The Soper Rifle

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The Soper Rifle

http://www.researchpress.co.uk/firearms/british/soper/soper.htm


The Engineer, 13 December 1867
The rifle invented by Mr. W. Soper, of Reading, and illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, was one of the number sent for the recent competition at Woolwich, and was rejected on the ground of "complication of breech arrangement." In this rifle the breech-piece is formed of a block of steel R, working freely up and down in a vertical slot at the rear of the barrel, and secured to a lever fixed at the bottom of the lock, which is placed in the center of the stock. The striker J is mounted inside the breech-piece, and works easily without any spring. The #### is also secured to the breech lever in such a manner that the breech-piece and #### are worked simultaneously. The Soper rifle


The attachment is effected by the swivel H, furnished with a projection and recess for working the extractor L, so that the one movement of drawing down the lever opens the breech, cocks the piece, and throws out the cartridge case. The trigger A is mounted on the lever, and has no connection with the sear E until the breech is placed home, and thus the rifle cannot be fired until the safety catch B is pressed. For cleaning purposes the lock and breech-piece can be removed by withdrawing a couple of screws. Fig. 3 shows a section of the rifling, the calibre being that of the service rifle.

The trials of this rifle at Woolwich were satisfactory. For rapidity twelve rounds were fired in thirty-nine seconds with three mis-fires; the mean deviation of eight shots fired for accuracy from a shoulder rest at 500 yards, with Boxer cartridges, No. 3 pattern, was 2.30ft. Many excellent results have also since been obtained. Nevertheless we cannot but agree with the committee that the mechanism of the breech and lock is too complicated for a purely military weapon, and, moreover, that they were perfectly correct in doubting the value of the safety catch as a substitute of the ordinary half-####. Mr. Soper has expended a great deal of ingenuity, and has produced a weapon which gives good results, but we think it cannot be denied that it is unsuitable for the use of the soldier.





What a wonderful mechanism this gun has!
janice
 
In Liquidation. – The Soper Rifle Factory, Reading. – Important unreserved Sale of the whole of the valuable Plant, Machinery, Tools, and Stock in Trade appertaining to the manufacture of the world renowned Soper Rifle; also the Letters Patent of a new Tricycle, the special tools for making same, and some half-dozen finished Tricycles of an entirely new design, together with the general contents of a first-class gunmaker’s shop (which will be removed from the retail establishment in Friar-street to the above factory for convenience of sale).

Mr. GEORGE RUSSELL BUTLER has received instructions from the Trustee of Mr. William Soper’s Estate to SELL by AUCTION, at the above Factory (which adjoins the Great Western Railway Station at Reading), on Wednesday and Thursday, the 6th and 7th of July, 1881, at 11 for 12 o’clock punctually each day, and exceedingly valuable and complete MACHINERY, Special Tools, Stock in Trade and Effects, comprising the entire contents of the factory and of the retail shop in Friar-street. Among the principal items may be mentioned, double-geared, slide and screw-cutting lathe, single speed lathe, set of four valuable milling and slitting machines, together with the very costly specially designed steel tools used in the manufacture of the Soper rifle, perfectly new slitting and drilling machines, by Muir, of Manchester, a quick speed treadle drilling machine, a segment sawing machine, numerous tools in good condition, about 115 Soper rifles (the list prices of which vary from six to 22 guineas), valuable match rifles with Sharp’s, Henry’s and Soper’s barrels, a large number of barrels (Sharp’s, Metford’s, Henry’s, and Soper’s), stocks, and other component parts of rifles, about 30 sporting guns, ammunition, two mechanical rests of the Government pattern as used at Woolwich, clinometer, anemometer, a well-built shooting shed (20ft. by 16ft.) at the Reading Rifle range, and the usual appurtenances of a gunmaker’s shop, together with a valuable 1880 patent for improvements in velocipedes, a few special tools for making a new kind of tricycle, and six new tricycles complete. The whole to be sold without the slightest reserve to close accounts. The attention of gunmakers, machinists, sportsmen, and others is specially directed to this important sale, whereby an exceptional opportunity is afforded of securing machinery, rifles, and other things of a most expensive character at prices far below the actual cost of manufacture. Both the machinery and stock are in excellent condition, much of it being equal to new. On view two days prior to sale. Full details in catalogues to be obtained of the Trustee, Chas.H. Andrews, Esq. 1, Gresham-buildings. Basinghall-street, London, E.C.: of the Auctioneer, 6, Market-place, Reading.
 
Wow, can't argue with the accuracy, but a military rifle should have more in common with a shovel than a fine timepiece. Cool bit of history, for sure.
 
Marvellous rifle Janice, and I'd give my eye teeth for one in military furnishings.

There are lyrics to a contemporary song bemoaning the fact that the military didn't go the way of the Soper due to the fact that it was already committed to the Martini Henry! It would seem the "trials" were merely an exercise in futility for Soper and his rifle, although I don't think it can be argued that this mechanism though brilliant is poorly suited for military applications.

I also found it very odd that Soper's business partner Sgt...? who was operating the rifle during the "trials" did so laying on his back with the muzzle in between his feet! Much like a "cross sticks" type method. The only thing that I've been able to come up with is that the Trials rifle that was tested, was the under lever type you provided in the first pick (he later went to the side lever). Like a lever action, it would be tough to operate from prone...not as tough life would be if one were to accidentally shoot a foot off though!?

Apparently, prior to the liquidation of his shop, an entire ship load of Soper rifles was bound for {Turkey?} and the ship was lost in a storm all merchandise rests at the bottom of one of the seven seas.:) {if it weren't for bad luck, Soper would have had no luck at all!:p}
 
plinker 777 said:
I also found it very odd that Soper's business partner Sgt...? who was operating the rifle during the "trials" did so laying on his back with the muzzle in between his feet! Much like a "cross sticks" type method. The only thing that I've been able to come up with is that the Trials rifle that was tested, was the under lever type you provided in the first pick (he later went to the side lever). Like a lever action, it would be tough to operate from prone...not as tough life would be if one were to accidentally shoot a foot off though!?
Click to expand...

this was a very common target shooting position of the era, known as supine
Supine_position.gif

Fulton%20in%20Position.jpg
 
The rifle in the OP is a model which was made in very limited numbers.
A later Soper was much more succesful and saw use as a match rifle.
 
apparently its quite effective, it is banned from a few target disciplines, and others give many advantages to regular prone shooters. think of it like using your body as an f-class bench setup
 
Actually, the action on the side lever sounds more like the pinch of the right thumb and index or middle finger on the same hand? Far cry from a two man operation. Its most likely an improvement to the under lever. From the looks of the under lever it may have provided the operator a better fulcrum to eject the spent case, but there are a lot of linkages that can bend or wear. These workings are also exposed momentarily when cycling the rifle {read dirt and sh1t in the works:p}. The side lever Soper seems to have taken some criticisms to heart and probably resulted in a better all around design from the users vantage point. As has been stated, they were a popular rifle at one point of time...bad designs that are a two man operation to load and fire are never popular.

Just my nickels worth,
 
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