Some questions about my Kopp rifle

[Mr_Pibb]

Hello my name is Frank,
sorry for my english, it is not my native language :-)
I am looking for some information about my rifle. My dad bought it at an auction sometime in the late 70s. early 80s.
It is stamped "Kopp" on the top of the barrel and is .38 if I mesaured correctly. I already did some research and the ones I found were all stamped A.Kopp or An.Kopp. or G. Kopp. Both seem to be father and son from what I have read.
Everything fits nicely together and nothing is loose or worn out. Some minor damage to the wood in the piston area. Also the barrel looks nice from inside.

I would like to know which one of both has made the rifle and when?
Is the firing mechansism original? I cannot see any stamps on it, but it has a hunting scene engraved of a dog and some ducks. Parts are stamped with matching numbers on the inside. The hammer also has some engraving left on it. I reworked the mechanism a bit and it now works great, including the trigger.
How would you estimate the value of the rifle? I don't want to sell it, but its nice to know.
The ramrod is slightly longer than the barrel when it is stored in place. It is just a wooden ramrod with no brass on it. Is this the way they were back then?

I appreciate all the information you have for me :-) Thanks- Frank

[smylee grouch]

Seems as though I remember reading about an Andrew Kopp, riflemaker some place. 

[Mark Tyler]

You have a nice George Kopp (1810-1890) rifle. George was the son of gunsmith Andrew Kopp (1781-1875). Your rifle was likely made in Geeseytown, Frankstown Township, Pennsylvania in the 1850's or later.   

[Mr_Pibb]

@smylee grouch
That is correct. There was an Andrew Kopp and his Son George Kopp were riflemakers in Hollidaysburg, PA. George was more prolific his rifles tend to be worth a bit less.
I found some information in the book "thoughts on the kentucky rifle in its golden age"about Andrew Kopp. He was born in 1782 and dies in 1875.
Somewhere I read that his son was born ~1810 and died ~1900.

[Mr_Pibb]

You have a nice George Kopp (1810-1890) rifle. George was the son of gunsmith Andrew Kopp (1781-1875). Your rifle was likely made in Geeseytown, Frankstown Township, Pennsylvania in the 1850's or later.

Great, that helps me alot. One of the reasons is the very strict gunlaw in my country. The makeyear of the rifle determines how it has to be stored and transported (owning is no problem). Everything before 1891 is super easy to handle. Everything after that gets a bit more complicated.

[OLUT]

You have a nice George Kopp (1810-1890) rifle. George was the son of gunsmith Andrew Kopp (1781-1875). Your rifle was likely made in Geeseytown, Frankstown Township, Pennsylvania in the 1850's or later.

Great, that helps me alot. One of the reasons is the very strict gunlaw in my country. The makeyear of the rifle determines how it has to be stored and transported (owning is no problem). Everything before 1891 is super easy to handle. Everything after that gets a bit more complicated.

Made definitely before 1891 as George died in 1890. I agree with Mark that this was probably made in the 1850 to 1860 range. Note that the US census shows George as a Blair County, Pa gunsmith and military records show him  as an army private in the Civil War from mid-1864 until mid-1865. Here's his grave (his gunmaking father is also buried there)

[Mr_Pibb]

You have a nice George Kopp (1810-1890) rifle. George was the son of gunsmith Andrew Kopp (1781-1875). Your rifle was likely made in Geeseytown, Frankstown Township, Pennsylvania in the 1850's or later.

Great, that helps me alot. One of the reasons is the very strict gunlaw in my country. The makeyear of the rifle determines how it has to be stored and transported (owning is no problem). Everything before 1891 is super easy to handle. Everything after that gets a bit more complicated.

Made definitely before 1891 as George died in 1890. I agree with Mark that this was probably made in the 1850 to 1860 range. Note that the US census shows George as a Blair County, Pa gunsmith and military records show him  as an army private in the Civil War from mid-1864 until mid-1865. Here's his grave (his gunmaking father is also buried there)

Thank you very much! Thats very good information.

[jdm]

Welcome to the A.L.R..  That's a nice George Kopp rifle you have.  If you get time may we see some close up  pictures of the patch box and cheek piece side . Maybe the toe plate also.  Thanks for sharing.  Jim

[Mr_Pibb]

Welcome to the A.L.R..  That's a nice George Kopp rifle you have.  If you get time may we see some close up  pictures of the patch box and cheek piece side . Maybe the toe plate also.  Thanks for sharing.  Jim

Of course.
I noticed a dark line under the barrel on the stock (picture). Was there some brass inlayed? Its right between the pins that hold the barrel.

The patchbox is spring loaded, button on the bottom side of the stock. It looks messy on the picture I did not clean it out, it still has some wax like stuff in it. I haven`t done any work on the stock. Its in pretty good shape, I don't want to make it any worse. Still looks good enough.

The screw that holds the mechanism through the stock is not original. I was unsure how it originally looked, if it was flat or cylinder shaped, so I made one that just looks nice with some floral look. Maybe someone can help me out how it should look. I kept the one that was in it. It was just a cylindral shaped screwhead.

[Avlrc]

Koop coming up at auction.
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/164644725_antique-tiger-maple-silver-inlaid-kentucky-rifle

[RAT]

The dark line you mention looks like a decorative incised molding line that is very typical on American longrifles. It's a carved decoration. I'd have a hard time believing any metal wire/ribbon work was ever placed there.

[Curt J]

Some of you might be surprised to learn that George Kopp worked in Haldane, Ogle County, Illinois, for at least ten years. He is listed here as a gunsmith in both the 1870 and 1880 census records. He is believed to have returned to Pennsylvania in early 1881. There are several known rifles that are believed to have been made here in Illinois. I own a couple of them.