#35]

My remote viewing says there is a rafter with a double knot in it to the right of the access hole, back towards the corner. It is in a gray box with blue writing on it under the insulation under that rafter.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:41:57 PM EST

[#36]

DAY 1

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:42:22 PM EST

[#37]

You might also try purchasing an endoscope, you can hook it up to a smartphone.

Also the cabinets like someone mentioned, and furniture, the kind of things where there is a space between the floor and bottom, anywhere there might be a void. Some medicine cabinets were recessed into the wall and might have been replaced with flush ones, the void still might be there. Appliances might have dead space, like if you take the backplate off a dryer.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:42:49 PM EST

[#38]

Quote History

Quoted:
How convinced are you that it’s actually still there, or ever was in the first place? Couldn’t he have just gotten it later and either sold or traded it away for something else?

Could be a wild goose chase

View Quote

No it is here. Dad never sold ANYTHING and I did find a box of 32 Auto. It is here.... somewhere.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:42:51 PM EST

[#39]

Your dad sounds like he was cool AF. I have a vacation home near Yuma. When I kick off, my son is going to shit his pants when he opens the safe and looks through all the hiding places. Plus there's about $8k US worth of pesos. I hope he spends the money wisely at the whorehouse in Los Algodones.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:43:47 PM EST

[#40]

Quote History

Quoted:
Metal detector, turn down the sensitivity

View Quote

If dad wasn't completely crazy, he'd also hide several dozen pistol-length steel pipes in various locations.

Good luck filtering THAT out with a metal detector.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:43:48 PM EST

[#41]

Maybe thermal vision after a temperature change, or wall/ground-penetrating radar.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:43:58 PM EST

[#42]

Hire Benchmade to come grind it up for you.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:44:13 PM EST

[#43]

Could he have plastered it into a wall between the studs?

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:44:35 PM EST

[#44]

Check the air vents / ducts.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:44:47 PM EST

[#45]

Quote History

Quoted:
Depending on how its positioned in the insulation, you may be able to see it with a FLIR sensor. Several products out there ranging from cheapo devices that can plug into your phone, to full on handheld kits.

View Quote

Nope, just checked. Pistol at same temperature as surroundings is clearly visible against a black background through FLIR handheld. Place an ordinary Carhartt sweatshirt over it, and now invisible.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:45:09 PM EST

[#46]

Quote History

Quoted:

Could be a wild goose chase

View Quote

Invite DK-Prof over. It's the only way to know for sure.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:45:36 PM EST

[#47]

Have you actually searched all his drawers thoroughly.
Found a stainless .22 mag one time and had been in that drawer several times earlier.
Belonged to the wife's ex.
Ruger single six..

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:45:58 PM EST

[#48]

Use a 12-14” rake between the rafters and feel for bumps. Drag it upside down so as to not tear shit up

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:46:05 PM EST

[#49]

Thermal imaging camera. Buddy of mine has a business where he goes to homes to look for hidden water leaks, drafts, areas where builders skimped on insulation etc. You’d be surprised what he finds and you can tell instantly. He’s found guns, cash, coins, ammo, jewelry etc hidden in walls.

Posted: 12/24/2019 3:46:20 PM EST

[#50]

Eliminate the outdoors first....septic tank...buried...bard..etc....I

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - My Dad "hid" a pistol before he died, need some ideas guys... (Page 1 of 6)

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