Photo credit: AI-generated image created using ChatGPT. Illustrative only
Magnet fishing is usually a slow grind—old rebar, hooks, a busted bike frame—until the day it isn’t. One magnet fisherman hit a brand-new spot and, in the first 20 minutes, pulled up what most folks wouldn’t find in a lifetime: four rifles and a revolver.
In the original post, the angler said the streak didn’t stop there. He finished the day with 10 guns total (not counting four BB guns), and he made a point to clear up one detail that people tend to assume: law enforcement didn’t show up because of the firearms at all.
The first 20 minutes turned into a gun pile
The fisherman described hitting a location he’d never tried before. Within 20 minutes, he’d already stuck four rifles and a revolver—fast enough that it reads like someone dumped a collection off a bridge.
He didn’t claim to know every model, but he did give some educated guesses based on what he could see after knocking rust loose. Two of the first rifles came up back-to-back casts, and he believed they were 30-30 lever actions. At first he thought they might be BB guns, but the “barrels were way too solid” once he got some corrosion off.
Back-to-back casts kept producing rifles
After the first pair, he said two more rifles came up shortly after—again close together. One was described as a .22 pump-action, and the fourth rifle was suspected to be an Indian Martini .22, though he wasn’t certain.
That’s a pretty wild spread for a single stretch of water: lever actions and rimfires are exactly the kind of working guns you see in old trucks and behind kitchen doors in rural country. When they show up underwater, it usually means one of a few things happened—and none of them are good.
The revolver was a .357, and he suspected it was a Smith & Wesson
The fifth gun in that quick run was a .357 Magnum revolver. He said he strongly believed it was a Smith & Wesson, and he found numbers under the wooden grips, then posted them on a Smith & Wesson forum to get more information.
Any handgun pull gets people’s attention, but a .357 revolver especially changes the tone. Even when a firearm is heavily corroded, the right move is to treat it as loaded until proven otherwise—keep fingers out of trigger guards, keep it pointed in a safe direction, and don’t start “seeing if it’ll cycle.” Waterlogged or not, it’s still a firearm.
Police showed up, but not for the guns
Here’s the twist: law enforcement got involved for a completely separate reason. The fisherman said the call wasn’t about the firearms he found—he said they called due to “a large piece of artillery” they’d located earlier that day.
That detail matters because it’s easy for folks to assume every gun recovery automatically brings flashing lights. Sometimes it does, depending on local rules and what the item is. But unexploded ordnance—or anything resembling artillery—is a whole different category of risk. If you ever pull up something you can’t immediately identify, especially if it looks military or explosive, you don’t toss it in the truck and “figure it out later.” You back off and get professionals involved.
He said he was able to keep the guns—here’s the practical takeaway
The fisherman stated he was able to keep all the guns he found that day. That might surprise people, but magnet fishing sits right in the middle of a patchwork of laws and local policies—found property rules, abandoned property rules, evidence rules, and specific firearm regulations can all come into play.
If you’re thinking about trying this hobby, take the common-sense route: know the rules for the water you’re on, and have a plan before you ever throw a magnet. Some places want you to report firearms. Some places treat them like potential evidence. And even if you’re allowed to retain them, it doesn’t mean you should start cleaning one up and assuming it’s safe or legal to possess in every condition. When in doubt, call the local non-emergency line and ask what they want you to do.
This wasn’t his first big day, but it was his fastest
He’s been magnet fishing for over seven years, and he said he’s only had two days where he found five or more guns—this one included. He compared it to a previous run in Saginaw, Michigan (at two different spots) and another in South Bend where he found five guns at one spot, took a break, then returned and pulled out five more.
What made this trip stand out wasn’t just the count—it was the speed. Pulling five firearms in 20 minutes suggests either a very specific dumping location or a stretch of water that’s been quietly holding onto a pile of metal for a long time. Either way, he sounded confident he’d be going back.
Magnet fishing can be a good way to clean up waterways, but days like this are a reminder that you’re not just snagging scrap. You’re uncovering somebody’s past decisions, and occasionally you’re pulling up something that demands a little humility and a phone call. When the finds turn serious—guns, ammo, or anything that looks like ordnance—the best outdoorsmen habits apply: slow down, stay safe, and handle it the right way.
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