A fisherman, Nate DeMontigny, made a surprising discovery while magnet fishing from a bridge. He found a metal container attached to his Neodymium magnet on a rope. Initially, Nate thought it was a cosmetics case, but upon opening it, he found a Derringer pistol inside.
The Derringer pistol, known for its ability to fire one or two rounds, is named after its inventor, Henry Deringer. Nate speculated that the gun may have been discarded in the river due to fears of being caught with it, as it still had a tag on it.
After contacting the local police, they retrieved the firearm for further examination. The Bridgewater Police Department will keep the gun for about a year to see if anyone claims it before determining its fate. If Nate is allowed to keep it, he plans to clean it and display it in a shadow box.
Nate considers the pistol one of his top finds while magnet fishing and mentioned that the officers informed him he could have it back if it comes back clean. Magnet fishing not only aims to find valuable items but also helps in clearing water bodies of metallic waste that can harm the environment.