Canadian Iver Johnson info/question for Bill Goforth - The Firearms Forum

doubleslover · 10-25-2010, 03:44 PM

Hello Bill--I have a Champion .410 shotgun that was assembled in Canada by Cooey at the plant in Cobourg. On the receiver it has Canada (in brackets) and Cobourg Ontario. I thought Cooey assembled shotguns for Iver Johnson in the 20's-30's. However this gun has a serial number that is all letters which I understand is 1940-1956. Cooey started making their own shotguns in 1940 so would they have assembled guns for Iver Johnson at that time? I am just trying to shed some light on this. This gun also has a copper colored looking trigger guard and the hinge pivot on the end of the forearm is also copper colored instead of the usual bluing. I haven't seen this before. This is a very nice little .410.

Ron Legros · 10-25-2010, 05:35 PM

I have numerous Iver Johnson shotguns and 22 rifles with Canadian markings and some limited information on the Cooey, Iver Johnson connection. Most of what I have indicates Cooey started to assemble guns for Iver Johnson some time near the beginning of the great depression until around 1939 or so.
From the limited information and the guns I have it appears they assembled the Hercules double guns, the Champion single guns and the Model X and 2X 22 bolt action rifles.
Hope this helps answer your questions.

grcsat · 10-25-2010, 07:34 PM

Hi, the cooey rifle co. was in buisness from 1903-1961
Winchester bought cooey in 1961
the last rifle marked cooey was produced in 1973 (cooey-winchester)

doubleslover · 10-25-2010, 08:23 PM

Yes, thanks for the input guys. I was aware of Cooey assembling the mentioned guns but am uncertain as to how long they did it. I too thought it was throughout the 30's but now am not so sure as my champion has the serial number which I believe is for the 40's throughout the 50's. I wouldn't have thought that Cooey continued to assemble shotguns for Iver Johnson once they started making and promoting their own but then again they assembled .22 rifles for them while producing their own. Maybe the time frame for assembling shotguns for them lasted longer than once thought. It is unfortunate there isn't more history on the Cooey/Iver connection.

grcsat · 10-25-2010, 08:34 PM

Here's bit of info about cooey 22s.
The original cooey 22s all had an undersize bore. about .002-3 smaller than all the manufactures of the time. A regular 22 reamer will not fit a cooey bore.
The model 39 (though unmarked) was probably the most produced 22 of the cooey line and is still commonly used in norther Canada.

b.goforth · 10-26-2010, 01:16 PM

the only thing i can add about this shotgun is the serial number series for all iver johnson shotgun is only a generalized statement and may be overlapping either way for a few years. there are NO KNOWN factory serial number records for iver johnson shotguns either single or double barrel. i have based my theory on the serial numbers using the catalog illustrations and personal observation. i am always open to new provable information.

others have more information of cooey and the years they were in business than i do.

bill

doubleslover · 10-26-2010, 02:49 PM

Again, thanks everyone for the input.

10-25-2010, 03:44 PM	#1
doubleslover V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 213	Canadian Iver Johnson info/question for Bill Goforth Hello Bill--I have a Champion .410 shotgun that was assembled in Canada by Cooey at the plant in Cobourg. On the receiver it has Canada (in brackets) and Cobourg Ontario. I thought Cooey assembled shotguns for Iver Johnson in the 20's-30's. However this gun has a serial number that is all letters which I understand is 1940-1956. Cooey started making their own shotguns in 1940 so would they have assembled guns for Iver Johnson at that time? I am just trying to shed some light on this. This gun also has a copper colored looking trigger guard and the hinge pivot on the end of the forearm is also copper colored instead of the usual bluing. I haven't seen this before. This is a very nice little .410. -->

10-25-2010, 05:35 PM	#2
Ron Legros Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 29	Re: Canadian Iver Johnson info/question for Bill Goforth I have numerous Iver Johnson shotguns and 22 rifles with Canadian markings and some limited information on the Cooey, Iver Johnson connection. Most of what I have indicates Cooey started to assemble guns for Iver Johnson some time near the beginning of the great depression until around 1939 or so. From the limited information and the guns I have it appears they assembled the Hercules double guns, the Champion single guns and the Model X and 2X 22 bolt action rifles. Hope this helps answer your questions.

10-25-2010, 07:34 PM	#3
grcsat V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: far,far,North Posts: 377	Re: Canadian Iver Johnson info/question for Bill Goforth Hi, the cooey rifle co. was in buisness from 1903-1961 Winchester bought cooey in 1961 the last rifle marked cooey was produced in 1973 (cooey-winchester)

10-25-2010, 08:23 PM	#4
doubleslover V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 213	Re: Canadian Iver Johnson info/question for Bill Goforth Yes, thanks for the input guys. I was aware of Cooey assembling the mentioned guns but am uncertain as to how long they did it. I too thought it was throughout the 30's but now am not so sure as my champion has the serial number which I believe is for the 40's throughout the 50's. I wouldn't have thought that Cooey continued to assemble shotguns for Iver Johnson once they started making and promoting their own but then again they assembled .22 rifles for them while producing their own. Maybe the time frame for assembling shotguns for them lasted longer than once thought. It is unfortunate there isn't more history on the Cooey/Iver connection.

10-25-2010, 08:34 PM	#5
grcsat V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: far,far,North Posts: 377	Re: Canadian Iver Johnson info/question for Bill Goforth Here's bit of info about cooey 22s. The original cooey 22s all had an undersize bore. about .002-3 smaller than all the manufactures of the time. A regular 22 reamer will not fit a cooey bore. The model 39 (though unmarked) was probably the most produced 22 of the cooey line and is still commonly used in norther Canada.

10-26-2010, 01:16 PM	#6
b.goforth Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: houston, tx Posts: 3,174	Re: Canadian Iver Johnson info/question for Bill Goforth the only thing i can add about this shotgun is the serial number series for all iver johnson shotgun is only a generalized statement and may be overlapping either way for a few years. there are NO KNOWN factory serial number records for iver johnson shotguns either single or double barrel. i have based my theory on the serial numbers using the catalog illustrations and personal observation. i am always open to new provable information. others have more information of cooey and the years they were in business than i do. bill __________________ Author: Iver Johnson's Arms & Cycle Works 1871-1993 H&R Arms Company 1871-1986 (due spring 2010) available from www.gunshowbooks.com website; iverjohnsoncollector.x10hosting.com

10-26-2010, 02:49 PM	#7
doubleslover V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 213	Re: Canadian Iver Johnson info/question for Bill Goforth Again, thanks everyone for the input.