Pope Style stocked smooth bore

[bpd303]

Back in 1998 I traded an old MIL-SERP Mauser to a fellow for three old smooth bore percussion long guns. He said that they were in an old barn on his grandfathers farm for as long as he could remember. All three were in very sad shape from being in that old barn when I got them.
 
Now I'm not saying that Harry Pope was the builder of the one, I have kept all these years. but the stock resembles his style (sort of) and it is a good shooter with both shot & patched round ball. I restored it to what I believe it looked like when newer. The bore was rusted and full of mud-dobber nests. There are no markings or name on the lock or barrel which I have left in the white. The barrel is 41 inches long & 24ga/.58 caliber and it cleaned up pretty well. The stock had no finish left and I think it is black walnut wood common to this area. I finished it with Fornby's tung oil about 6 hand rubbed coats. The ram rod is steel with a cleaning/loading jag and on the opposite end is a patch puller. It has a false patch box.

My wife scored pretty good with it at a couple of muzzle shoots with patched round ball.


















Randy aka bpd303

[Tenmile]

Interesting rifle. It has the look of a target rifle except for the absence of set triggers. The bore is larger than what I’ld expect from a Pope target barrel. It cleaned up nicely. That is a neat find. Thanks for showing it.
Lynn

[Mike Brooks]

Harry Pope had nothing to do with that.

[bpd303]

Harry Pope had nothing to do with that.

Thanks Mike,
That I was reasonably certain of, since Harry's shop was destroyed during the great 1906 Frisco Earthquake and he then became associated with the Stevens rifle Co. making single shot Schuetzen target rifles. I've never heard or seen if he or any of his brothers made muzzle loaders.
My hope was just maybe a member may have seen or knows of a builder that made rifles with a similar style of stock. I for one have never seen another.

Randy aka bpd303

[Daryl]

There was a "Pape" around mid 1800's in the Americas, seems to me, who developed a screw on choking device in around that time.
This is noted & photographed in Greener's book.

[bpd303]

Thanks for the reply
However I found him while researching an old double barrel hammered gun I have.
That was William R (W R) Pape from Newcastle upon Tyne England. I have read about his work on a forum about Double Barrel shotguns. All of his work was about Hammered & box lock double barrels. All of his guns I've seen pictures of resemble Purdy shotguns.

Randy aka bpd303.

[Dphariss]

Looks like something someone would have made in the 1950s for shooting trap at Friendship. Breech looks like something from a 1850s-60s rifle musket.

[bpd303]

I also thought it may have been made from an old rifled musket bored to smooth bore. The lock, trigger & trigger guard kinda looks like old Springfield musket parts to me.

Randy aka bpd303