2549

PHILO SOPER CANADIAN PERCUSSION TARGET RIFLE WITH CASE AND ACCESSORIES.

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:1,750.00 USD Estimated At:3,500.00 - 6,500.00 USD
PHILO SOPER CANADIAN PERCUSSION TARGET RIFLE WITH CASE AND ACCESSORIES.
SN 323. Cal. .395 Groove diameter, with six square grooves. 30" Octagon bbl with under rib fitted with two thimbles, has provision for false muzzle. Top flat is fitted with really cool removable sights that screw in and out of tapped holes, have long tangs/ handles which engage detents to lock into position. Sights include a silver bead front, along with a hooded bead (in case). Rear bbl sight is a semi-buckhorn V-notch, removable when using lolly-pop tang sight, which is adjustable for windage and elevation. Rear portion of top flat has large gold poincon marked "Philo Soper London C. W." (London Ontario, 1858-1868). Rear portion of bbl is engraved with triangles of large open scroll. Patent breech has snail filed bolster, platinum blow-out, is scroll engraved, and inlaid with gold bands. Scroll engraved breech iron is fitted with aforementioned rear sight. Front action lock with flat to rounded bodied serpentine hammer with relief carved dolphins head, is also scroll engraved, and has recumbent stag in front of hammer. Trigger plate with stylized pineapple finial is fitted with single set trigger. Iron trigger guard with spur has finely checkered scroll grip. Flame figured European walnut stock is fitted with heavy scroll engraved crescent buttplate, with 4-3/4" return on flat toe line in the style of American plains rifles. A lyre-shaped scroll and foliate engraved iron patchbox with spring cover is on right side of butt. Stock is finished with French polish, and features large, beaded shadow line right hand cheekpiece, horn forend tip, and interesting inset checkering with fancy bead carved borders. Stock attaches to bbl with captive side nail through engraved steel escutcheons. Remains of a hickory ramrod with worm under brass cover, mounts through pipes on bottom of bbl and nicely filed tailpipe. Quilted figured walnut case is lined in light maroon cloth, and contains an interesting array of orig loading implements French fitted to case, including: German silver bullet starter, walnut handled brass mold with steel sprue cutter for round and picket ball, blued steel bullet swedge, case hardened main spring vice, James Dixon German silver capper, James Dixon German silver combination nipple prick and whistle (whistle works), T-shaped steel nipple wrench with pricker and brass caps, 10 bore patch cutter, leather covered James Dixon powder flask, aforementioned hooded front sight, and a BGI powder measure. CONDITION: Good, suffering from poor storage. Bbl is mostly a brown lightly pitted patina, as are most other iron parts. Sights retain traces of their orig fire blue, rear sight quite strong. Stock retains nearly all of its thick French polish finish, lightly crazed, with numerous light marks, some very heavy near side nail from removal. Left side of fore part has 2" crack running from side nail escutcheon up to bbl channel. Horn forend tip has considerable insect damage to right side. Ramrod is missing its tip. Lock is crisp. Hammer is missing its thumbpiece. Set trigger works. Bore is excellent. A cleaning rod meets resistance before reaching breech end of bbl. (Loaded ?) Exterior of case retains a considerable amount of what appears to be its orig finish, with Dutchman set into lid at front, a number of cracks on front edge. Right hinge is not attached. Lock escutcheon is missing. Interior cloth is good, considerably faded to bronze and gold, with considerable amount of marks and compressions. Bbl channel ends are chipped out. Accessories are generally good, showing some oxidation. Leather of flask is falling apart. 4-49721 MGM315