«The Gun» by Philip K. Dick

The Gun is a science fiction short story by Philip K. Dick, first published in 1952.
Nothing moved or stirred. Everything was silent, dead.
Only the gun showed signs of life … and the trespassers had wrecked that for all time.
The return journey to pick up the treasure would be a cinch … they smiled.
The Gun was first published in Planet Stories September 1952.
Philip Kendrick Dick (1928-1982) was an American science fiction author. Dick explored sociological, political and metaphysical themes in novels dominated by monopolistic corporations, authoritarian governments, and altered states.
In addition to 44 published novels, Dick wrote approximately 121 short stories, most of which appeared in science fiction magazines during his lifetime.
Although Dick spent most of his career as a writer in near-poverty, ten popular films based on his works have been produced, including Blade Runner, Total Recall, A Scanner Darkly, Minority Report, Paycheck, Next, Screamers, and The Adjustment Bureau.
In 2005, Time magazine named Dick one of the one hundred greatest English-language novels published since 1923. In 2007, Dick became the first science fiction writer to be included in The Library of America series.