Tell us about Fred. I've heard the name but know nothing of worth about him. Jerry Liles
Custom Sporting Rifle Makers
Part Nineteen
Frederick H. Surkamer Jr, 1871- 1936
Michael Petrov ©
Frederick H. Surkamer:
Over the years I have found references to four custom rifles made by F. Surkamer of Chicago, Illinois. Two were made on the Mauser action and two on the 1903 Springfield action. They all seem to have had the original safety changed to a trigger block style, either to a Greener type side safety or to one installed on the trigger guard.
When I first started researching Frederick Surkamer all I could find was one listing in American Arms and Arms Makers by Gardner, 1938. “Surkamer, Fred - 54 West Lake Street, Chicago, Ill., Guns made to order. Established in 1891 and succeeded in 1935 by E. Mirz.” Surkamer is a unique enough name so that it was easy locating his relatives.
Fred was born in Glen Ellyn, IL, November 2nd 1871 to farming parents originally from Hanover, Germany. Fred does not show up in the 1900 census and in 1910 is listed as a repairman in a gun shop. By 1920 the census lists both him and his son Herman working in a gunshop owned by Fred.
It is not known where Fred Surkamer learned the gunsmithing trade but in researching the address of his shop more questions than answers surfaced. Family members remember Fred working with an older “German” gunsmith whose name they don’t remember. Surkamer’s shop was located in Room 305 at 54 Lake Street, Chicago. There were two gunsmiths in business together for many years by the name of Moran and Wolfersperger (Mathew E. Moran and Ross C. Wolfersperger). They were located at several different addresses in the Chicago area. In 1906 there was a Fremont P. Stannard, gunsmith, located at Room 304, 100 Lake Street. In 1907-8 the business became Stannard & Moran (Mathew E. Moran). The firm of Stannard & Moran is listed in city directories at least until 1916 at this address. The address after 1916 is listed as Room 304, 54 Lake Street. This appears to be a number change on the building. Looking at the picture taken of the Surkamer shop it’s easy to believe that the shop housed two gunsmiths one using the Room 304 and the other the Room 305 address. Another possibility is that Surkamer worked for Stannard & Moran, learned the trade, then took over the business in later years.
To confuse the issue further I have been trying to locate the work of a Chicago gunmaker by the name of Ned Moran. Ned Moran was born in Ohio in 1881 and Mathew Moran was born 1854 in Michigan. Forest & Stream of Jan, 1917 recommends Mathew Moran for restocking the 1903 Springfield and an article in July 27, 1918 recommends Ned Moran for the same type of work. From what little I have learned about Ned he was the head gunsmith for Von Lengerke & Antoine. I have to date found no link between the two men other than their sharing the same last name. It took me a long time to realize that all the references to a Chicago gunmaker making custom sporting rifles named Moran were not the same person.
The bulk of Fred Surkamer’s business appears to have been shotguns and repair work on them. He imported shotguns, rifles, double rifles and drillings from Germany from the firm of Gebrüder Weiss (Weiss Brothers) and Bruno Weiss who were located in Suhl, Germany. Surkamer sold what he called the “Surkamer Seven” which was a seven shot volley gun that fired seven 22LR cartridges with one pull of the trigger. These were typically used for high flying waterfowl, namely geese.
According to family members, Fred did a lot of work for Von Lengerke & Antoine and Marshal Field as well as for the Chicago Police Department. I was told that Fred was an avid hunter and did a lot of bird hunting. As well as custom rifles, he also made rifle barrels to order. One custom sporter with his name stamped on it has a barrel with a left-hand twist. I just don’t have enough information to say positively that the barrels he made will have a left-hand twist or not. From a letter to a customer dated June 26th, 1933, “A hand stocked and handmade .270 caliber barrel, on a Springfield action complete Sporting model for $85.00.” This customer was from Montana so it seems Surkamer was known outside of Chicago. From the back of an undated business card: “Model and experimental work. Repairing, remodeling, engraving. Blueing, case hardening. Ventilated ribs fitted to any gun. Single triggers, auto-ejectors, special barrels. Boring and choke boring to order. Relining all 22’s including 22 “Hornet”. Rifling and rerifling any twist, also gain twist all calibers.”
Among Surkamer’s personal papers is a customs form dated 1927 for sending a rifle, less the stock, to Germany for engraving which leads me to believe that any engraving found on Surkamer marked guns was done in Germany.
Family members reported that he supplied guns to Martin and Osa Johnson, a famous husband and wife team who were adventurers, writers and film makers in the 1920-30’s.
Thanks to the sharp eye of PS writer John Feamster I can show you one of Surkamer’s custom sporting rifles. This rifle is marked on the barrel in one line "F. Surkamer, Chicago, ILL”. This rifle was built on a 1903 Springfield that was made in 1924 using a star-gauge barrel. The bolt shroud was replaced by a new one made with a built-in peep sight with a screw adjustment for elevation, drifted for windage. Also it is case hardened. With the removal of the bolt shroud which contained the military safety, a new safety was made and installed behind the trigger in the trigger guard. Both the safety and the new bolt shroud with sight show a high degree of workmanship. The rifle has a schnabel forend tip, engraved steel grip cap, banded ramp front sight and steel trapdoor buttplate. The layout, inletting, metal work, woodwork and checkering are first class. This rifle is as well made as many I have written about over the years and I am somewhat surprised that a person with this much talent was not better known. I would be very interested in learning about rifles or shotguns marked “F. Surkamer”, not only for my own research;, but Geoff Surkamer, Fred’s great-grandson is interested in them as well.
