Carper Southern Squirrel Rifle

[JTR]

I'm posting these pictures and comments for Carper. Nice rifle with a lot of details. Enjoy!

Here is rifle made in the later work life of Joseph Carper. I would put it just prior to the Civil War to the mid 1850's. Soon after he left Botetourt Co Va and moved to Raleigh Co Va.
It has a mixture of German silver, copper, and coin silver. Note the little copper stars inlaid into the capbox. The pinwheel on the cheek piece also has copper stars inlaid. Note the long silver cover on the stock comb with the folksy vine engraved its length.
This trigger guard is typical of all the half stocks that I have seen by him. It very heavy and I have seen a few others look sort of like it but not nearly as robust. In the picture of the three rifles you can see these guard has "teeth" filed into it.
Another feature of his rifles that you don't really pick up on is no rear lock molding. This makes the wrist completely round in cross section .You would think a person would not like that but is a little unique and quite fetching. Notice how short the wrists are.
I have never seen one of his rifles that did not have super wood even the earlier full stocks. These rifles really hold well offhand. Hope you enjoy these old guns and check out the hair on bag from south western VA.
Joe's son Sam took over the shop in 1880 when Joe died of a stroke while working on a rifle, made the bag, I think. The Carper's and the Honaker's competed for business with each other for fifty years !
Thanks to JTR for posting these for me. Johnny Walker

[Curt J]

Lots of subtle but nice details on this one.  The copper stars inlaid into other inlays is unique. A very nice rifle, thanks for posting the photos and information.

[old george]

very nice inlays on this rifle and very nice wood.

geo

[Avlrc]

Thanks for sharing your nice Virginia/West Virginia rifles. He sure knew how to pick nice wood. The Carper family of gunsmiths were mighty popular around Beckley WV area.

[rhbrink]

Very, very nice rifle and the wood is fantastic the first thing that got me was how heavy the trigger guard was and I noticed the rear of the lock molding too. Just curious as to what caliber it is and the barrel size how much does the rifle weight?


Thanks,

Richard

[Carper]

All the rifles in the picture started out with long (40 inch) barrels but all have been cut at least once at the breech at least a couple of inches each time. You can see one or two sets of pin holes in the wood as it seems no care was ever taken to relocate the tennon on the barrel. These are. About 7/8 across. calibers all fall into the thirtys. ( 31 to almost 40) Cut with narrow deep grooves.  JW

[Shreckmeister]

Carper,  Thanks for sharing those great rifles.  I imagine everyone around Beckley wanted to
have one of those in the day.  The copper inlays are a great touch and an outstanding piece of wood always makes for a nice rifle.  First I have heard of this maker and hoping to see more.