Saturday, April 29, 2017

4/29/17 Report - Browning Machine Gun Dug By Florida Detectorist. Other Finds. Beach Conditions Remain Poor.


Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.


 M1919 Browning Dug by Florida Detectorist.
Find and photo by Dustin P.


A lot of detectorists find World War II era shells on the Florida beaches. That used to be more common than it has been in more recent years. I've done a few posts showing dug shells, such as my 2/17/12 post. Here is a much more unusual find. This is a Browning M1919. Yes it was found by a detectorist in Florida - Dustin P.

Dustin is a Gunners Mate in the U.S. Coast Guard and works in the servicing armory that supports all of the ordnance and weapons training and supply for all of SC, GA, FL, and Puerto Rico. In his email Dustin said, That is important to know since one of the finds is a fairly well preserved browning 1919. It was the work horse light machine gun for the U.S. Military starting in WWII and Korea and was phased out just after Vietnam by the M240B. 

That is one unusual and neat find.  Congratulations Dustin!

Dustin has found other historic items in other areas of the country.  Here is more of his email to me.

I started following your blog while I was deployed in the middle east last year May 2015-June2016. I took up the hobby while I was stationed in New Orleans a few years ago. It offered some good opportunities being there sine the coast guard base in Belle Chasse had been a military base since 1742 according to the historical marker. It served as a cannon battery during the battle of New Orleans in the war of 1812 and since the base is all but abandoned except for our ordnance bunkers and a few station building I could hunt wherever I wanted. I was able to find what appeared to be an old stable from way back when. I found horse shoes, and an old hoof pick. I also found the original base layout at the library of congress website and located the old CO's house where I found some silverware, very old mason bricks, the front of a very ornate fireplace and some other things.


Dug Hoof Pick.
Find and photo by Dustin P.
Among Dustin's Florida beach finds are old deck nails, smaller square nails and possible galley stones.

Possible Galley Brick
Find and photo by Dustin P.
Thanks for sharing Dustin, and continued good luck.

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I hope everybody enjoys the Treasure Hunter's Cookout today.

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Nothing exciting about the beaches right now.  Here is what it looks like.

Fairly Steep Slope On This Beach.

No Cuts or Seaweed 

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net