![]() ![]() Cooey Machine and Arms Co until the 1970s when it expanded to a bigger facility yet again. A factory in Cobourg, Ontario, became the new home for H.W. It quickly became evident that he needed bigger manufacturing facilities to accommodate the increased demand for Cooey firearms. Eaton company distributed Cooeys across the country. Cooey Firearm’s Rise to FameĪ Cooey advertisement from 1922 boasts, “Over 6,000 Canadians have purchased Canucks during the past 12 months.” Major Canadian retailers like the T. This was a terrific safety feature for a young, first-time shooter. Even loaded and chambered, the gun would not shoot unless the striker was manually cocked. When the round is chambered and the bolt is locked into place, it only half-cocks the rifle. Innovative for the time, what made it so safe was not only that it was a single shot, but even when loaded, the shooter was required to pull back a cocking handle at the rear to make it operable. 22 was frequently advertised as a great youth firearm, a “boy’s rifle,” because it was tough, very safe, and almost impossible to fire accidentally. This rifle was mass-produced under many names, including the “Ace,” “Eatonia,” “Model 39,” and “Model 75,” as the rifle was licensed under contracts to many major Canadian retailers like Sears and Eaton’s. It was a single-shot, utilitarian rifle that was reliable, accurate, and cheap. In 1919, Cooey Machine and Gear unveiled the Canuck, its first iconic firearm, chambered in. He realized he could do more than just produce parts he could design firearms. This initial experience with the firearms industry sparked Cooey’s interest in firearm manufacturing. Cooey Machine and Gear won the bid to produce flip-up sites for Canada’s primary service rifle during the First World War: the Mark III Ross Rifle. Eventually, Cooey moved to a larger facility where he bidded on government contracts to assist the war effort. He opened a shop in the heart of Toronto named “Cooey Machine and Gear.” As his talents and reputation grew, so did the demand for his services as a machinist and inventor. In 1903, Cooey was confident enough with his skillset to venture out on his own as a “Mechanical Expert and Practicing Machinist. This negative experience left a lasting impression on the young industrialist he found the working conditions and treatment of the factory employees so appalling that it influenced how he ran his own company and treated his future employees. Before his contract was up, he left and traveled to Cleveland, Ohio, to meet his brother to take up a job working on a factory assembly line. At 15, he began a three-year apprenticeship with the Grand Turk Railroad. Herbert William (H.W.) Cooey was born in Toronto, Canada, in 1881. ![]() Image from Cobourg Museum Foundation Origins of H.W. An advertisement for the Cooey Canuck, which appeared in an early edition of Rod & Gun Canada, perhaps best described a Cooey rifle as “The ideal Christmas present for the red-blooded boy, whether he lives in the city, the town or the country.” If you were a kid growing up in Canada between the 1930s and 1980s, chances are you grew up shooting a Cooey rifle. Cooey produced over 12,000,000 firearms during the 20th century. This reputation made them a household name in Canada. Cooey Firearms may not be known for high-quality finishings, elaborate engravings, or prestige like Purdy, Holland & Holland, or Beretta, but they are simple, reliable, and affordable. Cooey Machine & Arms was founded in 1903 as Cooey Machine & Gear by inventor Hebert William Cooey. Listen to more articles on Apple | Google | Spotify | Audible Despite Canada’s notoriety as a country with restrictive firearm laws, Canada is not without its own iconic firearm manufacturer. These are names that are synonymous with innovation, craftsmanship, and quality. Inventors and engineers like Bartolomeo Beretta of Italy, Samuel Colt of the US, and William Anson and John Deeley of Great Britain are just a few examples. Many countries are home to iconic and world-renowned firearms manufacturers. New England Grouse Shooting, by William Harnden FosterĬooey rifles became a Canadian household name because of their simplicity, reliability, and affordability.The Upland Shooting Life, by George Bird Evans. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |