This is a really interesting topic, and one that has bewildered art historians for years, if not generations.
It seems that while Van Gogh has long been thought to have been an absinthe addled madman, though he did have some psychological issues, he does not appear to have been suicidal.
The 'ear' issue of 1888 is still a matter of debate, why, how and even whether it was just the lobe or entire ear removed. Despite the irrationality of this bizarre action, it does not seem to have bearing on his death in July, 1890.
It is believed he went to the fields near the Auberge Ravoux Inn, in Auvers-sur-Oise on that day to paint. It is unclear whether he had a gun (one reference said to shoot crows) or not, but it seems there were two young guys he knew at the field as well. Some say they were adversarial to him, but other accounts suggest there was some horseplay with a gun having to do with the 'wild west' fascinations which were popular at the time.
The thing is that he went back to the hotel after being shot in the abdomen, and died two days later. There does not seem to have been an investigation as he had claimed his wound was self inflicted. It is believed he intended to shield the two guys. The thing is that forensically the wound entered his body at an oblique angle, contrary to a self inflicted shot. Then why would he shoot himself in the abdomen, the most painful and often lengthy types of mortal injury?
It seems either nobody thought to collect the gun, or it was lost in the fields at the time. As he died he could not have gone to find the gun, and the boys probably could not find it either, likely staying away from the scene.
With that being the case, and given the excavated condition of the now relic gun, this may very well be the gun involved in this accident/event. As always provenance is key, and the gun is said to have been discovered c. 1960. This is really not surprising, the battlefields of WWI are still full of relics that have been undisturbed since then.
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