P. Soper LCW ** seeking information

jpc

jpc

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
692   0   0
Location
SUNNY SOUTHERN ONTARIO
Hello:

I was contacted about a rifle (Cap&Ball) marked P. Soper LWC on the barrel flat and Joseph Golcher on the lock. The owner is under the impression that the rifle was made in London Ontario.

Information as given
-boys rifle
-barrel 22" and small bore...32?
-wood may be cherry
-other markings on barrel...128
-may have been converted from flint
-LWC...London West Canada

No pictures available yet

take care and thanks for the information

jpc
 
P Soper was one of the Sopers that has shops in London Lower Canada so before confederation. Philo Soper was consider the better of the Soper's. When I get a chance I will get the information form the Canadian gunsmith book.
 
Golcher is just the maker of the lock. I once owned a rifle by Philo Soper and it was signed on the top of the barrel "P Soper" as I recall

cheers mooncoon
 
jpc said:
mooncoon

Was your rifle standard size or small as this one is described?

take care
Click to expand...

It was stolen about 17years ago so I am going by memory. The gun was a half stock and unusual in that it had both left and right cheek pieces. The stock was broken and I restocked it very faithfully to the original. I am pretty sure the barrel was roughly 1" accross the flats and the last inch of the muzzle was turned round but not pin indexed for a false muzzle. I am pretty sure it was .45 caliber. There were silver ovals inlet into each cheek piece and they were made from american silver dollars hammered out thinner and larger.
Barrel was between 30 and 36" long as I remember. Definitely well short of 39" and at least 30"

cheers mooncoon
 
From the book The Canadian Gunsmiths 1608 o 1900 by S James Gooding, mine is a signed copy form 1962. The Soper's were in London form 1849 to 1886 and it looks like about 4 of them and Philo seems to be out of the business around 1868 or so.
Of my understanding he made some of the better guns but also alot of the standard ones, his good guns would have a check piece on both sides of the stock. In 1860 he was commissioned to make a gun for the Prince of Wale's tour of Canada in 1860 and this gun is in the royal collection in Britian. That being said most of these are still basic guns. I have one of his guns but is in tough shape and also one of his barrels both are turned for a bullet starter and both are 1/2 stocked. Yes the lock on the one I have is also a Golcher lock. In the book there is about 3 pages of information on the Soper family and at one time they ran the Dominon Gun works shop in London
John
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom